Mexican Food Top Picks!

quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic

quote:

Originally posted by polis

I also wonder why people keep mentioning sauce on top of a burrito? That isn't something done here at all. However we do put chile (chile sauce) in our burritos.

Ya lost me here... IMHO, sauce on top of the shell makes it softer, or I should say less dry.. Whats the difference if you put it on the outside or inside of the fine burro? Guess it's a personal taste preference here..

[img]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1405/1241533457_d5bf71908d.jpg?v=0[/img]

Well in the inside... It is not as messy. You call is a burro, which is funny because I keep thinking donkey. Ha.

It was mentioned earlier that they put a red sauce and a meat sauce on the burrito... I have never seen that. Also chile is not referred as a sauce here but as a salsa.

Regional differences my friend! Either way, it's all good...
That, and sauce, either inside or out, will be just as messy!

Well, if you want to eat a burrito as hand held device, you'll have considerable trouble holding on to it if it's covered in Sauce and cheese.
Burro is what they were called a lot of the time in Arizona.
chimis from burros:
http://www.azcentral.com/home/food/mexico/articles/0427chimichange27-CR.html

In NJ Jose Tehas has to be one of the best by far. Great food and atmosphere, the margaritas aren't bad either! There is also a reallygood little Burritto place in the heart of New Brunswick, NJ by the train station that is really, really good.

As served in the U.S. "Mexican" is comfort food. As served in Mexico, "Mexican" is comfort food. The only true Mexican cuisine I have enjoyed in the Estado Unitos was at "Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana" in Ft. Worth. That is cuisine! Make sure there is plenty of room on the credit card.

"Lanny" is a blood relative of Joe T. Garcia whose 1/2 city block empire in Ft. Worth has to be one of the highest grossing restaurants in the U.S. (Decent food, bring cash: no credit cards and four(!) $2 fee ATM's).

The best "Roadfood Mexican" I have found is Cafe San Miguel in McKinney, TX.

Rio Grand Cafe (DC) and Tio Julio's (Dallas) have the same ownership and are a cut above other chains. They have only 6 (or so) stores and still have good quality control.

Great Mom and Pop place in Perth Amboy. I think it is called Carnival. Small place but really authentic good food. Very tasty integrated flavors, not just cheese smothered yuk. The homemade "Sangria" is fantastic!

Any of the moles from Tortilla Flats in Soquel.

Ahhh... Last 2 visits I did to the Cantina in Grand Rapids tells me they came back to life! Earlier I reported of the paper thin burrito they served me, but now all is back to normal.. My guess is the cook had a bad day and decided to screw everyone..

Here's pics from tonights take out.. (Sorry, I dug into it before I remembered to take a couple of pics, and also added some of their weak, yet tasty hot sauce on top) And the Meat Sauce is right back to being on par to what it used to be like..:







White stuff is Sour Cream.. Cantina special is a loaded burrito.


Later this week I'll post some pics of their Tacos. And NO, I dont work for or with them, just my local find I cant get enough of (unless they royally screw it up). Then after the New Year, I'll follow up with Taco Boy's burro's and Tacos, along with the Adobes (West Side Favorite - and for good reason)..

I have also been searching for Mexican Restaurants in Mass. and this is what I've found. Try Sol Azteca (solaztecarestaurants.com) in Brookline or Newton Center. I haven't been there in a while but it has rave reviews for the Sangria and my favorite dishes are Chilaquiles for an entree and Queso Asada for an appetizer. Another place I recently discovered is La Carreta (lacarretamexican.com ) in Nashua & 3 other NH locations.Pretty good chicken quesadillas, chile rellenos and many house specials but Sangria not so good. I have also tried Acapulucos in Marlboro, MA for the Arroz con Pollo. Buenos noches.

quote:

Originally posted by renfrew

this thread makes me jealous because i love mexican food of all kinds but live on one of the worst areas for it...the boston area is a veritable black hole when it comes to this food.

Feel so blessed to be in the Tex Mex capital,San Antonio.I still want to try Rolando's Super Tacos.They are supposed to be these huge tacos from what I've heard.
I think most places around here don't put sauce on their burritos.
Would love to get some puffy tacos for lunch,but don't have time to really drive anywhere to get some.
Want to try Picante Grill on Broadway and several other places in town.
Too bad Mammacita's in New Braunfels is 12 miles away.Could sure go for one of their lunch specials.

Read my reply to Renfrew from 12/31/07 for my recommendations. If you get to La Carreta the Nashua and Manchester locations are the best

quote:

Originally posted by dctourist

Renfrew, I feel your pain. The best I found in Boston was called Mexican Cuisine at the Forest Cafe on Mass. Ave. north of Harvard Square - very good fish and mole - but I haven't been in over 10 years.

