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Experts Dish On The Best Tacos And Tex-Mex In Texas And Where You Can Find It

From Dallas to San Antonio, the Lone Star State is known for its Tex-Mex. On Think, Krys Boyd talked with Mando Rayo, co-author of “The Tacos of Texas” and Sylvia Casares, author of “The Enchilada Queen Cookbook: Enchiladas, Fajitas, Tamales, and More Classic Recipes from Texas-Mexico Border Kitchens” about two staples of the cuisine.

The KERA Interview

http://traffic.libsyn.com/kerathink/KERA_Think_11-03-16_HR_2.mp3

Mando Rayo on:

… best tacos Al Pastor in Dallas:  

“My probably first stop there is Trompo. It’s just amazing. It’s kind of like the cousin, or the taco cousin of the Al Pastor, but with different spices, and it’s kind of from the Monterrey. Definitely, La Nueva Fresh and Hot. So, that place is a tortilleria, but they have some amazing guisados. She’s using her mom’s recipes, and I love what she’s doing there, and it’s super spicy, which is awesome. I would say, as well as, like we know for an Al Pastor, El Come Taco, and then as well as kind of like more higher end, really focused on that quality is Urban Taco. It’s really good. It’s quality. They still do it on the trompo, and actually what they do is sizzle Manchego cheese on the tortilla and it’s like to die for.”  

Trompo's business boomed after Bon Appétit nod

This year, Trompo in West Dallas was named one of America's best new restaurants by Bon Appétit magazine. The family-owned taqueria is located next to a tire shop in the La Bajada neighborhood. It's quickly become a Dallas foodie sensation. And thanks to the magazine mention, business has skyrocketed.

Sylvia Casares on:

… what makes her enchiladas different:

“The first thing I do that makes the difference in the flavor of mine versus most anything else that’s served to the public, you know in restaurants, I do what I call in my cookbook the ‘Texas two-step.’ I have a sauce made from chilies, and we dip each tortilla in, each corn tortilla in. The way we typically do it is the day before, it doesn’t have to be that, but you can do it the day before or the day that you’re preparing your enchiladas. We dip the corn tortillas in the sauce, and then pass the tortilla through hot oil very, very quickly, and then fill it, roll it, sauce it and bake it.”  

For more on the tacos of Texas and the tradition of Tex-Mex, see related stories below.