Advice on Mexican food?

[Headhunter]

I don't know about this El Torito joint, but if it is to Mexican food as Olive Garden is to Italian, then I think I'll pass.

That's the snobbery ppanther was talking about. It was me!

[Mikey]

Nice try.

You run around calling people "make believe snobs" and then "hyper snobs", and when asked to back it up with anything, anything at all concrete, you come up with absolutely nothing except to add "bitch" and "boring" to your list of insults.

Until you can come up with a specific example of "restaurant snobbery" in this forum, other that what you perceive as snobbery in this thread, I'll have to assume that you've tried and failed and are therefore doing your best to cover your failure by continuing with your incredibly weak "boring snob bitch" smack.

[Dinsdale]

So, I'm like an anti-snob if I fess up to enjoying happy-hour at Who Song and Larry's? (all the various El Torito incarnations around here finally settled on one name. Curious, since there was only one Who Song's but more than one El Torito. Maybe it was a copyright thing.....I dunno. Regardless, El Torito is Called Who Song and Larry's here. Didn't used to be.)

If I'm looking for "authentic" Mexican food, there's about a buhzillion joints in my neighborhood where Jose-fresh-off-the-turnip-truck doesn't speak a lick of English, and doesn't even know what the Health Department is......yet. About as "authentic" as it gets, north of the border. If I'm looking for decent apps, then Who Song's is an excellent happy-hour choice. It's doubtful I'd ever order a proper meal there, but I think comparing "authentic" Mexican and a Mexican-style lounge is along the lines of apples and oranges, or apples and Intels, or something.

Just thought I'd try and fuel the flames with my $.02.

[Mikey]

So, I'm like an anti-snob if I fess up to enjoying happy-hour at Who Song and Larry's? (all the various El Torito incarnations around here finally settled on one name. Curious, since there was only one Who Song's but more than one El Torito. Maybe it was a copyright thing.....I dunno. Regardless, El Torito is Called Who Song and Larry's here. Didn't used to be.)

If I'm looking for "authentic" Mexican food, there's about a buhzillion joints in my neighborhood where Jose-fresh-off-the-turnip-truck doesn't speak a lick of English, and doesn't even know what the Health Department is......yet. About as "authentic" as it gets, north of the border. If I'm looking for decent apps, then Who Song's is an excellent happy-hour choice. It's doubtful I'd ever order a proper meal there, but I think comparing "authentic" Mexican and a Mexican-style lounge is along the lines of apples and oranges, or apples and Intels, or something.

Just thought I'd try and fuel the flames with my $.02.

God and GOD you're a boring snob bitch.

[Dinsdale]

Until you can come up with a specific example of "restaurant snobbery" in this forum

I WILL NOT eat at Taco Bell. I'll go without food for days on end before I eat at the Bell.

Does that qualify?

HH -- The El Torito/Olive Garden analogy is a little strong. Along the snobbery lines, I think OG is one of the more worthless chains out there. If you're not into gluttony of bread and mono-dressinged salad, you're going home hungry. Unacceptable. El Torito/WSL's is pretty serviceable, or at least as far as a happy-hour gig goes. It isn't bad, it isn't the bee's knees, either. I guess it gets minus authenticity points, though, since there's like white people working there and stuff.

[Dinsdale]

God and GOD you're a boring snob bitch.

You've already chosen a path here that isn't going to end well for you.

Don't compound it.

[Mikey]

God and GOD you're a boring snob bitch.

You've already chosen a path here that isn't going to end well for you.

Don't compound it.

Into the gaping maw of the dreaded ppanther, you mean?

[ppanther]

Man, I never knew Mikey was so bitter.

Deny all you want, Mikey. I'm sorry you got so offended by my (true, by the way) statement. Seriously, my intent was not to make you cry.

Bye now!

[Mikey]

Who's crying?

I merely pointed out your failure to back up your accusations, and your resorting to name calling to cover your inadequacy.
Sorry, but "I'm right" doesn't qualify.