I think my favorite Mex dish is tostadas loaded with frijoles, cheese, guacamole and lots of lettuce, tomato, and salsa. Chicken optional. Actually, I could probably live on on frijoles, tortillas, and guac and be a pretty happy peasant...

Here in Washington most of the Mexican restaurants are actually run by Salvadorans, so we get the occasional pupusa and plantains sneaking onto the menus. Some of them, though, have quite passable salsa and guac - to me, those are the mark of a decent restaurant. Very few of these restaurants are strictly salvadoran, though I tried one last week that was quite good and full of Spanish-speakers: Costa del Sol on Fairmont Ave. in Bethesda.

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog


I'm surprised you didn't mention El Charro in Tucson (original location on Church St.), the place is an institution.

I've eaten a couple times at a place in Laguna Beach called Javier's. If you can see past the drab interior and stunningly beautiful people you'll find some absolutely exceptional food. Both the Pork Carnias and the Steak Picata are outstanding and, in my book they have some of the best Mole I've ever had.

Also, for simple taco stand food, the Taco Loco on the main drag through Laguna Beach is also top-notch.

Oh yeah! I tried Javier's and the crab enchilada was heavenly...yet down to earth too. I'll be driving through here next month and hope to try the mole sauce...I'm a sucker for a good mole sauce...heck, I'll even try an 'ok' mole sauce!

quote:

Originally posted by Rockbeast

quote:

Originally posted by desertdog


I'm surprised you didn't mention El Charro in Tucson (original location on Church St.), the place is an institution.

I've eaten a couple times at a place in Laguna Beach called Javier's. If you can see past the drab interior and stunningly beautiful people you'll find some absolutely exceptional food. Both the Pork Carnias and the Steak Picata are outstanding and, in my book they have some of the best Mole I've ever had.

Also, for simple taco stand food, the Taco Loco on the main drag through Laguna Beach is also top-notch.

Oh yeah! I tried Javier's and the crab enchilada was heavenly...yet down to earth too. I'll be driving through here next month and hope to try the mole sauce...I'm a sucker for a good mole sauce...heck, I'll even try an 'ok' mole sauce!

Enjoy! I plan on spending a lot of time there this summer myself.

After reading some of these posts I sure am glad I live in Arizona.

I figure the name "El Nopal" is a chain, as I see them all over the place when we travel. It must be a loosely organized franchise though as the ones we have visited have had menus that vary a lot from place to place.
 
 In Corydon Indiana one opened fairly recently, the second place with that name in the town, and one of several in a 20 mile circle. We tried the one I mentioned last week for their Thursday Evening Fajita and Beer night.
 
The dinner was their regular Fajita plate usually priced at $10.99, but on the special it was $7.00.  That includes a sizzling platter of the Fajitas (Beef or Chicken) and a side plate of beans, rice, lettuce, tomato, and a scoop of Gucamole (very good Gucamole BTW).They also serve 12 oz draft beer (various brands) for 99 cents for a Frosty Mug.
 
Jan did the Chicken and I ordered the Beef version. My usual gripe about Fajitas is that the veggies (peppers and onions) seem to leak water/juice all over everything as they cook. NOT THESE !! They didn't have that 'Boiled' look, they were GRILLED and served very hot right off the Grill. Frankly they were the best offering of Fajitas I have ever enjoyed! Using the Tortillas served warm on the side it was easy to fill up on that plate of tasty meat and veggies!  3 of the 99 cent Amber Bochs helped make it all go down easy !!
 
So Tomorrow (Thursday) we will return to the scene to see if they can do that good dinner two weeks in a row! Total bill minus tip was about $21 and that included 5 of the draft beers for the two of us.  A very good economical dinner we hope to repeat !!!
  Maybe the camera will go with us tomorrow !

one of my favorite Mexican restaurants was in Greensboro, NC called, "El Mariachi." This place features what they call "california style" mexican. Now, I don't know exactly what that means, but I do know that the tourists from San Diego, who claim they have traveled all over the East coast over the years and were in Greensboro for some convention, declared it the best Mexican resataurant they'd ever been to in the East, and had ended up there by mistake, while searching for another nearby mexican restaruant that had been recommended to them.

Any way, their fish tacos and shrimp tacos are the best I've ever had and they have this seafood soup aptly named, Caldo de Mariscos (seafood soup). It is, by far, my all-time favorite mexican dish. The whole sea, in a huge bowl of spicy broth. Terrific.

