Just have to mention the aptly named “Senior Gringo’s” in Fort Smith, Arkansas. I refused to try it, but those that did confirmed it was every bit as dreadful as it sounds.
One time about 15 years ago, we were traveling in Alaska and really really really needed some Mexican food. Stopped in a place on the side of the road, not expecting much, but desperate. The food was fantastic- just like home. Actually better than home… Turns out the guy was from Laredo, God bless him.
Hmmm… could use some right now… 'scuse me.
I have a good story about new Mexican food. I grew up in New Mexico and as this thread shows we are an opinionated lot when it comes to food.
My brother in law recently taught a class in Albuquerque and asked the class where to go to eat. All 30 people in the class had strong opinions about where to go. Sadie’s vs. El Pinto vs Los Cuates etc. Red vs. Green. Was Sadie’s better 20 years ago when it was in the bowling alley? When I saw him a few weeks later he said that he always thought it was just my sister and myself that went on and on about New Mexican food. It is all of us.
I strongly agree. Even way out in the suburbs there’s lots of good Mexican (though admittedly mostly at the cheaper end). The suburb I work in is over 40% hispanic; mostly Mexican (by my guess).
There are three taquerias that I frequent. All within 5 miles from where I work. All very cheap. All really good. For me it was a bit jarring at first to be the only anglo in a place; I got over this really quickly because the food is so damn good. You know I had never even heard of Posole until I moved here? My god, that’s up there for the world’s best comfort food.
That’s the most hilariously incorrect thing I’ve read all day. I can’t wait to share it with my Southern friends. The ones from New Orleans, especially.
MMMMM Los Cuates Green Chile Cheese Fries MMMMMMMMM :: begins drooling :::
Those are probably the most unhealthy things I have ever eaten but damned they are good.
Red is nice but green is the bomb.
I prefer the original Los Cuates*, though Sadie’s rocks. I am meh on El Pinto. Garduno’s was pretty good for a while as well but I heard they got all jacked up due to a divorce/lawsuit/one partner ripping off the other/etc.
I am also going to have to totally disagree on this. The issue, I think, is that until recently a lot of food south of the Mason-Dixon line was considered just food, not fine cuisine. I know that for a long time Mexican and New Mexican was viewed differently than Italian. Italian was real cooking while Mexican was something you got at Taco Bell. I do know that in New Mexico there are huge debates about which Mexican places are the best and people are very picky. Then there is the whole cilantro debate**. And the red vs green debate can turn into a war…
Slee
*Los Cuates is bizarre. The first store they opened is a little diner kind of place. The second store they opened is much nicer, a full restaurant kind of feel. The odd thing is that the two stores are directly across the street from each other.
** Cilantro tastes like soap. It is evil.
To be fair, that’s not particularly unique to New Mexico, though. Any area with a proud food culture is going to be pretty damned opinionated when it comes to local foods.
Ain’t that the truth. I have fond memories of Tomasita’s in Santa Fe, and I remember back when Sadie’s in Albuquerque was just a bowling-alley diner, before it opened it’s spiffy huge new place next door to the bowling alley. People used to crowd into the bowling alley just to wait for a table in Sadie’s and to hell with bowling! (I think the quality steyd the same when they moved, too.) Introduced the wife to those places and more. Must be many other good restaurants there now since my day. Mmmmmm.
As for finding Mexican food outside of the the US and Mexico, I recall eating Mexican in Kathmandu. Or was it upcountry in Pokhara? Maybe both!
And there used to be a halfway decent joint in Bangkok called Tia Maria’s. Lasted 15 years or more, and we think it may have been some sort of drug-money laundering front or something. A large place, I don’t think we ever saw more than four tables filled at any time. Usually just one or two others. Once when my friend came down from upcountry, he and I and our wives whiled away a good two hours there during dinnertime on a Saturday night, and not one single other person came in. But it kept on going. Finally cloed down about five years ago maybe. It was actually not bad.
I think Sadie’s quality stayed the same when it moved, but I don’t know about nowadays. Is Baca’s still there? On Central, not too far from the university. The food was not bad, but I especially liked sitting in the back room, the bar area, where they had this stunning giant 17th-century (I think it was the 17th) handcarved bar that someone had shipped over from Europe. Italy, I think it was.
This is the key right here. If it’s considered “ethnic” food by the majority of patrons, it’s not likely to be as good as if it is just considered a normal meal. This is why the Mexican restaurants will generally be better in Mexican neighborhoods, which goes the same for the Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Jewish, Polish, Czech, and African neighborhoods I’ve been to (and that’s just in Chicago and suburbs). The more natives of that ethnicity clamoring for that kind of food, the more competition there will be among restaurants to deliver better food.
Now this doesn’t mean that it will necessarily fit your non-native palate, but that’s another conversation altogether. For example I hate going to the chain Mexican joints in Texas for work-related events, but I’m happy when I’m trying to find restaurants, dives and taco trucks that serve the community. You might not like sweetbread, tongue and tripe tacos, but I will go out of my way for some good ones.
Most everyone would pronounce it “O-axe-akka” except Mexicans.
I don’t hate going to Pappasito’s for a work related event. Because that means somebody else is paying. Their margaritas are fine & I’ve never gotten sick there.
On my own dime, I’ll go to neighborhood places like Teotihuacan. Taco trucks are OK, even if you have to elbow your way through the foodies. Pico’s is worth the trip to Bellaire & Hugo’s is great when I’m feeling rich. Some chain places are OK because they are well managed (& of course the kitchens are full of Mexicans) & some “authentic” places are crap. At least we’ve got a huge choice down here. But more Mexicans living outside the Southwest means good food can now be found in unlikely places.
Calvin Trillin said he preferred Mexican restaurants that served tripe. Even if he didn’t eat it, he considered its presence on the menu a good sign.
Same here-I used to go to Albuquerque on business a lot-so I loved the local food. Nobody outside of New Mexico makes chiles rellenos correctly, and I haven’t seen sopapillas anywhere here (Boston, MA area). I wonder if I could opena a new Mexican restaurant here?
Anyway, there is a very good Mexican place in Braintree, MA (the owner is from Sonora).
But New mexican…no… damn, I’m hungry for some pozole and sopapillas now.