Danny ChaiDave Park mentioned this to me the other day and I agree. It’s weird, but there’s no good Mexican food in California. In Houston, if you want Mexican food, you have your Ninfa’s, your Tortuga Cantina, your Pappasito, your random hole-in-the-wall places that are good and whatever. And if you want less formal open all night type places, you have your Taco Cabana, which as Marshall can attest, is really good.
What is there in California? What’s a good Mexican restaurant and how does it compare? I dunno, it’s hard. Especially on the low end. Una Mas? Baja Fresh? I eat there but it really doesn’t compare to Taco Cabana. Not even close.
So yeah, it’s strange but there isn’t really good Mexican food in California.
Another thing. There’s no good barbecue in California. I haven’t been to Austin’s – maybe it’s good, I don’t know. Tona Roma’s is pretty good for ribs. But like, the best around here is Armadillo Willy’s. Maybe I’m being a BBQ snob, but I don’t really like Willy’s that much. It’s OK, but not really good. Just serviceable.
This makes no sense to me because barbecue doesn’t need to be expensive to be good. Willy’s is more than Goode Co. but Goode is way better. It’s pretty cheap. And great.
One more thing: Where the heck can I get a good Vietnamese sandwich in the Bay Area? I don’t want to have to drive down to South San Jose. Where are they?