What Does "Tex-Mex" Mean to You?

Wesman61

Wesman61

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I love Mexican food (who doesn't). My Parents are from Texas. My Dad from The Hill Country and my Mom from the panhandle. I ate a lot of good food growing up! I was fantisizing about opening a Tex-Mex joint the last few days and kicking around ideas for what would be on the menu. I posted this here because I wanted to talk about the food. I really don't expect to open a restaraunt.

The closest thing to a Tex-Mex place I've been to is what used to be Okie Frijole in Bakersfield, CA when I was a kid. It was a smorgasbord of Okie and Mexican food. So I got to thinking about what would be on the menu in such a place. I would expect to see chili, fajitas, smoked briskett, refried beans, enchiladas etc. Where I work a lot of my co-workers are from Mexico so I eat really good. Infact I had homemade tamales the last 2 days in a row. Oh yeah, tamales would be on the menu!!! A few months ago I smoked a big pork butt and we made tostadas that left me thinking about how good they were for a couple of days. Tacos, tostadas etc made with smoked pork butt are heavenly. I'm curious if some of You could describe Tex-Mex places You've been too.
 
sounds pretty good,you should try the restaurant thing thou. pulled pork is pretty good with mexican food too.you should also try them on sopes,burritos,tortas,i have yet to see a tamale with that in it.
i dont know if its texmex but bbq quesadillas and enchiladas are pretty good.
 
In 2000 Robb Walsh published a six part series on the history of Tex-Mex. It's a pretty good read.

To find it search "Robb Walsh", "Houston Press", "Tex-Mex" in Google and you should be able to find it.
 
Being from and in Texas, I too Love "TexMex"! But I learned a few years ago its not for everyone. My Wife and I were visiting Family in Virginia, and found out they dont care for it. I think a Restuarant would do well anywhere! Pork filled would sell well! Good Luck if you should decide to try it. If I can get my Catering Bus. going, I will have a few dishes myself! :biggrin:
 
jrbbbqer said:
sounds pretty good,you should try the restaurant thing thou. pulled pork is pretty good with mexican food too.you should also try them on sopes,burritos,tortas,i have yet to see a tamale with that in it.
i dont know if its texmex but bbq quesadillas and enchiladas are pretty good.
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Try putting a roadside cart in Cozad Nebraska! Truthfully I think a small takeout place in a urban area with alot of office Bldgs will get a great daytime draw for people on the run..
 
To me it means good food.
While in NYC this past weekend (yes in NYC) I had the best carnitas I've EVER had. They were tender and juicy, pulled apart so easily. This is my all time favorite meal to get out and I'd never actually had it in a mole sauce...Oh My!!! It was amazing. I guess it's a chain but I don't care!
http://www.arkrestaurants.com/elrio_grande.html
 
You all are making me hungry!!! Next month we plan on having a potluck at work and The Supervisor said smoked butt tostadas are at the top of his list.
 
Here in south texas every other restaurant is tex-mex. They all have close to the same fare including - crispy chicken and beef tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, fajitas, gorditas (my fav), tripas, mollejas, caldos, nachos, tortas, quesadillas, carnitas, carne guisada etc. The list could go on and on. I know in my home town of Uvalde almost all the restaurants are tex-mex. People have tried to open italian, bistros, seafood and other places and they always tank. You'd figure people would get tired of the same old tex-mex (I know I do) and want something different but they don't. So IMO it'd be a good restaruant to start if its done right.
 
Having grown up in TX, Tex-Mex means delicious. One thing that the Mexican food restaurants up here have never heard of is carne guisada (one of my favorites). Of course, I can't get menudo or tripas here, either :(
 
Smokey Al Gold said:
Here in south texas every other restaurant is tex-mex. They all have close to the same fare including - crispy chicken and beef tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, fajitas, gorditas (my fav), tripas, mollejas, caldos, nachos, tortas, quesadillas, carnitas, carne guisada etc. The list could go on and on. I know in my home town of Uvalde almost all the restaurants are tex-mex. People have tried to open italian, bistros, seafood and other places and they always tank. You'd figure people would get tired of the same old tex-mex (I know I do) and want something different but they don't. So IMO it'd be a good restaruant to start if its done right.
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Uvalde! My Dad is from Leakey!! We were there in 02 and 03 for The Family reunion. That's where I discovered smoked briskett. There is a place in Camp Wood called Falcone's I believe. That place was awesome. I guess it could be considered Tex-Mex since they served Mexican and American food. My rectum suffered 3rd degree burns from their salsa LOL. And That Latina Waitress was even hotter.
 
