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It was like I just ate Hot. No flavor to speak of, just burning.

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This sounds like every one of my experiences with New Mexico restaraunts. No flavor at all in the cooking - instead they resort to smothering everything with Hatch chilies.

Heat can be a great addition to food, but flavor is infinitely more important. Heat without flavor just makes hot crappy food.

In both Mexico and over most of the southwest US as well as down in the Valley, every traditional mexican dish I've had was disappointingly bland and not worth speaking of.

For mexican, it kind of depends on the area. There are lots of solid places everywhere. I love Spanish Flowers because it's close, cheap, open all night, and they have great enchiladas and queso. Not the best place in Houston though. I love Pico's on Bellaire too. Seems underrated around here.

[This message has been edited by blinnboy83 (edited 2/13/2012 12:28p).]

Thankfully my wife is Mexican and doesn't mind rubbing elbows with the day laborers, so we can eat some pretty good tex-mex for cheap.

And I agree Brotron, outside Mexico City or the coast, you aren't going to find people eating well in Mexico. But... if you can manage not to get shot the best burger of your life is awaiting you outside of Monterrey. No gaurantees it is actually beef though.

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I love Spanish Flowers because it's close, cheap, open all night, and they have great enchiladas and queso

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Best cheese enchiladas with chile con carne I have ever had...and not even close.

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I love Spanish Flowers because it's close, cheap, open all night, and they have great enchiladas and queso

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Best cheese enchiladas with chile con carne I have ever had...and not even close.

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Yep. PV?

[This message has been edited by Linz02ag (edited 2/13/2012 2:29p).]

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Yep. PV?

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Who is asking?

Their cheese enchiladas were underwhelming. Good, but not great. The enchiladas at Lopez, on the other hand, are the tits.

My main goal in life is to find a beer as cold as a woman's heart

"The enchiladas at Lopez, on the other hand, are the tits"

I agree with this and Spanish Flower died a little to me when they added valet service.

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Their cheese enchiladas were underwhelming.

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Glad I don't have your taste buds...guess those of us who are easy to please and can find great dishes at places like Los Tios and Tony's are lucky.

[This message has been edited by Brotron (edited 2/13/2012 3:04p).]

I really like the Original Ninfas on Navigation, but it's a little pricey. Only recently discovered La Tapatia on Richmond, which is AWESOME. I'm surprised no one here has mentioned it.

For BBQ, everything I've had so far has been meh to good, but not great. Of the chains, Pappas is garbage and Goode Co. is acutally pretty solid. I haven't been to Gatlin's, but I've heard from about 3 different people that it's miles beyond anything else ITL, and these are people that don't know each other, and whose food opinions I absolutely trust. Can't wait to try it myself.

I like Cyclone Anaya's, but as mentioned, it is pricey for TexMex. If I'm doing expensive TexMex, I like Hugo's.

I took a couple from Dallas to Cyclone Anaya's one night because it was close (I had never tried it but wanted to) and they both swore it was the best "Mexican" food that they had ever tried in their lives.

I like the original Irma's in downtown, I just wish they were open for dinner. I've never been to Ninfa's on Navigation, I like Spanish Flower, Otilia's is awesome, Chipultipec is awesome, El Tiempo is okay, Lupe's is semi-okay, Chuy's isn't bad, Guadalajara is about the same as the previous 2, and I was underwhelmed by Tony's.

Forgot to mention my preference on bbq. Goode Co absolutely sucks, no matter how many chances I've given them. I want to try Gatlin's, as I've heard nothing but good things as well.

For an out of towner, Hickory Hollow may be a good option. Their food is good, but not great. I think the best selling point for an out of towner is that you can get a plate of ribs, brisket, sausage, mashed potatoes, fried okra, and a chicken fried steak. There aren't many meals that are more "Texan" than that. If their able, they could then hit up some of the more trendy Washington Ave bars.

Also, Houston is "Burger City USA" apparently, so I'd suggest you tell them to try out Christian's, Hubcap Grill, or a burger joint that one of many others on here could probably chime in about.

[This message has been edited by vansprinkle (edited 2/13/2012 3:36p).]

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Yep. PV?

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Who is asking?

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You're the only other person, besides myself, I've seen recommending Spanish Flower's cheese enchiladas with chile con carne so emphatically

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Only recently discovered La Tapatia on Richmond, which is AWESOME. I'm surprised no one here has mentioned it.

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We actually randomly stopped there for breakfast on Sunday, tried like 3 places that were packed till passing by and deciding to give it a shot.

No idea what their dinner is like but their huevos rancheros and breakfast tacos were legit.

La Tapatia is good. Love the red and green sauce and i have never had anything bad there. Best caldo de pollo i have had.

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You're the only other person, besides myself, I've seen recommending Spanish Flower's cheese enchiladas with chile con carne so emphatically

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Ahhh, thought you were referring to my initials and may have known me or something.

La Tapatia's mole enchiladas are the truth. Best restaurant mole I've had.

Actually, the best enchiladas at Flowers are their breakfast enchiladas. Try them sometime.

"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be."

[This message has been edited by Fall92 (edited 2/13/2012 5:21p).]

Vansprinkle:

"I took a couple from Dallas to Cyclone Anaya's one night because it was close (I had never tried it but wanted to) and they both swore it was the best "Mexican" food that they had ever tried in their lives."

I have absolutely no doubt that is the God's honest truth. Lived in Austin for ~15 years, Houston for ~7 and always found it easy to get decent tex-mex somewhere.

In DFW that is not the case at all. The "great" places there are absolutely mediocre when compared to the "dogs" on this thread. It confused the hell out of me because I was sitting there thinking, we're still in ****ing Texas, right? Evidently not.

I did love Fort Worth though - and the BBQ up there kicks ass.

[This message has been edited by Huktaz04 (edited 2/13/2012 5:39p).]

This gayass thread

La Tapatia on Richmond. Trust me.

Here's the easy check to know you are getting authentic Mexican food.

Ask for Mexican Coca-Cola. If they have it, you probably are getting the real deal.

La Tapatia, Ruchis are examples.

If you are looking for the "night out" place, then the one exemption is El Tiempo on Richmond. Really good food there.

Teotihuacan is good

I don't understand how people can live in Houston and not have been to Ninfa's on Navigation. That's like not having been to McDonalds as far as I'm concerned.

$abueso

Here's a Mexican restaurant.

http://houston.citysearch.com/profile/35682946/houston_tx/teotihuacan_mexican_cafe.html

http://houston.citysearch.com/profile/35682946/houston_tx/teotihuacan_mexican_cafe.html

wow. this thread.