Regional food, message for TEXANS

[Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer]

Hi there --

Jim Flanagan wrote:

> As a native-born Texan and sometime resident of California, New York,
> and now North Carolina, I can say that without a doubt the best
> Mexican restaurant in history was Manuel's Crispy Taco, on 2nd street
> in Odessa Texas. I say "was" advisedly, because although it's still
> open under the same name, it's not a shadow of what it was 30-
> something years ago :(

<huge wave to fellow former Odessan>  In case ya'll didn't know, we
have, strangely enough, 2 moderators who were both born in this
Godforsaken-middle-of-nowhere-in-West-Texas town (known by my husband as
Slow-Deatha if that tells you anyway).  I was *raised* on Manuel's
Mexican food every weekend, and I can even remember what it was like 30
years ago, Jim!  I wasn't yet in school of course.  <vbg>  But, I
remember it all the same.  And, I agree with Jim's assessment: it was
fabulous.  Was is the correct term too, sadly.  My parents haven't been
there in probably 10 years.

> The taco shells were "puffed" (how else can I describe them?); the
> hot sauce was *hot*; the taco meat was exquisitely spiced, with
> exactly the right amount of comino; the beans were refried nice and
> dry; and the Spanish rice set a standard that has never been equaled.
> Oh, and you could order hot, steamed corn tortillas with butter, yum!

The hot sauce was perfect .... I've never found anything else to match
it.  A puffed taco shell covered in chili con queso ..... YUM!  The
enchilada sauce also sticks out in my mind as being quite excellent.

As far as fast-food Mexican goes, Taco Villa (a West Texas chain) has
never been equaled.  Do you agree or disagree with that assessment Jim?
:--)

Penny
(who's going to have to persuade Bryce to go out for Mexican tonight
after all this talk!)

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