Mexican food in Northern California is awful. Here’s why…
I am a food connoisseur by self acclaim when discussing Mexican food. Willingly I can admit that I have an extreme bias towards Texas (Tex-Mex) and New Mexico Mexican cuisine from fajitas to burritos and every enchilada in between. Starting at a young age children of the Republic of Texas are exposed to a vast range of Mexican cuisine options. There is express food like truck tacos and burritos and then there is more formal style served with beans (typically refried) and rice plated with pico de Gallo, a scoop of guacamole and cream off to the side. Sounds delicious right?
I feel sorry if Chipotle has been your only encounter with this food genre and frankly Chipotle is more US American than Mexican by any means but you do have unique locations, anyway, back to my main point.
This is a dictionary of terms that have guided my experience and if defined different by the establishment serving Mexican themed cuisine, we have a big problem! As follows in this order.
Ok. Firstly when ordering I may ask for queso i.e. chile con queso, queso con carne or just good ole queso dip. If you do not offer this item with chips for an appetizer or on the wet burrito or enchildas, I have dinged your score by 20 points.
Next, if your rice is not yellow and you do not have black and pinto beans as options you have “got to be smoking rocks.” I will respectfully ding your score by another 20 points.
I love enchiladas and if I visit your establishment and you do not offer all options for which to bless my enchiladas (commonly roja, verde, or queso sauce), the again I must ding your score by 20 points.
Ok. I will narrow this to once last point because I’m trying to be nice. If you do not have fajitas, beef or chicken with grilled peppers and onions, not looking good. Also, red flag if I discover that this dish is not accompanied by beans, rice, guac and cream. I must reduced your score by another 20 points.
I guess I can follow up with another edition of this but I think this is substantial. Mexican food in Texas is very special and here in Northern California there are several missing components. Seasoning is absent. Menu options are one dimensional and there is absolutely no queso sauce.
God bless you Tex-Mex you are desperately missed.
