Taco Bell Is Not Mexican Food

[Dallas]

You guys do realize your arguing semantics? Is Taco Bell not Mexican food? It's not AUTHENTIC mexican food but that isn't at all the business model. Is it Mexican food? It most certainly is to a degree that most essentials in the mexican food menu are covered by Taco Bell. Remember its fast food. That is POINT #1, you guru's of Mexican food are forgetting.

Tacos - CHECK

Burritos - CHECK

Nachos - CHECK

Enchiladas - Occasionally - I have seen them on the menu

Taco Salads - CHECK

Chalupas - CHECK


It doesn't even come close to authentic mexican food which is what you are arguing but it most certainly is mexican STYLED food.

You honestly think when I roll up to Taco Bell that I want to wait 30 minutes for a better taco?

BUSINESS MODEL for Taco Bell doesn't ALLOW you to be "TRULY" authentic with the menu. This thread title is EL-WRONG-O

I can make some fantastic carne asada tacos. Just because I make it better than Taco Bell and is from an old recipe doesn't mean Taco Bell's TACOS are not TACOS.

Im rambling... you get my point.

 

[Dallas]

Yeah, but it was so long ago I don't even remember what I thought.

Lengua is amazing if done properly. :starspin

 

[Hostile]

Let me break it down as a math solution.


Mexican food = good stuff

Taco Bell = garbage

Good stuff is NOT garbage



Therefore...Taco Bell DOES NOT = Mexican food

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Let me break it down as a math solution.


Mexican food = good stuff

Taco Bell = garbage

Good stuff is NOT garbage



Therefore...Taco Bell DOES NOT = Mexican food

Are you saying Taco Bell is garbage because of the food quality? Or just because it is American-ized "Mexican" food?

 

[Kevinicus]

what he really means is "I don't like anything other than the 2 or 3 things I've been eating for my entire life, because I'm unwilling to try to like them". People like him (and there are tons) are who keep the barely mediocre chain places like Olive Garden or Pizza Hut or Applebee's alive and thriving.

But fortunately there's enough of the rest of us out there who actually taste what we eat enough to appreciate different things. Dallas is full of tiny Mexican hole in the walls, not to mention Tex Mex and taquerias.

I try plenty of things.

I'm just very sensitive when it comes to taste. I taste very small variations that most people don't. It's frustrating.

And Applebee's has been crap since it went to new management. It wasn't all that great before that though.

Pizza Hut is the worst pizza too.

 

[63echo]

The lack of NEW MEXICAN food in this topic is disturbing. I will take my native grand-mother's hatch green chile chicken enchiladas, carne adovada and green chile stew with homemade tortillas over anything in this topic.

That's the problem I always had when I lived in New Mexico. Man, those guys will put chille in/on EVERYTHING. If you don't particularly care for the flavor of chiles, then it kills eating out anywhere in New Mexico.

Gimme a jalapeño or a serrano any day.

I try plenty of things.

I'm just very sensitive when it comes to taste. I taste very small variations that most people don't. It's frustrating.

And Applebee's has been crap since it went to new management. It wasn't all that great before that though.

Pizza Hut is the worst pizza too.

Are you a supertaster? I listened to a StuffYouShouldKnow podcast on that subject recently and it definitely sounds like something I wouldn't want to be burdened with.

 

[Chief]

The lack of NEW MEXICAN food in this topic is disturbing. I will take my native grand-mother's hatch green chile chicken enchiladas, carne adovada and green chile stew with homemade tortillas over anything in this topic.

I've eaten Mexican food in Texas and Arizona, but I prefer the stuff here in New Mexico -- at least in the southern half of the state.

And I don't know how anyone couldn't like the flavor of green or red chile.

 

[Kevinicus]

Are you a supertaster? I listened to a StuffYouShouldKnow podcast on that subject recently and it definitely sounds like something I wouldn't want to be burdened with.

Indeed.

 

[tenth]

It is a Canadian thing, my wife is from Calgary and hates Mexican food, but likes taco bell.... Nothing against taco bell because I like it, but authentic Mexican food blows away taco bell. Up in Alberta they serve french fries with their taco bell as a side and have really zero Mexican restaurant

Definitely not a Canadian thing. Mexican restaurants (real, fake, or whatever else people want to brand the imitators) are popping up all over Calgary and many other Canadian cities the last couple years, so there has clearly been an unmet demand. Of course, none of them will hold a candle to the great authentic places near the mexican border, but that's to be expected.

Is there any worthwhile mexican within a reasonable distance of Cowboys Stadium? Will be attending the skins game in December staying near the stadium, and would love to consume some better mexican.

