L.A.'s Idea of Mexican Food vs. What Mexicans Really Eat

By Javier Cabral Mon., Mar. 26 2012 at 7:00 AM

In this episode of Squid Ink's Venn Food Diagrams, we study Mexican food. Why? Well, because deep down, every single person in this city has a soft spot for the stuff. Whether it be Americanized or not, fajitas or tacos de guisado, a taco is the archetypal Angeleno meal. In this city, a taco is easier to find than a burger, a burrito is a better bargain than a fast food combo and Mexican beer is still seen as exotic. Thus, it's time to dispel the greasy misconceptions of the first ethnic cuisine in the world to be added to the list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.

Moral of the story: First, let's take a moment to identify that Mexican food in México is completely different than the Mexican food available in Los Angeles, well, for the most part. There is no such thing as combination platters in the motherland; you either fully commit to a taco or you fully commit to a chile relleno. Finally, a burrito is simply a rendition of taco where a thin flour tortilla is used instead of corn -- no rice and beans.

Traditional Mexican food is not the salty gut bomb that it has long been stereotyped as being. It can be, of course, but so can any other cuisine when customized to the typical American palate.

Methodology: 100% unscientific data based on the contemporary status quo of "Mexican and Seafood" restaurant menus situated in gabacho-centric locations, as well as fanciful stabs at the cuisine by celebrity non-Mexican chefs. Also, anecdotes from first-generation, non-English-speaking Mexican elders and polls taken by monolingual Chicanos in community colleges citywide. Lastly, blog posts on Mexican food by Angeleno food bloggers and the views of one Mexican-American writer who found his identity through Mexican food.

Conclusion: There seems to be a common slant in the Angeleno perception of authentic Mexican food, one that leans toward the country's southern states of Oaxaca, Puebla and Yucatán. Festive foods such as mole and cochinita pibil made it to the "authentic" category in Los Angeles, but everyday foods eaten in México, such as quesadillas (made with corn tortillas) and whole beans of all varieties are overlooked. Mexican food is naturally rich in vegetables, legumes, herbs and spices -- it is one of the few cultures in the world that has a whole-grain product as its staple. But this core knowledge of the cuisine got lost in translation and was replaced with the iconic Americanized Mexican food canon: "Mexican cheese blend," guacamole and loads of sour cream.

For garnishing purposes, Cotija cheese is generally used. Fish tacos are common in coastal states such as Jalisco and Baja California but not so much anywhere else. Pan dulce is vital to the Mexican diet, acting as a continental breakfast with extra creamy instant coffee (saving the organic Oaxacan beans for American coffee snobs) or at bedtime with cold milk. Gelatina (sweetened gelatin with fruit pieces) is the most prevalent sweet treat in all of México, acting as an artistic canvas for Mexican moms on birthday parties but also as a comfort food if you are sick. Tortas are also recognized as "lonches" in Mexico, which is derived from the English language for the mealtime when the celebrated sandwich is eaten the most. By the way, the singular word for tamales is "tamal," not "tamale" and yes we eat them -- but only at Christmas!

Notes: This is a conditional list that consists of the average Mexican foods available in Los Angeles versus Mexican food in the country of México, it's subject to generational gaps and micro-regional exceptions. Though we live in a city where Mexican immigrants make up most of the foodservice workforce, there is not enough demand in the mainstream American market for those pre-Hispanic foods to thrive. Yet.

Foods that happened before the Spanish conquest are still daily staples to this day -- like nopalitos (cactus), several varietals of corn and cacao. The good news is that there is a small revolution taking place at the moment to reclaim forgotten regional variants and pay homage to the aforementioned Pre-Hispanic ingredients.

For more in-depth information about the evolution of Mexican food in Los Angeles and America, check out Gustavo Arellano's latest book, Taco USA.

Follow Javier Cabral and his beaner coverage on Twitter at @theglutster.

Location Info

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La Casita Mexicana

4030 E. Gage Ave., Bell, CA

Category: Restaurant

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Javier Cabral, Mexican Cusine, Mexican Food, Mexican Food Venn Diagram, Pre-Hispanic Food

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Max

What a load of crap. Im in mexico now. Ive eaten burritos with rice and beans in it from traditional stands. Hard tacos known as tortadas from traditional restaurants with sour cream and cheese ( cortija cheese). Enchiladas served with refried beans and tamales are sold in the 7/11s (not that they'd be good, but hardly constitutes Christmas only food). I'm currently in Mexico city and have travelled through playa de Carmen, tulum, cancun, isla mujueres.

