Off topic but I had probably the best margarita, definitely in Georgia – possibly the USA, last week at Tin Lizzy’s. It was the “Fall off of the House” version made with 1800 100 proof tequila. Now I’m a Don Julio man myself but this was a very kick ass drink. It may have been the bartender as our waitress said she’s known to be an awesome margarita maker (shouldn’t that be prerequisite?), but regardless it reminded me very much of versions I’ve had in Mexico which were high on tequila, low on syrup. Obviously the food is pretty meh but if you want to get plastered, I’d recommend a visit.

This is traditional Tex-Mex (not only because of the spices incorporated in the dish)… For example, nachos are t-m. Again, at no point in time did I equate the quality of the food here to the relative authenticity of food put out in Mexico.

The food has it’s moments, but overall, I’m just not fond of it – regardless of the inspiration.

Authenticity, as part of a critical vocabulary, only makes sense in context. If Meredith Ford doesn’t provide the context, she’s dealing out a meaningless phrase. I’ve seen Chloe Morris review, for example, a Korean restaurant serving pho. She says the pho isn’t authentic, and then goes on to say why: that it lacked certain spices. And that alone isn’t a critique of food without further explanation, which is that lacking those spices, the pho lacked flavor.

I don’t know about you, FB, but mastery of a cuisine and great flavor trumps whether we cook the cow the same way our ancestors in the 13th century did (lacking such modern tools, as oh, refrigeration and and understanding of sanitary conditions).

It’s unfortunate, therefore, that the nachos here have gone downhill. I loved the nachos at the old Checkered Parrot. It’d be nice to see a place that sauteed their meat thin sliced, cooked with mushrooms and onions and tossed that over tortilla chips. Peppers too.

Dangit, now I’m hungry.

FnS.