Dallas as the Mexican food capital of the US? The Snooze makes me laugh

Whether for traditional Mexican food or modern frou-frou, Leslie Brenner's call on Dallas to work for and claim this mantle makes me laugh.

First, on the traditional side, and the first modernization wave, Texans don't know real Mexican, outside of places in and near the Valley. Traditional generic Ameri-Mex foods were largely invented outside of Texas, like the burrito in Tucson. What Texans misspell and call "chili" is laughed at in New Mexico, the home of the oldest Mexican-American culture in the US.

Cali-Mex is, if not better than Tex-Mex by a lot, is by at least a bit.

Plus, Los Angeles can easily top Dallas on the frou-frou side. And per capita, Santa Fe, I mean Fanta Se, surely can.

As far as traditional, early modern plus frou-frou together, I'd take Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Tucson and Denver ahead of Dallas. Through out the frou-frou, I'd take Las Cruces.

Hell, I wouldn't even take Dallas first in Texas. For the whole enchilada of all three timespans together, I'd take San Antonio first. Austin might be second.

Through out the frou-frou, and El Paso is ahead of all. Lower Valley cities probably are, too.

Besides, knowing Leslie Brenner's food review history with the Snooze, I know how many jars of salsa to take this idea with. And, given the snootiness that has sometimes involved, maybe she and her Mexican food aspirations for Dallas are being hoist by the same large petard.

AP reporters’ arrogance toward ‘little people’ in Denver

While eating lunch at the EXCELLENT New Mex-Mex restaurant Jack-N-Grill Sunday (try the chile [sic] relleno burrito, or about anything), an AP editor, and other members of the Fourth Estate, showed up for lunch.

And, overlooking the fact that is a popular restaurant, it was Sunday lunch, and this is a relatively slow-paced restaurant with a price range of about everything under $15 and most items under $10, Mr. Pinstriped Suit Pants, especially, seemed to get a little huffy toward wait staff.

Dude, chill out. You were at the good end of the outdoor seating area, next to the propane chile roaster. (My burrito, made with two Hatch rellenos rather than one ancho, had chiles roasted earlier Sunday morning.)