Attention: Mexican Food Lovers (Burito House)

[cloudhopper]

If anyone finds themselves in Pai try to find the new, unsigned Casita near the Fruit Factory around noon and you will experience some very authentic and tasty Mex. Menu is very limited at present but the chef is dedicated and grows many of his own chiles.

[hellodolly]

I ate at Burrito House yesterday. I had the special, which was one taco, one burrito, rice, salad and a small bottle of water for 150 baht.

I grew up eating Mexican food, living a couple hours away from the border.

I started to ask for my choice of meats, but the woman said that all the meat was the same. So I had what appeared to be beef, which was ground.

The taco was not bad -- crispy and fresh -- but the meat had no real distinctive flavor.

The burrito was good sized, but the meat was the same and to this was added a lot of shaved carrots and some lettuce. Let me state clearly: burritos do not and should never contain carrots.

There was a "salsa" condiment that tasted like very mild sauce you might pick up in the supermarket. With each bite first topped with a generous portion of this, the burrito had something of a Mexican feel to it.

The salad was small but topped with some slices of tomato, but the dressing was so violently sour and vinegary that I could not eat the salad after unwittingly topping it with this powerful dressing.

The rice was some mixed colored multi-grain and there was some chili flavor added that gave the rice a small kick. It was probably the tastiest part of the meal.

The water was nice and so was the glass of ice.

Overall, I would give this place a 5 out of 10. Clearly, the lone woman working there does not know how to make authentic Mexican food (or any of the variations) or doesn't care, or knows but feels that to do it right would take more time, more money in ingredients and more trouble than simply stuffing things with carrot shavings.

I think individually the tacos and burritos sell for 65 baht each, which for what you get seems pretty dear to me.

"(or any of the variations)"

sounds to me like she had a variation you are new to.

I see you are another Mexican food expert who never ate in Mexico just in another country where they change it to suit the tastes of the Natives.

[yeeowww]

Wow... not sure what everybody's idea of Mexican food is, but I really like most of the things at Loco Elvis'. I lived in Southern California for over 20 years and ate in every type of restaurant and off every taco truck wherever they be found, all hours of day and night.

So what? I know a fellow who owned and ran a Mexican restaurant in Mexico as well as spending a lot of time in California and Texas. He loves Miguel's and won't eat in those other places. Hamburger Mike - the guy that started Miguel's and still helps out from time to time - owned and operated several Mexican restaurants in San Diego.

Your opinions on Mexican food are anecdotal and you are welcome to them, but they prove pretty much nothing. I know that I would not go to a Mexican restaurant based on your recommendation after reading your posts.

And what do my posts on political leanings have to do with food?! What a momo! And anything that Hamburger Mike has anything to do with speaks volumes of the quality of the food, Mikes Burgers is about the most rank burger spot in the city! Can you say heartburn heaven?!

[Thighlander]

I've walked by Mike's 200 times, and kept right on walking, every time. Those shoestring french fries are 15 thb per KG in the States.

[Ulysses G.]

I lived in Southern California for over 20 years and ate in every type of restaurant and off every taco truck wherever they be found, all hours of day and night.

So what? I know a fellow who owned and ran a Mexican restaurant in Mexico as well as spending a lot of time in California and Texas. He loves Miguel's and won't eat in those other places. Hamburger Mike - the guy that started Miguel's and still helps out from time to time - owned and operated several Mexican restaurants in San Diego.

Your opinions on Mexican food are anecdotal and you are welcome to them, but they prove pretty much nothing. I know that I would not go to a Mexican restaurant based on your recommendation after reading your posts.

And what do my posts on political leanings have to do with food?! What a momo! And anything that Hamburger Mike has anything to do with speaks volumes of the quality of the food, Mikes Burgers is about the most rank burger spot in the city! Can you say heartburn heaven?!

No one mentioned your political posts. I have no idea what your politics are and could care less. It is your taste in food that I have problems with.

Mike's Burgers was actually pretty good when Mike owned it, but that was many years ago.He sold it and moved on to other things, Others owners lowered the quality and ran it into the ground.

Edited April 19, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[Trujillo]

I said: "I grew up eating Mexican food, living a couple hours away from the border."

I didn't say that I had never been to Mexico (I have).

I think my words were clear enough to not confuse a bland "carrot" taco from some backwater authentic Mexican cuisine.

I have been exposed to and eaten Mexican food for over 50 years; however, I am not an expert, so perhaps bland (beef? pork?) in a watered-down mex-curry mix with a dash of lettuce and a great deal of thinly sliced carrots is a specialty I am not familiar with.

Perhaps you are from the fertile carrot-growing region of Ocosingo, where carrot burritos are the norm. My apologies.

[yeeowww]

I lived in Southern California for over 20 years and ate in every type of restaurant and off every taco truck wherever they be found, all hours of day and night.

