I lived in Texas for about three years, and I find it safe to say that during my time there I became a true Tex-Mex connoisseur. You really can't beat sitting in a crowded room with bright colors, listening to the sounds of a mariachi band, and smelling the production of fresh tortillas. For this reason, I feel that I should share what to look for in a Tex-Mex restaurant and especially how to use your manners while dining.
Things to Look For:
Before selecting a Tex-Mex restaurant, you first must be in the mood for some queso, margaritas, and something rolled in a tortilla. After adjusting your appetite, decide what type of Tex-Mex you would like: one that leans more to the Tex or one more to the Mex....There is a difference. If you want a meal that you can pronounce and have been able to pronounce since birth, I would recommend leaning more to the Tex.
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| Not kicking it. |
Once you have narrowed your search down to more Tex or Mex, the next step is to choose a restaurant by its name (as Shakespeare once wrote...."What is in a name?".....uh, everything). The name has to be original yet witty. "Tacos" and "Panchos" just don't cut it. Try something like "Pappasito's Cantina" or "Tequilas"....Now that sounds like a fun time! After excluding the boring restaurants by name, move on to looks. Yeah, yeah...don't judge a book by it's cover....looks aren't everything....etc, etc. Oh, but they are, and I believe we can all admit to this. Is the restaurant in a mall or does it stand alone? Things you should consider!
Once you are inside, you should start judging the atmosphere. Does it have a good ambiance? Is there live music, but can you still hear yourself think? How do things smell? Use your senses! Now, we focus on the food. Are the chips fresh and flavorful? PDub and I have run into terrible chips before, not a good thing. Are the chips recycled from another table? Health codes are not always met. Moving on to salsa, it can make or break a restaurant for some people. There are several avenues to go down. It can be chunky, smooth, spicy, cilantro-y, etc. This should be judged according to your own standards. I judge a Tex-Mex restaurant by its queso. If the queso doesn't live up to my standards, we won't be returning because I expect every dish I eat to be covered in this delicious queso. It's the little things that count.
Miss Manners:
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| Chip conflicts.... |
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| Double dip??? |
As for etiquette, Tex-Mex brings about the evilness in everyone because we have to share (a hard moment for most). The waiter greets you with his name, a basket of chips, and a couple bowls of salsa. The first thing everyone at the table does is reach for the best chip in the basket....What do you do? Back down?....I think not. Fight until the bitter death because every chip from then on will never be the same. If you run into other chip conflicts that might not be over the best chip in the basket, then politely allow the other person to take the chip; it's not worth it to lose friends over a chip. In addition to chip conflicts, double-dipping can also be a problem that you might run into. Before committing two dives with one chip, first ensure that your fellow diners are okay with such an action. If they are not, break your chips up and then dip. If they will allow such a repeated immersion, just don't lick the chip between each dunk. This should be a given, but people are not always raised in the same way.
In addition to the dipping, you also must differentiate between a salsa scoop and a queso scoop. At most restaurants, the salsa is endless, so scooping as much as you can is acceptable. On the other hand, queso is limiting, so please take this into account when dipping your chip. Allow for an acceptable amount of queso so that others may enjoy it just as much. Lastly, there is always the last chip issue. Instead of running into this problem, ask your waiter for a refill when the basket becomes low instead of empty. If it does occur, allow someone else to devour the thing; there will be fresher chips to come.
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| Too full. |
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| Just right. |
To conclude this Mexican restaurant etiquette piece, I must share some helpful information on how to construct your fajita or any other food item that may require a tortilla and self-construction. No one wants to view you straining the size of your mouth over an overly stuffed tortilla. Also, casualties, as in food leakage, can be avoided by using my method. First, dip a small portion of the filling into the tortilla; the bigger the tortilla, the more you can fill. Second, fold the bottom up around your filling; then finish folding as normal with the two sides. Proceed to eat from the open end. With all sides closed except your open side, no food should fall out, and the portion size should be perfect!
I hope that with this new knowledge, your Mexican restaurant dining experience will be forever awesome. In honor of tasty Tuesday, head out and get you some tacos, margaritas, and especially queso!
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| If the guacamole is an unusual shade of green, refrain from eating it. |
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| Caution: Too many margaritas may lead to this. |
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