418 replies to this topic
Posted 2008-08-16 23:46:58
There is a new Mexican Restaurant called Mamacita (A Taste of Mexico). It is in the Court Wing (not the main bldg) of the Royal President Hotel which is off Sukhumvit and down Soi 15 about 300 meters. You could also walk down Soi 19 from Suk, and take the first left (after 300 meters) and you would see it in the Royal Pres. Open from 11AM until 10PM and the owner's name is Bee.
It is a small place with some outside seating and about 15-20 seats inside (a/c). Prices for food seemed typical: Burrito 160b (set 190b), Nacho salad 150b, Fajita 160b, enchilada 160b, quesadilla 160b. Drink prices were soda 35b, Heineken beer 80b, 1 liter pitcher of margarita 500b.
I only tried the tortilla chips and homemade salsa which I liked. I saw an order of some Mex dish (Enchiladas I think) and it looked good. I plan to go back and try more items to see how it is.
Edited by farangene, 2008-08-16 23:49:22.
Posted 2008-08-17 02:36:30
 farangene, on 2008-08-16 23:46:58, said:
There is a new Mexican Restaurant called Mamacita (A Taste of Mexico). It is in the Court Wing (not the main bldg) of the Royal President Hotel which is off Sukhumvit and down Soi 15 about 300 meters. You could also walk down Soi 19 from Suk, and take the first left (after 300 meters) and you would see it in the Royal Pres. Open from 11AM until 10PM and the owner's name is Bee.
It is a small place with some outside seating and about 15-20 seats inside (a/c). Prices for food seemed typical: Burrito 160b (set 190b), Nacho salad 150b, Fajita 160b, enchilada 160b, quesadilla 160b. Drink prices were soda 35b, Heineken beer 80b, 1 liter pitcher of margarita 500b.
I only tried the tortilla chips and homemade salsa which I liked. I saw an order of some Mex dish (Enchiladas I think) and it looked good. I plan to go back and try more items to see how it is.
Thanks for the info, may be I'll try it out. Want to try Fajita.
Posted 2008-08-17 12:27:34
Charlie Brown's in Suk 11 do Fajitas too.
Posted 2008-08-18 14:42:42
JR Texas, on 2007-04-25 14:46:00, said: ...like back home in the great nation of TEXAS.
JR, shame on you 
That is the Republic of Texas
Posted 2008-08-22 08:23:55
mgjackson69, on 2008-08-18 14:42:42, said: JR Texas, on 2007-04-25 14:46:00, said: ...like back home in the great nation of TEXAS.
JR, shame on you
That is the Republic of Texas
"republic" for the old one........."nation" for the new one that will hopefully come..........either way we both know what is best for the state. AND, if you know Tex-Mex at places like Joe T. Garcias (Ft Worth) and El Fenix (Dallas), you know why I keep saying there is no Mexican food in Thailand.......I would add no Mexican food in Asia. Maybe some day it will come here, but by the time Thais and expats from Europe will think that "flashy, overpriced dog mess" is Mexican food. I wonder if Thais and European expats would even eat real Mexican food after recent events. I would still settle for Taco Bell, at least initially. And, as stated previously, I have never eaten at Miguels in Chiang Mai and will keep an open mind.
Posted 2008-08-22 08:38:53
JR Texas, on 2008-08-22 08:23:55, said: I have never eaten at Miguels in Chiang Mai and will keep an open mind.
Don't forget that Miguel's is California Style Mexican, rather than Tex Mex. For those of us who miss Mission Street Burritos, it is a Godsend, but it might not be exactly what a cowpoke from Texas is looking for. 
Posted 2008-08-22 10:16:40
Hi,
accepting the danger of being controversial,  but isn't all Mexican food and certainly all of the Chain Restaurant food either Tex Mex or Mex something ?
Real Mexican food, Mexico being a traditionally poorer country with lots of farmers etc. makes a lot of use of the cheaper parts of animals like offal in various sausages and stews. There certainly is no or little cheese in sight. One can not find "real" Mexican food anywhere else but in Mexico itself or may be in some Mexican quarters in the US which will be totally different than the offerings by "Mexican" rstaurants,
John
Posted 2008-08-22 12:51:21
There are lots of places in California that do old fashioned Mexican food and I would guess Texas and Arizona as well. A place like that won't have super-burritos, so I know right away that it is not what I'm looking for at lunchtime, but most of these super-burritos/Cal. Mexican places are right in the middle of the Mexican district of town - The Mission District in San Francisco - and are eaten mostly by Mexican Americans - not Gringos - but we like it too.
