Drew B wrote:

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Monsieur Muggles wrote:

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I forgot who said it (Kelly? Padma?), but the point about Mexican cuisine being underrated is very true. Its become commonplace in the US, which is part of the reason why so many North Americans, especially Americans, look down on it. We've had this food for years, so a lot of people consider a lot of the dishes just commonplace. Europeans, on the other hand, tend to appreciate Mexican cuisine a lot more, even though the French and Italian cooking has more history to it.

I think the Mexican food that most American's have been exposed to IS rather lowbrow. The quickie burritos and enchilada casseroles are not haute cuisine. However, there is also Mexican fine dining. The same would be true of Italian cuisine if all we knew was the old spaghetti and meatballs kind of Italian (think Sbarro).

This. Some of the flavor profiles seemed to get lost in translation when trying REAL Mexican food when I went there last summer. The food was un-fucking-believable; Oaxacan spicy pulled pork outside Chichen Itza (the BEST pork I have ever had in my entire life), lime juice-soaked tortillas with beef, tripe, and cow heart mixed all up together. The "Mexican" food that you might get at a Taco Bell is a bastardization of real Mexican food. Nachos do not exist in Mexico, the tacos are not filled to the brim with lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes (most of the time), and I don't recall ever seeing a chalupa in the country, ever. I was glad to see that Rick won because of his amazing Mexican cuisine, and I can't wait to have the opportunity later on in life to eat at his restaurant.