Best REAL mexican food

Burgandy wrote:

> I'd love to hear from someone whoe knows real Mexican food (as in the kind
> they eat in mexico). No black beans, no bland salsa, I am talking the real
> deal. I am spoiled when it comes to my mexican food (just moved from a
> border city) and I would love to know of any honest to goodness mexican
> places. Tex-Mex need not apply. Somewhere with Gramma or Tia in the
> kitchen. Any suggestions?

Not intending to be too contrary, but curious:

I was under the strong impression that "border cuisine" was a heck of a lot closer to Tex-Mex than "real Mexican" (which is often classified as "interior Mexican," connoting anyplace well-removed from the border influence).

I would also hazard to guess that, since Mexico is a large country, no one place will serve to epitomize the cuisine of all Mexico.  Regional differences no doubt exist, if for no other reason than because of the availability of different ingredients.

I have yet to see a really good working definition of Tex-Mex/border cuisine vs. "real Mexican food."  I know a few things are definitely the former (enchiladas, fajitas).  Mole is typically cited as being the latter.  What else?  Cabrito?  Menudo?  Where do these fall?

Fonda San Miguel is often cited as "the" fine interior Mexican dining establishment in Austin.  I've been underwhelmed by the food the last several times I've been there - not bad, but not worth raving about (and a little pricey for so tepid a reaction).  Many family-run Tex-Mex joints also claim to have "interior Mexican" offerings (typically a mole) and old family recipes.  El Azteca and Botanitas are two that come to mind.  I've grown particularly fond of the latter lately, though some of my friends hate it.

In any event, I'd temper my expectations.  In my personal experience, no matter what the cuisine is, undoubtedly you won't be able to find food "just like it was in place X" once you move to place Y.  I think it's just as much psychology as taste.  My credo is to learn to enjoy what a place has to offer, and cook the rest ;)

tony
tonyp at evsx dot com

HEY, A La Carrera is plain & simple, cheap border Mexican food,  really good, and I'm sure there's a Juanita in the kitchen.  183 at Balcones Woods. And KAD, don't be silly, you're crazy if you're from El Paso. KAD wrote in message ...
>I'm still looking for it - however I was raised in El Paso which has a
>totally different idea of mexican food (much much better than any other
I've
>ever had).  Juarez is right across the border and the food is identical
>there to what they serve in El Paso.   Anyone knows of El Paso style
>Someone wrote:
>>I'd love to hear from someone whoe knows real Mexican food (as in the kind
>>they eat in mexico). No black beans, no bland salsa, I am talking the real
>>deal. I am spoiled when it comes to my mexican food (just moved from a
>>border city) and I would love to know of any honest to goodness mexican
>>places. Tex-Mex need not apply. Somewhere with Gramma or Tia in the
>>kitchen. Any suggestions?
>>
>>Erika
>>
>>========================================
>>http://members.tripod.com/~burgandy/index.html
>>but only go there is you are incredibly bored
>>
>>
>
>

quoting Albert responding to Victor

:> Fonda San Miguel is the only restaurant in Austin I've been to that qualifies : : Have you tried Manuel's?

      or Bertrand's  (the cook who put FSM on the Austin culinary map) ?

Albert N. wrote:
>Have you tried Manuel's?

I actually ate there Saturday night (my roomate's brother loves that restaurant). The food is good, but quite americanized. The beans taste like cumin and the rice is bad. Hey, they even make "baked flautas", but at least they use the right kind of tortillas (corn, of course). :)

Nobody's mentioned Curra's Grill, which has a number of Yucatecan dishes on the menu. Dunno if that meets your criteria for "real" Mexican.

They also have sweet tamales (yum!), which are hard to find elsewhere.

