# Differences between Tex Mex and authentic Mexican food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437 "2006-06-28T02:37:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/41 "2006-06-29T01:19:01Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > California doesn’t have much Tex Mex food, whether the restaurant calls itself Mexican or not. However, there’s a fantastic place on Voltaire St. in Point Loma called Tommy’s Tex-Mex. The guy who owns it is indeed a Texas Mexican, and a very personable dude.. Great stuff. I used to go there when I went to school in the area, but haven’t been in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/42 "2006-06-29T01:22:30Z")
**Wendell Wagner** , I’d be up for a doper get together, although I often work Sundays during the school year, I usually have a few off in the early fall. If the BrickSkellar thing happens, maybe we could talk about it then. The place looks great! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/43 "2006-06-29T01:28:04Z")
[QUOTE=guizot] California doesn’t have much Tex Mex food, whether the restaurant calls itself Mexican or not. [/QUOTE] Dude, you’re not eating in the right places. SoCal is **loaded** with good Tex-Mex. Around here you can’t swing a gaudy piñata without hitting one. I can think of a dozen within 10 miles of where I live. Good ones, too. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/44 "2006-06-29T01:31:20Z")
The emphasis is on Baja California-inspired food, of course, but **silenus** is right in that it’s not hard at all to find good Tex-Mex in SoCal. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/45 "2006-06-29T01:57:55Z")
Or good regional Mexican either. There are a couple of restaurants within 20 miles that specialize in the cuisine of the Yucatan, for example. Baja is the most common, as \*\*fetus \*\* noted, but you can find just about anything if you look. Just ask around. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/46 "2006-06-29T02:04:51Z")
My favorite is Sonoran style Mexican food, which is almost impossible to get anywhere other than Arizona (where I grew up). It’s much different from Tex-Mex. I don’t really get that into Mexico City style either, and as a vegetarian, of course, none of the more seafood-oriented Mexican restaurants are my thing, either. I prefer New Mexico style of the commonly available types in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/47 "2006-06-29T02:18:42Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Or good regional Mexican either. There are a couple of restaurants within 20 miles that specialize in the cuisine of the Yucatan, for example. Baja is the most common, as fetus noted, but you can find just about anything if you look. Just ask around. In fact, there’s a local chain (of about three restaurants, I think) in San Diego (at least, I think/hope it’s local) called El Cotixan which specializes in Cotija or Cotijas or whatever the hell that city/state is. Anyway, it’s not Baja, and it’s good stuff. > [@OpalCat](#): > > My favorite is Sonoran style Mexican food, which is almost impossible to get anywhere other than Arizona (where I grew up). I lurve me some Sonoran food! I used to eat it all the time when I went to the U of A. Come to think of it, I oughta see if I can find a place here. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/48 "2006-06-29T02:52:52Z")
You went to the U of A?? I grew up in Tucson and went to both Pima Community College and the U of A. Did you ever eat at La Indita down on 4th Ave? Best Mexican food ever… it’s Indian/Mexican and it’s oh, soooo good. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/49 "2006-06-29T06:19:44Z")
Wow, did this thread ever blossom. Alright, so Tex Mex includes chimichangas, flour tortillas, chilli, hard tacos, pralines, chips and salsa, queso, and a few other things I’m forgetting here. Authentic mexican has more of a bland, “comfort food”, taste. And apparently they cook small birds and use rose petals as an ingredient. Well then, I highly doubt I’ve EVER had the real deal. Anyone know a good place in Orange County, florida where I can try it out? From the sounds of it, the closest I’ve ever had is orignal Tex Mex, which was filling, cheap, and very basic. I’m only haflway through the series of articles linked earlier in this thread, so I’m sure I’m leaving some things out. Very interesting stuff. Thanks for the responses ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/50 "2006-06-29T12:57:57Z")