So what? I know a fellow who owned and ran a Mexican restaurant in Mexico as well as spending a lot of time in California and Texas. He loves Miguel's and won't eat in those other places. Hamburger Mike - the guy that started Miguel's and still helps out from time to time - owned and operated several Mexican restaurants in San Diego.

Your opinions on Mexican food are anecdotal and you are welcome to them, but they prove pretty much nothing. I know that

And what do my posts on political leanings have to do with food?! What a momo! And anything that Hamburger Mike has anything to do with speaks volumes of the quality of the food, Mikes Burgers is about the most rank burger spot in the city! Can you say heartburn heaven?!

No one mentioned your political posts. I have no idea what your politics are and could care less. It is your taste in food that I have problems with.

Mike's Burgers was actually pretty good when Mike owned it, but that was many years ago.He sold it and moved on to other things, Others owners lowered the quality and ran it into the ground.

"I would not go to a Mexican restaurant based on your recommendation after reading your posts."

Most all of the posts I have ever made on Thai Visa have been of political nature so I just assumed since you said "posts" that you must be referring to them. I have previously made only one (singular) post regarding any restaurant to which you quickly barbed me on and for which I don't quite get the negative tone and perceived animosity of your reply.

With regards to my Mexican food experiences, I posted them to establish that I've been around a bit, tasted quite a few samples of Mexican cuisine and that in my educated opinion, Miguels serves as a pretty weak example of that style of food. Whether or not your well traveled friend likes it is his business. He may well also like to eat at Taco Bell for all I know. I also wished to put down for the record my bad experiences with the place which happened not once, but twice and in which I'm not alone so it is worthy and important feedback. This thread is about Mexican food experiences and your snide "So what" remark is uncalled for. I did not slag any other post and I don't know why you felt the need to do so to me nor your disregard and rejection of my opinion.

Edited April 19, 2013 by yeeowww

[Ulysses G.]

I was not aware that saying "so what" is considered so insulting. I was just pointing out that many people with just as much experience with Mexican food as yours are quite thankful that we have Miguel's in Chiang Mai and do not share your love of the restaurants that you are partial to. If it helps, I would not go to a Mexican restaurant based on your recommendation after reading your post.

[yeeowww]

I was not aware that saying "so what" is considered so insulting. I was just pointing out that many people with just as much experience with Mexican food as yours are quite thankful that we have Miguel's in Chiang Mai and do not share your love of the restaurants that you are partial to. If it helps, I would not go to a Mexican restaurant based on your recommendation after reading your post.

Posting a reply of "So what?" to someone's opinion is not "so insulting"... No offense taken. It merely reflects the scope and depth of your stance.

Edited April 19, 2013 by yeeowww

[Ulysses G.]

The scope and depth of my stance is that I disgree with pretty much everything you have to say about Mexican food in Chiang Mai - other than the comment about the thick as a brick corn chips. We concur on that.

[PeaceBlondie]

San Antonio

[hellodolly]

I said: "I grew up eating Mexican food, living a couple hours away from the border."

I didn't say that I had never been to Mexico (I have).

I think my words were clear enough to not confuse a bland "carrot" taco from some backwater authentic Mexican cuisine.

I have been exposed to and eaten Mexican food for over 50 years; however, I am not an expert, so perhaps bland (beef? pork?) in a watered-down mex-curry mix with a dash of lettuce and a great deal of thinly sliced carrots is a specialty I am not familiar with.

Perhaps you are from the fertile carrot-growing region of Ocosingo, where carrot burritos are the norm. My apologies.

Using your logic could one say a Mexican grew up on American food living a couple of hours from the border.

[Jingthing]

Not this again!

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/03/gustavo_arellano_s_taco_usa_reviewed_.html

That’s because, as Arellano explains, what most of us think of as
Mexican food was invented in America, and it has a long history of being
co-opted by gabachos (as Mexicans actually call gringos).
Chapter by chapter, Arellano painstakingly traces the paths of
dishes—tamales, tacos, burritos, tortilla chips, tequila—and shows how
they either were born in the United States or changed irreversibly after
crossing the border.

...

In fact, his most focused and impassioned chapter points out the
hypocrisy of white chefs like Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy who have
the chutzpah to claim that their recipes are “authentic” Mexican food
while denigrating dishes made by actual Mexican-Americans.

[nikster]

If anyone finds themselves in Pai try to find the new, unsigned Casita near the Fruit Factory around noon and you will experience some very authentic and tasty Mex. Menu is very limited at present but the chef is dedicated and grows many of his own chiles.

^ THAT.

I dislike all the places in CM. Miguels - meh as was said that would be considered middle of the road in SF, I have no idea why I should go there. To eat medium-kind a ok mexican style food? Not worth it.

I liked Loco Elvis for a while - they get a lot of things right. But they seem to be really inconsistent, last time I was there I got a cold burrito. Which is why that was the last time.

