Mexican Restaurants in Pittsburgh? (Penn, Mexico: market, steak house, Thai)

[pman]

Originally Posted by UKyank

I have nothing against tacos, and like them a lot, though I am guessing that its not tacos that the posters are dissing in regards to the 'authentic' Mexican offerings here as I would disagree that you can't find tacos here just as good or 'authentic' as anywhere else.

Other more traditional dinner dishes may be lacking here, but I also don't know why it should come as a shock either as Pittsburgh hasn't been a place that Mexican/Hispanic immigrants have come to.

This would be the equivalent of wondering why the upper-Midwest has better traditional Scandinavian cuisine then pittsburgh.

Lack of something in no way connotes rejection of it.

I never said you couldn't. it would be great if there were more though. in Philadelphia where the Mexican population is much bigger but still pretty small by national standards, most immigrants are from the same areas. that makes sense for a lot of reasons but it doesn't make for a lot of diversity in the types of foods the people coming bring. that said, it does mean good mole and cemitas. tacos are still my favorite, just the right size.

Originally Posted by Joel_Rosenbaum

I would argue there are two reasons: 1) there aren't many Mexicans outside of the Americas and 2) ingredient scarcity.

As an aside, what is authentic Mexican food? How far back do we have to go? The Aztecs had no pork, beef, or chicken. Dishes like black mole include sesame seeds and almonds, which are middle Eastern in origin. Tacos al pastor are clearly a pork-based variant of schwarma, etc.

AFAIK mole is a a modified version of an aztec sauce (chocolate being the most famous ingredient to be added during the colonial period) though I'm not a food historian.

Pork is marinated in a combination of dried chiles, spices and pineapple. In some places achiote is also added, and then slowly cooked with a gas flame on a vertical rotisserie called a trompo (lit: spinning top), very similar to how shawarma is cooked, with a piece of fresh onion and a pineapple on top.[2] The juice from the pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein and thus makes meat tender. When ready, the meat is then thinly sliced off the spit with a large knife. It is served on small tortillas, with finely chopped onions, cilantro, and occasionally, a small slice of pineapple, and usually topped with some lime juice and hot salsa. This meat is a common ingredient in not just tacos, but also gringas, alambres, huaraches, tortas and pizza.

[rugerjitsu]

i just want to say that I love mexican food...and by mexican food, i mean tacos, burritos, fajitas, tortilla soup, black beans and rice, guacamole, chips and salsa, and carne guisada.

if you want to call that food something else, that's fine by me. but i call it mexican food...

[sskink]

Originally Posted by rugerjitsu

i just want to say that I love mexican food...and by mexican food, i mean tacos, burritos, fajitas, tortilla soup, black beans and rice, guacamole, chips and salsa, and carne guisada.

if you want to call that food something else, that's fine by me. but i call it mexican food...

Discounting that burritos are Californian and black beans and rice are predominately Caribbean, you're not wrong about those items being Mexican food.

My beef is that for many that's as far as they're willing to go. It would be like an immigrant coming here, expressing a like for hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken noodle soup, Lay's chips with onion dip, sloppy joes and grilled cheese and pizza and that's that. You try to tell them about Memphis BBQ or New Orleans Creole/Cajun or Maine seafood or whatever and they simply don't care. Their loss.

I surrender. And for the record, it's not just Pittsburgh that's like this. It's pretty much most of the country.

As a side note, there's not a big Thai population around here. But the Thai food is pretty good. I wonder why that is?

[rugerjitsu]

Originally Posted by sskink

Discounting that burritos are Californian and black beans and rice are predominately Caribbean, you're not wrong about those items being Mexican food.

My beef is that for many that's as far as they're willing to go. It would be like an immigrant coming here, expressing a like for hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken noodle soup, Lay's chips with onion dip, sloppy joes and grilled cheese and pizza and that's that. You try to tell them about Memphis BBQ or New Orleans Creole/Cajun or Maine seafood or whatever and they simply don't care. Their loss.

I surrender. And for the record, it's not just Pittsburgh that's like this. It's pretty much most of the country.

As a side note, there's not a big Thai population around here. But the Thai food is pretty good. I wonder why that is?

burritos are mexican food. don't tell me otherwise...

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by rugerjitsu

burritos are mexican food. don't tell me otherwise...

It depends on what kind of burrito you're talking about. If you mean the small, thin ones with only a couple ingredients inside, then yes, those are native to Northern Mexico. But the large Mission-style burritos like those at Chipotle/Qdoba/Moe's that are loaded up with ingredients are a San Francisco invention.

[rugerjitsu]

Originally Posted by TheYO

It depends on what kind of burrito you're talking about. If you mean the small, thin ones with only a couple ingredients inside, then yes, those are native to Northern Mexico. But the large Mission-style burritos like those at Chipotle/Qdoba/Moe's that are loaded up with ingredients are a San Francisco invention.

San Francisco may have invented the large mission-style burrito, but it's a direct descendant of small, thin burrito created in Mexico. so, to keep things simple...all burritos are mexican food. we can do this all day...stop being hipster smart, and use your brain.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by rugerjitsu

San Francisco may have invented the large mission-style burrito, but it's a direct descendant of small, thin burrito created in Mexico. so, to keep things simple...all burritos are mexican food. we can do this all day...stop being hipster smart, and use your brain.

At my age it's amusing to be referred to as "hipster smart" and I've only studied Mexican cuisine for the past 20 years, but have it your way.

Some people are just comfortable in their little box.

[rugerjitsu]

Originally Posted by sskink

At my age it's amusing to be referred to as "hipster smart" and I've only studied Mexican cuisine for the past 20 years, but have it your way.

Some people are just comfortable in their little box.

at my age, i'm constantly surprised at how amusing i can be...and i've only been eating mexican food for a little over 30 years, but who's counting??

some people just aren't comfortable calling tacos and burritos, mexican food...

[fleetiebelle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=178xvHzPYgY

"I'm going to have to pass, this is not authentic."

[charisb]

I have had some pretty bland and overall unexceptional food in Mexico *sound of minds blowing*.