Great Mexican in Central NY

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:44:18 GMT

sonjaab,
email me your motel info.
After our Canal trip (August), we're going to extend our vacation for 3 days.
Alex Bay might be too far North for our purpose, but there's no reason it can't be an option.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (sizz)

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 12:23:39 GMT

Great Mexican Food in Central New York ........................ ? you got to be kidding...... lol

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 11:47:32 GMT

Lock 24 Restaurant?

we're taking a canal boat trip from Tonowanda. Not sure if we'll make it as far as B'ville. But if we do, we plan on eating at Lock 24.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 12:16:52 GMT

oh. oh well. I'll skip that on
next visit.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Fri, 03 Mar 2006 10:18:22 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by sonjaab

Score......Yup have been to WWs a few times for
drinks and finger foods.

is it any good?

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Thu, 02 Mar 2006 11:06:50 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Niagara

Do you guys ever get out of Central New York? Because when I moved from Niagara Falls to Houston, and on trips to Arizona and California, I found out what mexican food was actually supposed to taste like. And it wasn't Upstate New York style.

I haven't lived in CNY in eight years. So, yes, I've been outside CNY. Maybe Niagra Falls was deficient in the Mexican food catagory, but the Syracuse area always had 2 or 3 good places. That's not a huge number, but all you need is one.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Cosmos)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:59:29 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Niagara

Do you guys ever get out of Central New York? Because when I moved from Niagara Falls to Houston, and on trips to Arizona and California, I found out what mexican food was actually supposed to taste like. And it wasn't Upstate New York style.

Chicago, where I lived for about eight years, has one of the largest populations of Mexican immigrants (legal, or otherwise)of the larger US cities....and they cook pretty well. So yes, I have a pretty good idea of what constitutes good Mexican food (tex-mex or otherwise) and I have had it at the former LaBamba's in Syracuse.

I can assure you there is no Upstate New York style of Mexican cooking. Its either good or bad and you can get bad Mexican food just about anywhere. I'll agree, on the whole, the odds of finding good Mexican in Central NY is slim, but it is out there.

Myself, I bought some cook books and learned how to make it for my own satisfaction. We have a little Mexican grocery store in Cortland where I can get my ingredients that the larger grocery stores don't carry (which frankly, isn't much, with the rise in migrant farm labor they stock a lot Mexican foods.)

The owner of the store also runs Garcia's Restaurant which is another consistantly good place, a little better or more authentic than Juanita's. I had an excellent chili verde there once, though they have yet to match that experience again ( I think they short cut the braising).

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 16:37:17 GMT

has anyone been to Whacky Wyatt's yet? (in Baldwinsville - tex-mex I believe?)
new location in the (larger) old elk's lodge.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Niagara)

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 16:34:40 GMT

Do you guys ever get out of Central New York? Because when I moved from Niagara Falls to Houston, and on trips to Arizona and California, I found out what mexican food was actually supposed to taste like. And it wasn't Upstate New York style.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Cosmos)

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 11:31:28 GMT

Juanitas is a regular for us. Having lived in Chicago, I wouldn't call Jaunitas great. What it is, IMHO, is consistantly good. No surprises, a good meal every time. We usually get take out during the week, so I miss out on their weekend specials. I have had their pork tamale special which is very good. I found their chicken mole' special a little runny. I tend to favor their chimichangas and enchiladas. My wife loves the shredded beef burritos.

When LaBamba first opened it was so much better than Juanitas. Full blown Mexican menu, not just tex-mex, rich buttery suaces...sinful! I was sad to see it go!

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Cosmos)

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 08:54:53 GMT

I recall that, I never did find the State Fair Blvd location, and then read bad reviews, so I never bothered. The Milton ave location turned into a a polish retaurant if I remember correctly.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 16:27:37 GMT

Well Cosmos,
I got the low-down on La Bamba. The original one moved from Milton Ave to State Fair Blvd for a larger space. In 1997, the owner, Angel Perales, sold it and moved on.
Apparently, it went down hill fast. By 2000, you could hardly call it Mexican.

too bad.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Cosmos)

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 12:30:07 GMT

No, its long gone, but yeah that was a very good Mexican restaurant, as good as some of the places I used to go to in Chicago.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 13:40:56 GMT

is La Bamba still around in Solvay?

I used to like that place too. Good food.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Cosmos)

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 10:33:21 GMT

I have enjoyed a very nice meal at the Mission. I'm told that Alto Cinco in the Wescott neighborhood of Syracuse is the place to go. Unfortunatetly, I don't find myself in the Wescott Nation very much. I will have to schedule a return to the Mission for some more central american food.

RE: Great Mexican in Central NY (Scorereader)

Fri, 09 Sep 2005 11:52:37 GMT

I've always been partial to The Mission in Syracuse.

Their "authentic beans" are a winner.

A great place to eat before or after going to the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra at the Civic Center.

Great Mexican in Central NY (jodycb)

Thu, 08 Sep 2005 19:04:05 GMT

El Rincon in Sodus, NY and El Rincon II in Canandaigua, NY are the best Mexican places I've ever eaten. I lived in Sodus for a while and was too scared to go inside--it looked a little shady back then, and there are no windows. The food is excellent. I'd say it's very authentic but I've never been to Mexico so I wouldn't know. The tamales are to die for. They're always running out of them. Really I'm unable to say what my favorite things are because everything I've had there has been great! the Sopes are crisp with stacks of tasty greens on top of refried beans and chicken with crumbly cheese on top, the burritos are the most amazingly tender & flavorful pork. The service can be a little slow but it is soooo worth it.