So now I'm "bitter" too, and I'm crying.
LOL!

What's next?

[mothster]

I don't know about this El Torito joint, but if it is to Mexican food as Olive Garden is to Italian, then I think I'll pass.

That's the snobbery ppanther was talking about. It was me!

olive garden is like the denny's of 'italian'

[Mikey]

OK, so there are a lot of restaurant snobs here.

Sorry, my bad.

[Headhunter]

Uh, Mikey...

You could easily say that both Dins and I are "chain" snobs. Looks like Moth has joined that club as well.

[Variable]

Mikey, you may not have specifically called El Torito food "bad", but I hardly consider this to be a ringing endorsement:

...bland, fake Mexican food

When my family and I go out to eat, we don't pick a place based on how "authentic" their food is, we pick based on taste. Besides, considering 90+% of Mexico is inhabited by the poorest of the poor, true "authentic" Mexican food IS the bland rice and beans-type stuff that the peasants eat.

ppanther, I've had the Oaxacan Mole as well and loved it, as did my wife. We haven't been able to find it around here since they last featured it on their menu though. Oh well.

[Headhunter]

Mikey, I guess you saw that on your own.

To clarify, I'll eat some chains, but as a fairly good cook I have a hard time shelling out $60 bucks for the family to eat breadsticks and salad and some penne pasta with cream sauce.

I'll drop $200 without blinking if I know the quality of food and service deserves that.

I'll also eat out of a shack if the food is good. So snob might be the wrong word.

[SunCoastSooner]

I don't know about this El Torito joint, but if it is to Mexican food as Olive Garden is to Italian, then I think I'll pass.

That's the snobbery ppanther was talking about. It was me!

olive garden is like the denny's of 'italian'

I tell this to my wife constantly. She loves the Olive Garden but learned very early on in our relationship not to suggest the OG for dinner plans. If I am in a rush and having a lunch with her then occasionally I will cave and have salad while we eat there. There is no resteraunt I despise more than that shit hole the Olive Garden. I'd rather spend all day in the kitchen and make the familie's lasagna than have the shit they try and pawn off me as sauce

[Mikey]

Mikey, I guess you saw that on your own.

To clarify, I'll eat some chains, but as a fairly good cook I have a hard time shelling out $60 bucks for the family to eat breadsticks and salad and some penne pasta with cream sauce.

I'll drop $200 without blinking if I know the quality of food and service deserves that.

I'll also eat out of a shack if the food is good. So snob might be the wrong word.

Maybe that's the point I was originally, or at least somewhere along the line, obviously unsuccessfully trying to make. Just because you don't happen to like the food served by a particular chain of restaurants doesn't necessarily make you a "make believe snob" or a snob of any sort for that matter.

Also (addressing variable here), just because the parking lot is full doesn't necessarily mean you're going to like the food. That was your original contention in case you've forgotten.

[RadioFan]

Tex-Mex food is glorified Taco Bell or Del Taco.

Not in San Antonio.

Tons of great Tex-Mex and regional Mexican restaurants there. I still haven't found a decent Mexican restaurant in Tulsa, unless you count Chilis or On the Border. All the mom and pop places I've been here haven't been very memorable.

[Variable]

My kids and wife LOVE Olive Garden. Usually the means I use to talk them out of going is "do we really want to pay $60 for pasta and salad?" We all like it, but I can make some kickin spagetti at home for about $10.

Mikey, there are no absolutes in life. I just look for something to tilt the scales in my favor. If I know nothing about a place, but the lot and dining room are full (especially if frequently), I'd say the odds are better than average that tthey have decent food. Originally we were talking about mom and pop places and not chains, which is what I was referring to with my original comments. Hell, you can stick a turdburger restaurant next to a mall, slap a flashing neon dookie on a sign and even CALL it "TurdBurgers" and people will still show up if it looks like a chain.

