Despite its legendary status as a benchmark in fine interior Mexican cuisine, Austin American Stateman food critic Mike Sutter was clearly NOT impressed with his recent visit.  He is certainly was aware of over 3 decades of untarnished praise bestowed upon FSM by food writers, much of it from the Stateman itself…but just maybe things have slipped with the newest head chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas.

We weren’t prepared for the room-temperature preparation of the relleno (neither the menu nor the waiter mentioned it). I was disappointed by the chopped tuna filling, which reminded me of canned fish. Even with olives and capers, two Anaheim peppers and a side of heirloom beans, the dish was a washout of soft textures and even softer flavors.

Sutter goes onto to DISS the award winning interior design art collection as “tacky and carnivalesque” and their famous Sunday brunch as “like eating in a storage room”…And don’t get him started on the Angels on Horseback, “a trainwreck of stiff textures and a sour-sea aroma…”

Of course, its not ALL BAD – he does say like 2 nice things, but i think its just to be diplomatic…read for yourself

OK – I will admit that my last visit for Sunday Brunch was not quite as amazing as previous euphoric experiences…and with great new spots like Garrido’s and La Condesa popping up to challenge the throne of Interior Mex – I’d say Fonda better keep their game tight – but that’s as far as i would go – Fonda is still the king to me…until further notice.

cabeza

Ever wondered how to turn a Taco Bell Fail feast into a gourmet dish?  Fancy Fast Food shows you how to make a TacoBellini from a Burrito Supreme…Yes, its still liable to give you giardia, but doesn’t it look fancy?

California Love
ATX Taco Blogger El Mundo de Mando (of Taco Journalism) blogs his Taco Crawl through San Francisco’s Mission district for SFweekly. La Taqueria and Taqueria Pancho Villa both received high marks.  He goes on to weigh the pros & cons of Tacos vs. Burritos…is it even close, Mando?? (SFweekly)

Eat This Lens!
local photographer has some stunning shots from their recent Houston Taco Tour…nice work Marshall.

Houston’s Top 10 Taco Trucks
H-town’s finest mobile tacos – as compiled by the honorable and knowledgable Robb Walsh…El Ultimo (My favorite) comes in at a respectable #3….and the winner is >

Barbacoa 2 ways
Señor Robb Walsh gives us a detailed recipe and history lesson on the all-but-extinct art of Mexican Mutton BBQ, Barbacoa de Borrego…Also, peep Robb’s video tutorial on Backyard Barbacoa, AKA smoked cow head.

> NEW South Austin music venue/taco shop opens this Saturday | Its called Villa’s Music Garden – just north of Hill’s Cafe on S. Congress.  Shout out to our boy Shawn Nelson, who’s on this inaugural bill | event page

> Houston Taco Truck Tour by Camera Phone

> Austin Bloggers take the Houston Taco Tour 2009
Long Point Drive is Houston’s version of South 1st Street. taco Mecca.

> “Show Me Your Taco” is going to Iowa July 6th for a Taco Tour good luck Nelson, but if Davenport is any indication – Iowa tacos pretty much blow cabritos.  Sorry, el Boz.

> Stop Laughing at THIS retarded preacher, or you’re going to Hell

Wall Street Journal, that is…check out this article on gourmet food trucks, a trend that’s sweeping the country and bridging the gap between expensive restaurants and fast food:

Jeff Blank, Owner of Might Cone

Jeff Blank, chef and owner of Hudson’s on the Bend, in Austin, Texas, where the average check is $75, rolled out a lunch truck in March. The truck, called the Mighty Cone, specializes in fried chicken, shrimp and avocado coated with a mixture of almonds, sesame seeds, cornflakes and chili flakes; average checks are under $10. At Hudson’s, revenue is off by 20% to 25% compared with two years ago, Mr. Blank says, but revenues from the truck have made up for those losses and even allowed him to hire extra staff.

Good Stuff and congrats on Blank’s success. TacoTown will always be children of the cone.

eat this...now eat this...

Cooking for your date can get you laid (Unless you’re this douche).  Think about it- you’ve already got her “back to your place”.  Plus, its easier on the wallet and, thanks to the interwebs, finding decent recipes is not an issue. peep this:

www.cooktobang.com – simple, effective methods for of enjoying the two greatest pleasures, food and sex.

So, learn to cook…or get used to doggy bags & blue balls.  Cook to Bang has plenty of Taco Town friendly recipes that should also assist in panty droppin’.  see below >

• mo’ lays chicken mole
• oh god don’t stop! jalapeno poppers
• fishy pink tacos
  
• simple sexy salsa
• roasted tomatillos para mis amigos
  
• horizontal mambo mango salsa
• senorita lupita’s cactus fajitas
• break you off something burrito
• huevos grande rancheros

Carnitas taco - fresh guacamole, salsa, thick corn tortilla

Roadfood Digest says its this one from Los 5 Puntos on East Cesar Chavez

Great Taco Hunt seems to agree

cabeza

Al (of focus) Pastor Taco

Fuego’s was started up by a family of ex-patriate californians. Cabeza and I ate there about a year ago, and remember the place having a promising menu..but it was understaffed and seemed to be on a shoe-string budget.  I just checked out some of the recent reviews on Chowhound, and Fuego’s looks to be finding its groove. The fish tacos are a consensus highlight…We’ll be back for a followup visit soon. Oh yeah, and its BYOB and right next to a liquor store.. They are at a strange location.. on lamar, just south of 183..It takes a u-turn to get there if you’re coming from the south.. more reviews on yelp

Fuego’s
Authentic Mexican & California Cuisine
7600 North Lamar Blvd.
Austin, TX 78752
512-524-1164

Our good friend Elizabeth AKA The Wandering Teacher has been wandering (and blogging) her way “Around the World” since August…Right now she’s partying with the soccer hooligans in Brazil, but already she’s seen the ancient ruins of Tikal, climbed volcanos near Antigua, taught Kindergarten in Nicaragua, and of course she’s eaten tacos in Honduras.

You never really know what you are going to get when you order food anywhere while you are traveling. There is a lot lost in translation. When you are hungry, you will eat just about anything… A lot of my orders is pointing & praying. I have broadened my horizons tremendously as I travel. (Crazy to think that I didn’t eat EGGS till I went to Spain.)

In Central America I have learned that “enchiladas” are actually “tacos” and vice-versa. This meal was in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and cost me $1.50 (The refresco’s are almost more expensive than the actual meals.) In general the street food has been delicious & super cheap. One of the best parts of this meal is we traveled back in time to some cheesy 80s tunes because the cafe played VH1 classics! (I have been surprised how many cheesy 80’s love ballads are still played here in Central America.)

We are very spoiled with homemade salsa back home. The “hot sauce” has been less than par throughout Central America. It comes in a squirt bottles and always super runny.  Read the rest here…

Look for an official Taco Town review from The Wandering Teacher soon…

\cabeza

Lisa Fain of the Homesick Texan blog gives an entertaining and informative recap of her experience as a preliminary judge for the 2008 Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival.  There’s even a bonus tomatillo salsa recipe at the end of her post..

There were about 30 of us gathered around the table, and as there were over 1,000 salsas for us to work our way through, we didn’t try each one. Instead, each little group seated in the immediate vicinity would go through a stack of salsas with three votes of yes meaning the sauce moved on to the next round to be judged by local food celebrities, and three votes of no meaning that salsa was out of competition. Read the Full Post >