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Chipotle

#81
Jared Lash said:
Yeah, I touched on that in my post earlier and you're absolutely right. More than that, the burritos that DO exist in Northern Mexico aren't the huge, overstuffed burritos that we're used to in the U.S. I'm not complaining - a giant burrito can be a magical thing - but it's always funny to me when food discussions get bogged down in arguments about authenticity. I like Americanized sushi too, but it's pretty far from what is considered traditional in Japan. Not that I dig them but the ubiquitous California Roll breaks about 4 or 5 basic tenets of "true sushi".

But just like with music, dig what you dig and don't worry about what other people like or don't like and why.

And just to digress further, it's interesting to note that most of our concepts of foreign cuisine in the U.S. are predicated on the people who originally immigrated from those countries. Which is why what we think of "Mexican food" is largely based on northern Mexican cuisine. Because by and large that's the area from which people came across to the U.S.

Likewise, what we largely see as "Italian Food" is more closely linked to the cuisine of southern Italy primarily Naples and Sicily. Italians immigrated to the U.S. in larger numbers from these regions in part because they weren't as well off as their northern neighbors and America represented greater opportunity. So the "red sauce" and pasta view of Italian food developed. But the Lombardy, Veneto, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions all have very different cuisines than what we stereotypically think of as Italian.
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Pilgrim said:
Well said and duly noted, but I don't see the problem. Cooks in the US have always enthusiastically modified dishes from other countries (even those next door) as they see fit. I spent 13 years in Texas and enjoyed many mom & pop Mexican restaurants (probably mostly Tex-Mex) and it was all good.

So maybe it's not Mexican for the purists. It still is good, well made food and hits the spot.
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My statement wasn't meant to imply there was a problem. It was just an 'FYI'.

I find it interesting that when Americans think of Mexican food, the burrito is probably the first or second thing that comes to mind, yet it's very rare in Mexico.

Another pro tip: Real Mexican food doesn't have nearly as much cheese as you probably think, and when it is used, it's usually freshly grated or eaten on the side as a cold slice, not melted on top. If you go to a Mexican restaurant and every menu item has melted cheese on it, there's your clue.

Another pro tip: Just like Americans don't order hot dogs at restaurants, Mexicans don't order tacos at restaurants. Tacos are street food, or you get them from a taqueria.

This one seems obvious but I'm amazed when I go to a Mexican restaurant with so many delicious (and probably exotic to most people) dishes on the menu, and most people have ordered the tacos (with rice and beans, of course) for $15 or more. :confused:
 
#82
matante said:
Since the topic of discussion has turned to burritos, I will share with you guys a little secret:

The majority of Mexicans, in Mexico, have never had a burrito.

That's right. The use of flour tortillas is a very "northern" thing in Mexico, and the north of Mexico is sparsely populated compared to the rest of the country. Also, "northern cuisine, northern music, northern styles of clothing, etc... is generally frowned upon further south.

Not only do Americans not know this, but most Mexican-Americans don't know this. If you ever go to Mexico, ("real"Mexico, not the border towns) you'll find it very difficult to find a burrito or anything else made with a flour tortilla.
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Go to China and eat Chinese food...see how similar it is to the local takeout.

How about Thai? What passes for Thai in the majority of America is nothing like what you find in Thailand. Same for Indian food...Sort of a theme here. ;)
 
#83
BurningSkies said:
Go to China and eat Chinese food...see how similar it is to the local takeout.

How about Thai? What passes for Thai in the majority of America is nothing like what you find in Thailand. Same for Indian food...Sort of a theme here. ;)
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I agree, but we're talking about Chipotle here. ;) Supposedly LA has pretty authentic Japanese food, and they say that about Chinese food in San Francisco, but I doubt it. It may be good/tasty but the same recipes and ingredients won't taste the same here as they do over there.

I just think it's silly when people say, "I'm from California, so I know what real Mexican food is."
 
#85
matante said:
I agree, but we're talking about Chipotle here. ;) Supposedly LA has pretty authentic Japanese food, and they say that about Chinese food in San Francisco, but I doubt it. It may be good/tasty but the same recipes and ingredients won't taste the same here as they do over there.

