Mexican Restaurants in Pittsburgh? (California, Liberty: buy, moving to, foods)

[fleetiebelle]

Originally Posted by sskink

I don't blame restauranteurs for opening places that are dumbed down or simply another take on something already popular. Their job is to make money. And this city doesn't have much of a Latin flavor to begin with. I'm surprised Skyline Chili isn't here

Doesn't mean I have to like it.

Since Cincinnati chili was never intended to be Tex or Mex, it'd probably do fine here.

I just have a problem with the idea of "authentic" food being the be-all-and-end-all. If some people like shredded lettuce and cheese wrapped in a tortilla, why is that wrong? Or alternately, why does it follow that the food tastes bad or is "dumbed down"? That's just snobbery. So it's not what an abuela in Mexico would make, so what?

It's like with the fancy burger joints--sure, an ostrich burger on a stone-ground artisanal multi-grain bun with smoked gouda and spinach with sriracha aioli is delicious, but it doesn't take anything away from a good old beef burger with American cheese and ketchup on a fluffy processed white bun. They both can be good and they can both have a place.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

This thread is about someone coming from Chicago asking about Mexican food. Why are people getting defensive and saying random things like "I had bad Mexican in Berlin once" and that San Antonio has a bad "stuffed cabbage scene". Pretty sure stuffed cabbage and Berlin were not topics the OP was asking about. People are simply saying that the OP will not find comparable Mexican food in Pittsburgh as to what they could get in Chicago, and have provided some adequate options in Pittsburgh where he/she can get fairly decent Mexican. No need to get your black and gold panties all in a bundle.

[bluecarebear]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I just have a problem with the idea of "authentic" food. If some people like shredded lettuce and cheese wrapped in a tortilla, why is that wrong? Or alternately, why does it follow that the food is bad or "dumbed down"? That's just snobbery.

The fact that you don't recognize the difference is the problem. It isn't snobbery. It is being aware and educated about food and various types of cuisine. For instance, there are types of Mexican cheese other than the generic canned nacho cheese that is slathered over the entire meal in most restaurants.

It is the same as tossing a jar of Ragu over noodles and selling it as an Italian meal. It's not snobbery. Expand your palate.

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

Since Cincinnati chili was never intended to be Tex or Mex, it'd probably do fine here.

I just have a problem with the idea of "authentic" food. If some people like shredded lettuce and cheese wrapped in a tortilla, why is that wrong? Or alternately, why does it follow that the food is bad or "dumbed down"? That's just snobbery.

It's like with the fancy burger joints--sure, an ostrich burger on a stone-ground artisanal multi-grain bun with smoked gouda and spinach with sriracha aioli is delicious, but it doesn't take anything away from a good old beef burger with American cheese and ketchup on a fluffy processed white bun. They both can be good and they can both have a place.

You can't compare upscale burgers and Americanized Mexican food. Original burgers (if you believe that Louis' Lunch created them) were simple. They were (and still are) served on white bread with cheese, tomato and onion. Then people created upscale versions and elevated the burger to what it is today.

By taking authentic Mexican food and adding mounds of processed cheese and tasteless iceberg lettuce, you're dumbing down the dish, not elevating it in any way. Authentic Mexican cuisine is amazing with it's mix of simple and complex dishes and bold flavors. It also varies greatly between different regions in Mexico.

Unfortunately, we don't have too many truly authentic or a wide variety of regional options here in Pittsburgh. We just have too much of the dumbed down stuff. I only eat tacos with meat, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and maybe a little salsa. If that makes me a snob, I'm ok with that.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I just have a problem with the idea of "authentic" food. If some people like shredded lettuce and cheese wrapped in a tortilla, why is that wrong? Or alternately, why does it follow that the food is bad or "dumbed down"? That's just snobbery.

Inauthentic has a close correlation with terrible when it comes to food.

