I’ve been lucky to have spent a reasonable amount of time in Mexico, up to and including my most recent three week trip. I’ve been even luckier that this time has included several regions of the country. (I believe I’ve been to seven or eight of Mexico’s states.) And yet I feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of Mexican cuisine.

Mexico’s cuisine is a regional one. Yes, some things (tacos, for instance) are ubiquitous, but cooking styles, ingredients, and even flavor profiles as a whole can vary greatly. So although I’ve been exposed to a number of those regions, either by visiting or by experiencing those dishes elsewhere in the country (just as you can find a Southern comfort restaurant in New York, so can you find a Oaxacan restaurant in Mexico City), it will be a long and wonderful adventure to truly grasp the bounds of what Mexican food is.

So where does that leave us with this article? It leaves us at a starting point, an early understanding of some of the best food I’ve found in one of my favorite countries, and some things that might surprise Americans not used to authentic Mexican cuisine. And as my luck continues and I explore more of Mexico, and as that comprehension grows, I will add new chapters. Sound good? Ok, let’s go.

Americanized Mexican Food and its Authentic Counterpart

Mexican food is pretty widespread in the US, but much of it is Americanized. From the fast food of Taco Bell to the average Mexican cantina, the range will go from “we stuck stuff in a tortilla and gave it a Mexican name so therefore it’s Mexican” to “these are real dishes but we’ve adapted them for the American palate” for the most part. You’ll never find a taco supreme on a menu in Mexico, for instance.

But tacos are, as I said above, ubiquitous. And while you won’t find them with ground beef, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream, they will be recognizable to you. (The same goes for other categories of dishes, like enchiladas, where the vehicle will be familiar even if the ingredients are a bit different.) In Mexico, 90% of tacos will be what we would call soft tacos, with a soft tortilla (mainly corn, but some flour) rather than a hard shell. They will generally have a protein inside (although you can find some vegetarian as well, made with things like potato or nopales – cactus), and be topped with raw onions and cilantro, with salsas ranging in spice level on the side. And that is mostly it (exceptions like cabbage on a fish taco can happen, but still it’s simpler than you’ll see at home). Everything else you see on an American taco just doesn’t happen in Mexico.

The excitement is in the proteins. From al pastor (pork or chicken roasted with pineapple and spices) to tongue (lingua) to the more recognizable carnitas (pork confit) or carne asada (grilled steak), the range is phenomenal. You’ll typically buy them by the piece, so mixing and matching is part of the fun.

Occasionally, I’ll find a taco that totally surprises me, and I want to highlight one of those. In Puerto Vallarta, a local specialty is the jalapeño relleno taco, a jalapeño stuffed with local fish (marlin when I had one), then fried and put into a tortilla. Like I said, tacos have range.

Seafood is Abundant and Amazing

Mexico borders both the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. It extends into the Sea of Cortez and the Caribbean. Seafood here is awesome, and it can come as a surprise that there is so much of it on the average Mexican menu. Some of that will come as fish tacos, of course, but don’t limit yourself.

It seems that each coastal city in Mexico has its own seafood specialty. In Baja California that is sea bass, while Puerto Vallarta is known for shrimp. Eat what is local, and what is sustainably caught.

Often, it is prepared almost in a French style, gently pan seared or roasted, served as a fillet with sides. In 90% of cases, it will come with tortillas for you to turn it into tacos if you want. (This is assuming you eat at a Mexican restaurant and not an Italian one, or something else.)

In Mexico City, the most well known seafood restaurant is Contra Mar. Here, I was treated to the best grilled snapper of my life, rubbed with an adobo sauce, but their signature dish is the raw tuna tostada.

Southern Mexico Brings It!

Most of what Americans think of as Mexican food is from the northern part of the country, which makes sense given that’s where the border is. But let your taste buds travel south, to the Yucatán and to Oaxaca.

The Yucatán is tropical, and the most wonderful dish there is the tamale. Yes, that tamale, but instead of being steamed in a corn husk, it is done in a banana leaf, and with more of a sauce.

In Oaxaca, it is mole (pronounced mole-ay), one of the most complex styles of dish this side of Indian curry. There are three basic mole sauces (red, green, and black) and each uses upwards of twenty ingredients. Red is a base of dried chilis, green is made from pumpkin seeds, and black has bitter chocolate as its base. All have spice, sweetness, umami, and more complexity than just about anything you’ll try.

Most often, a mole will come with a protein, but if you go to Pujol, a two Michelin star restaurant in Mexico City, you’ll get two very different moles on a single plate, with just tortillas to taste it.

Variety is Key

The biggest takeaway I have from my explorations of Mexican cuisine so far is that the food is diverse. I can go out for “traditional” Mexican food every night in the same place for weeks and not repeat dishes, or even flavors. Like spicy food? You can have something chili-forward. Want to avoid protein? Vegetables with rice and beans are ever-present. Sick of meat? There is always fish, or vice versa.

And that variety extends to things Americans may never have heard of. Huitlacoche is a fungus that grows on corn, considered the Mexican truffle. Crickets and ants are part of the cuisine (and are salty and tasty). Cactus is eaten regularly. You can stay in your comfort zone or get as far out of it as you feel up for.

Conclusion

This is far from a comprehensive list, obviously. It is a mere glimpse at some of the initial discoveries you’ll find on a trip to Mexico, and a few of the ways you might be pleasantly surprised by one of the world’s great cuisines. I look forward to continuing my own immersion on future trips.

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