[QUOTE=JoeSki] Alright, so Tex Mex includes chimichangas, flour tortillas, chilli, hard tacos, pralines, chips and salsa, queso, and a few other things I’m forgetting here. Authentic mexican has more of a bland, “comfort food”, taste. [/QUOTE] “Authentic” has no meaning in the discussion. The question is which regional style do you like. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/51 "2006-06-29T15:56:40Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Hm? You mean there are regional cuisines within Mexico? Tell us more! [/QUOTE] Santa Fe style refers to Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is a style which uses blue and green corn, and whole beans, versus refried. Black bean soups and large chunks of avocado(instead of smashing it for guacamole). The spicing is also different, typically milder and there is more grilling and using of skewers than in many other types of “Mexican” food. One of the more successful and high-profile Santa Fe style resturants I am aware of is [The Blue Mesa Grill](http://www.bluemesagrill.com/index.html). Their [menu](http://www.bluemesagrill.com/dinner1.html) includes such dishes as. > [@](#): > > New Mesa Nachos > Blue corn chips topped with grilled chicken, smoky black beans and cheese. With guacamole and sour cream.[Pg 1] > … > Navajo Chicken Salad > Grilled chicken, smoky black beans, avocado and grilled corn on fried flatbread with fried flatbread and a mild chile nut dressing.[Pg 2] > … > Adobe Pie® > Our spicy original, only at Blue Mesa. Chicken, cheese and roasted peppers baked in a dome of corn masa and topped with three chile red and chipotle cream sauces > > Grilled Tacos & Blue Corn Enchiladas > Grilled chicken or steak tacos, chicken or cheese enchiladas. Roasted tomatillo or three chile red sauce[Pg 3] > … > Blue Mesa Churrascaritas > Skewers of steak and chicken, quickly fired and served with Chimayo market corn, guacamole and jalapeno relish. > > Mixed Grill Churrascaritas > Skewers of jumbo shrimp, smoked pepper sausage, red chile glazed steak and ginger-chipotle chicken. Served with Chimayo market corn, guacamole and mango relish. Very different from regular Tex-Mex. There is a [Santa Fe School of Cooking](http://santafeschoolofcooking.com/index.html) which has a [Recipe page](http://santafeschoolofcooking.com/Recipes/) with recipes for Black Bean soup and Blue Corn muffins. Good stuff. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/52 "2006-06-29T16:04:39Z")
Damnit, I shouldn’t have done that. Now I’m wanting to go to Blue Mesa for lunch but I don’t have the time today because of damn meetings coming up. Damnit, Steven ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/53 "2006-06-29T17:43:02Z")
[QUOTE=Homebrew] “Authentic” has no meaning in the discussion. The question is which regional style do you like. [/QUOTE] Well if I decide that the regional style I like best is what has been served in Mexico for the past one hundred years to the present, it would be nice to have a word to call it. In that sense, “aunthentic” has a lot of meaning in this discussion. I’m not talking about whats better than what, I’m talking about semantics. Personally, I like chimichangas with chips and salsa, but I’d like to know where I can find a corn tortilla rennello burrito as well ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/54 "2006-06-29T17:53:45Z")
The point is that not the same food is served everywhere in Mexico. Mexico has regional differences. Sonoran style Mexican food (from the Sonora Desert region, which comprises the upper part of Mexico and the lower part of Arizona) is much different from the food served in Mexico City, for example. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/55 "2006-06-29T19:09:14Z")
Oh, I see. Sorry about the misunderstanding there. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/56 "2006-06-29T23:31:08Z")