When you make authentic food it's already a challenge to come up with something that is representative of a style that is enjoyed by a large group of people. If cooks aren't up to that challenge they're likely to take short cuts.

[_Buster]

so quit complaining, and open your own "authentic" mexican place. unless you do, you're part of the problem as you defined it.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Build your own car if you don't like Dodge!

Create your own ISP if you don't like Comcast!

Open your own mega retailer if you don't like Walmart!

[_Buster]

oh I get it, cause a food stand is like creating a car company or big box national chain. perfectly reasonable. seems to me it is the Can't Do attitude that is the problem.

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by ForYourLungsOnly

This thread is about someone coming from Chicago asking about Mexican food. Why are people getting defensive and saying random things like "I had bad Mexican in Berlin once" and that San Antonio has a bad "stuffed cabbage scene". Pretty sure stuffed cabbage and Berlin were not topics the OP was asking about. People are simply saying that the OP will not find comparable Mexican food in Pittsburgh as to what they could get in Chicago, and have provided some adequate options in Pittsburgh where he/she can get fairly decent Mexican. No need to get your black and gold panties all in a bundle.

I agree that they won't find it here. However, some people like to imply or state that the reason you won't find it is because of Pittsburghers and their unrefined palate. The reason Pittsbughers are used to, and eagerly eat, this slop that is not real Mexican is because no one sells the real stuff.

When it's as close as you can get, you tend to settle for your only option.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

Since Cincinnati chili was never intended to be Tex or Mex, it'd probably do fine here.

I just have a problem with the idea of "authentic" food. If some people like shredded lettuce and cheese wrapped in a tortilla, why is that wrong? Or alternately, why does it follow that the food is bad or "dumbed down"? That's just snobbery.

It's like with the fancy burger joints--sure, an ostrich burger on a stone-ground artisanal multi-grain bun with smoked gouda and spinach with sriracha aioli is delicious, but it doesn't take anything away from a good old beef burger with American cheese and ketchup on a fluffy processed white bun. They both can be good and they can both have a place.

I don't see it as snobbery at all. I don't have an issue with someone wanting a Taco Bell type of taco. I see it as restauranteurs mislabeling their product and misleading consumers. I'd argue that in trying to call their food "authentic", they show disrespect to the cuisine and the country of origin.

What makes it "dumbed down" is when the restaurant makes claims of "authenticity" and the consumer believes the food is actually representative of that country's cuisine.

Virtually every single "Mexican" restaurant here claims "authentic Mexican cuisine" on their website and menu. And not one of them are. The closest are the taco carts.

"Authentic" is virtually impossible to achieve regardless of whatever cuisine one is making. Proteins in most of Mexico (except fish/seafood) taste nothing like proteins here. The corn for tortillas is different depending on region. Produce is different. Salsas in Mexico are typically not chunky while guacamole is. The list goes on and on. You could say the same about China, Japan, India, etc. etc.

The Korean taco trucks in LA are insanely popular. Bulgogi on a taco with kimchi. They have zero need to claim "authenticity". YoRita! was very good (well, except the owner) and never claimed authenticity. None of the taco chains make any claim to authenticity, yet many "sit-down" places offer basically the same thing except in bigger portions and claim it to be "authentic".

In short, put whatever the heck you want on a taco, but if you're selling the things, don't make claims of authenticity you can't support. If you want to say a particular dish is based on an recipe from such-and-such place, then say so. But stop with the "authentic".

I don't know why this word seems so important to Mexican and many Asian restaurants. There seems to be far less need to say "authentic" when discussing Irish, German, French, Italian, Greek, or other European restaurants.

In addition to restaurants doing this, you have posters claiming such-and-such restaurant is "authentic" because it reminds them of another restaurant in Texas/SoCal/AZ or some other US city. The whole concept is "authenticity" is stupid and only makes sense when you do something like Il Pizzaiolo does - get your ingredients from the origin country and get your training and ovens built there too.

I hope that explanation offers more insight to why I take issue with this subject.