I think the "snob" label (for me anyway) is for people who refuse to eat at El Torito or Olive Garden simply because it's not authentic enough. If it's good food, it's good food.

[mothster]

Mikey, I guess you saw that on your own.

To clarify, I'll eat some chains, but as a fairly good cook I have a hard time shelling out $60 bucks for the family to eat breadsticks and salad and some penne pasta with cream sauce.

I'll drop $200 without blinking if I know the quality of food and service deserves that.

I'll also eat out of a shack if the food is good. So snob might be the wrong word.

unriched white starch and iceburg lettuce

[SunCoastSooner]

Tex-Mex food is glorified Taco Bell or Del Taco.

Not in San Antonio.

Tons of great Tex-Mex and regional Mexican restaurants there. I still haven't found a decent Mexican restaurant in Tulsa, unless you count Chilis or On the Border. All the mom and pop places I've been here haven't been very memorable.

I'll give you that RF. My wife is from SA and I am from just north. The tex-mex is pretty good in SA but honestly if I want real Mexican food I'd rather be in the state that your in. Amazingly enough the best Mexican food I have ever had outside of Mexico has been in Oklahoma, Nevada (not Vegas), and Colorado. I wonder if anyone can explain why this is to me?

[RadioFan]

The tex-mex is pretty good in SA

That's like saying Salma Hayek has OK features. :wink:

[Lizard King]

Tacos Al Pastor

She knows the real thing then. I don't think a "Mexican" restaurant makes those. You have to go to the roach coaches to get the real stuff.

All of these people here in NJ talk about Mexican food and can point to a Tex-Mex joke like Chevy's with a straight face.

It's all in the different meats they prepare. Then you have the two 4" corn tortiillas as a base with the meat. Then you add the cilantro/onion mix, chopped white cabbage or lettuce if they decide to spend for it, with modified:



Then you can add some Embasa jalepenos as a side dish, etc. Cheap, easy to make, and real stuff.

^^^Knows what real Mexican food is.

[mothster]

Tacos Al Pastor

She knows the real thing then. I don't think a "Mexican" restaurant makes those. You have to go to the roach coaches to get the real stuff.

All of these people here in NJ talk about Mexican food and can point to a Tex-Mex joke like Chevy's with a straight face.

It's all in the different meats they prepare. Then you have the two 4" corn tortiillas as a base with the meat. Then you add the cilantro/onion mix, chopped white cabbage or lettuce if they decide to spend for it, with modified:



Then you can add some Embasa jalepenos as a side dish, etc. Cheap, easy to make, and real stuff.

^^^Knows what real Mexican food is.

christ that stuff is sold in supermarkets here

[King Crimson]

Tex-Mex food is glorified Taco Bell or Del Taco.

Not in San Antonio.

Tons of great Tex-Mex and regional Mexican restaurants there. I still haven't found a decent Mexican restaurant in Tulsa, unless you count Chilis or On the Border. All the mom and pop places I've been here haven't been very memorable.

I'll give you that RF. My wife is from SA and I am from just north. The tex-mex is pretty good in SA but honestly if I want real Mexican food I'd rather be in the state that your in. Amazingly enough the best Mexican food I have ever had outside of Mexico has been in Oklahoma, Nevada (not Vegas), and Colorado. I wonder if anyone can explain why this is to me?

explanation: migrant workers of a generation past--who decided stay put and bring up the family--after the growing season in Northern COlorado ranching/wheat country; or in Southern Colorado (Pueblo) working year round in the steel mill. that's the way it is in Colorado--at least. there's a coupel outstanding authentic Mexican joints right over the overpass on 1-25 from the Steel plant--as are there a dozens of bars. holdovers from the past.

[King Crimson]

oh, and Tapatio:

una salsa muy salsa.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Authentic Mexican is too bland for my unwordly tastes. Give me a wet burrito and I'm set.

BTW -

If you look at this dude long enough, he winks:



Just tossing that out there, folks.