
It usually doesn’t have chocolate, and it doesn’t require 36 ingredients. Texas chefs are putting their own local, seasonal spin on the classic dish.
José R. Ralat is Texas Monthly's taco editor, writing about tacos and Mexican food. He is the author of American Tacos: A History & Guide. José has written for Eater, Imbibe, Dallas Observer, D Magazine, Vice, Cowboys & Indians magazine, Gravy, and other national and regional online and print media outlets. José is also a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and serves on the advisory board of Foodways Texas.
Mar 1, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
It usually doesn’t have chocolate, and it doesn’t require 36 ingredients. Texas chefs are putting their own local, seasonal spin on the classic dish.
Feb 25, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: Aaron Franklin's steak taco recipe, Wichita's booming taco scene, and a strange new addition to Taco Bell's menu.
Feb 22, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Taco trucks mobilized to feed hungry Texans during the storm, and now they could use your support. Here are nine tips for first-timers.
Feb 11, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: heart-shaped taco boxes for Valentine’s Day, breakfast tacos with grits, and a new Topo Chico flavor.
Feb 11, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Thanks to thoughtful experimentation and carefully crafted hybrid dishes, cultural appreciation has become the hallmark of contemporary Texas food.
Feb 10, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
El Salvador’s national dish shines at Santos Tacos in Crowley (make sure to try the tacos, too).
Feb 5, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
John Hernandez's Casa Masa carries on the traditions he learned in his grandmother’s kitchen.
Feb 2, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
The Asian nation's food is on the rise in Texas. A recent pop-up collaboration shows how Tex-Mex is giving it a helping hand.
Jan 28, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Food & Wine says so, and we agree. Plus: openings and closings around Texas.
Jan 22, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Walk-up sales have helped keep restaurants afloat in the pandemic—and they're likely to long outlast it.
Jan 20, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
You might have to wait an hour to try this hearty, comforting broth, but it's worth it.
Jan 14, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: the Houston Heights gets a new taco stand and Midland gets a Baja-style eatery.
Jan 12, 2021 — By José R. Ralat
The unusual salsa has become the state’s must-have Mexican condiment.
Dec 30, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus, Texas tacos hit best of 2020 lists, Houston gets two new taco joints, and Gal Gadot tries Taco Bell.
Dec 22, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Steamed for up to an hour in woven baskets, these tacos are a Mexico City favorite.
Dec 17, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: mapping Houston's best tamales and resurrecting old favorites from Taco Bell.
Dec 15, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
From the classic (Matamoros-style tacos) to the adventurous (birria wontons, anyone?), these are the best dishes I sampled this year.
Dec 10, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
We set the record straight and offer several favorite options to fill your belly while fueling up your tank.
Dec 10, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
We tried dozens of them and compiled this definitive ranking.
Dec 3, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Don’t know a comal from a molcajete? We break it down (and share an easy recipe for discada, a northern Mexican grilled meat dish).
Dec 3, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: the only thing better than an ugly Christmas sweater is a taco-themed ugly Christmas sweater.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Your guide to the many types of tacos around the state, where to find them, and how to enjoy them!
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Specialized taquerias and modernist Mexican restaurants offer more choices than ever before.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
This Tex-Mex wonderland of a city has some of the best taquerias in the state.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
A roundup of the city's best offerings, from beefy burritos to modernist cuisine.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
There's a taste of everything in this city, from upscale Mexican cuisine to trucks specializing in globally inspired delights.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Where to find the region's specialties, from mammoth breakfast tacos to old-school barbacoa.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
These taquerias, trucks, and restaurants show why this region is one of the best in the state for tacos.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
The Dallas restaurant is a shrine to the owner’s love of lucha libre and his native Guadalajara.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
This gem of a restaurant in El Paso keeps tortilla traditions alive.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Nicole Blaque stands out in San Antonio with her one-of-a-kind Jamaican tacos.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Dallas's Regino “Gino” Rojas stands out in Texas for his wildly creative food and his willingness to take risks (who says you can’t open a new restaurant concept during a pandemic?).
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
San Antonio's Alejandro Paredes helped changed the scene by focusing on one kind of taco.
Nov 18, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
The Austin trailer is one of the few Texas trucks that sell legitimate Mexico City–style street tacos.
Oct 28, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Stuttering is finally in the spotlight, thanks to Joe Biden’s campaign and the announcement of a groundbreaking new University of Texas research center. But it’s always been part of my life.
Oct 22, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus, we raise our eyebrows at Ina Garten's enchilada recipe.
Oct 19, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Chef Alex Padilla skipped lunch one day, then nodded off. The result is an enormous, one-of-a-kind Tex-Mex burger.
Oct 14, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Two new Dallas concepts expertly combine Asian and Mexican flavors and methods, and a new concept from the chefs at Mixtli, in San Antonio, will soon do the same.
Oct 8, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Taco Cabana has gone too far.
Oct 6, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Ancient, colonial, and contemporary traditions are woven together in Dia de Los Muertos—and baked into the holiday's signature bread.
Sep 29, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
The Mexico City dish remains rare in Texas, but it's starting to take off in Austin.
Sep 24, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: an absurd device that promises to make eating a burrito easier, and Taco Bell's jalapeño pinot noir.
Sep 22, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Nine tips for sampling the state's taco scene without jeopardizing your health or anyone else’s.
Sep 10, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: a cheesy dish that's half pizza, half quesadilla.
Sep 7, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Alma’s Paleteria stands out for its emphasis on fresh, natural ingredients.
Aug 31, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus, our recipe for the celebratory dish.
Aug 27, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Plus: a new Mexican sushi option in San Antonio, Lubbock's best breakfast tacos, and tacos versus pumpkin spice.
Aug 25, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
Including cookies and beer.
Aug 24, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
For decades, many Texans accepted racist stereotypes that Mexican food was unsafe. Businesses had to emphasize their cleanliness to survive.
Aug 14, 2020 — By José R. Ralat
More and more Texas chefs are reconnecting with their roots by making artisan tortillas from scratch.
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