#1: El Patio sucks. #2: You obviously have never been to the original Ninfa's on Navigation. #3: Me thinks you haven't been to many Tex-Mex places in Houston if the only two you put down are a Ninfa's chain and El Patio. We are well regarded as having the best Tex-Mex in the world (arguably).
i do miss texas food i'll be in town for two weeks over xmas and new years and will be chowing down like a mofo. some have mentioned and i gotta agree: peach cobbler at least put pecan pie up there instead. CFS, it's okay. fajitas and chili, mmmmmmmmmm. however, i can rock some serious fajitas and chili but don't have the time to smoke my own brisket so it wins for me by default. tex-mex and bbq suck hairy balls in ny.
I agree, El Patio sucks. But they are at least on the right track when it comes to authentic Tex Mex cheese enchiladas. Better than the misguided efforts of other eateries. I have never been to the original Ninfa's, but if they cut and season their fajitas like their other locations, then no thanks. I have been to plenty of Tex Mex places around Houston and Austin. Those are just two that I have mentioned. I have yet to be impressed by any of the much lauded "authentic" Tex Mex offerings of these two towns. I grew up in the lower Rio Grande Valley, and have had the best. You are a white guy from Houston who may have not had the real thing. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion, however I would definitely recommend taking a trip down to South Padre for a weekend to see what Brownsville has to offer. You really don't know what you're missing. It's akin to eating at average Chinese joints, and then going to San Francisco and seeing how it's really done.
Opinion duly noted, however, I'm from the valley and the food down there is not tex-mex, somewhere closer to food in Mexico...Tex-mex has more cheese where in the valley, you'll find more corn tortilla tacos with meat and lime vs. flour tortillas with lettuce and cheese...Both are good, depends on what you're looking for... Btw, Ninfa's on navigation rocks and everything at El Patio sucks...You should try Irma's off of Chenevert, near MMP...That is the closest to authentic you'll find around Houston...
What part of the valley are you from? All the good Tex Mex is in Brownsville. I'm talking about The Vermillion, Miguel's, Tia Inez (formerly Lavio's), Antonio's, Wowee's, El Torito, Brownsville Coffee Shop, and numerous other small joints. These are all Tex Mex, and they are all the real deal. As far as the more Mexican joints go, there are a lot of them also. Places like El Rey de Taco, Bigo's, Los Camperos, etc. are all great Norteno places. That's what makes the valley so damn fat. You have the best Tex Mex, the best Norteno this side of the border, and the fresh snapper and shrimp joints on South Padre Island. Not to mention the best flour tortillas known to man served at The Toddle Inn.
Help me out here...who as the best chicken fried steak in town? I've tried most, I'm leaning toward Goodson's in Tomball as the best. Please don't say Hikory Hollow, while the gravy is good, the steak itself is mostly breading.
so who first cooked beef skirt in an open fire? the ranchers or the mexican vaqueros? did the mexican vaqueros learn this technique from ranchers? or did they bring the practice from mexico? the ranchers started the tradition of paying vaqueros with meat trimmings.. but the mexican vaqueros knew what do with those trimmings based on their practice/tradition back home mexico.. if you don't see that the paragraph basically proves fajitas originated from mexico then I don't know what..
where did I mention barbacoa? are you saying fajita is only cooked in a sizzling plate and grilled skirt steak is not fajita?
Not to interrupt the bbq and fajita arguments (btw, the best bbq in Texas is found in Lockhart, don't matter which place you go to, and it sure is hard to beat Papasito's beef fajitas)... Does anybody know where you can get good fried chicken gizzards in Houston? Texas Drive-in in Victoria used to have the BEST gizzards on the planet. I asked for gizzards at Frenchy's and they looked at me like I was from Mars.