<p>No one in New York will ever admit that good deli or pizza can be found west of the Hudson. Likewise, I’ll never admit that really good Mexican can be found outside the border states. It’s a fundamental law of nature, and I don’t want to mess with the law.</p>
<p>oh, so don’t dare tred in North Beach…them’s fighin’ words</p>
<p>You need to go to California for good burrito. The really good burrito joynts are hole-in-wall paces and stone grind fresh chile mole dipping sauces on site and its field-hand size. Eat one and you are ready to build a house.</p>
<p>We live in SF, land of great burritos, D is in school in NYC, and has sampled many great restaurants, but is missing her Burrito’s…a Sunday afternoon staple</p>
<p>And the fresh guacamole, salsa and chips</p>
<p>She took her dormmate for Thai food, couldnt believe friend never had it before</p>
<p>(We have an ethopian restaruant down the street- yummy-just an aside)</p>
<p>When my D was in Georgia, she asked for avocado on her turkey sandwich…yeah, that got a good laugh</p>
<p>So, yes we are spoiled- I have even found a great pastrimi place downtown</p>
<p>And when we go get tamales at the farmers market…double yum</p>
<p>D will try some of the suggestions, and keep us posted</p>
<p>SHe is on a mission to find a decent burrito somewhere in the land of a millions</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Hmmmm . . . I think I see a sort of consensus developing: </p>
<p>California has the best of just about *everything<a href=“so%20why%20bother%20to%20go%20anywhere%20else?”>/i</a>.</p>
<p>No, not at all. We are just lucky to have such a plethora of amazing places to eat!!!</p>
<p>And have equal if not better in many other cities, just that burritos, well, as you can see, in a city of millions, seems a taqueria is hard to find</p>
<p>And yeah, I am proud of our food choices, it is quite astounding actually</p>
<p>I swear I once had good Mexican food in Bar Harbor, ME–sort of a border state, though the wrong one. Have a couple of margaritas and it all tastes pretty good. I’ve never had a really good bagel outside of the greater NYC area–maybe Because they don’t serve them with margaritas.</p>
<p>Hey - that’s OK, cgm. Those of us who live in “flyover” country are used to this sort of thing from folks on both coasts.</p>
<p>(But you know what city the foodie magazine Saveur, in their current issue, names as their favorite food city? No, it ain’t on either coast - homely old Chicago.)</p>
<p>well, yeah, bagels here are eh at best, but “sour dough” bread anywhere else just doesn’t cut it</p>
<p>one thing we don’t really have is good fried dough, ala Boston, and good street sausage</p>
<p>also, we are looking for a good cheap kabob place</p>
<p>Well, as you are a San Franciscan, and therefore likely used to a San Francisco Burrito (see <a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_burrito[/url]”>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_burrito</a> ) – it’s just something you’ll have to do without… </p>
<p>On the upside, I’ve sent 2 kids off to the east coast for college but am confident that in the end the craving for those burritos will surely bring them home .</p>
<p>Why Calif is not the only place to live - we here in the Northeast have:</p>
<p>Great chowda, 4 seasons, real use of 4 wheel drives, bond with neighbors after storm blowing snow, walk on iced lakes, put on mitten,scarves not for looks, great fall foliage, quaint seaports. Same day trip to major metropolis - Boston < -> New York in 4 hrs.</p>
<p>When my daughter first moved out of her NYC dorm, she moved to Bushwick, Brooklyn in an area that is as authentic as you can get. Two places for tacos, burritos, etc. were Tacos La Hacienda on Wyckoff Ave. or Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos (271 Starr Street). The former is a “Mexican Diner” and the latter is the factory were the tortillas are made, but also serves as a lunch counter for the neighborhood. Both are on the L near the Jefferson stop. It is very much a transitional area.</p>
<p>Below is a mini review from today’s NY Times</p>
<p>“The menu at La Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos is sparse, but when top-notch tacos are available, how much else does one need? Tacos and their diminutive brethren, taquitos, made with tiny tortillas, are built Mexican style, with two tortillas to each taco. Vegetarian tacos feature beans, sliced avocado, grated white cheese and the salad that’s on everything else: a mix of shredded iceberg lettuce, diced tomatoes and finely chopped cilantro. The vegetarian taco is fine. The chicken taco is hit-or-miss — maybe better than that if red meat isn’t your thing — but the quality picks up significantly when you get to the meat-filled tacos. Despite repeated attempts to speak with the owner of Los Hermanos, I was unable to get anyone on the phone who could share much information about the business. One thing I did learn is that the tortilleria stumbled on to the idea of serving tacos this spring, and although it’s certainly popular, the stand may close for the winter when the garage doors have to stay closed all day long because of the cold. It all depends on how much business there is, I was told. So whether or not you’ll be able to get tacos after Thanksgiving remains to be seen. But what is certain is that if and when the tortilleria rolls its taco stand away, the Mexican dining scene in New York will be just a little worse off for it. — Peter Meehan
-The New York Times”</p>
<p>I find the whole conversation hilarious. Come to Texas for Mexican food (although New Mexico has some interesting twists). I had an excellent lunch of skirt steak and nopalitas yesterday. With lime and pico de gallo and a salsa verde to wake it up - es verdad. (Truly , it’s all a matter of taste. Everybody can have their favorites. Chipotle-yeah, right. LOL.)</p>
<p>I’ve had some absolutely amazing Mexican food in Austin . . . .</p>
<p>Re unsoccermom’s post… I think we have a winner! 
It just <em>sounds</em> right. Those establishment names sound like they are straight out of my area of Baja, Mexico.</p>
<p>-former Californian who now has a second home in Mexico</p>
<p>I could actually tell you where to have Ethiopian food in several town. But I tend to eat upscale if I go to the city. I think the Mexican restaurants in our town are pretty authentic because they are full of other Mexicans.</p>
<p>Regional food specialties are – well – regional. I’ve been happy with two family-owned Mexican restaurants here in Washington. Fresh food, interesting spices, different dishes, and tortillas made on site. While I usually think they are as good as I find in the border states, when I go south, the food just seems more right. I can’t explain it. Blazing Bagels in Redmond makes bagels every bit as good as ones I’ve had in Manhattan delis, but there is something about eating them in Manhattan that just seems appropriate. There’s no way to explain it, really. (Just like, why does New England lobster taste better in Massachusetts than it does here?) I wouldn’t eat sushi in a non-coastal town. I’ve never had grits except in the south (except for my mom’s). Thick pizza belongs in Chicago. </p>
<p>Maybe it’s just me.</p>
<p>Well, it’s more fun that way, but some of us don’t get to travel much!</p>
<p>I am going to ask D the burrito question next time I talk to her. She’s more of a sushi girl, but she might know.</p>
<p>I actually couldn’t believe how different the food was just across the border. The difference between Arizona and Mexico was vast. But that was in my traveling days.</p>
<p>Pretty soon only one lone place on the Lower East Side will be serving boiled bagels. They are going out of style – extra step. But baked bagels? Now that’s just not right. They’re rolls.</p>
<p>guess we should go to India for Indian food then, that people don’t migrate and bring their specialties with them</p>
<p>guess you shouldn’t eat pasta out either</p>
<p>Try the Time Out New York Eating and Drinking Guide - here’s an online version which might be helpful. <a href=“http://www.timeout.com/newyork/Search.do?q=burritos&neighborhood=§ion=3&cuisine=81[/url]”>http://www.timeout.com/newyork/Search.do?q=burritos&neighborhood=§ion=3&cuisine=81</a></p>