chambersuac said:
Having grown up in TX, Tex-Mex means delicious. One thing that the Mexican food restaurants up here have never heard of is carne guisada (one of my favorites). Of course, I can't get menudo or tripas here, either :(
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The Folks at work bring menudo every so often but I have to pass. Now when they bring pazole I always want to cry tears of joy.
 
Wesman61 said:
Uvalde! My Dad is from Leakey!! We were there in 02 and 03 for The Family reunion. That's where I discovered smoked briskett. There is a place in Camp Wood called Falcone's I believe. That place was awesome. I guess it could be considered Tex-Mex since they served Mexican and American food. My rectum suffered 3rd degree burns from their salsa LOL. And That Latina Waitress was even hotter.
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LOL What a small world. We have a hunting ranch in Rocksprings and we always stop for breakfast at Falcon Cafe for the breakfast buffet. And yes that is tex-mex. I think I know what waitress you are talking about! Probably in her 30's but very cute and friendly. I'll actually be there sunday morning after our hunting weekend.
 
Smokey Al Gold said:
Here in south texas every other restaurant is tex-mex. They all have close to the same fare including - crispy chicken and beef tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, fajitas, gorditas (my fav), tripas, mollejas, caldos, nachos, tortas, quesadillas, carnitas, carne guisada etc. The list could go on and on. I know in my home town of Uvalde almost all the restaurants are tex-mex. People have tried to open italian, bistros, seafood and other places and they always tank. You'd figure people would get tired of the same old tex-mex (I know I do) and want something different but they don't. So IMO it'd be a good restaruant to start if its done right.
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I used to live in Uvalde. I got my teacher's certification from Rio Grande College, while my wife worked there. I also owned a small computer biz there.

Oh, and let's not forget the wide variety of breakfast tacos!!!
 
We used to have a wonderful Tex Mex in Memphis, Lupe and Bea's, but it closed down many years ago:frown:. Bea did do a cookbook though a while back. I'll have to look that up.
 
Smokey Al Gold said:
I think I know what waitress you are talking about! Probably in her 30's but very cute and friendly. I'll actually be there sunday morning after our hunting weekend.
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That sounds about right. I ordered their huevos rancheros the first time I went there. It got me hooked on the idea of refried beans and fried potatoes with my eggs. Anyway I asked for some hot sauce and she looked at my plate and chuckled. She said "that's hot enough." I was kinda put off by Her not bringing me some so I spread the salsa from the eggs all around on the rest of the food. Big mistake! I ate it all anyway.
 
chambersuac said:
I used to live in Uvalde. I got my teacher's certification from Rio Grande College, while my wife worked there. I also owned a small computer biz there.

Oh, and let's not forget the wide variety of breakfast tacos!!!
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Wow I used to work there at RGC back in 06. I was one of the computer techs there. Before that I worked across the street at the junior college for 5 years before that at the computer center. We might even know eachother since we are both in the computer biz. What was your business called? What a small world this is turning out to be..... Who else is from my area? Oh man you're not kidding about breakfast tacos they're some good places there. I go there all the time my friends and parents still live there.
 
As far as opening a Tex-Mex restaurant outside of Texas/the Southwest goes.....I think it's a great idea. But I would start with a truck/trailer first. Get a space close to a large number of office workers as someone else said. Do breakfast tacos for breakfast and Chipotle/Freebird style burritos for lunch. I really think this would work and would give it a shot myself if I didn't live in a completely over-saturated market.
 
Papa Legba said:
I really think this would work and would give it a shot myself if I didn't live in a completely over-saturated market.
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There's only one place around here that I've seen that actually claims to be Tex-Mex and I heard it wasn't that great.
 
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