Best Mexican Food - Albuquerque or LA??? (Pasadena: how much, live in)

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by the one

you lost all credibility when you mentioned baja fresh! actually when you said "true authentic mexican food sucks". thats when i figured this was a joke of a post.

check out the places i mentioned in my post. if you stick to USC frat boy places or the westside, your options are limited

Trust me, compared to these places I've been to (a good example of what I'm talking about is La Taquiza on Figueroa St), Baja Fresh IS an improvement.

babitas, la casita, guelageutza or huasteca are the best spots.

clean reputable eateries.

yelp them for more info.

I just looked them up. Those places look like they're all on the upper scale of Mexican dining spectrum. I'm sure they all do have good food. I'm also skeptical if those places are truly "authentic" as you claim. Each of those seem to be highly discovered by LA foodies who otherwise would have no business wandering into those neighborhoods. Guelaguetza is a small chain. None of those places look like your typical Mexican taco joint in LA of which there are probably tens of thousands.

[the one]

they are authentic, been around for years. but la casita gained [more] fame when it was featured on bobby flay. otherwise these restaurants were mostly known to spanish language tv viewers.

the two chefs from la casita are regulars on univision news shows.

and yes it is the better kind of mexican food. they are clean, reputable and authentic places.

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Trust me, compared to these places I've been to (a good example of what I'm talking about is La Taquiza on Figueroa St), Baja Fresh IS an improvement.


I just looked them up. Those places look like they're all on the upper scale of Mexican dining spectrum. I'm sure they all do have good food. I'm also skeptical if those places are truly "authentic" as you claim. Each of those seem to be highly discovered by LA foodies who otherwise would have no business wandering into those neighborhoods. Guelaguetza is a small chain. None of those places look like your typical Mexican taco joint in LA of which there are probably tens of thousands.

[antialphabet]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

using the cheapest parts of the cow/pig that most Americans throw out (brain, heart, stomach, etc)

tacos de tripas? Tacos de cabeza? de seso? de lengua?

They aren't ripping you off, man...people actually like that stuff.
Not me personally, but lots of people enjoy eating that.

If it's not your cup of tea, its not your cup of tea. Doesn't mean youre being bamboozled, lol.

[breeze823]

Originally Posted by antialphabet

tacos de tripas? Tacos de cabeza? De seso? De lengua?

They aren't ripping you off, man...people actually like that stuff.
Not me personally, but lots of people enjoy eating that.

If it's not your cup of tea, its not your cup of tea. Doesn't mean youre being bamboozled, lol.

:d

[Radical Raul]

There are so many excellent whole in the wall Mexican restaurants in the East L.A. San Gabriel Valley areas you just have to try them until you find the one that knocks your socks off.

Word of advice, stay away from the trendy hipster joints, go where your average Mexican American dines.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

VegasPilgrim, First off I like Baja Fresh myself. For me though I think it is more Americanized. I was talking to one of our employees at the hospital. She is from Mexico and has to watch what she eats. She told me she can't eat real Mexican food anymore because she lives like an American. In Mexico she didn't drive a car, she walked, like many people over there do. She had to work more in Mexico and as a result burned more calories during the day. She told me that the majority of mexicans have a high fat high carb diet, but the lifestyle is such that they can burn it off. Not that the entire nation eats like that, or that everyone is consuming the quantities of food that we in the States consume in a single meal. Remember in Mexico their is no middle class. Mostly poorer people that eat beans and rice every day, and a lot of fatty foods, and animal products that people here would never think of eating. Even in my own home we always have beans and rice.

[vegaspilgrim]

Very true, very good points, Soon2BnSurprise. And it's also true not just with Mexican food, but American food too-- steak and eggs, hamburgers and fries, fried chicken, or pizza isn't exactly the best thing to eat when you're sitting your *** in a chair all day.

[pbergen]

one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that southern california is one of the only places in this country where you can get authentic baja california-style fish tacos. this is something that differentiates the mexican food in la from other parts of the country (besides san diego).

the best fish tacos i've had thus far were at tacos baja ensenada in east la. i've heard there are some great fish taco shacks down in san diego, too, but i haven't tried any of them.

another recommendation is el huarache azteca on york blvd in highland park. on weekends, they have a barbacoa special - you can get a whole order of the meat with some tortillas on the side, or you can just order a taco, huarache, etc and have it stuffed with the goat meat. my favorite is the huarache, since the tortillas are made by an old lady standing outside the restaurant with a vat of fresh masa and a grill.

and of course there are tons of mexican food trucks in east la. one of the more notable spots is along olympic blvd.

lots of other great mexican eats in la, but check these places out first.

[vdy1985]

Originally Posted by pbergen

one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that southern california is one of the only places in this country where you can get authentic baja california-style fish tacos. this is something that differentiates the mexican food in la from other parts of the country (besides san diego).

That is true, California Mexican food is big on mariscos for sure. I love fish taco's. I know this is a chain, but Rubio's has amazing 1$ fish tacos on tuesdays after 4pm. sooo good.

[motoman]

Originally Posted by pbergen

one thing that hasn't been mentioned is that southern california is one of the only places in this country where you can get authentic baja california-style fish tacos. this is something that differentiates the mexican food in la from other parts of the country (besides san diego).

You can get them all over the place in Dallas. Not so unique.