I just think it's silly when people say, "I'm from California, so I know what real Mexican food is."
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Around here I think of anyone who serves a char-grilled organic shrimp with quinoa and lime-orange-habanero and kale burrito as 'California Mexican".

The conceit to nearly all 'ethnic' food in America is that it is not anywhere close to authentic.
 
#86
"Authentic" can differ. Even in the home countries of various cuisines, you'll often find wide variations in home-cooked and restaurant dishes. One family likes it this way, another likes it another, one restaurant does this, another does that. And sometimes they try something new and like it, and so that sticks, too.
 
#88
Bob Lee (QSC) said:
"Authentic" can differ. Even in the home countries of various cuisines, you'll often find wide variations in home-cooked and restaurant dishes. One family likes it this way, another likes it another, one restaurant does this, another does that. And sometimes they try something new and like it, and so that sticks, too.
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You're right...village to village house to house.

Of course very few will serve you your fried meat with overcooked vegetables in ubiquitous brown sauce quite the way you find in 90% of the common Chinese places in America.
 
#89
jmattbassplaya said:
That's what I'm saying. Why not just go to TB, get more food, and pay a lot less? If I want to spend that much on "Mexican" then I'd rather go to Moe's. Otherwise, let's go to a real Mexican place and skip this Americanized BS.
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Taco Bells food is ****, thats why. Never heard of Moe's, I dont think we have them over here.

Chipotle is second tier fast food, a step above the drive thru places. It doesnt taste bad, but it sure isnt real mexican food.
I dont mind the occasional Chipotle burrito. Chipotle devotes themselves to using quality ingredients, and strives to be GMO-free when possible, which is pretty cool.
A $6 vegetarian burrito is a meal in itself, and doesnt make me sick the way Taco Bell does.

If I want real mexican food, there are about 10 taqurias in a 2 mile radius.

bigfatbass said:
(real meat, veggies that didn't arrive frozen and pre-shredded etc.)
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Their veggies do arrived pre-cut and frozen. Ive seen them open up a sealed bag of fajita veggies and throw them in a frying pan.
 
#94
If a place calls itself authentic mexican, and doesn't serve peasant pork tacos, or "Pork al Pasture" (Heavily seasoned, mildly sweet, pork strips, served with pineapple, minced onion, and fresh cilantro, on soft corn tortillas) they are lying.

@Burningskies: When does Boom Boom open again?
 
#96
BurningSkies said:
Go to China and eat Chinese food...see how similar it is to the local takeout.

How about Thai? What passes for Thai in the majority of America is nothing like what you find in Thailand. Same for Indian food...Sort of a theme here. ;)
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A Guy I used to work with would ask the Korean ladies at our local open air market to make him what they'd eat at home. He loved it.

I used to work with a guy who would bring authentic korean leftovers from mom and dad to work every day. Some very good stuff some very disgusting stuff. I tried a lot of it.



in other news we have an authentic taco truck here in Harrisburg, right in the hood. only had it once because the city is pretty dangerous especially in that area, but seasoned shredded beef, chopped onion, and fresh cilantro on a corn tortilla is what he was doing up.
 
#98
bigfatbass said:
.

@Burningskies: When does Boom Boom open again?
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Boom Boom won't be open until the end of April IIRC. Rossy usually knows the exact date. Definitely the best in town for anything like that...even with a winter layoff to go back to Mexico.

DwaynieAD said:
A Guy I used to work with would ask the Korean ladies at our local open air market to make him what they'd eat at home. He loved it.

I used to work with a guy who would bring authentic korean leftovers from mom and dad to work every day. Some very good stuff some very disgusting stuff. I tried a lot of it.
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I lived with a girl who was half Thai half Laotian...and you're right some stuff was hard to handle (just being in the house with). Bdak (?) is the one I remember...a fermented fish oil/sauce that you could smell from about a quarter of a mile away.
 
#99
BurningSkies said:
Boom Boom won't be open until the end of April IIRC. Rossy usually knows the exact date. Definitely the best in town for anything like that...even with a winter layoff to go back to Mexico.



I lived with a girl who was half Thai half Laotian...and you're right some stuff was hard to handle (just being in the house with). Bdak (?) is the one I remember...a fermented fish oil/sauce that you could smell from about a quarter of a mile away.
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about once a week dude would have some kind of steamed meat. grey in color, disgusting in smell.
 

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