Why can't regional food taste be recreated in other places?

5,258 Views | 72 Replies | Last: 8 days ago by IIIHorn
lancevance
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Atleast in America. In 2025 what ingredient can't be shipped across the country in a day.
ToddyHill
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Soft shell lobsters.
FIDO*98*
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WTF are you talking about? It can and it often is. Some of the best smoked brisket I've ever eaten in my life was in NYC. I had amazing Indian food in Santa Fe, NM. The list goes on and on
fc2112
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FIDO*98* said:

Some of the best smoked brisket I've ever eaten in my life was in NYC.
NEW YORK CITY????????

concac
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lancevance said:

Atleast in America. In 2025 what ingredient can't be shipped across the country in a day.
Can't bring live crawfish into Michigan. It's banned.
NoahAg
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About the only thing I can't find in Houston is good fried clams.
Bruce Almighty
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I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
toucan82
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
start with chipotle.com
Dread Pirate Roberts
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There's always differences like the explanation about pizza. I've heard many times that the water is different in Texas than NY and that makes the pizza different. A lot of ingredients are shipped on, but that's expensive and everyone takes short cuts somewhere and each tiny change impacts it.

However, it seems crazy that those small differences make that big of an impact.
Anchorhold
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NoahAg said:

About the only thing I can't find in Houston is good fried clams.

You can't get good steamed hams outside of Albany.
dabo man
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Hatch green chiles should be everywhere!!
jja79
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.


I was raised in far west Texas and lived my first 66 years in Texas. I've been in Arizona the last 2 years and Mexican food is every bit as good here as back home. I was in Houston the last 28 years and Mexican/Tex Mex in Houston isn't that hard to beat.
AggieArchitect04
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There's a lot of Texans that don't know what real Mexican food is.

They think Tex-mex is Mexican food. It's not. Mexicans, those in Mexico, eat a lot of seafood but you'll rarely see it in a menu unless you're at the right place.
fc2112
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
It's that it's harder to find. There were Mexican places in eastern Washington that were fantastic since there were tons of seasonal crop workers out there. But the popular Mexican restaurants in Seattle were universally horrible.
NoahAg
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AggieArchitect04 said:

There's a lot of Texans that don't know what real Mexican food is.

They think Tex-mex is Mexican food. It's not. Mexicans, those in Mexico, eat a lot of seafood but you'll rarely see it in a menu unless you're at the right place.

Tex Mex >>>> Mexican
Petrino1
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AggieArchitect04 said:

There's a lot of Texans that don't know what real Mexican food is.

They think Tex-mex is Mexican food. It's not. Mexicans, those in Mexico, eat a lot of seafood but you'll rarely see it in a menu unless you're at the right place.
This is just false. Mexico is a big country and the cuisine differs depending on the region. Its like saying all Americans eat seafood.

If you go to Monterrey (or anywhere in the north), the cuisine is similar to Tex Mex with a lot of Tacos and carne asada being served. Seafood isn't very big in Monterrey. Monterrey cuisine is different from Mexico city cuisine which is different from Oaxaca cuisine etc.
Bruce Almighty
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I've been to Oaxaca and its one of the best food destinations in the world.
EclipseAg
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There is a psychological component to this. "Oh my God, the pizza is so good here in New York!"
GreasenUSA
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OP is way off. I wish we could go back to when you couldn't eat the same thing everywhere, no matter where you are.
Tex117
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If you can source the exact ingredients and understand their techniques, of course you can have a substantially similar product.

And, of course, there is a psychological component to it. The experience of eating certain foods in certain places can often exceed the technical "goodness" of a dish. Just keep that in mind.
Tree Hugger
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In my mind when I think Mexican food I am really thinking TexMex since I lived in TX for 47 years.

When I try Mexican food here in Oregon (and there are many options) I am always disappointed, but I understand that it is not TexMex.

I just miss chile con carne. All I want is two cheese enchiladas covered in chile con carne with rice and beans on the side. I have found a place with pretty good rice and beans (it's amazing how many places CAN'T do good rice) but they put this weird orange sauce on everything. It isn't "bad" but it just isn't the same up here.
nai06
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
The midwest has their own take on Mexican food that is particularly awful (we'll call it midwest-mex). Basically everything has cream cheese. Like enchiladas are made with cream cheese and just about any sauce that goes over the food has cream cheese in it.

Then there's the queso. I noticed just about everywhere had queso on the menu as Espinaca dip. They legit just add spinach to queso. Like there is no other non-spinach option. Just a big old bowl of queso with stringy spinach in it (and the requisite cream cheese).

My basic rule is just to find the place where I'm the only white guy.