There are parts of Mexico that use cheese, sour cream and avocados in their food, so California Mexican is still traditional in many ways. I don't mind old fashioned Mexican food for dinner, but prefer California Mexican for lunch.
Taco Bell is not Mexican food in any sense, but it is influenced by it.
Edited by Ulysses G., 2008-08-22 13:01:36.
Posted 2008-08-22 13:18:10
JohnBKKK, on 2008-08-22 10:16:40, said: Hi,
accepting the danger of being controversial, but isn't all Mexican food and certainly all of the Chain Restaurant food either Tex Mex or Mex something ?
Real Mexican food, Mexico being a traditionally poorer country with lots of farmers etc. makes a lot of use of the cheaper parts of animals like offal in various sausages and stews. There certainly is no or little cheese in sight. One can not find "real" Mexican food anywhere else but in Mexico itself or may be in some Mexican quarters in the US which will be totally different than the offerings by "Mexican" rstaurants,
John
John, there are plenty of Mexican food restaurants in Southern California that serve authentic Mexican food in all of its various forms.... Though, it is correct that most of the larger "chains" tend to primarily serve Tex Mex choices.... Mexican food is so endemic in Southern California (my former home) that you can pretty much find anything you are hungering for in any style... somewhere.... even real Mexican chorizo!!! 
Posted 2008-08-22 14:09:25
jfchandler, on 2008-08-03 01:48:07, said: Greg, congratulations on the upcoming non-Thailand expansion plans.... Are Vietnam and Singapore going to be company or franchise ventures? And anything new about plans inside Thailand, for example, Pattaya or other???
Hi John,
Master Franchises outside Thailand.
As for Thailand, airport locations are in the works. Trying to squeeze in co-brands but the space is limited. We'll see on the designs this coming week.
www.sunrisetacos.com
24 hour delivery in Bangkok
http://www.chefsxp.com/sunrise
Posted 2008-08-22 14:25:22
Quote Chile rellenos, my favorite
Will be having Chile Relenos as our special of the Day on Saturday. Cheese stuffed in imported poblano peppers that have been fire roasted, dipped in batter and covered with our lightly spiced red sauce. Blistering fresh chilies is one of the reasons Mexican food taste so good. Yummm!!!
www.sunrisetacos.com
Posted 2008-08-22 14:34:23
jfchandler, on 2008-08-22 13:18:10, said: JohnBKKK, on 2008-08-22 10:16:40, said: Hi,
accepting the danger of being controversial, but isn't all Mexican food and certainly all of the Chain Restaurant food either Tex Mex or Mex something ?
Real Mexican food, Mexico being a traditionally poorer country with lots of farmers etc. makes a lot of use of the cheaper parts of animals like offal in various sausages and stews. There certainly is no or little cheese in sight. One can not find "real" Mexican food anywhere else but in Mexico itself or may be in some Mexican quarters in the US which will be totally different than the offerings by "Mexican" rstaurants,
John
John, there are plenty of Mexican food restaurants in Southern California that serve authentic Mexican food in all of its various forms.... Though, it is correct that most of the larger "chains" tend to primarily serve Tex Mex choices.... Mexican food is so endemic in Southern California (my former home) that you can pretty much find anything you are hungering for in any style... somewhere.... even real Mexican chorizo!!!
Anybody who even asks this question doesn't realize that huge portions of many large American cities might as well BE Mexico. Where do you think the tens of millions of Mexicans in the US eat? Taco Bell? All kinds of Mexican innard meat is easily available in the US but most gringos don't want it.
Posted 2008-08-22 14:37:01
Sunbelt Asia, on 2008-08-22 14:25:22, said: Quote Chile rellenos, my favorite
Will be having Chile Relenos as our special of the Day on Saturday. Cheese stuffed in imported poblano peppers that have been fire roasted, dipped in batter and covered with our lightly spiced red sauce. Blistering fresh chilies is one of the reasons Mexican food taste so good. Yummm!!!
www.sunrisetacos.com
Greg.... I have long loved those, the hotter the better....but haven't eaten in SO LONG.... the frying..the oil... the cheese....drives the fat/calorie content off the scale...