Cheers,
Janet

  Someone wrote:
> I'd love to hear from someone whoe knows real Mexican food (as in the kind
> they eat in mexico). No black beans, no bland salsa, I am talking the real
> deal. I am spoiled when it comes to my mexican food (just moved from a
> border city) and I would love to know of any honest to goodness mexican
> places. Tex-Mex need not apply. Somewhere with Gramma or Tia in the
> kitchen. Any suggestions?
>
> Erika
>

I'd suggest Evita's on South First...
but the menu might be too interesting for you.

While it would be fun to eat at all of the places outlined in this thread we must all remember that

one man's "real Mexican Food is another man's Taco Bell"

The best enchiladas, for example are at La Fonda on Broadway in San Antonio, but you may not agree.

Bill (who last ate at Taco Bell in 1971)

We travel frequently to interior Mexico.  I have not found any restaurant in Austin that features similar food.  The closest is Taqueria Arandas, which serves food closer to the style of Northern Mexico.  It has been my experience that, by a long margin, the best Mexican restaurants in Austin are on the East side of 35.  Fonda San Miguel is a joke and expensive and you have to wait.  The waitstaff is ignorant about the food they are serving.

BTW, if you like border food as opposed to interior food, most of the restaurants in East Austin will make you happy.  We are in the middle of working our way through all of them.  Very few losers.  For a nice border style experience, try the Sunday breakfast at Juan in a Million and sit out back.

Good luck.

Someone wrote:
>I'd love to hear from someone whoe knows real Mexican food (as in the kind
>they eat in mexico). No black beans, no bland salsa, I am talking the real
>deal. I am spoiled when it comes to my mexican food (just moved from a
>border city) and I would love to know of any honest to goodness mexican
>places. Tex-Mex need not apply. Somewhere with Gramma or Tia in the
>kitchen. Any suggestions?
>
>Erika
>
>========================================
>http://members.tripod.com/~burgandy/index.html
>but only go there is you are incredibly bored
>
>

NNTP-Posting-Date: 18 Aug 1998 13:52:37 GMT
X-Gateway: FirstClass Gateway for SMTP/NNTP (Mac68K) version 1.02 Xref:  austin.food:2704

You may want to try Taqueria Los Comales on E. 7th.  They do northern mexican food with  a lot of grilled meats and really nice shrimp enchiladas.   I don't think it is very similar to what they have in El Paso, (which I agree is unique and good), but it is more similar to "the real deal" on most of the border and northern Mexican states.

I also like Polvos which is on S. 1st and owned by a family from central Mexico (maybe Zacatecas?).  Its not fancy at all but I really like their sauces and specials.  Like most family run Mexican places, it really depends on what you order-- very hit or miss from item to item on the  menu.

Did you ever try the Little Diner in Canutillo?  It's the hole in the wall place by the buffalo farm off Doniphan right as you get into Canutillo. Their gorditas are REAL - hand made and people travel to get them!  The things I've seen called gorditas around here don't even look anything like those!  If you ever get back there - make it a point to find that place, you won't be sorry.

Kat
Someone wrote:
:On Mon, 17 Aug 1998, KAD wrote:
:
:Then you know exactly what I mean by real mexican food, I am also from El :Paso and was a regualr at Chihuahua Charlie's and Julio's and :Leo's....makin myself hungry. :Burgandy : :> I'm still looking for it - however I was raised in El Paso which has a :> totally different idea of mexican food (much much better than any other I've :> ever had).  Juarez is right across the border and the food is identical :> there to what they serve in El Paso.   Anyone knows of El Paso style
Someone wrote:
:> >I'd love to hear from someone whoe knows real Mexican food (as in the kind :> >they eat in mexico). No black beans, no bland salsa, I am talking the real :> >deal. I am spoiled when it comes to my mexican food (just moved from a :> >border city) and I would love to know of any honest to goodness mexican :> >places. Tex-Mex need not apply. Somewhere with Gramma or Tia in the :> >kitchen. Any suggestions? :> > :> >Erika :> > :> >======================================== :> >http://members.tripod.com/~burgandy/index.html :> >but only go there is you are incredibly bored :> > :> > :> :> :> :> : :