When I say Mexican cuisine, and then start ranting and raving about Central Coast Mexican food, I have to admit I was simply being kind to the fine foods of Mexico. And I've had many a great Mexican meal, be it from Rick Bayless's outstanding cookbooks, the killer tacquerias in San Francisco's Mission District, or at La Supra Rica in Santa Barbara. I've only been to Ensenada, Mexico once but we didn't find great food there, either. I didn't really expect it in a town designed for drunken students and cruise ship tourists.
Here in the otherwise ideal living conditions in San Luis Obispo County, when I visit a new Mexican restaruant, no matter how much other critics or friends rave about it, I have always been totally disappointed. Like my visit to a new place in Arroyo Grande, the grand ditch as one visitor once described it to me, where I couldn't even get a decent tin pan of frijoles. The slop on my plate with a cheap sprinkle of so-called cheddar cheese reminded me of the mud pies I made when I was 5-years-old. The salsa, so loaded with garlic I thought they had bastardized a cheap can of marinara sauce, was inedible. I don't get it. As much as I love Mexican foods, I should be able to find a damn good restaurant serving it in a community with a rather large Mexican community. When I filled my entire Cuisine column with my crazed complaining about this subject, they received more letters to the editor than I'd ever received in 13 years of writing that column. And they didn't publish them!!! If these restaurants were actually advertising, maybe I could see why. But they're not. Imagine this, I had named the Mexican eateries that disappointed me and they took the names out of the story. I heard from on editor, however, the editorial team was divided on the issue and many supported my column challenging the restaurants to step up to the plate and improve their batting average. Alas to no avail, so that's one reason I've started this blog.
The oddest thing was that most people wrote to me to support Taco Temple in Morro Bay, which I like very much. Yet it's not a Mexican restaurant, it's California fusion, which the place states in a huge sign above the front door of the restaurant. I still support Taco Temple but it's not what I'm talking about. So for now, I'll just continue to eat the best Mexican I can find around here, the dishes I prepare in my kitchen!
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Bold and Ballzy- very impressive and I agree with every sentence! What is up with these people? Half of our state is from Mexico and the food there is good! What happens when they come here? My theroy--- Brain damage from McDonalds dollar menu. Teri
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