That said... I might be persuaded to indulge for one day... Are you offering the special at all your current locations??? And, just for Sat. Aug. 23.... or future Sats. as well???
Posted 2008-08-22 14:40:11
Why not just put chile relleno BURRITOS on the menu full time? They are always popular with the veggie crowd.
Posted 2008-08-22 14:45:19
khunopie, on 2008-08-05 05:30:43, said: Out of curiosity, how does sunrise get visas for all the filipinos who work there? Are they brought in as "consultants"? Taco engineers? Language teachers?
They get visas and work permits as cooks, assistant cooks, managers, assistant mgrs, quality control, and customer relations for foreign guests. Major pain with all the visa and work permit paperwork even if I have an advantage of owning a legal firm. We have over 60 Thai staff as well that do a good job working with us.
www.sunrisetacos.com
24 hour delivery in Bangkok
http://www.chefsxp.com/sunrise
Posted 2008-08-22 14:47:00
There's good mexican food?? 
Posted 2008-08-22 14:53:13
.
Quote My only minor complaint was several staff people who apparently had nothing to do, hovered close to my table singing songs and dancing around while I was trying to read a newspaper. A bit annoying but tolerable. I guess it is a small price to pay for a tasty meal.
I hope that Sunrise is "over the learning hump" and maintains and continues the improvements. I will add them back to my list of places I like to eat if I get another good experience there on my next visit.
Trying to get them have to more fun but singing songs and dancing? Wonder what the song was?
Thank you for stopping by. We have stepped it up a notch based on the hundreds of comment cards we see a week. Most of the improvements have to go to the Thaivisa forum pointing out what was wrong. Thanks Guys.
www.sunrisetacos.com
Posted 2008-08-22 14:57:32
Ulysses G., on 2008-08-21 22:51:21, said: There are lots of places in California that do old fashioned Mexican food and I would guess Texas and Arizona as well.
Ulysses, I think you've been in Thailand so long that you've lost track of the fact that nowadays there are large populations of Mexican immigrants living throughout the United States and not just in the border states. Within the past 15 years there has been an enormous migration of (mostly illegal) Mexican immigrants into the US and they have dispersed from coast to coast. Regardless of ones position on illegal immigration a plus side of this migration has been that there are now authentic Mexican restaurants all over the country. I'm talking about Mexican restaurants run by people who just left Mexico recently and have brought their food traditions along with them. A few clicks away at the US Census site shows that there are now around 774,000 Latinos (overwhelmingly Mexican) in Chicago. That is more than the entire population of the city of San Francisco. There are also significant populations of Mexicans (from Mexico not Mexican Americans) in small and medium sized cities and towns just about everywhere in the country. It can easily be argued that the food and cooking traditions of these newcomers is even more authentic than the Mexican food one finds in the border states where Mexican Americans have lived for many generations and whose food and cooking styles have evolved into the "California Mexican" and "Tex-Mex" styles of food. Next time you're back in the US take a drive through the Midwest and you'll find a Mexican neighborhood and Mexican restaurants in just about every town you pass through. You'll be amazed at how good the Mexican food is and it is neither California style or Tex-Mex.
Posted 2008-08-22 15:09:26
jfchandler, on 2008-08-22 08:37:01, said: Sunbelt Asia, on 2008-08-22 14:25:22, said: Quote Chile rellenos, my favorite
Will be having Chile Relenos as our special of the Day on Saturday. Cheese stuffed in imported poblano peppers that have been fire roasted, dipped in batter and covered with our lightly spiced red sauce. Blistering fresh chilies is one of the reasons Mexican food taste so good. Yummm!!!
www.sunrisetacos.com
Greg.... I have long loved those, the hotter the better....but haven't eaten in SO LONG.... the frying..the oil... the cheese....drives the fat/calorie content off the scale...
That said... I might be persuaded to indulge for one day... Are you offering the special at all your current locations??? And, just for Sat. Aug. 23.... or future Sats. as well???
It will be this Saturday along with this Sunday even if we have used up all the poblano chilies( only have 5 kilos) I also have some fresh Anaheim Chilies that we can use Sunday.
It will be at Sukhumvit Soi 12 starting at 6 p.m.
www.sunrisetacos.com
Posted 2008-08-22 15:48:33
Hey Greg.... sorry to be dense here... but...just to be clear...
