Mexican Food

[chupi12]

Hey guys i was talking to my friend ,from L.A , the other day and he brought up the point that Boston has no good Mexican food from the little that there is.(seeing that hes from Cali its hard to beat or match the Mexican food from there.) So my question is can you guys please suggest a few mexican restaurants in boston or anywhere in Mass. that is both decent and affordable. Thanks!!

[C. Hamster]

Chicago's Mexican food scene rocks.

Chicago has the second most populous Mexican community in the US.

NYC Mexican is only a small step up from Boston's

[ScotchandSirloin]

Chicago is better from the cheapest (e.g. El Taco Loco) to the most expensive (e.g. Topolobampo). Unless you are going to East Boston or Waltham (perhaps), there is no Mexican that hits the sweet spot at any price range that I have found in Boston. Lots are trying and there are lots of great Mexican chefs in this country. Not sure why no one can put that magic together in Boston.

[mrbigshotno.1]

I guess you'd be right if you consider that the first most populous community would be California, Arizona, New Mexico, Tejas & Colorado. By the way what would be the big mover at the Mexican joints in Boston? Whole belly clam & baked bean burritos maybe?

[ScotchandSirloin]

Fancy hamburger and newly discovered pork part that tastes like bacon quesadilla topped with a $3.99lb lobster from Market Basket

[overproofed]

I think C. Hamster meant the second most populous Mexican-American community in a single city. That's not quite right, either, though. Chicago has the 4th most populous Mexican-American community in the US after Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Houston. Of course, the Mexican-American community in Chicago is a much smaller percentage of the total population than in many cities in the areas you mention.

In fact, there are more than 5 times as many Mexican-Americans in the city of Chicago than in all of New England. That may go a long way towards explaining why we don't have a vibrant Mexican restaurant scene compared to Chicago. Another part of the problem may be that a significant number of our "Mexican" restaurants are operated by Central Americans, not Mexicans, which isn't that surprising since there are more Salvadorans and Guatemalans (as a group) in Massachusetts than there are Mexicans, but there are a lot more "Mexican" restaurants than those claiming to be Salvadoran or Guatemalan. I think this situation is similar to the local Japanese restaurant scene, in that many of those restaurants have Chinese or Korean owners. They often do an OK job, but not as well (on average) as at restaurants whose owners actually come from the country. Of course, there are always exceptions.

[mrbigshotno.1]

I know what you're saying. I was in Chicago a few years ago and a friend took me to lunch in a big barrio, if there hadn't had been 4" of snow on the ground I would had thought I was in E. LA or Phoenix.

[CookieLee]

I'm professing a certain level of ignorance here about Mexican food , but does the Lone Star Taco Bar count? We thought their guac was excellent. The tacos are a little pricey, $4/each, and they're smallish, but I thought they were v. good. And the corn on the cob with something on it, cheese? (I said I'm not fully up on the cuisine... :D )

[MXG]

What is your friend looking for, exactly? California Mexican food is a bit different than the Mexican food in Texas or Mexico (and areas in Mexico all have their own specialties).

I can easily say that the sopas I've had at Jose's Mexican Restaurant in Cambridge are as good as the one's I've had at the restaurants in frequented by my friends who know Mexican cuisine.

[MXG]

Argh...that last sentence should read:

I can easily say that the sopas I've had at Jose's Mexican Restaurant in Cambridge are as good as the one's I've had at restaurants *IN LA* frequented by my friends who know Mexican cuisine.

[cambridgedoctpr]

there is an edit function by the way.

INHO, I have eaten better Mexican in Chicago. But i do not know why; many of the cooks in Boston are Mexican; so what gives?

[FoodDabbler]

Many of the cooks in Indian restaurants in Boston are Indian. Yet, all they can produce is the same wan CTM.

[yumyum]

Most of the cooks in boston restaurants are salvadoran. Many are Brazilian. That aint equal pueblan. Just sayin.

Me I like taqueria el amigo in Waltham.

[tatsu]

I'm third-ing Taq. el Amigo. I'm vegetarian, but I can't resist a Cabeza Taco once in a while. The beef cheek is somewhere between pulled pork and bone marrow. Very soft and melt in your mouth collagen.

Different from all of these places, and different from LA as well, is Tu y Yo, which is a pan-regional cuisine and very good.

I'm just not a fan of Angela's, but I'm in a very small minority. The last time I was there my DC had chicken that I suspect was microwaved. I can't confirm it, but it was absolutely tasteless, dry as a bone, and the muscle was completely shrunk in and very hard to even cut through with a cheap serrated steak knife. I have been warned to stay away from chicken there, but this was just terrible.

[FoodDabbler]

"I'm vegetarian, but I can't resist a Cabeza Taco once in a while."

Love this.

[yumyum]

Tatsu is my favorite vegetarian. The cabeza is unctuous indeed.

[MC Slim JB]

I don't think it's true that many cooks in Boston are Mexican. More likely Salvadoran, Colombian, or Brazilian.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

[cambridgedoctpr]

interesting; though i should have guessed that given that most of my hispanic patients do not come from mexico. i was going by what anthony bourdain wrote.

and by the way, i am not knocked out by the mexican food in nyc though it is better than what i generally get here.

[itaunas]

I didn't respond above, but you have made this assertion before (a couple of times) and several hounds have responded including one who knows her way inside several in-town high end restaurants. My take and some other hounds comments are below.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/8006...

[opinionatedchef]

La Verdad for Carne Asado or Pescado tacos and tortas.

[MABMAQ]

viva mexican grill - route 27 - wayland

[StriperGuy]

Taqueria El Amigo Waltham

Taqueria Jalisco East Boston

Angela's Cafe East Boston

Not quite LA grade, but all acceptable options.

[minnier731]

+1 for Taqueria El Amigo. great tortas, menudo, street food style tacos...feels pretty orange county mexican food place to me