"All you can EAT!" A regional/state thing?

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

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.

This sounds like one of my rants when people try to say that the Olive Garden is real Italian food.

ETA: Or when they try to tell me Legal Seafood still has the best chowder in Boston...but that's just a personal thing...

[alum]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

This sounds like one of my rants when people try to say that the Olive Garden is real Italian food.

ETA: Or when they try to tell me Legal Seafood still has the best chowder in Boston...but that's just a personal thing...

I miss Hanover Street.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

This sounds like one of my rants when people try to say that the Olive Garden is real Italian food.

Or Bravo. I don't care if it says "Italian Kitchen" in the name.

[KSigkid]

Originally Posted by alum

I miss Hanover Street.

As do I; the North End is fantastic in a number of ways. One reason I miss living in Boston is I can't just jump on the T and head down to the North End, either for one of my favorites (like Strega), or just to try a new place. Boston really is a great city for restaurants and good food.

Originally Posted by 33girl

Or Bravo. I don't care if it says "Italian Kitchen" in the name.

Absolutely; just because it has marinara, or the dish ends with an "a" or "o" doesn't make it an Italian dish.

[AOII_LB93]

Originally Posted by KSigkid

This sounds like one of my rants when people try to say that the Olive Garden is real Italian food.

Thank you! I can't really dis the OG, as I do like their salad, and their breadsticks dunked in alfredo are good, but it's so not real Italian food.

Re Tex-Mex: My MIL moved to Texas last year and she is miserable having grown up in so Cal with Mex-Mex food. The first time she ordered an enchilada they dumped chili on it. I've also heard that their guacamole is just mashed avocados, eww. Give me real Mexican food any day.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by AOII_LB93

The first time she ordered an enchilada they dumped chili on it. I've also heard that their guacamole is just mashed avocados, eww. Give me real Mexican food any day.

Chili, as in beans & meat? eww.

You do know that guacamole is essentially mashed avocados (with a couple other ingredients)? It's not a Tex-Mex thing, it's a Mexican thing.

[paulam]

Originally Posted by epchick

Chili, as in beans & meat? eww.

You do know that guacamole is essentially mashed avocados (with a couple other ingredients)? It's not a Tex-Mex thing, it's a Mexican thing.

Real Texans never, ever put beans in their chili. Beans can be served on the side in a separate bowl, but never mixed together!

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔT
Patriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

[epchick]

Originally Posted by paulam

Real Texans never, ever put beans in their chili. Beans can be served on the side in a separate bowl, but never mixed together!

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔT
Patriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

Awesome. Thanks for saying i'm not a real Texan then.

[SWTXBelle]

Well, there are no beans in chili. I am a big fan of Sante Fe Stew, which is similar to chili - but it has beans (see the recipe thread for the actual recipe.) I'm not ready to revoke your Texan card, Eppie - but please don't tell me you put it on spaghetti a la Cincinnati-style "chili".

And I'd say guacamole has moved from strictly Mex-Mex to being a part of Tex-Mex and even Cali-Mex food. Mexican food (the truly Mexican) is, of course, the mother-cuisine of Tex-Mex, Cali-Mex, and New Mex food.

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by AOII_LB93

Thank you! I can't really dis the OG, as I do like their salad, and their breadsticks dunked in alfredo are good, but it's so not real Italian food.

Re Tex-Mex: My MIL moved to Texas last year and she is miserable having grown up in so Cal with Mex-Mex food. The first time she ordered an enchilada they dumped chili on it. I've also heard that their guacamole is just mashed avocados, eww. Give me real Mexican food any day.

Cali-Mex, in my experience, uses loads of sour cream. Your MIL may have mistaken the usual Tex-Mex sauce put on enchiladas for chili - or it may have been a bad restaurant. Our guacamole is true to the ancient Aztec recipe (!) in that its main ingredient is indeed mashed avocados - no sour cream. Lime juice, onions, salt , tomato - what am I forgetting? I had guacamole made at our table at El Jarritos just this evening, but didn't pay very close attention.

[epchick]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I'm not ready to revoke your Texan card, Eppie - but please don't tell me you put it on spaghetti a la Cincinnati-style "chili".

I'm confused...beans in spaghetti? Ewwwwwwwww. I'll stick to meat and marinara sauce thanks very much. Do people really put beans on spaghetti?

It seems as though i'm mistaking stew and chili, but we really don't have a lot of places that make chili. The only place I can think of (at the moment) that makes chili is part of the Wendy's menu and it has beans on it.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Lime juice, onions, salt , tomato - what am I forgetting?

Nothing. That's all that goes in guacamole, and all that SHOULD go in guacamole. Anything else isn't authentic Mexican (as in Mex-Mex).

[paulam]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Cali-Tex, in my experience, uses loads of sour cream. Your MIL may have mistaken the usual Tex-Mex sauce put on enchiladas for chili - or it may have been a bad restaurant. Our guacamole is true to the ancient Aztec recipe (!) in that its main ingredient is indeed mashed avocados - no sour cream. Lime juice, onions, salt , tomato - what am I forgetting? I had guacamole made at our table at El Jarritos just this evening, but didn't pay very close attention.

Hot sauce?

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
ΣΔT
Patriae Multi Spes Una One Hope of Many People

[SWTXBelle]

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/CincinnatiChili.htm

[epchick]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Beef/CincinnatiChili.htm

Ewwww...never in any type of Hell would I put this crap on spaghetti!!

[epchick]

I thought of this thread the other day when my mom was telling a friend about my uncle's (and his friends, all from NJ) experience at an "all you can eat buffet." Four 6ft+ tall men at these buffets were HILARIOUS!! haha. Like a kid at a candy store.

I will be thinking of this thread when I go to the AYCE place close to my house.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Our guacamole is true to the ancient Aztec recipe (!) in that its main ingredient is indeed mashed avocados - no sour cream. Lime juice, onions, salt , tomato - what am I forgetting?

I did think of something that you're not necessarily forgetting, but it's optional in traditional guacamole---jalapenos.