[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Blueblaze

Like most folks (myself included), I see you like TexMex, not Mexican. Unfortunately, the farther you get from the Texas, the less likely you are to get TexMex. Real Mexican restaurants are usually run by real Mexicans, and that's what you usually find, when you find a Mexican restaurant 1,500 miles from Texas.

I haven't had a decent fajita since we moved here from Houston. Like Quesadilla's, it's not a dish you would find in Mexico. And I completely agree -- tacos are not improved with pork or shredded beef, much less fish! But I love fajita burritos if they're made with real grilled steak.

That said, I think Ay Jalisco is better than some of the other Mexican joints we've tried here. I'd hate to see them close.

Ay! Jalisco isn't Tex-Mex, and that definitely might be the problem. They're South-Western Mexican, near Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco is a state). I always get the shredded beef tacos. It's more like a combination of a guisada and barbacoa - tougher shreds of beef from a stew, and sometimes there's pieces of potato in it. It's very wet, which is why I think it's probably part of a carne guisada (beef stew). Their salsa is thin, and they've changed the recipe so I think it's no longer ketchup-based (which is a western Mexican thing and an acquired taste for Americans).

It's a family owned-and-operated restaurant. Unfortunately they use a mix for their pina coladas so I can't recommend those, but this seems to be common around here.

Ground beef tacos is absolutely an American thing, not a Mexican thing. The best tacos are carne asada (marinated skirt-steak), chopped onion, cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime and a squirt of salsa roja on a double-stack of small, made-to-order soft tortillas. You can't get good ones in The Villages at all.

There's a place I get them on 301, and they're outstanding. Two asada tacos and a bottle of Mandarin Jarittos, it hits the spot. Most of their customers are Mexican, and most of the non-Mexican customers are from somewhere in South America. Hearing them talk in Spanish with each other, with all those different accents and regionalisms adds to the experience. That and the chickens that sometimes wander through the outdoor eating area - which is pretty entertaining. It's like visiting a friend in Mexico and being served lunch in their back yard. Always a treat.

But all you ground beef taco eaters stay away, and don't take up space in line there. Stick to your Taco Bell.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Can someone please explain to me why you can get taco sauce at Taco Bell, but, when you order tacos at any other restaurant, they don't even know what taco sauce is?

Because "taco sauce" isn't called "taco sauce" anywhere else. Ask for red sauce, or salsa roja. If you're getting it at a taqueria, tread lightly with the squeeze bottle. They make it with arbol chiles, which are considered "medium hot" compared to jalapenos which are "medium".

I have a bottle one of my in-laws made for me, made with habanero (which is considered "hot" as compared to "medium-hot" and "medium"). A few drops in the meatloaf recipe gives it a yummy tang.

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

...
There's a place I get them on 301, and they're outstanding. Two asada tacos and a bottle of Mandarin Jarittos, it hits the spot. Most of their customers are Mexican, and most of the non-Mexican customers are from somewhere in South America. ...

Viva Mexico Taqueria?

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Can someone please explain to me why you can get taco sauce at Taco Bell, but, when you order tacos at any other restaurant, they don't even know what taco sauce is?

Since Taco Bell is not authentic Mexican cuisine, is it any wonder that the little packs of chili and vinegar are not real Mexican salsa (Spanish for sauce)?

[Cuervo]

I've eaten there once, for my taste I would not go back.
But you have to keep in mind that everyone has their own view of what is good and not.
It's like N.Y. pizza vs Chicago pizza if you want to call it that.

[Ski Bum]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Can someone please explain to me why you can get taco sauce at Taco Bell, but, when you order tacos at any other restaurant, they don't even know what taco sauce is?

Because taco sauce is not Mexican food. Ground beef is not mexican food. Burritos are not Mexican food. Fajitas are not Mexican food. Chips and salsa is definitely not Mexican food. Ay Jalisco is fine, you just need to order the Mexican food, not the Americanized garbage. The cooks hold their noses when they make that stuff. Look at a map of Mexico, it's mostly shoreline... that means seafood. Also soup... there are 6 varieties on the menu. For meat, ribs are authentic, although I haven't had them there. Tacos al carbon, al pastor, de camaron, de pescado, asada, all are authentic. If you like heat, get the Camarones al la diabla, they are spectacular. On a hot day, get the shrimp cocktail. It's a huge meal. Don't get me wrong, I like me some pink slime tacos from Taco Bell, but that's not Mexican food.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Since Taco Bell is not authentic Mexican cuisine, is it any wonder that the little packs of chili and vinegar are not real Mexican salsa (Spanish for sauce)?

I'm confused because Publix sells a lot of different types of "salsa", but they also sell taco "sauce". I may be uninformed, but I prefer tacos made with ground beef and topped with taco sauce, not shredded beef topped with salsa. Also, I like to pick it up in my hand, and not eat it with a knife and fork. I like burritos that way too, and not covered with cheese. And, I don't like refried beans and rice served with every dish.