At Salsa kitchen I was served sweet-ish Yoghurt in place of sour cream. Ewwwww!!! Please. I mean... really. No.

Casita above, on the other hand, served me the best fish tacos I've ever had anywhere. I was blown away. The chef made all the hot sauces by himself. This isn't "good food, for Mexican in Thailand" - it's amazing Mexican style food, period, and anywhere. People would go there if it was in SF Mission.

PS: My favorite Burrito joint was La Taqueria Cancun at 19th / Mission SF. So cheap, and so good

[Jingthing]

PS: My favorite Burrito joint was La Taqueria Cancun at 19th / Mission SF. So cheap, and so good

It's hard to disagree with that. Salivation City.

[Thighlander]

Maya Taqueria....Church St., SF, one of my all time favorites, but I lived closer to Taqueria San Jose in Fruitvale that was the real deal.....which reminds me of another thing they could do besides squid tacos in CM, TACOS AL PASTOR, which is a marianted pork, and can be a lot tastier than average beef. Just don't put too much cilantro in the salsa or it will taste like soap.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

No one mentioned your political posts. I have no idea what your politics are and could care less. It is your taste in food that I have problems with.

Mike's Burgers was actually pretty good when Mike owned it, but that was many years ago.He sold it and moved on to other things, Others owners lowered the quality and ran it into the ground.

"I would not go to a Mexican restaurant based on your recommendation after reading your posts."

Most all of the posts I have ever made on Thai Visa have been of political nature so I just assumed since you said "posts" that you must be referring to them.

Posts about hamburgers and Farang food also qualify as political, on this forum.

Edited April 20, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[hml367]

Wow! SFO and San Jose. The best I can do is with the Mexicans themselves, both in the vineyards and in their houses in Napa Valley. After I left Napa Valley they had Mexican food restaurants there.... I have never eaten in a Mexican food Restaurant that was anything like Mexican cooking I had with the Mexican workers. But I never went far into Mexico.

MSPain

One of my favorites was tomatillo salsa.

Edited April 20, 2013 by hml367

[Ulysses G.]

I dislike all the places in CM. Miguels - meh as was said that would be considered middle of the road in SF

Maybe you go home fairly often? I agree that it would not be very good in San Francisco, but it also would not piss me off. Every other Mexican place that I have eaten in Chiang Mai would be a complete joke in San Francisco and as I have not been to California for more than 20 years, what would be a mediocre Mexican restaurant in San Francisco is quite acceptable for the wilds of of South East Asia.

In the same vein, IMO, the Duke's pizza is the best I've had in Thailand and it would be acceptable in San Francisco, but it would not be anywhere near the top of my list. One has to take in consideration where we are.

[beb]

I just got back from a one month vacation in the US. Most of it spent in CA/TX. Most of the food eaten was Mexican. My favorite are street tacos.

Today I'm going to eat at Miguel's. All you haters can keep on hating because frankly I'd rather have less people vying for tables.

[Ulysses G.]

I was there last week and, yeah, the "sour cream" was just yoghurt.

The owner is very health oriented. I am guessing that is why he uses yogurt. I would prefer a mixture of yogurt mixed with sour cream personally. That way it would taste more authentic, while still preserving some of the health benefits.

Edited April 27, 2013 by Ulysses G.

[Thakkar]

I was there last week and, yeah, the "sour cream" was just yoghurt.

The owner is very health oriented. I am guessing that is why he uses yogurt. I would prefer a mixture of yogurt mixed with sour cream personally. That way it would taste more authentic, while still preserving some of the health benefits.

"The owner is very health oriented"

That explains the big salad portions. I don't mind the yoghurt. It's good, thick yoghurt and I enjoy it almost as much as I'd enjoy sour cream.

It's a nice place with good aircon, high ceiling and decent iced drinks. I'd go more often to read a book if the seats were comfortable.

T

Edited April 27, 2013 by Thakkar

[daoyai]

another lil nicety about salsa kitchen is during avocado season, they make the guacamole to order, so if you tell the waitress how you want it, they will make it that way, and just 30 baht.

[SDH]

I just got back from a one month vacation in the US. Most of it spent in CA/TX. Most of the food eaten was Mexican. My favorite are street tacos.

Today I'm going to eat at Miguel's. All you haters can keep on hating because frankly I'd rather have less people vying for tables.

Right on!

You go get some Miguels I hope you have time for some pitchers of margaritas as well!!

[Mestizo]

I was in Pantip over the weekend. Noticed that this place has now shut down and is completely gone. The space is available to rent.

-Mestizo

[elektrified]

I was in Pantip over the weekend. Noticed that this place has now shut down and is completely gone. The space is available to rent.

-Mestizo

+1

Amazing it stayed in business for the 6 years that I know of. There was never a customer in there. I ate there once and that was enough for me but the lady that owned it was a nice person.

[Rimmer]

A post has been removed for defamation. If I go back through this topic and find more of the same then you can expect a posting suspension