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Beebeeleen t1_it4zsgx wrote

I usually recommend

Al Son de mi barrio on Atwells and La Lupita on Westminster in Providence.

But, I recently ate great Mexican food from California taco shop. I was very skeptical about the place and was pleasantly shocked by the food's quality. It is legit Mexican food. It actually tastes good.

So, my credentials about Mexican food are the following: I am a Mexican who has lived in California and Mexico. My wife is also Mexican and a good cook and very picky. She really liked California taco shop too.

I can only vouch for those three spots. I have eaten Mexican food (e.g.,menudo, etc) from other places and have been very dissapointed. BTW, I have traveled across Texas too (from Eagle Pass all the way up to Oklahoma!).

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quicktuba t1_it7996x wrote

Love the dollar tacos at California taco shop, such a great deal

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TheGreyVicinity OP t1_it9ig09 wrote

Update: I caved. Just ordered.

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Beebeeleen t1_ita7ud7 wrote

What are your thoughts?

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TheGreyVicinity OP t1_itcpgb6 wrote

Good! Probably the closest thing to TexMex I’ll find.

I had COVID in 2020 and it screwed up my smell and taste, still struggle with it. Haven’t been able to eat chicken since, so I always go with cheese enchiladas now. I was so shocked that they have them on the menu there, literally nowhere here does.

Only complaints: they need to learn what cumin is, and work on the enchilada sauce. It tasted like it came straight out of the can.

I feel like I’m kinda having some culture shock here lol. I grew up Catholic—white Catholics in the rural south are not common. I went to catholic school for 10 years and most of my teachers had recently immigrated from Mexico or Honduras, and we were taught Spanish starting in pre-k to aid with the language barrier.

When I went to public school in HS, the white southern baptist parents didn’t want their kids hanging out with a catholic because they didn’t understand the difference between saints and gods. 😂 Every time someone found out I transferred from catholic school, they’d say “but you’re not Mexican???” So 90% of my friends were Mexican, most being anchor babies (not sure if this is the socially acceptable term, correct me if not) or dreamers.

Mexican culture has had a huge presence in my life for as long as I can remember, so food aside, this is a difficult adjustment. 🥲 Again, I’m white and I don’t like, identify myself with the culture, so naturally I just didn’t think it would be an issue when I moved.

Sorry for the rant - homesick and my vyvanse just kicked in. 😂 One more question tho: are there any fruterias around here?

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Beebeeleen t1_itejz6o wrote

You definitely are a real Texan if you enjoy cumin on Mexican food! The Northern Mexicans use it. We don't!

You provoked my foody PTSD with the sauce from a can bit. I had a similar experience in the midwest (Michigan). It was a Sunday morning. I ordered menudo in a small Mexican restaurant (that mostly served Non-Mexicans). Well, the menudo broth tasted like tomato sauce from a can. It was horrible.

Your upbringing (save for the Catholic part) closely resembles a few White kids I knew in California. They were raised around Mexicans and pretty much fit in.

Yeah, culture shock happens. When I first moved here, I complained about the food and stuff. But, I like it here.

Re fruterías, Idk... if there are any in this state, I haven't seen them.

P.S. LOL anchor babies! The soap box type social justicey Chicanos would be soo pissed about that term. In general though, I don't think people outside the border areas use it. Even then, I think many people consider it a put down. Dreamers sounds so damn corny to me that I think its just as bad if not worst than wetback or border buddies or etc. lol

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svaldbardseedvault t1_it9sck5 wrote

California Taco Shop is legit surprisingly authentic and good, totally second that. They even had melón agua fresca once.

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Beebeeleen t1_itepij7 wrote

I was pleasantly surprised--Shocked even.

The restaurant chain's name and advertising led me to mistakenly believe the food would be awfully bad.

I'm so glad to have been wrong.

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TheGreyVicinity OP t1_it5pk9e wrote

As a Texan, it’s against my morals to go to anything with “California” in it

Not looking for tacos, but if your wife ever wants to have a law student over for dinner…. 👀

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Trawetser t1_it6sa8e wrote

>As a Texan, it’s against my morals to go to anything with “California” in it

Idk if I can cringe any harder

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