I would like to first state that I am not putting down your typical Tex-Mex restaurant. Waco is full of great Mexican food, I.e. Tex-Mex restaurants. I have the intention to create a future blog post on many of them. But in this blog, I’d like to focus specifically on those considered to be more authentic and creative in their culinary taste in downtown Waco, Texas.
Throughout the world in many different countries, you will find that food is based on a certain region of a particular country. I know that that’s no different in Mexico. I’m sure that it’s based upon what’s available in that region. The coastal regions will have more fish, in the interior may have both fish and chicken, and that’s understandable.
By no means do I consider myself an expert in distinguishing what is Tex-Mex authentic. But I have been informed by those that are. I value their expertise because they are originally from Mexico. These restaurants have a tendency to use more fresh and not canned vegetables. They pride themselves in the from scratch methods of cooking. A quick Google search will explain different cooking techniques.
The four restaurants on the listing are not meant to be in any particular order. I’m not classifying them as one better than the other. I think they’re all great! Each of them has a different atmosphere. Their mom and Pop type restaurant, as opposed to larger companies.
In incomplete disclosure, I did not choose the dishes that we took pictures of and ate. I told them I was creating a blog and would like to shift to choose what he or she was most proud of. I have practiced this method for years. When I go into a restaurant that I know has an artistic type chef that takes pride in his creations, I want them to give me what they consider an expression of their creativity.
Just to keep from being repetitive. Each one of these restaurants gave us excellent service. We went on a Saturday and hit all four restaurants. We really had a good time! We ordered one dish for each restaurant. Either split or had a margarita to ourselves. We saw this as a great way to spend an afternoon. It would be wonderful if you had about 4 to 6 people going to each restaurant. Everybody could share one plate to get a taste. Remember we let the restaurant’s chef choose our plate.
#1. Cultural Mia Mexican Cuisine
123 N. 12th St, Waco, TX 76701
As an appetizer we had TOTOPO TRIO. Local favorite Jesse‘s tortilla chips, prepared with a trio of fresh guacamole, their warm herb salsa, and homemade quasi poblano.
For our main dish we had CHILE RELLENO. That is a Farr roasted chili poblano, stuffed with your choice of ground beef, savory, shredded chicken, or fresh quasi panels topped off with a savory herb and tomato sauce, served with rice and beans. Ours was with the savory shredded chicken.
We chose the appetizer because we’ve been to this restaurant before and love this. The main dish is what they chose. We couldn’t have been more pleased. It was absolutely delicious!
#2. Maria Mezcaleria
724 Austin Ave Ste 102, Waco, Texas 76701
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Our appetizer was fish ceviche. And our main dish was Enchilada Suizas. The ingredients of this dish are as follows: Two creamy tomatillo enchiladas, stuffed with chicken and drizzled with sour cream, quasi, fresco, and red onions. Served with rice and beans.
We loved them both! It’s so difficult to find words to describe such great food. And the margaritas were excellent. We basically just ordered skinny margaritas wherever we went. The margaritas were the only thing skinny about our entire day!
#3. Hecho En Waco Mexican Cuisine
300 S 6th St Ste B, Waco, Texas 76701
Well, by this time we were so full we did not order any appetizers. So we skipped right to the main course. This is the plate they chose for us. And we were delighted!
Che’s Tacos. Two cantos tacos on a double stacked corn tortilla filled with cheese in between, avocado, pickled onions, and tomatillo sauce. Served with rice and black beans.
Definitely, we should have filled this day with a couple of friends to help us with this food Haul!
As in every other restaurant that we went to, you could tell everything was made fresh daily.
#4. Huaco Lounge
112 Mary Ave #2, Waco, Texas 76701
The main chef Sebastian wanted to show us a really good time. His son was a waiter. The service was excellent. Our main course is listed below.
Sebastian’s “Asada” Ribeye
A Bed of Rice Topped with a Ribeye, Served with Pico, Guacamole, Thre Flour Tortillas, and a Side of Bean Soup.
And of course we had plenty of margaritas. I promise we did not drink to excess. We just each had one. I think it was diluted by all the food we ate that day.
We did not order dessert, but they wanted to surprise us with their dessert. Sebastian brought us this.
Churro Teepee
Cup of vanilla ice cream, Churro Tower (Choice of Flavors) & with seasonal fruit toppings. We just hated eating this! Mainly because it was too good, if you know what I mean.
It’s not my intention in this blog to pick a winner. They’re all good! I numbered them one through four just to give differentiation between them. Not to say that number one was better than number four.
I grew up only knowing Tex-Mex. Even though there are some similarities or should I say quite a few similar ingredients, Tex-Mex and what I would call authentic Mexican food restaurants, they both have a goodness of their own. There’s a uniqueness in many of the sauces and ingredients in the authentic variety of Mexican food that I have not experienced in the traditional Tex-Mex cuisine.
I think it also enhanced my experience by going into a restaurant with the anticipation of finding something new and different. It may even be possible the staff and the chefs along with the managers, enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm I felt to be there and cause them to enjoy this experience with me. It was a fun day for all of us.
I wish you could try each one of these restaurants. They all have something to offer and have a unique style all their own. For other dining options in Waco, be sure to check out the restaurant section on our Things to Do page.
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