[thevillagernie]

Originally Posted by Randall55

I remember going to the restaurants in the Villages for the first time. Disappointment is an understatement. After nearly 20 years living here, I cannot give you a solid recommendation. One or two items are tasty in most of the restaurants. You should try various dishes until you find something you like. Orlando and Ocala have great restaurants. The only time we dine out is when we are out of the bubble.

just wait awhile,there flowing across the border and will be building a place for us to eat.....

[coleprice]

Originally Posted by shaw8700@outlook.com

If ever you find yourself tootling along in your golf cart, feeling rather peckish, and you pass Ay Jalisco, just keep going. Nothing to ‘eat’ here.

My wife and I love to eat at Moe's, which is on 441/27 near The Villages. They will make your Taco or Burrito with the meat and "toppings" that you designate. They also have a Salsa Bar with 5 or 6 different salsas, so you can add the sauce that you desire. Their prices are reasonable.

[RobinM]

There is one other state that should be in this discussion - New Mexico. I lived there for 12 years and fell in love with the way New Mexican restaurants prepare their food. Rarely do I find a restaurant outside that state run by NEW Mexicans. I have to go to New Mexico to get the Mexican foods I crave. But Ay Jalisco isn’t so bad for me and my husband.

[crash]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Very mediocre food and terrible service. I asked the server if they could make the tacos with ground beef. She said yes, but brought me tacos with shredded pork, and never returned to the table. I left no tip.

I hate to say it, but the best tacos in The Villages are at Taco Bell. They use ground beef, and they have actual taco sauce. Other Mexican restaurants use shredded beef or chicken, and, if you ask for taco sauce, you get a blank stare.

Have you ever been to Mexico ground beef is not in a taco. The food at Taco Bell isn’t even close to what Mexican food should be. You obviously were raised on fast food and that is ok but don’t knock a Mexican restaurant for making Mexican food.

[La lamy]

It's not gourmet food, but I've enjoyed the people watching on the patio and gigantic margaritas!

[crash]

Originally Posted by Ski Bum

Because taco sauce is not Mexican food. Ground beef is not mexican food. Burritos are not Mexican food. Fajitas are not Mexican food. Chips and salsa is definitely not Mexican food. Ay Jalisco is fine, you just need to order the Mexican food, not the Americanized garbage. The cooks hold their noses when they make that stuff. Look at a map of Mexico, it's mostly shoreline... that means seafood. Also soup... there are 6 varieties on the menu. For meat, ribs are authentic, although I haven't had them there. Tacos al carbon, al pastor, de camaron, de pescado, asada, all are authentic. If you like heat, get the Camarones al la diabla, they are spectacular. On a hot day, get the shrimp cocktail. It's a huge meal. Don't get me wrong, I like me some pink slime tacos from Taco Bell, but that's not Mexican food.

Sorry to say but a burrito is Mexican food. To a Mexican it is just a form of taco. Search for a show taco chronicles on Netflix each show covers a type of taco. Season 2 episode 5 burrito. Episode 4 is the American taco you guessed it not Mexican but they assimilated it and made it there own.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by crash

Have you ever been to Mexico ground beef is not in a taco. The food at Taco Bell isn’t even close to what Mexican food should be. You obviously were raised on fast food and that is ok but don’t knock a Mexican restaurant for making Mexican food.

I was commenting on their terrible service. The server told me that she could bring tacos made with ground beef. Then, she dropped off tacos made with shredded pork and immediately left without a word. She didn't return to the table again, which is something a server should never do. The server should always check back with the customer. I usually leave a generous tip, but, in this case, I left no tip.

[Blueblaze]

Originally Posted by Carla B

Agreed. My love for Tex-Mex was cultivated over many years in Houston. Usually, though, when we visited Tex-Mex restaurants, we opted for cheaper Tex-Mex combos with enchiladas, tacos, and, of course, rice and beans. etc. When we did splurge on fajitas, I loved Pappasitos (any location) or Ninfa's on Navigation. Whose did you enjoy?

Pappasitos and Ninfa's are the best, obviously, but we usually went to Gingo's or Chuy's. Cheaper and closer (we lived in Cypress). Heck, even Taco Cabana was better than any Mexican I've had in Florida.

Ninfa's actually invented the fajita, if I'm not mistaken.

As a native Tulsan, I thought I liked "Mexican" until I had fajita enchiladas at a Chuy's in San Antonio, one time on a business trip to the IBM RS6000 research center. To this day, I remember it as the best Mexican I ever had. The place looked like a dump, with hubcaps on the walls for decor. I didn't realize until we moved to Houston years later that it was a chain, and eating in a place that looked like a dump was a genuine Texas thing.