Tuzzolino

I guess I'm lucky living in El Norte. I cut my gums on all kinds of Mexican food in So. Cal (apparently my parents knew the good places) But up here on the far North coast, I can get all the Nopales, Cortijo, raw jalepeno, whole bean dishes I want. Another lucky guero!

FML

Actually, they do eat a wide range of fish and seafood tacos in Mexico, especially in coastal areas like Baja. However, they are different from the cheesy-ass tacos that many places in LA serve.

MattStoner

This article is slightly informative, and I suppose I might have enjoyed reading it if not for the idea that "only Mexicano/a(s)" can truly understand eating food from their homeland, and the "Gabacho/a(s)" dont have the mental capacity to identify and consume foods from Mexico if they didn't have your authority and the generations of knowledge a Mexican may possess to guide them. How about you step outside your comfort zone and do a few articles on:NY.'s Idea of Israeli Food vs. What Israeli's Really Eat orPortland's Idea of Somali Food vs. What Somali's Really Eat orMinneapolis's Idea of Hmong Food vs. What Hmong Really Eat orGlendale's Idea of Armenian Food vs. What Armenians Really EatNow you think of one.

Your line of logic stating that in LA, a burrito or tacos(or authentic Mexican Cuisine) is everywhere you look, but that most (non Mexican) Angelinos only know from Taco Bell or Applebees yummy flour tortilla Quesadillas filled with cheddar cheese is just weak and short sighted.

Mr. Cabral, all this article does is make non Mexicans feel stupid because they didn't have the privilege of being born Mexican and had the audacity of not being raised eating "real" Mexican foodYou suck.

Theglutster

Thank you for your suggestions, though this is LA Weekly and not Portland Weekly, Minneapolis Weekly or any other of those city publications. Gabacho's can enjoy and understand Mexican food too, in fact, this city is lucky to have many of them. They are doing great things. Now, off you go and enjoy your Huitlacoche quesadillas.

Mauro

No love for the torta? Fail.

Theglutster

The torta and its spot in American Mexican food culture is mentioned in the prose component of the study, thank you.

Mauro

"Gabacho" is a racist term and has no place in civilized discourse.

MTkill_a_manJaro

*gasp!* you mean chili's has been lying to me?!

Ive had real mexican food, i love real mexican food and do wish people would know the difference. But honestly, i dont have that much animosity toward "americanized mexican" or tex-mex food. But like most people, I just wish restaurants called what they serve what it is, or more realistically, stop using words like "real" or "authentic" mexican food to describe their chicken quesadillas.

I have seen a positive movement in that direction where restaurants have stopped doing that but theres still small mom and pop and chain restaurants still doing it.

sam

I would very much like to be hit by the Americanized Mexican food cannon.

Noelle Royer

I abhor sour cream on my Mexican food... and since moving to Seattle, there's really nada up here that even FITS for Mexican food. BOO HISS.

Chocolateidea

Liked the article. As a gringo living in Oaxaca for some time, the staple you missed is soup. Every Oaxacan I know eats soup for lunch. It might be the tasty but rapidly boring tomato/chicken stock with little strips of pasta (sopa de caldoza), the local aztec or black bean soup. Or perhaps the wonderful soap de guias-if chicken is anywhere in the menu you can bet on caldo de pollo often with vegetables and served with a side of cut up cilantro, onions and chili and of course always lime. somtimes a simple soup of nopales or a cream soup of corn, mushroom or poblano. But always soup!

Avc_650

Oaxaca is my hometown! how do you make a living there?

Stevi3

Great article. I did not know that "Mexican is one of the few cultures in the world that has a whole grain product as its staple" Where can I find whole grain, healthy Mexican food in Los Angeles?

zacatuercaz

Befriend a Mexican. Go to his/her mamas house.

Theglutster

By simply asking for corn (a whole grain) instead of flour tortillas, enjoy!

Ultimatebandgirl

Very informative

Kathleen Taormina

ain't that the truth (about the article). Fart -- you've never been to Taco Bell or any of the Mexican chain restaurants?

FART

I'd say the "Angelenos" portion of the diagram is completely inaccurate. I've never once had a hard shell taco or yellow cheese on one in LA and I've had more than a few tacos.

Dave Lieberman

You've never been to any of the Mexican restaurants with the orange signs in the South Valley? I mean, Henry's Tacos, Ernie's Taco House, Tequilas? No?