Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Mexican Food... What every good Texan misses most.

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What does the typical Texan miss most when away from home?

Mexican Food! What else? To be technically correct, that would be Tex-Mex. But when you are desperate, any form of Mexican food will do.

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Everyone finds it hard to believe that the food down here is mild. In fact, it is blander than the food in from Great Britan. Yes, it is that bad.

Most people in the States use the following logic when summing up Argentina: It is south of the border, they speak Spanish (or so they are told), so therefore they eat Mexican food. Or at least something similar.

As a side note, when word got out that we were moving to Argentina, one of my daughter's friends actually asked, "they speak Mexican down there don't they?"

Well I wish that logic held true (even the speaking Mexican part). I MISS MEXICAN FOOD!

Great news. After disappointing outings at three restaurants that attempt Mexican food, I've finally found the real deal. 5ta. Esencia in La Lucila (Av. Del Libertador 3986).
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We started with the ceviche tostadas and they were perfecto! We then had a sampler with several tacos, quesadillas, taquitos and other items. They were all great even though they didn't exactly look like the fare from home or Mexico. But, they came damn close.

Back home, we have a saying about Mexican restaurants. You can judge how good the place is by the chips and hot sauce they serve when you sit down. The chips here look more like Fritos and not the familiar triangles we are use to, but were good. The hot sauce at first was as bland as katchup with zero heat. I asked if they had real hot sauce and was brought liquid fire in a bowl. I was in heaven.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The worst rendition of Mexican food I ever had was at a Mexican restaurant in a chi-chi section of Istanbul. The tortillas resembled crepes, and the tacos were adorned with canned corn and fresh peas.

yanqui mike said...

Hey Tex! How 'bout it?

Sometimes in Buenos Aires, we'd gladly pay big pesos for an Istanbul version of Chi-Chi's! (Now that I think of it... the nachos at TGIF in Puerto Madero must be pretty similar.)

Mike

Anonymous said...

Great news! Next time we are in BA, we surely will hit this place up! Thanks for the post!

Anonymous said...

shredded beef with salsa verde

nothing more needs to be said

Anonymous said...

I am in agreement with you...I am from San Francisco and I miss a burrito carne from my taquirito on Mission and 20th.

Carlos (the mexican owner of 5est.) also does cartering with a margarita bar and mariachis! He is a great guy.

Anonymous said...

Cielito Lindo in Palermo Viejo is also good. It may not be Tex-Mex, but the chilaquiles and queso fundido at least are pretty authentically Mexican.

Longhorn Dave said...

UPDATE: We went back a few weeks later and It was no where near as good. The reason? Inflation.

The civiche was regular cooked fish with no flavor. The price of limes, cilantro and tomatoes were too much so they left them out. How can you make civiche without lime! The rest of the items suffered too.

But we found a better place!

d7d said...

its funny i just got back from a week in istanbul and started catching up on back posts etc and while in istanbul i was constantly walking by a big mexican restaurant on Divan Yolu street with the trams running down the middle near the hagia sofia but as much as i like mex food i was going to enjoy the many flavors of istanbul so passed on it am glad i did it sounds like

Anonymous said...

I've been in Buenos Aires for two weeks now I'm getting desperate for Mexican food. I'm willing to try anything at this point, I'm going out of my mind! (In case you couldn't tell I love mexican food)

I will be sure to check this place out!