What Does "Tex-Mex" Mean to You?

[firecracker jack]

Ok. I guess that's a little unfair....We got Chi-Chi's too:lol::lol::lol::lol:!!!!
The closest I've been to Tex-Mex is when Zilla schooled me on making authentic beef fajita's this last summer.......Though I have to say I used to frequent a small taqueria in the Chicago-burbs, certainly not Tex-Mex, but the place used to serve up some right tasty fixin's.....

firecrackerjack

 

[BigJimsBBQ]

Being born and raised in Houston .. I love Tex-Mex. I would say it would go fine anywhere except not as hot in the north.

 

[mgwerks]

Was it the cheek meat? Dang that stuff is good. I'm jonesing for some with my mom's red salsa de arbol.

You bet it was cheek meat - anything else just isn't barbacoa!

I'd be down for that but I could only eat at one spot per outing. I'd start with the "Royal Beef Enchiladas" at Marthas at Broadway and 410.

I was thinking of just one place per trip/week/outing/whatever. Seems to me that there are enough potential interested folks that we could make a group to go and eat on a periodic basis. Eating good food is it's own reward, but Brethren Banquet would the events special. Perhaps a separate thread where we could start a pile of suggestions for locations, arrange dates, etc., would be in order. I'm just saying...

 

[BobBrisket]

You bet it was cheek meat - anything else just isn't barbacoa!


You know it!!!:eusa_clap

 

[NorthwestBBQ]

Taco Bell...

 

[4TheLoveofBrisket]

Ok. I guess that's a little unfair....We got Chi-Chi's too:lol::lol::lol::lol:!!!!
The closest I've been to Tex-Mex is when Zilla schooled me on making authentic beef fajita's this last summer.......Though I have to say I used to frequent a small taqueria in the Chicago-burbs, certainly not Tex-Mex, but the place used to serve up some right tasty fixin's.....

firecrackerjack

Yeah, there's really not much Tex-Mex around these parts. Dos Peso's there in your neck of the woods is more central mexican cuisine, with your standard mexican american fare mixed in. It's not very authentic. Northern Mexican cuisine is going to be the closest we can come, and for that, you'll have to go to Detroit. El Rancho Restaurant is an excellent example. It's a little off the beaten path (it's on Vernor, just before you get to Livernois). It's right across the street from E&L Meat Market. You'll find more Spanish than English spoken here, but you won't regret going. And they do speak english too, so you won't have a problem ordering. Other than that, most of the other restaurants in Mexican town proper are good too. Just stay away from Xochimilcos, they are pretty touristy and I think they have americanized their menu quite a bit. Other than that, in downtown Stockbridge there was a little hole in the wall called Medina's Place which was Tex-Mex. The old man was from San Antonio, but he died a few years back. Last time I was there the kids were still running it, but I haven't been there in like 5 years. There's also a lot of Tejanos in Adrian, but I don't know of any real Tex-Mex places there. I think there's a lot of Tejano's in Toledo too, but again, I don't know of any places that are predominately Tex-Mex. Maybe BBQFANS can comment. I know he's from Texas and lives in the area....

 

[4TheLoveofBrisket]

Here's an idea -

Kind of like the "Texas BBQ trail", maybe some of us in the South Texas area should get together and do a "Tex-Mex Trail" through the area. Each of us picks a 'raunt or two and we visit a different one each time...

You guys have fired me up on this again, so I just polished of the last of a batch of home-made barbacoa... corn tortillas, barbacoa, chopped onion, cilantro, salt & pepper and fresh squeezed lime juice. Gawd, I'm hungry again!

Did you make the barbacoa yourself? If so, can you share your technique? The stuff I get up here just isn't the same as the stuff you get in Texas.

 

[Wesman61]

I was talking to the other maintainer that I work with today. He is from Pharr,TX and his wife is from the same area. She makes carne guisada! I'm going to have to talk real nice to him to see if he'll get her to make some for us. :wink:

 

[Coach_Mac]

All Tex Mex is is the American version of Mexican food. Just like the American version of Itallian food is not like they make in Italy but we don't call it Tex-Itallian or NY-Itallian.

I grew up in Texas and have since lived in Louisiana, New York, Illinois, Virginia, and now Mississippi and out of 5 states and maybe a hundred restaurants I have only found 1 good Mexican (Tex Mex) place and that was Coyote Blues in Lafayete, LA. Not only are the rest of them bad, they are aweful! How hard is it? What do Texans know that the rest of the country doesn't?

 

[Wesman61]

I know I'm in a good Mexican restaurant when white people are the minorities. There are few here in Idaho.

 

[landarc]

Wes, if you come to CA, that method doesn't work. All of the restaurants within a half mile of my house are mostly Mexican folks.

 

[ljh34465]

Interesting thread. My 2 cents. My personal criteria for an authentic Mexican restaurant is that gringos are in the minority, little English is spoken, and they have a novella (in Spanish) on the tv.

I would almost say that, at least in my mind, Mexican and Tex-Mex are two different cuisines with a lot of overlap.

Carne asada tacos on a soft corn tortilla with only lime, cilantro and white onion is about as authentic Mexican as you can get, IMO. (Especially if you have some salsa de arbol )

And I agree, the stuff off the carts is pretty good.

Even Robb Walsh says the definition of Tex-Mex is not a clear one - I would lean towards the definition that describes it as Americanized Mexican

There are many Mexican dishes that I don't think you would find in a Tex Mex restaurant such as chilequiles, carnitas or carne asada tacos.

