NNTP-Posting-Date: 10 Sep 1998 21:42:10 GMT X-Gateway: FirstClass Gateway for SMTP/NNTP (Mac68K) version 1.02 Xref: austin.food:2870 I moved here 13 years ago from Houston (with most of my family in Corpus Christi and San Antonio) and was also disappointed until I realized the problem was my friend, a recent immigrant from California who kept taking me to Chuy's style, trend-mex places. I had developed a taste for more Corpus and San Antonio neighborhood style places that were definitely Tex-Mex but not very anglo-ized (there is a destinction -- the anglo-ized version is what I consider "suburban mex"). The original criticisms by the person from Chicago were definitely right on considering a lot of what I've seen (especially about the Margaritas-- though I think Austin has great chips-- I like them thinner, crispier and less oily) See, everyone gets used to whatever the food is like where they are from. Chicago has lots of Mexican immigrants and I'm sure that influences the style. Its probably a lot of strore-front taqueria's like in Mexico (similar to in the Mission part of San Francisco if I were to guess). This stuff can be excellent or it can suck -- just like in Mexico. Tex-Mex, be it neighborhood or suburban -- is the same way. It also probably is an acquired taste for outsiders-- especially those used to another style of Mexican food. By the same token, my friends who moved from Texas to California can't stand Cal-Mex. What central Texas has is mostly Mexicans who've been here a long time who had access to different kinds of cheeses and produce and thus the style evolved into what we loosely call "tex-mex". Newer waves of immigrants, particularly from Northern Mexico have given Austin some nice places like Polvos and Taqueria Los Comales. No, we don't get much West Texas, Chihuahan style/ border Mexican food like in El Paso (which I grew to like a lot after my initial surprise), nor do we get much in the way of New Mexican style mexican food. That's probably because those folks aren't moving here in any large numbers. I suggest trying a lot of different places and definitely getting off the beaten path. By and large most of the best places are either east of I-35 or south of the River. Happy eating!
Austin, TX