Bruce Almighty
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When I lived in Kansas City, there were some really good Mexican restaurants, but you had to go to the couple of areas that was predominantly Mexican / Latin. If you relied on trip advisor or yelp, you were going to get Midwest white people Mexican food.
Petrino1
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
Agreed. I roll my eyes when people say that mexican food in the valley closer to the border is better than Houston tex mex. Or San Antonio tex mex is better than Houston tex mex. Last I checked, we all use the same ingredients and recipes. Its not like one city has ingredients and fresh produce that the other city doesn't have. We all have tons of Mexicans from Mexico living in each city illegally and legally, why would mexicans in one city cook better than mexicans in another city lol.


Petrino1
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nai06 said:

Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
The midwest has their own take on Mexican food that is particularly awful (we'll call it midwest-mex). Basically everything has cream cheese. Like enchiladas are made with cream cheese and just about any sauce that goes over the food has cream cheese in it.

Then there's the queso. I noticed just about everywhere had queso on the menu as Espinaca dip. They legit just add spinach to queso. Like there is no other non-spinach option. Just a big old bowl of queso with stringy spinach in it (and the requisite cream cheese).

My basic rule is just to find the place where I'm the only white guy.





This is a great rule for most cuisines lol. If most of the customers are from that specific food's country, then its probably going to be good. If the waitresses dont speak much english, then its probably going to be good.
Brian Earl Spilner
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NoahAg said:

AggieArchitect04 said:

There's a lot of Texans that don't know what real Mexican food is.

They think Tex-mex is Mexican food. It's not. Mexicans, those in Mexico, eat a lot of seafood but you'll rarely see it in a menu unless you're at the right place.
Tex Mex >>>> Mexican
This is an oft-repeated Texags trope, and it's beyond stupid.

I can only forgive it for sheer ignorance, and assuming you've never actually visited Mexico.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Petrino1 said:

AggieArchitect04 said:

There's a lot of Texans that don't know what real Mexican food is.

They think Tex-mex is Mexican food. It's not. Mexicans, those in Mexico, eat a lot of seafood but you'll rarely see it in a menu unless you're at the right place.
This is just false. Mexico is a big country and the cuisine differs depending on the region. Its like saying all Americans eat seafood.

If you go to Monterrey (or anywhere in the north), the cuisine is similar to Tex Mex with a lot of Tacos and carne asada being served. Seafood isn't very big in Monterrey. Monterrey cuisine is different from Mexico city cuisine which is different from Oaxaca cuisine etc.
But his two points are still true.

1. Tex-Mex is not Mexican food.
2. Mexicans DO eat a lot of seafood. Mexican mariscos restaurants are fantastic. There's a few in the Brownsville / Port Isabel area.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Petrino1 said:

Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
Agreed. I roll my eyes when people say that mexican food in the valley closer to the border is better than Houston tex mex. Or San Antonio tex mex is better than Houston tex mex. Last I checked, we all use the same ingredients and recipes. Its not like one city has ingredients and fresh produce that the other city doesn't have. We all have tons of Mexicans from Mexico living in each city illegally and legally, why would mexicans in one city cook better than mexicans in another city lol.
You sure have some takes in this thread, my man.
Bruce Almighty
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I always laugh when people say authentic Mexican isn't good. If you think birria, cochinita pibil, barbacoa, carnitas, pastor, mole, etc isn't good, there's something wrong with your taste buds.
jwoodmd
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people say authentic Mexican isn't good. If you think birria, cochinita pibil, barbacoa, carnitas, pastor, mole, etc isn't good, there's something wrong with your taste buds.
The problem is people misuse, misinterpret, and, frankly, just don't understand how wide ranging is the word "authentic."
TXAGGIES
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Want some authentic Mexican, try El Carlos Elegante! in Dallas
Ag with kids
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
They don't cook Tex-Mex, though...
Bruce Almighty
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Ag with kids said:

Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
They don't cook Tex-Mex, though...
They both can be good
Ag with kids
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Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people say authentic Mexican isn't good. If you think birria, cochinita pibil, barbacoa, carnitas, pastor, mole, etc isn't good, there's something wrong with your taste buds.
Yeah...

But if you're wanting the flavors of Tex-Mex, having those is about as good as eating at a good Italian restaurant.

Sure those are good. But, PERHAPS people want to eat the other stuff that they like.

Personally, the best "Mexican" food is found in the Las Cruces/Mesilla Valley area...
Ag with kids
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Bruce Almighty said:

Ag with kids said:

Bruce Almighty said:

I always laugh when people on this board say you can't find good Mexican food outside Texas. It's not like Mexicans forgot how to cook when they go north of the Texas border, you just have to know where to look.
They don't cook Tex-Mex, though...
They both can be good
Yes.

And they're both different.
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