Tex-Mex food is good for the soul!



Here in southeast Texas we take for granted the fact we enjoy the best Tex-Mex food in the world. Ask anyone who has been away from home very long what they missed the most and you will hear time and again the fact they can not wait to get their Tex-Mex fix.

There is no place in the country where so many Tex-Mex restaurants doing Tex-Mex so well in so many different ways. It is truly incredible how long patronized restaurants put their signature on the basics. Family secret chili sauces smothering enchiladas are down right addicting.

Many Tex-Mex restaurants have their own recipe to create ground beef in which they fill enchiladas, tacos, burritos, chalupas, tamales and taco salads. The old guard restaurants have been doing it well for decades. Patrons of these restaurants do not want them to change a thing. A discerning pallet will detect the slightest change.

It is very possible to eat at different Tex-Mex restaurants for months and never have a bad meal. If you are like me, you have tried and liked many styles of Tex-Mex food and you have four or five restaurants that you favor. For instance, if I want to eat camarones diablos (grilled bacon wrapped shrimp with jalapenos or serranos), I choose one of five restaurants that specialize in this delicousy. If I hunger for an enchilada plate, I can choose from just about any Tex-Mex restaurant in town. They all have their own twist on enchiladas. Typically, the chili sauce is what brings you back time and again. Home made corn and four tortillas are also a great hook. Tostados made from fresh corn tortillas are fabulous. Fresh home made picante sauce is also a signature recipe. Some restaurants serve it hot and some serve it cold. Some restaurants serve a complimentary bowl of Mexican soup. Beans are usually re-fried or boracho. I like them both.

I really do not know if Tex-Mex food is an acquired taste or just a part of our culture. I do know a family outing to your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant is a fun event. My family has this sixth sense regarding Tex-Mex food. When it is time for a Tex-Mex fix, everyone just knows we are going. Not only do they know we are going, but they know where we are going. It is kind of spooky.

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