So... the chili rellenos won't be available for lunch on Saturday??? Only after 6 pm Sat and then all day on Sunday???
And... only at the Soi 12 branch.... not Paragon or Emporium???
I guess I wasn't sure how you're handling your "specials".... When you talk of a special, I always thought that meant all 3 locations the same.... I didn't know Soi 12 would have different "specials" from the others...
Posted 2008-08-22 19:40:04
Groongthep, on 2008-08-22 14:57:32, said: Ulysses G., on 2008-08-21 22:51:21, said: There are lots of places in California that do old fashioned Mexican food and I would guess Texas and Arizona as well.
Ulysses, I think you've been in Thailand so long that you've lost track of the fact that nowadays there are large populations of Mexican immigrants living throughout the United States and not just in the border states. Within the past 15 years there has been an enormous migration of (mostly illegal) Mexican immigrants into the US and they have dispersed from coast to coast. Regardless of ones position on illegal immigration a plus side of this migration has been that there are now authentic Mexican restaurants all over the country. I'm talking about Mexican restaurants run by people who just left Mexico recently and have brought their food traditions along with them. A few clicks away at the US Census site shows that there are now around 774,000 Latinos (overwhelmingly Mexican) in Chicago. That is more than the entire population of the city of San Francisco. There are also significant populations of Mexicans (from Mexico not Mexican Americans) in small and medium sized cities and towns just about everywhere in the country. It can easily be argued that the food and cooking traditions of these newcomers is even more authentic than the Mexican food one finds in the border states where Mexican Americans have lived for many generations and whose food and cooking styles have evolved into the "California Mexican" and "Tex-Mex" styles of food. Next time you're back in the US take a drive through the Midwest and you'll find a Mexican neighborhood and Mexican restaurants in just about every town you pass through. You'll be amazed at how good the Mexican food is and it is neither California style or Tex-Mex.
Thanks for the heads up. Sounds right to me.
Posted 2008-08-23 02:49:00
x
Edited by who, 2008-08-23 02:51:02.
Posted 2008-08-23 08:28:04
Ulysses G., on 2008-08-22 08:38:53, said: JR Texas, on 2008-08-22 08:23:55, said: I have never eaten at Miguels in Chiang Mai and will keep an open mind.
Don't forget that Miguel's is California Style Mexican, rather than Tex Mex. For those of us who miss Mission Street Burritos, it is a Godsend, but it might not be exactly what a cowpoke from Texas is looking for.
For the record, I lived in California for a few years and did find great Mexican food there........but it was not "California style" with the bean sprouts and fish and whatever the hel_l they put in it to make it "fancy." It was real Mexican food that I found at very small mom and pop shops. California style Mexican food makes me sick.......but other people love it.
Posted 2008-08-23 10:23:42
JR Texas, on 2008-08-22 01:23:55, said: mgjackson69, on 2008-08-18 14:42:42, said: JR Texas, on 2007-04-25 14:46:00, said: ...like back home in the great nation of TEXAS.
JR, shame on you
That is the Republic of Texas
"republic" for the old one........."nation" for the new one that will hopefully come..........either way we both know what is best for the state. AND, if you know Tex-Mex at places like Joe T. Garcias (Ft Worth) and El Fenix (Dallas), you know why I keep saying there is no Mexican food in Thailand.......I would add no Mexican food in Asia. Maybe some day it will come here, but by the time Thais and expats from Europe will think that "flashy, overpriced dog mess" is Mexican food. I wonder if Thais and European expats would even eat real Mexican food after recent events. I would still settle for Taco Bell, at least initially. And, as stated previously, I have never eaten at Miguels in Chiang Mai and will keep an open mind.
Americans are as stubborn about the authenticity of their Mexican restaurants as the English are about their Indian restaurants. It's a touchy subject that brings out a kind of nationalism, ironic in the sense they're both defending a cuisine from a third country. 
I was partially raised in Texas (my father is a 5th-generation Texan) and I spent 10 years travelling and working in Mexico, visiting every state in the process. I appreciate both TexMex and comida mexicana.
Joe T's and El Fenix are both excellent but they're both Tex-Mex, with an over-emphasis on antojitos, not a whole lot like Mexican food in Mexico (but closer than, say, Taco Bell - a chain that does extremely well with Mexican Americans by the way; so clientele is no sure-fire test of authenticity). El Fenix has gone downhill since the 80s and turned into a replicant of itself. Houston Tex-Mex is better than Dallas, I prefer the homegrown Houston Mexican chains over the homegrown Dallas chains, to my tastes anyway. But non-chain is usually better.
