Guest blogger Stephen Evans is an IT operations manager of a multi-national corporation, a frequent flier, a food lover and a home cook. He's embarking on a 3-round blog adventure he's calling "Salsa Exploration."
By Stephen Evans
After moving to Waco with my work, I discovered there are a lot of local dining options, especially when it comes to Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. I enjoy good salsa; No, I crave good salsa.
Since I crave good salsa, I thought I should share my experiences of eating for a month around Waco ‘Mexican’ restaurants, trying to find the "best" salsa, the hottest salsa, the best salsa that is served warm, and some other categories as well. However, during my taste adventures I ran into a problem in that I really enjoy most of them, and some of them are so different they can’t really be degraded as "bad" just because they were not the best. Salsa also varies greatly by the makers tastes, and preferences.
Salsa is such a broad term. The "dictionary" defines it as a spicy tomato sauce (esp. in Latin American cooking).
Another definition is regarding the music and dance defined as a type of Latin American dance music incorporating elements of jazz and rock. A dance performed to this music.
I do not believe either of these definitions are adequate, but a merger of them may be closer: A spicy sauce (esp. in Latin American cooking) often used as a dip, incorporating elements of tomato or other fruits that makes your tongue dance.
We truly have a plethora of options for salsa here in Waco, a month for a working man is not enough time to visit them all even if I have eaten at more Mexican restaurants in the last month than in the year prior. I went to Rosa’s Café for the first time in early February, leaving disappointed that the place was like an expensive Taco Bell, with a salsa bar, and wondering why the place is always so busy. I decided then it was time to explore, and share with others about options in Waco.
So without further ado, I will explore some of the salsas of Waco with some mini reviews of local options.
My adventures started in Hewitt the day after the Rosa’s learning experience at the Taqueria Altos de Jalisco. Chips and salsa are free when dining in. The salsa is mildly medium in heat, and wonderful in flavor. A smooth, yet consistent texture and flavors that really meshed through the entire range of salsa basics. They have great service and specifically hire bilingual staff so if you are intimidated by some of the local diners with a menu only in Spanish, this place may be the ticket for you to feel comfortable, but have a great Mexican meal.
The cilantro and onion flavors really stood out in their salsa, and the food and service were both above average in my experience.
I took enough tasting notes to make a presentation to the Salsa Council of TexMexico, but ultimately decided people probably won’t care much for the intricacy of flavors that yellow, white, or red onions bring to the table, that hint of cumin or splash of lime unless there was a certain major difference from the norms most would expect in a salsa.
