California Style Mexican Food in Houston (Richmond, West: to buy, to move, land)

[jzntx]

I wish I knew what to tell u we've been here almost 8 yrs, we still looking no luck finding any good california style mexican food I miss el torito, acapulco and all the small places

Im tired of going to restaurants and asking for a burrito without lettuce and tomatoe in it and be looked at like I just landed from a different planet....lol When I first got here I went to a very well known taqueria and asked for a carne asada burrito lady looked at me and said "a what??!!!" it was all down hill from there.

I also lived in the I.E. I have have been on a search for good "prepared carne asada" a lot of the fajita meat the sell here once cooked feels like u are eating a piece of tire I've Also had no luck finding good chili cheese fries, like tommy's chili cheese fries or the hat, and lately I have been having pastrami sandwhich withdrawals....

Best of luck on your search and welcome to Houston, life is good here but it does take some getting used to.

[usc619]

I've pretty much stop eating Mexican food here in Houston, but when I get a chance to visit Dallas, my wife and I will be making this place our first destination San Diego Tacos Shop - The Best Cal-Mex Fast Food In DFW!

[HarryKerryJr]

Tex-Mex is what it is and you like (or not) for what it is, just as one would like the Mexican Americanized food in CA, but certainly neither is NOT what one would find in the interior of Mexico. So, some people in CA have a knackered view what "Mexican" food is supposed to be.

As for CA: there are TONS of imposter Mexican food restaurants that have further northern, Americanized the Northern style of Mexican food, and ironically, many of the posters who cited some places and food in CA include such imposter places and food as their preference.

As an example of a hugely popular imposter, I, for one find Tito's Tacos offensive; it is SO AMERICANIZED, but ditto heads line up at that place. But if one like Tito's, then one ought to like it for being anything but even close to real Mexican.

However, SOUTHERN CA Mexican is closer to authentic, but more important, there are SEVERAL authentic Mexican restaurants serving food found in the interior, but most of those places are in East LA or parts or Silverlake or even south LA (along the Blue Line for an example) or in more upscale areas even Mexico City Restaurant in Los Feliz simply because there are far more Mexicans there than in Houston. There are also more Central Americans there whose food I won't get into, but much Central American food has been fused with Mexican in LA, for example, so it isn't even close to what one would find (coffee and bread) in parts of Central America.

I will say that when my cousins went to LA via Houston, they ate at what was supposed to be some Mexican in Houston, and I know my other cousin in Houston who met them knows the best Houston has to offer in terms of quality of food. Than later that day, the cousins eat at Lotteria at the Farmers Market location in Los Angeles, and the first thing one cousin says to the other is, "This [food] is better than Houston!" Huh? I really didn't understand that remark, although his brother and parents agreed with his opinion.

Now, the strange this is that I have heard from Koreans that LA has the most authentic Korean food and she just GUSHED at how it was food like in Korea that she could never find in Las Vegas or other cities she lived in, and while I was in Seattle, a Thai lady just kept swearing up and down how LA had the best Thai food outside of Thailand. I have heard the same bizarre enthusiasm about how authentic the Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian, well everything south and east, all the exotic locales including Africa and the Middle East.

I wondered why, I think I have an idea: It isn't that one city is better than another, but just the numbers of whatever ethnic population one has. The larger that ethnic population, the more likely one has good quality or authentic food for that country.

LA is supposed to have the largest Iranian population outside of Iran. Can anyone comment on the quality of the Iranian food there? If it is considered good or authentic than that would affirm my theory.

[David Dollar]

I will put Houston's taco trucks up against California's any day.

[Bily Lovec]

Originally Posted by bacano

S.O.S. Ex-Californian in Texas suffering for good Mexican food. Tex-Mex and other manifestations calling itself Mexican food here in Houston. Try asking for the following in Houston or in Texas and see the looks you get
1. Carne asada tacos like Taqueria de Anda in La Habra Ca.
2. a "Wet" burrito or burrito "mojado"
3. Enchilada with enchilada sauce and melted cheese....not chili or a sort of enchilada sauce and nacho cheese...puke.
4. How about some refried beans with some great flavor!!!
5. Hot sauce that makes me want to come back.
6. Anyone in Texas ever heard of shredded beef? You know like El Toreo in Palmdale Ca.

Oh If only I could have El Azteca on Beach blvd or Flora Mexican restaurant in Victorville ca or Rositas in barstow here in Texas.

WHERE CAN I GET GOOD MEXICAN IN HOUSTON!!!!!

please dont bring that crap to houston...

[Bily Lovec]

op
try Wahoo fish tacos, I believe there is only one in the area for now, out on I45 near the woodlands...

[RCH99]

Originally Posted by Bily Lovec

op
try Wahoo fish tacos, I believe there is only one in the area for now, out on I45 near the woodlands...

