Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Mex-I-Can't?

Call it being from Southern California, but I love Mexican food. All kinds really: tacos, burritos, tamales, taquitos, even the less known huevos rancheros. It really doesn't matter what kind it is, I'm a fan.

Unfortunately, being in Louisiana there isn't really the same access to Mexican food as Southern California. The authentic small shop taco places: I've never found one here. The sit down type of Mexican restaurant: They do exists (On the Boarder, Ninfa's, Superior Grill,...) but they really aren't that good. The only thing I really like there are re-fried beans. (But honestly, I love re-fried beans and would probably be ok eating my whole meal with just them.

Which brings us to the fast food type Mexican restaurants. Taco Bell we have, but the Taco Bell in Louisiana tastes nowhere as good as they do in California. Chipotle we don't have. Baja Grill we don't have. Rubio's we don't have. Which is probably the hardest on me. I absolutely love their fish tacos and there is nowhere here where I can get good tasting fish taco. On the Border has them, but they weren't a real fish tacos. Just a normal taco with fish instead of meat. Not even close to correct. Considering Louisiana's obsession with seafood, you would think they would do fish tacos. But everyone I've mentioned them to here can't believe you'd actually eat them.

Rubio's!
The last time I had Rubios. November 2007.

So what other good Mexican restaurants do I have available in Louisiana? There's really only Izzos Illegal Burrito and Qdoba. You've probably heard of Qdoba, so I'll talk about that second. On to Izzos.

I'm how nationwide Izzo's is (if at all), but there are at least 3 in Baton Rouge itself. According the the boy, they "stole" the idea from another burrito place in College Station, Texas. All I know is its really good. Similar to a Subway with burritos. It doesn't really feel like authentic Mexican, but its still really really good.

Moving on to Qdoba. I go here more than any other Mexican restaurant, mainly because there's one close to my work so I can go on my lunch break. I almost always get their 3 taco meal. Mainly because I'm not a big fan of their rice, and I think a burrito would feel empty without it. I learned to get 1 hard shell tacos, and 2 soft shells. I would prefer them all hard, but the beans get the hard shell soggy. I can eat 1 taco and have it not be a problem, but if I try to eat a second, it doesn't always hold up. I get guacamole on the side, since I got tired of watching the futility of them attempting to spread it onto each taco. Of course every time I order the guac they ask, "Gaucamole's extra. Is that ok?" as if they can't believe anyone would actually enjoy eating it enough to pay extra.

3 Steak Tacos at Qdoba
My tacos with Gaucamole on the side

I'll leave you with a conversation I overheard at Qdoba the other day, which I think pretty much sums out the average person from Louisiana's knowledge on Mexican.

Qdoba: Would you like to have some pico?
Person: No I don't like that. But could I have some of the tomatoes mixed with the onions?

~Shoshanah

8 comments:

  1. Haha, love the pico comment! I'm a big fan of Qdoba and Chipotle, although I think they are practically identical. I have never heard of Rubios or Izzos? All of that food looks so tasty! Even though I just had dinner my mouth is still watering! :)

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  2. mmm...i love guacamole! your tacos look delicious!!

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  3. Taco's are quite possibly one of my most favourite foods ever. My first year of college I made them pretty much every night.. That's probably why I gained 20 pounds!

    Now I make yummy chicken fajita's with lots of veggies in them at home!!!

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  4. Mexican has been my pregnant craving. Needless to say the hubby is tired of it...and tired of having a stomach ache all the time im sure. Me on the other hand, the more the better. Good luck on your search. We have a few "authentic" mexican restaurants locally, but I wonder how "authentic" they really are...

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  5. I actually haven't had much mexican food...there are no authentic places that I know of here, and the fast food stuff isn't good enough for me :) So I'm waiting it out!

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  6. lol, that was funny how the customer asked for pico afterall ;)

    I love Mexican food (I'm Mexican American myself), but ever since I moved in with my boyfriend's parents, I've been eating a lot of Polish food...I miss mom's cookin'.

    I drove 20 minutes away one day to a Mexican restaurant (one of my favs) called Los Comales and bought myself a breaded steak sandiwch (or Torta de Milanesa).

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  7. guacamole totally makes the taco! I definitely pay extra for that :) I'm pretty picky, but I do like Mexican food. I just take a lot off, like the cheese and tomatoes (and pico). usually when I go to a Mexican restaurant, just to avoid the hassle of saying "no this, no that" I get a tamale! Sometimes I have to say no cheese, but that's it. Oh, and I get a side of sour cream. Yum. I discovered my love for tamales a few years ago and there was a restaurant by my school called La Paz that makes great ones! and fabulous strawberry margaritas... now I wanna go!

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  8. My biggest fear when I move back to GA is that I will never find as good of Mexican food as here in Los Angeles...I am addicted to it. That will be a sad day when I can't just grab a bite at the taco truck :(

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