My rule of thumb for finding good Mexican food in the USA: If the restaurant has a website, forget it. For my tastes the best city Tex-Mex, overall, is found in San Antonio and El Paso. H&H Car Wash & Cafe in El Paso serves the most outstanding, down-home Tex-Mex I've ever eaten. I've also enjoyed meals in dozens of small south Texas/border towns like Roma, San Ygnacio or San Benito.
Despite the number of Mexican immigrants in the US, there's something about moving a cuisine across the borders that somehow changes it, almost without fail. Chicago and LA both have huge Thai populations but even the tiny mom n'pop places in those cities that cater to a predominantly Thai (virtually 100% in some cases) clientele can't compare with above average places here in Thailand.
I've never had a tamal anywhere in the USA, for example, that compares to the ones you can get on the street in Mexico City. Authentic tacos al pastor in the USA don't exist, mainly because most states prohibit the method of cooking. Cabrito or barbacoa in the USA? Hard to find and when you do find them, not a patch on what's served in any common resto in Nuevo Leon or Hidalgo. Good molletes, machaca de mantarraya (or even authentic beef machaca), fritas or aguachile? You won't even find these items on most Mexican restaurant menus in the States, whether California, Texas or wherever. There's the rare exception of course but most Americans haven't even heard of these dishes.
So let's be realistic when judging Mexican restos in Thailand. If you enjoy the food, give credit. I'm a fan of Miguel's in Chiang Mai. Sin duda, I've had better Mexican in Texas and a lot better in Mexico, but for Thailand it's completely acceptable, I'd say. Here in Bangkok the only place I've tried so far that has passed the test is Sunrise Tacos. Before Sunrise came along it was Senor Pico's of Los Angeles, but as the years have gone by Senor Pico's has gradually moved closer and closer to the Thai palate. Very much like Mexican or Thai restaurants of long standing in the USA, once they began getting a lot of American clientele, they change. Lo mas importante es que lo disfrutes.
Posted 2008-08-23 10:49:46
JohnBKKK, on 2008-08-22 03:16:40, said: Hi,
accepting the danger of being controversial, but isn't all Mexican food and certainly all of the Chain Restaurant food either Tex Mex or Mex something ?
Real Mexican food, Mexico being a traditionally poorer country with lots of farmers etc. makes a lot of use of the cheaper parts of animals like offal in various sausages and stews. There certainly is no or little cheese in sight. One can not find "real" Mexican food anywhere else but in Mexico itself or may be in some Mexican quarters in the US which will be totally different than the offerings by "Mexican" rstaurants,
John
Mexicans are very proud of their cheeses and you will find a great variety of domestic cheeses there. In states north of Mexico City (geographically the country's largest area) cheese is everywhere in the cuisine. In cattle-ranching states like Chihuahua and San Luis Potosi cheese is on practically everything and they often serve slabs of panela (a high-cream fresh cheese) on the side, even when there's cheese in the main dishes.
Elsewhere it's at least as common as cheese in Europe or America even if eaten in smaller quantities. In poorer communities the locals make it themselves; one commonly sees handpainted signs by the roadside reading 'Se vende queso casero' (homemade cheese for sale). It's true, though, that Mexicans don't smother their dishes in cheese the way many Mexican restos in America do. It's more judiciously applied
Mexican restos in the US use mostly non-Mexican cheeses like Monterey Jack, ricotta or even mild cheddar. Occasionally you see queso cotija (or an approximation) but that's about it. Rarely do you see requeson, panela, quesillo, anejo (which I miss the most), and regional cheeses such chihuahua (popular all over Mexico) or de bola from Ocosingo.
And as you point out, many authentic Mexican dishes - mostly those from the south - do not contain cheese at all. Still you'll often find cheese on the table somewhere, if it's mestizo household (Indian villages, less so). Quesadillas are a staple snack everywhere in Mexico, and every taco stand offers cheese as an option.
Another big difference is in the variety of chiles/chilis/chillies used in the cuisine. Jalapeno, serrano and poblano (or non-traditional Anaheim), occasionally a chipotle (smoked jalapano) or pasilla, are typically all you will find in the USA. In Mexico there are around 60 varieties in daily use.
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