 

[Hostile]

Are you saying Taco Bell is garbage because of the food quality? Or just because it is American-ized "Mexican" food?

Yes and yes.

 

[Hostile]

I've eaten Mexican food in Texas and Arizona, but I prefer the stuff here in New Mexico -- at least in the southern half of the state.

And I don't know how anyone couldn't like the flavor of green or red chile.

Next time you are in Tucson I got a place you need to try.

 

[locked&loaded]

so its settled, were all in agreement that taco bell is in fact Mexican food.

 

[Chief]

Next time you are in Tucson I got a place you need to try.

I'll try to give you advance notice next time.

 

[StevenOtero]

I have a friend who is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Earlier tonight we were talking and he asked if I was going to the Wildcats game tonight. I'm going to watch it on TV. My family and I are going out for Mexican food in about 30 minutes.

He said he doesn't like Mexican food. I asked him what he has ever had and his answer was Taco Bell.

I wanted to punch him.

First of all anyone who doesn't like Mexican food is someone you should not trust too much. Their taste is all in their mouths. There is nothing better in the world food wise than good Mexican food.

Which is exactly why Taco Bell doesn't qualify. If you live away from the Mexican border area and have never had anything but chain restaurant Mexican food you have no idea what you are missing. You need to come to Arizona and let me take you to any of the dozen or so family owned places I know of. You buy. You owe it to yourself to taste what the real stuff is like.

Chalupas cannot compare with chili con carne or chili colorado. Nothing on a Taco Bell menu can compare with carne asada.

To give you some perspective, comparing food from Taco Bell with real Mexican food is like comparing Inez Saenz from TV Azteca and Janet Reno in a thong bikini contest. Uh, Janet is the Taco Bell in this example.

My friend told me that Taco Bell upsets his stomach and gives him diarrhea. Duh, it ain't food. Your body is rejecting it.

Eat a good chile relleno one time and you begin to understand why good Mexican restaurants run out of them early in the evening. Because they are awesome.

Burritos, tacos, tostadoes, and enchiladas are Mexican food, but they don't even scratch the surface of what these magicians do with food. Not even close.

If you have never tried the real stuff, you need to find a little dive family restaurant and try something other than one of those 4 menu items for a change. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

I can already taste the carne asada I am craving. Gotta run. Just had to share.

As a native New Mexican I couldn't have said it any better myself.

 

[StevenOtero]

That's the problem I always had when I lived in New Mexico. Man, those guys will put chille in/on EVERYTHING. If you don't particularly care for the flavor of chiles, then it kills eating out anywhere in New Mexico.

Gimme a jalapeño or a serrano any day.



Are you a supertaster? I listened to a StuffYouShouldKnow podcast on that subject recently and it definitely sounds like something I wouldn't want to be burdened with.

I live in New Mexico, and your statement is a very broad brush statement. Authentic New Mexican cuisine is not all about the chile.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Give me mexican food from the border.
Give me mexican food in my town (yes there are places out side the south west that have authentic mexican made dishes)
Give me taco bell

I like it all...it's all good in it's own way...and for those that want to argue with my belly...I got some hot wind from down south for you.

 

[SupermanXx]

would anyone here say that San Antonio is close-ish to authentic Mexican food? (well, not all of SA obviously, but certain places within it?)

I went there on a mini-vacation a couple of weeks ago and ate at this place called Mexican Manhattan on the riverwalk (well, I drank more than I ate, lulz) and at Mi Tierra - both were insanely awesome

 

[rynochop]

I try plenty of things.

I'm just very sensitive when it comes to taste. I taste very small variations that most people don't. It's frustrating.

And Applebee's has been crap since it went to new management. It wasn't all that great before that though.

Pizza Hut is the worst pizza too.

Whoa there on Pizza hut, love their pizza.

But yes Applebees/Chilis is garbage. Someone told me that everything they serve was previously frozen, even the sauces. Nothing is hand prepped.

The only good thing at Olive Garden is the salad and breadsticks.

Oh, and btw (this should maybe be a separate thread) but those Olive Garden commercials have to be the worst commercial EVER! They actually put me in a bad mood when they come on.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I'll try to give you advance notice next time.

Good luck lol

Give me mexican food from the border.
Give me mexican food in my town (yes there are places out side the south west that have authentic mexican made dishes)
Give me taco bell

I like it all...it's all good in it's own way...and for those that want to argue with my belly...I got some hot wind from down south for you.

 

[Hostile]

I am glad it is agreed by everyone...Taco Bell is NOT food, much less Mexican food.