I checked out their website (which didn't exist when I made that one of my favorite haunts) and it appears they have done some remodeling to the interior, which was very plain 8-9 years ago. And, the menu has gone through a revision, as well. But, they still have the soup.
web: http://el-mariachi-mexican.com/
seafood menu with pic of item: http://el-mariachi-mexican.com/menu/section/Seafood

The description doesn't do it justice. The soup is chock-full of seafood, and it's huge. the price has gone up a little, when I went there it was ~11.99 or ~12.99, but 14.95 is still worth it, in my book. I'm a big guy, and there was so much seafood I was always stuffed at the end, but I savored each and every bite.

Their other food is great too, but they really shine with all of their seafood dishes.

UncleVic




Here's pics from tonights take out.. (Sorry, I dug into it before I remembered to take a couple of pics, and also added some of their weak, yet tasty hot sauce on top) And the Meat Sauce is right back to being on par to what it used to be like..:

 
I have NEVER, EVER seen a burrito smothered with chili sauce, like you pictured, in any mexican restaurant, anywhere I have ever traveled. I would venture to guess that it's actually some sort of abomination of a true burrito, not the real thing - it's like some cross dressing burrito who's as fat as a chimichanga, but really wants to be an enchilada and abused by chili...
 
 
 
...but I really don't care, because when I saw that pic, my stomach stood up, pointed at my computer screen, and screamed, "GIVE ME THAT BURRITO - NOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"
 
UncleVic, if I'm ever in Grand Rapids or within reach of Grand Rapid, you can bet that I'll be sure to give this cross dressing burrito a try!


 

Scorereader

UncleVic




Here's pics from tonights take out.. (Sorry, I dug into it before I remembered to take a couple of pics, and also added some of their weak, yet tasty hot sauce on top) And the Meat Sauce is right back to being on par to what it used to be like..:

 
I have NEVER, EVER seen a burrito smothered with chili sauce, like you pictured, in any mexican restaurant, anywhere I have ever traveled. I would venture to guess that it's actually some sort of abomination of a true burrito, not the real thing - it's like some cross dressing burrito who's as fat as a chimichanga, but really wants to be an enchilada and abused by chili...
 
 
 
...but I really don't care, because when I saw that pic, my stomach stood up, pointed at my computer screen, and screamed, "GIVE ME THAT BURRITO - NOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"
 
UncleVic, if I'm ever in Grand Rapids or within reach of Grand Rapid, you can bet that I'll be sure to give this cross dressing burrito a try!


 

Looks like Mexican Lasagna!!
Maybe it's a new Fusion Cuisine--- Mexi-Italian!! Created by the Mexican Italian Godfather, Don Jose Rodriquez-Corleone!!

still, if you think, "mom and pop joint," and get served that, you're pretty darn apt to enjoy it.

hey, fusion is where it's at. I mean, where would italian and spanish cuisine be if those people had poopooed the tomato, because it wasn't indigenous to their country?

Take in a food, turn it inside out, upside down, and modify it, and boom - a new dish. Made especially and lovingly for you in Grand Rapids, MI.


FYI - same guy who played Michael Corleone, played Carlito Brigante, so, there is precidence.

Scorereader


still, if you think, "mom and pop joint," and get served that, you're pretty darn apt to enjoy it.

hey, fusion is where it's at. I mean, where would italian and spanish cuisine be if those people had poopooed the tomato, because it wasn't indigenous to their country?

Take in a food, turn it inside out, upside down, and modify it, and boom - a new dish. Made especially and lovingly for you in Grand Rapids, MI.


FYI - same guy who played Michael Corleone, played Carlito Brigante, so, there is precidence.

So--who is Carlito Brigante???? Don't think I saw that one.

Carlito, from Carlito's Way, 1993 film directed by Brian De Palma.
A must see for Pacino fans.
Carlito is an hispanic mobster, who tries to get out, but is sucked back in and cannot escape it.
Classic Pacino!

El Mariachi sounds great-I travel to Greensboro about once a year and will have to try it.It looks like a couple of their burritos do come with sauce.... the enchi-burrto, the burrito special..

Scorereader

UncleVic




Here's pics from tonights take out.. (Sorry, I dug into it before I remembered to take a couple of pics, and also added some of their weak, yet tasty hot sauce on top) And the Meat Sauce is right back to being on par to what it used to be like..:

 
I have NEVER, EVER seen a burrito smothered with chili sauce, like you pictured, in any mexican restaurant, anywhere I have ever traveled. I would venture to guess that it's actually some sort of abomination of a true burrito, not the real thing - it's like some cross dressing burrito who's as fat as a chimichanga, but really wants to be an enchilada and abused by chili...
 