Again, IMO, most of the larger chains are more Tex-Mex than Mexican - Chevy's, Rio Bravo, etc.

Fonda San Miquel in Austin is truly Mexican but would not be recognized as such by many looking at the menu.

I pride myself in cooking "authentic" Mexican and went to a place called Cantina Laredo - Gourmet Mexican Food. Was it authentic - maybe yes and maybe no but it was so good we went back two nights later. And they have many places in Texas - does that make it Tex-Mex:mrgreen:

IMO, it doesn't matter what it is called - it is great food.

Nice to see all the opinions and answers to the OP.

 

[ZILLA]

Interesting thread. My 2 cents. My personal criteria for an authentic Mexican restaurant is that gringos are in the minority, little English is spoken, and they have a novella (in Spanish) on the tv.

I would almost say that, at least in my mind, Mexican and Tex-Mex are two different cuisines with a lot of overlap.

Carne asada tacos on a soft corn tortilla with only lime, cilantro and white onion is about as authentic Mexican as you can get, IMO. (Especially if you have some salsa de arbol )

And I agree, the stuff off the carts is pretty good.

Even Robb Walsh says the definition of Tex-Mex is not a clear one - I would lean towards the definition that describes it as Americanized Mexican

There are many Mexican dishes that I don't think you would find in a Tex Mex restaurant such as chilequiles, carnitas or carne asada tacos.

Again, IMO, most of the larger chains are more Tex-Mex than Mexican - Chevy's, Rio Bravo, etc.

Fonda San Miquel in Austin is truly Mexican but would not be recognized as such by many looking at the menu.

I pride myself in cooking "authentic" Mexican and went to a place called Cantina Laredo - Gourmet Mexican Food. Was it authentic - maybe yes and maybe no but it was so good we went back two nights later. And they have many places in Texas - does that make it Tex-Mex:mrgreen:

IMO, it doesn't matter what it is called - it is great food.

Nice to see all the opinions and answers to the OP.

Sorry man but all of your examples here are served in every Tex Mex place I've ever been to in San Antonio. Americanized Mexican food is not an acurite discription of Tex Mex either. The local indigenous Mexicans are responsible for the evolution of the food to become what it is today in Texas.

 

[landarc]

Actually, I agree with Zilla, to say it is Americanized is not correct. On the other hand, it is very complex, if you consider something as simple as an enchilada or tortilla, even from Texas to Arizona, you have noticeable differences. I consider the food at places like Chevy's to be Americanized, not Tex-Mex. It is crafted to appeal to a broad spectrum of people. It is similar to Chinese food in CA. The food is definitely difference between L.A. and S.F., then there is the Americanized version, that is wholly not what those of us who grew up with Chinese food consider to even be Chinese.

 

[ljh34465]

Zilla, I think San Antonio is a unique geographical entity when talking about Tex Mex. And I totally agree with your earlier post about the food only being part of it.

Now, if you could tell me that my examples were served in every Tex-Mex place you have been from the east coast to the Pacific Northwest, then it would be more plausible.

However, I think in the rest of the country, Tex Mex has been pretty much bastardized in comparison to San Antonio. I think that Tex Mex in Texas and particularly in San Antonio, is Mexican food served in Texas with a few modifications. However, I do not think that is true for anywhere else I have been.

And please don't get me wrong - I love the food in San Antonio - as recently as today, I was trying to figure out how I could get there.

 

[Jorge]

Tex-mex is what it is. I've had good and bad. People can't agree on what a chalupa/tostada is in Texas. In some places it's just a chip, and in others it has beans and other toppings. In some places a puffy taco is a mini version of a taco salad and in others it's a taco shell that is so light and crispy that it will crumble when you pick it up.

I know what I like, and and I'll try to emulate that when I cook at home.

 

[ZILLA]

Zilla, I think San Antonio is a unique geographical entity when talking about Tex Mex. And I totally agree with your earlier post about the food only being part of it.

Now, if you could tell me that my examples were served in every Tex-Mex place you have been from the east coast to the Pacific Northwest, then it would be more plausible.

However, I think in the rest of the country, Tex Mex has been pretty much bastardized in comparison to San Antonio. I think that Tex Mex in Texas and particularly in San Antonio, is Mexican food served in Texas with a few modifications. However, I do not think that is true for anywhere else I have been.

And please don't get me wrong - I love the food in San Antonio - as recently as today, I was trying to figure out how I could get there.

Now that I agree with 100% :lol: All the other bastards ruin it! :wink: If you do figure out how to get here make sure you let me know so we can discuss the intricacies of Texas food and BBQ over some cold beer, fiery whiskey and frosty margaritas!

Hey Jorge, you're not stressed out are you? :wink: When are you coming to San Antonio again? We need to down some beer with a couple of Elvis platters on the side.

 

[ljh34465]

I have not learned to do a quote DUH but agree with Jorge -

tonight, marinated skirt steak, grilled poblanos and white onions on soft corn tortillas.

 

[Rick's Tropical Delight]

i have no idea.

 

[Jorge]

Hey Jorge, you're not stressed out are you? :wink: When are you coming to San Antonio again? We need to down some beer with a couple of Elvis platters on the side.

Wed. at the latest, length of stay undetermined at this point. I'll give you a call.:mrgreen: