Taco Bell Guy

Is he wearing a diaper? I think i'll pass. This poor guy checked his dignity at the door.

Why you hate Country Music

The country music on the radio sucks.. i know. Thats nashville country. Its lame, cheezy, and kinda fruity.

But you shouldn't dismiss country music just because you don't know anything about it. Don't be silly.

Real country... REAL country is willie nelson, waylon Jennings, lyle lovette, johnny cash, etc. It's not fruity. Its good. and it's probably influenced whatever type of music your into.

Ok. TAKE A CHANCE. watch this Robert Earl Keen Video at Austin City Limits of "Shades of Gray". One of the few contemporaries.

If you hate it you can officially dismiss country music (terrorist). If you like it Then your welcome.

Tequila Sheila

I have some ohio natives coming in to Austin for Sxsw this wknd. Dont worry... not ohio state. Anyway, i showed him this youtube preview for a peek of austin culture *El Arroyo. (20 Seconds, no profanity)

Breakfast Taco 101

Breakfast the other day with a few midwestern friends was brought to a halt when I suggested that next time we order breakfast tacos. Their response "What are breakfast tacos"...

(Pause) Uhhhh.... (Deep breathe dave)

People in the midwest not knowing what breakfast tacos are would be the equivilant of a large demographic population not knowing that bacon existed. It boggles my mind. B-OGGLES

So rather than to flaunt your Naivety im going to help. A breakfast taco is a small flour tortilla with a combination of the following ingredients in it: eggs, cheese, bacon, potatoes, chorizo Sausage. They are usually made before restaurants open and are wrapped individually in tin foil, and served with salsa.

The are usually bought in bulk, meaning that you would buy 10-20 of them to bring to work or a meeting *really any social gathering (compare to bagels). They are minimal cost ($1-$2) and a delicious way to start your day.

Casa Bonita Exists!

Holy Guacamole... it is real. I had posted earlier about the fictional restaurant from a southpark episode called "Casa Bonita". Im a moron. It is real. It is in denver. As luck would have it I am flying to denver on saturday and will have lunch there. These are the things (I am not joking) that I will be looking for from their website...
Witness our brave cliff divers plunging from a spectacular 30-foot waterfall into our 14 feet deep pool. Don't miss Casa Bonita's own fire juggling cliff divers as they juggle flaming torches and perform death-defying dives into the lagoon below. Watch the "gorilla trainer" chase down Chiquita - our 500 pound gorilla.
AWESOME!!! I can barely breathe i am so excited ALSO...

The Sheriff and Bad Guy Black Bart shoot-em-up
Amusement arcade
Governor's Mansion
Gran Vista Casa El Mercado - a shopper's delight
Strolling Mariachis
Puppets, magicians, games, prizes and more
Authentic Mexican dancers

What a 10 Sombrero Mexican Restaurant would be....

Cliff divers, mariochis, sopapillas, puppet shows! Casa Bonita would be a Tex Mex mecca. Watch Cartman enjoy it while he can.

Uncle Julios Review

(North and Clybourne)

There is a certain intangible about Uncle Julio's that Chicagoens need to appreciate. It's cheesiness is exactly what makes the atmosphere authentic Tex Mex.

In other words, a huge restaurant (and this place is huge) with cheezy murals, people dressed like the three amigos singing songs, and an enormous menu make for a good time. Embrace it. Love it.

Lunch specials! Brunch! Dishes called "El Plato Gordo". Haha. Count me in anytime. Good Margaritas. Good food. Good times. I still have that cheezy music in my head. AY CARUMBA

Sopapillas, my friends, are delicious, and nobody around here seems to know what they are. Try them. I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Their salsa could use a little work honestly. And the waiter was a huge jerk. I honestly don't think that men are very good waiters in general, but this guy was always trying to get me to spend more money by upselling, which i don't like.

They try and go the "fancy route" on their dinner specials w/ quail and frog legs and shrimp. This is kinda like El Arroyo in Austin. I dunno, not really my thing. But if it floats your boat than go for it.

Uncle Julios is based out of texas, so maybe I am a little bit biased, but this place gets a 6 sombreros out of 10.

Mamacita's - Call the terrible police! this place sucks

Mamacitas is a very small mexican food restaurant that promises "Fresh, Healthy, mexican food".

First off, with the nature of mexican food, making promises is a gamble. Don't promise freshness, it should be implied. I would expect your food to be fresh.

Second, there is no such thing as healthy mexican food. So don't promise it. Don't be silly with words and give some fatty the impression that this is going to be good for her. So, I asked the waitress what makes the food healthy and she replied,

"Because the ingredients are fresh".

Not exactly easy to follow logic there. But I laughed it off and ordered a plate of mexican food.

Note: I am not going into the specifics about what I ordered (tacos, enchilada's, etc.) because this food was gross and it will make me sick thinking about it

Anyway, basically they just have big trash can size vats of refried beans, chicken with no seasoning, and they charge extra for sour cream.

mmmm... ill have some of that.... not

Zero Sombreros-Seriously

Tarascas- 4 Sombreros

Restaurant Review: Tarascas (Clark and Wrightwood)

There is a strange phenomenon in Chicago where Mexican restaurants will take pictures of their food, and plaster them on the windows and the menu.

This is weird, and the photos always look like a pile of mediocrity. So no sombreros for the menu. The food is actually pretty good (depending on what you order).

For example, the chipotle tacos are excellent (and spicy which is sombero worthy), but the burrito, which is, along with enchiladas, the gold standard for Mexican food, muy terrible.

The salsa is terrible. It's soupy and there is no substance. But the homemade chips almost make up for it, but they run out of them, and then your stuck with bad salsa and no chips.

Inside the murals of naked chicks on the walls are inviting, but during the summer it’s better to sit outside and watch people.

Tip: If your going to sit outside, plan for terrible service and a long wait for your food. If your not in a hurry, then sitting outside is the way to go.

I feel sick to my stomach every time I eat there, but this is standard for good Mexican food, so don’t let this deter you from going back.

Our Rating System

Our rating system on Refried Review will be strictly in sombreros. 10 Sombreros would be the greatest mexican food in the world, and 0 sombreros would be an embarrassing display of quasi mexican trash

How do you get more sombreros? Simple, you need to get the finer things right. For example, charging for sour cream (a staple of mexican food cuisine) is a crime, and that will be reflected in the sombreros. Homemade chips and hearty salsa, would be deserving of more sombreros. Easy enough right?

Everything will be considered, from the food, the atmosphere (painted murals are clutch), the margaritas, the service, and the people. Fair enough? If you think I am missing something let me know.

Welcome One- Welcome All!

Welcome my friends to Refried Review, a blog (and forum) for Rating Mexican Food around Chicago (and maybe even around the world).

A little about my background, I moved to Chicago from Texas in April, and while I find the city fun and exciting, it seems to be missing some good ol' mexican food joints to enjoy.

I have tried several different places so far and none have held up to the wonderful Tex Mex I have enjoyed in Texas. So I am on a never ending quest to find DECENT mexican food in the Windy City. Will you join me along my adventure?

Signed,

DC3