That place is closed and empty already, dude.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by HarryKerryJr

Tex-Mex is what it is and you like (or not) for what it is, just as one would like the Mexican Americanized food in CA, but certainly neither is NOT what one would find in the interior of Mexico. So, some people in CA have a knackered view what "Mexican" food is supposed to be.

As for CA: there are TONS of imposter Mexican food restaurants that have further northern, Americanized the Northern style of Mexican food, and ironically, many of the posters who cited some places and food in CA include such imposter places and food as their preference.

As an example of a hugely popular imposter, I, for one find Tito's Tacos offensive; it is SO AMERICANIZED, but ditto heads line up at that place. But if one like Tito's, then one ought to like it for being anything but even close to real Mexican.

However, SOUTHERN CA Mexican is closer to authentic, but more important, there are SEVERAL authentic Mexican restaurants serving food found in the interior, but most of those places are in East LA or parts or Silverlake or even south LA (along the Blue Line for an example) or in more upscale areas even Mexico City Restaurant in Los Feliz simply because there are far more Mexicans there than in Houston. There are also more Central Americans there whose food I won't get into, but much Central American food has been fused with Mexican in LA, for example, so it isn't even close to what one would find (coffee and bread) in parts of Central America.

I will say that when my cousins went to LA via Houston, they ate at what was supposed to be some Mexican in Houston, and I know my other cousin in Houston who met them knows the best Houston has to offer in terms of quality of food. Than later that day, the cousins eat at Lotteria at the Farmers Market location in Los Angeles, and the first thing one cousin says to the other is, "This [food] is better than Houston!" Huh? I really didn't understand that remark, although his brother and parents agreed with his opinion.

Now, the strange this is that I have heard from Koreans that LA has the most authentic Korean food and she just GUSHED at how it was food like in Korea that she could never find in Las Vegas or other cities she lived in, and while I was in Seattle, a Thai lady just kept swearing up and down how LA had the best Thai food outside of Thailand. I have heard the same bizarre enthusiasm about how authentic the Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian, well everything south and east, all the exotic locales including Africa and the Middle East.

I wondered why, I think I have an idea: It isn't that one city is better than another, but just the numbers of whatever ethnic population one has. The larger that ethnic population, the more likely one has good quality or authentic food for that country.

LA is supposed to have the largest Iranian population outside of Iran. Can anyone comment on the quality of the Iranian food there? If it is considered good or authentic than that would affirm my theory.

Very good post! I can't comment on Persian food in LA but Houston has 2 exceptional Persian restaurants!

Tex Mex is something that I took for granted. I never imagined that I would experience withdrawals...and here it is almost 3 years later and I still crave it. That will be my first fix when I visit my family and friends in Houston next month. I look forward to it!!!

I recall back in the late 80's as a flight attendant for Continental how many times we had lay overs in Mexico. As a crew we would all get together and go out for lunch or dinner. I could never find anything on the menu that sounded good. When my food came it was unappetizing most of the time. A lot of Mexican food is gross and unhealthy IMO. Not all of it but a lot of it.

There certainly are authentic Mexican restaurants in Houston and CA. Just by the sheer number of Hispanics in both states you will find authentic Mexican food.

But just as you stated the interpretations for Mexican food in any US state is different from each other. I have never had the same Mexican food in TX, CA (Northern and Southen), NM, or LA (Louisiana) that I had in Mexico.

One thing I did learn about CA interpretations on BBQ and Mexican food...it is very skewed.

[Houston321]

Darn, looks like there is no hope. I think a move back to CA is your only answer.

[MrsL1215]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Very good post! I can't comment on Persian food in LA but Houston has 2 exceptional Persian restaurants!

Tex Mex is something that I took for granted. I never imagined that I would experience withdrawals...and here it is almost 3 years later and I still crave it. That will be my first fix when I visit my family and friends in Houston next month. I look forward to it!!!

I recall back in the late 80's as a flight attendant for Continental how many times we had lay overs in Mexico. As a crew we would all get together and go out for lunch or dinner. I could never find anything on the menu that sounded good. When my food came it was unappetizing most of the time. A lot of Mexican food is gross and unhealthy IMO. Not all of it but a lot of it.

There certainly are authentic Mexican restaurants in Houston and CA. Just by the sheer number of Hispanics in both states you will find authentic Mexican food.

But just as you stated the interpretations for Mexican food in any US state is different from each other. I have never had the same Mexican food in TX, CA (Northern and Southen), NM, or LA (Louisiana) that I had in Mexico.

One thing I did learn about CA interpretations on BBQ and Mexican food...it is very skewed.

My cousin grew up here but moved to Maryland in her teens. She visits every year and the first thing she wants to do as soon as the plane touches down is go out for tex mex.