El Sarape

[gringal]

If not El Serape then where? I'd love a sloppy, cheesy beef burrito with green chili, sour cream and guacamole just about now.

Try the burrito at Yves' (of all places) on the lakefront near the street where LCS is. My husband loves 'em for lunch. Cheesy, good sloppy sauce, beans and rice. "sour cream" on request. I think around 55 pesos.

[bradshoe]

Thanks gringal - we've been to Yves' for dinner but never thought of looking for a burrito. Sorry to hijack away from El Sarape.

[Atlas]

Maybe not but they have a lot of good things and many loyal customers as anyone can see by the number of posts above supporting the place.

[tomgates]

Many times I wonder why Tex-Mex is so much better NOB, very often made by Mexicans from Jalisco or Michoacan. I think it is the availability of better food inputs NOB that makes the difference. Just the availability of cheddar and monterrey jack cheese in nachos is a world of difference. That said,at El Serape, I usually get the machaca tacos, crispy. Out of this world.

[More Liana]

Many times I wonder why Tex-Mex is so much better NOB, very often made by Mexicans from Jalisco or Michoacan. I think it is the availability of better food inputs NOB that makes the difference. Just the availability of cheddar and monterrey jack cheese in nachos is a world of difference. That said,at El Serape, I usually get the machaca tacos, crispy. Out of this world.

"Better" food is quite a value judgment. Perhaps you meant something other than that--"different" food, or "food that tastes the way I'm used to it", or--well, you fill in the blanks.

Consider that Tex-Mex food is not Mexican food, nor is it a riff on dishes from South of the Border. Tex-Mex is a regional cuisine of the United States. The cooks in Tex-Mex restaurants are not preparing the dishes from their country, they're simply working at the restaurant. Even if the restaurant owners are Mexican, Tex-Mex is still Tex-Mex, not Mexican.

Currently, most restaurant kitchen staff is Mexican, no matter what cuisine the restaurant serves. Chinese, French, Italian--it doesn't make any difference. Kitchen staff is from Mexico or is Mexican-American.

The reason cheddar and monterey jack cheeses are not common in Mexico is that they are rarely used in Mexico's cuisines. Mexico's cuisines primarily use native cheeses, or local takes on European cheeses like gouda and manchego. Note that the 'monterey' in monterey jack is spelled like the city in California, not like Monterrey, the city in northern Mexico--that's because monterey jack originated in California.

Several years ago I read a wonderful book that truly re-shaped my thinking on Tex-Mex as a thing unto itself. You might enjoy it, too. The author, Rob Walsh, is terrific and the book is fascinating, filled with palatable history, fun trivia, great recipes, and the best and most authoritative insight into Tex-Mex that I've ever read. http://www.amazon.co...30872143&sr=8-1

[jaykay]

Sometimes when I used to read the various reviews, it seemed incredible that two people could have such different opinions about the same place. Now, I just figure, lack of consistency. The restaurants that my wife and I go to when we want to eat out are picked for the fact that even if the meal isn't always great, it is rarely bad. So, if an initial experience isn't the greatest, wait a while and try again. You might get lucky. If , on the other hand, the experience is bad because of poor service or bad attitude on the part of management, we don't go back. Cooking can get better, attitudes seldom do. We gave up on Serape due to three visits where the service was fine but the food a disaster. Truely inedible.

[CCC]

Where is El Serape?

[Guest RevImmigrant]

on the west side on the carretera just before you get to Lake Medical - it's next to Carnes Selecta and is on the left as you go towards the Waffle House

[jimfos]

OK, I'm from Texas. Been to Serapes various times. Not for food as my tastes usually go against grain of masses. Mellow place. When in San Antonio (TX) I've found best and most various TX MX food. I don't like typical cover-it-all with cheese and salsa. My choice. Yours??? Up to you.

[Guest RevImmigrant]

I lived in San Antonio for a couple of years in the mid-70s. It is the best for Tex-Mex. I prefer salsa on my fried rice (and fried rice that isn't dry to begin with) and meat filling inside an enchilada or burrito that isn't dry with sauce over it that isn't bland. If I want bland, I'll eat Norwegian food; it's bland, but delicious bland (Mama's home cooking for me). Dry food is for cats and horses.

[jimfos]

Back in my 'establish residency to avoid out-of-state-tuition' phase (OK, I was a ski bum...going for PhD), I lived in Summit County, Colorado. Above 9000 feet elevation. Helped friends pass code on old Forest Service headquarters building. Trust fund kid had totally messed up conversion to restaurant.

Another friend not interested in his family's high end boot manufacturing bis on TX border was great chef and came along with menu. He introduced northern (Sonora) MX and New MX things. Enchiladas of layered blue corn tortillas (not rolled) was my favorite. Blue corn tortillas layered with ground meat topped with MX crema and salsa. Crab if asked for.

Not TX MX per se as most may think but blue corn is OK bueno! Only have had blue corn in Guanajuato since then. Need to return to street food by Pipila overlooking Gto to fall in love again. With food, also. But I digress off topic....................Apologies

[gary c.]

I have to say that El Sarape is one of my husband's favorite restaurants. He dreamed of their enchiladas while we were in Vermont; we ate there upon our arrival in July and again in October. Both times he was happy. In fact, he is a slow eater compared to me, and both times he was done long before I had finished.

Glad that El Sarape is still with us.

Carol