[QUOTE=fetus] However, there’s a fantastic place on Voltaire St. in Point Loma called Tommy’s Tex-Mex. The guy who owns it is indeed a Texas Mexican, and a very personable dude.. Great stuff. I used to go there when I went to school in the area, but haven’t been in a while. [/QUOTE] You mean the place by Catalina? That place calls itself Tex-Mex, but also tries to be Mexican. They have mahi-mahi fish tacos, which are okay, but over-priced. I haven’t tried anything else there, because I don’t really care for Tex-Mex, and if I want Mexican food I’ll go down the street to Cotija, which is pretty authentic, and much more affordable. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/57 "2006-06-29T23:39:38Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I haven’t tried anything else there, because I don’t really care for Tex-Mex, and if I want Mexican food I’ll go down the street to Cotija, which is pretty authentic, and much more affordable. Hrm. I’ll have to try it out. Is that also on Voltaire? I used to get enchiladas and burritos at Tommy’s and loved it. I’ll have to try out Cotija. The chain I was talking about earlier, El Cotixan–that’s the region they supposedly serve recipes from (Cotija; I think it’s in Michoacan, but my knowledge Mexican geography is pretty lackluster). ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/58 "2006-06-30T00:11:52Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] Dude, you’re not eating in the right places. SoCal is **loaded** with good Tex-Mex. Around here you can’t swing a gaudy piñata without hitting one. I can think of a dozen within 10 miles of where I live. Good ones, too. [/QUOTE] I’m not going to drive all the way to some Godawful place like the 909 just to get Tex-Mex food. Chile con carne? Carne con chile? They sell it in a can just as good at Ralphs. It’s just not my cup of tea. Maybe I’m getting the wrong idea. To me, any place that has “carnitas” is not Tex-Mex. It might be watered down Mexican, but unless it calls itself “Tex-Mex” specifically, I won’t consider it “Tex-Mex.” [QUOTE=silenus] Or good regional Mexican either. There are a couple of restaurants within 20 miles that specialize in the cuisine of the Yucatan, for example. Baja is the most common, as fetus noted, but you can find just about anything if you look. Just ask around. [/QUOTE] Baja “style,” if such a thing exists, is probably the least common in the largest centers of Mexican populations in Southern California which are in East L.A. and South Central. There you’ll find more restaurants which claim to be from Michoacan, Sinaloa and other more central states, but even then they all seem generally to have the same things on the menu. But to be honest, I don’t go to Mexican restaurants that try to lure in unsuspecting clients with claims of being “authentic cuisine” from such and such a state. Usually they’re not any better than the more modest places, and they’re almost always over-priced. My step-mother runs one like that; I worked there for three years, and I tried just about everything. The best stuff was what the kitchen staff made for the staff picnics. [QUOTE=fetus] Hrm. I’ll have to try it out. Is that also on Voltaire? [/QUOTE] About three or four blocks east, in the parking lot of the supermarket. (It’s an old Taco Bell buidling. They couldn’t compete with the real thing, which had been across the street.) [QUOTE=fetus] The chain I was talking about earlier, El Cotixan–that’s the region they supposedly serve recipes from (Cotija; I think it’s in Michoacan, but my knowledge Mexican geography is pretty lackluster). [/QUOTE] Cotija (spelled with a “j”) is a local “chain” in that they’re one family owner, but they vary a lot from location to location–they have no real uniformity. It depends upon the staff, manager, etc. It’s really just a fast food stand ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/59 "2006-06-30T00:19:34Z")
I believe you, but I’m talking specifically about a local chain called El Cotixan which claims to serve recipes from a city or state called Cotija or Cotijas. There’s one within walking distance of my house which I go to sometimes–they’re not spectacular but if I’m at home I go there because I don’t really want to drive anywhere–and they also have a couple of locations in Clairemont and a couple in Chula Vista. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437/60 "2006-06-30T00:24:18Z")
[QUOTE=guizot] I’m not going to drive all the way to some Godawful place like the 909 just to get Tex-Mex food. [/QUOTE] Spoken like a true 323er! 😃 **fetus** , recommend me a couple of good Mexican places down in the Gaslamp. We’re coming down for Comic-Con again this year, and good Mexican sounds like it will hit the spot after listening to Kevin Smith all afternoon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/differences-between-tex-mex-and-authentic-mexican-food/362437.md?page=4)