But not all Mexican restaurants take the same stringent approach to technique or culinary accuracy.
Hailing from Mexico City, the chef of Miami’sLa Santa Taqueriacalls the dish Americanized and inauthentic.
Queso is another menu item that can vary dramatically between authentic and phoned-in.
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Another “Mexican” item to steer clear of is fajitas.
Holding no punches, he calls them “essentially as American as apple pie.”
Food isn’t the only menu item that can teeter on sacrilege.
Instead, the chef recommends ordering an agave-based drink or a beer.
“Only order wine where there is a real [wine] program.”
And when it comes to agave-based drinks, fresh is best.
So saysTroy Guard, founder and executive chef of Denver’sTAG Restaurant Group.
“When making a margarita, it’s so important to use fresh limes.
You really can taste a difference in a drink when the citrus is freshly squeezed.”
At his Mexican concept,Los Chingones, they use fresh orange and lime juice for all margarita variations.