 
 
...but I really don't care, because when I saw that pic, my stomach stood up, pointed at my computer screen, and screamed, "GIVE ME THAT BURRITO - NOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"
 
UncleVic, if I'm ever in Grand Rapids or within reach of Grand Rapid, you can bet that I'll be sure to give this cross dressing burrito a try!


 

Scorereader:  I'm no expert on Mexican food, but I've seen that before at more than one restaurant.  It's a "wet burrito" - a burrito covered with enchilada sauce (and it looks like his had some cheese sprinkled on top).  Messy, but tasty!
 
[reaching over to pile of papers...]
 
I have a menu here for Taco Rico, and it lists a Wet Classic Burrito, "Enchilada Sauce and Cheese Melted on Top." ($5.79) 

Ann,
ya know, I don't think I ever got anything but their seafood dishes. My wife was a big fan of their seafood enchiladas - which we still use as the measuring stick when having the same dish at another restaurant. Now, I don't know if our memories are making us remember the food better than it was, but so far, we have not tasted an equal.

Hopefully, after all their changes, their food gives you the same wonderful experience we had. Truly, one of our favorite  g'boro restaurants while we lived there.

Our regular haunts - in no particular order:

El Mariachi - mexican
Sal's - italian/pizza
Darryl's - ribs, american grill
McPherson's - pub grub and WINGS
Blue Marlin - seafood - no longer in business.
JP Looney's - watching sports - pub food was pretty good too.
Italian Market - an italian deli with foods that, until thier grand opening in '99 or '00, I simply could not get in the piedmont area.
Wild Magnolia Cafe - po-boys and crawfish!
Sud -n-duds - to wash comforters in the laundry area, and drink Red Oak beer in the bar section. My favorite saturday morning phone call to receive was from my buddy who'd say, "the damn cats pissed on the blankets again, wanna go to Suds-n-duds at noon? I'll pick you up." then I'd suggest to my wife that our comforters needed washing - and I'd be happy to do it, and oh yeah, Bob's picking me up at noon. She was well aware what that meant. She was a sweetie for letting me go with him.

I just emailed my favorite Mexican place, Burrito Brothers Taco Company and asked them if they'd consider putting a wet burrito on their menu.  They make an encredible red sauce.

MiamiDon




Scorereader:  I'm no expert on Mexican food, but I've seen that before at more than one restaurant.  It's a "wet burrito" - a burrito covered with enchilada sauce (and it looks like his had some cheese sprinkled on top).  Messy, but tasty!
 
[reaching over to pile of papers...]
 
I have a menu here for Taco Rico, and it lists a Wet Classic Burrito, "Enchilada Sauce and Cheese Melted on Top." ($5.79) 

ok. but, that has a meat sauce, not enchilada sauce, on it. It looks like chili. Also, that burrito is as large (or larger) than a mission burrito, about the size of a chimichanga.
 
and, for the record, my post was partially in jest - as we know, this site if often filled with the "authenticity police." So, I was humorously saying that it looked great. Of course, I have seen mexican type establishments dump sauces and such on their burritos. But, it IS true, that I haven't seen anything quite like the one pictured by UncleVic.
 

 

At the chain restaurant On the Border* we ate at a few weeks ago, they offered a choice of "ranchero" (enchilada) sauce, sour cream sauce or chili con carne.  And it was a big fatty, like a chimi, as you noted about the one in the photo.  If it is a fork-and-knife burrito, I say, "Why not?"  I've never actually had one that I can recall.
 
* Wife's birthday request.

I mentioned a mini-chain (6 stores in our area) called EL NOPAL a few posts above this one. Well, last night we returned with some of my family to double check our previous recommendation. Here are a few photos of the event.

Outside the tribe gathered (a group of 6 adults and 3 small kids). Note the "A" rating in the window for cleanliness !!


We ordered a bunch of Beer, the usual Chips and Salsa, and Fajitas, either Chicken or Beef .  Here my son Josh makes a taco out of the Fajitas for his daughter, Emily.


I mentioned earlier that my Amber Boch came in a Frosty Mug, while the others ordered by the Pitcher (Several Pitchers!!)


My Beef Fajitas were grilled just right...Plenty of flavor and not all waterlogged!! Here is a sample of part of my platter. The Beans and Rice were on another plate.


All in all a very good dinner for a group and the total bill was under $90 (minus Tip) which included several Pitchers and several individual mugs of Beer !
 
The place is located just off I-64 at exit 105 (Corydon) in a FF circle across the road from the WalMart Center.

Rusty246


I just emailed my favorite Mexican place, Burrito Brothers Taco Company and asked them if they'd consider putting a wet burrito on their menu.  They make an encredible red sauce.

My guess is that if you asked them to put red sauce on your burrito, they would do it.

Al-I knew that was your son from the first picture-he sure looks like you!!