Best hispanic food in Dallas (San Antonio, Carrollton: appointed, restaurants, vs)

[Mr.Bungle]

Originally Posted by txgolfer130

If you've got a main dish were 50-55% of the contents are cheese, jalapenos, and a meat that has a rub, marinade or sauce on it...it's not "authentic" tex-mex. Or anything that comes out of a can.

I feel like that still counts as "authentic" tex mex. I mean, all tex mex means is to gringo-ize mexican good and canned cheese and jalapeno's does that. Jalapeno's aren't even particularly gringo. I don't understand the rub/marinade comment. My authentic Mexican friends often marinate or apply rubs to meat. So maybe what you're talking about is a bit more tex than mex, but it's still a Texas interpretation of Mexican food. Right?

I look at a dish like nachos and I think Tex Mex. My friend's Mexican mom would never serve me nachos. She would serve me a burrito with carne asada (rubbed with seasoning prior to cookng), guacamole, rice and beans.

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bungle

I feel like that still counts as "authentic" tex mex. I mean, all tex mex means is to gringo-ize mexican good and canned cheese and jalapeno's does that. Jalapeno's aren't even particularly gringo. I don't understand the rub/marinade comment. My authentic Mexican friends often marinate or apply rubs to meat. So maybe what you're talking about is a bit more tex than mex, but it's still a Texas interpretation of Mexican food. Right?

I look at a dish like nachos and I think Tex Mex. My friend's Mexican mom would never serve me nachos. She would serve me a burrito with carne asada (rubbed with seasoning prior to cookng), guacamole, rice and beans.

Tex-Mex was not originally a "gringo-ized" Northern Mexican food w/ cheese & jalapeno's. Tex-Mex was more sauces and more of a flat steak w/ refried beans type of food. No cheese. No heavy spices. No rubs/marinades.

More and more people have become used to putting a rub/marinade/seasoning on the meats (which from a taste POV I like~and most do as well which is why they're putting it on) but that's not "authentic". If you're drowning the food in processed cheese & jalapeno's it's Texas (gringo) food, not Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex used a lightly seasoned meat, borracho beans (depending upon area-re fried beans) and tortillas (corn not flour). Cheese & jalapeno's were garnish on top, not main ingredients.

Nachos for sure is a more Tex than Mex (but I still like 'em).

The point of the whole thread from me, was even at that (Tex food) there isn't that much good Tex food around here either. Processed cheese out of a can, or beans out of a can is just chain food crap that doesn't qualify as food. Once you've had good Tex-Mex you'll know the difference.

[Dallaz]

Jorge's in One Arts Plaza is pretty good.

[seat21d]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

Jorge's in One Arts Plaza is pretty good.

I didn't care for Jorge's, and I think it's way overpriced.

[nonexpat]

Blue Mesa, Blue Mesa, Blue Mesa! Oh how I miss Blue Mesa. I don't care for over cheesy, greasy stuff, so Blue Mesa's upscale take on Tex-Mex, Mex, and New Mexican makes me very happy. I live up in New Mexico now--the land of green and red chile. I like it, but I still miss Blue Mesa. I miss a nice Rico salad from Mi Cocina as well. Do not like Uncle Julio's. Having in lived in Austin for a while I like Chuy's and I heard Torchy's Tacos opened up in Dallas. I love Torchy's Tacos.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by txgolfer130

Tex-Mex was not originally a "gringo-ized" Northern Mexican food w/ cheese & jalapeno's. Tex-Mex was more sauces and more of a flat steak w/ refried beans type of food. No cheese. No heavy spices. No rubs/marinades.

More and more people have become used to putting a rub/marinade/seasoning on the meats (which from a taste POV I like~and most do as well which is why they're putting it on) but that's not "authentic". If you're drowning the food in processed cheese & jalapeno's it's Texas (gringo) food, not Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex used a lightly seasoned meat, borracho beans (depending upon area-re fried beans) and tortillas (corn not flour). Cheese & jalapeno's were garnish on top, not main ingredients.

Nachos for sure is a more Tex than Mex (but I still like 'em).

The point of the whole thread from me, was even at that (Tex food) there isn't that much good Tex food around here either. Processed cheese out of a can, or beans out of a can is just chain food crap that doesn't qualify as food. Once you've had good Tex-Mex you'll know the difference.

The authentic Mexican here is awesome. The Tex-Mex is less good, but there are still a few good places.

[TrueDat]

Veracruz in the Bishop Arts District and Empa Mundo in Irving for empanadas

[mami2emily]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

The OP (who has disappeared!)For what it's worth, I've never heard the term "Hispanic food".

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

I'm not sure what "Hispanic" food is either.

Hispanic food/latin food=food from Spanish-speaking countries. That much broader term was the reason I clicked on the thread in the first place; I was hoping to find out about good places for Cuban or Puerto Rican or Peruvian (etc.) food, not just Mexican.

[TrueDat]

I haven't found any good Cuban here though some people rave about Caribbean Cafe in Carrollton, which I haven't been to.

For Peruvian, Cuzco was pretty good the one time I went there.

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Originally Posted by TrueDat

I haven't found any good Cuban here though some people rave about Caribbean Cafe in Carrollton, which I haven't been to.

For Peruvian, Cuzco was pretty good the one time I went there.

It's definately the best Cuban food I've had outside Florida. The first time we went, the parking lot was full of Florida license plates. We knew it would be a winner and it was.