Quote:
Originally Posted by Blondie93
After growing up in Texas with a fondness for Mexican food, I ventured to Virginia for graduate school.
Not long after arriving I was lamenting that I was really missing some good Mexican food. A friendly classmate who was from Baltimore tried to be helpful: "What do you mean there is no Mexican food here... we have a Chili's!"
Sigh.
If there is not a huge tub of lard involved in making my flour tortillas, then they ain't tortillas. Bonus points if the lady making them is the matriarch of the family and doesn't speak a lick of English. Love those sweet ladies....
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Tex-Mex rules to live by -
1.) Understand that Tex-Mex is not Mex-Mex. Mexico has a rich and varied cuisine, which bears little resemblance to Tex-Mex.
2.) You cannot get good Tex-Mex outside of Texas. Yes, the restaurant may be owned by Mexicans, but that does not mean the food will be up to true Tex-Mex standards. I cannot count the bad experiences I have had all over the country because well-meaning friends are convinced I will LOVE their local Mexican restaurant. Thanks for trying - I need to go home to Texas.
3.) A good Tex-Mex restaurant makes their own tortillas (by HAND, not machine) and fries said tortillas to make chips. Bagged chips = NO. Salsa or pico out of a jar = no.
4.) Fajitas are made of skirt steak or chicken. Lobster fajitas are an abomination.
Herbert's Taco Hut in San Marcos is just about PERFECT - started as a Mexican grocery, started selling prepared food, added on to the grocery store in several stages. It is like a rabbit warren. Black velvet painting of Jesus amongst the cosmos over the jukebox, little Mexican women patting out the tortillas, two beer limit with dinner, and CHEAP as free. Yummmm. . . it is also out of the way, so tends to draw a local crowd. I need me some cheese enchildas now.