Tex Mex Food in Udon - any interest?

[bumper]

I may have a fun little project next month for me anyway a Tex Mex night at a little resturant that opened just outside the first home village on the main road. Nice lady, mentioned mexican food, she doesn't have clue. But I do


Anyway nice peple so it might be chance to get some decent Mexican food available, but because of her location have no idea if it would work or not. But I have offered to show her how to do it. Poi already knows and can help her get started. So if the right tortillas are still available in Nong Khia. She will do one night only Tex Mex night with Tacos.

Anyway one night is not going to make or break her business, so worth a try to see if it would work for her. I will be off my diet experiment by then and can chow down as well.


Now this is a small place maybe six tables, but room to expand for one night. But I don't want to make that suggestion to her, if no one is going to show up. Not my money so I have to be careful in what I suggest.

The first night will be limited to beef Tacos only, some refired beems and chips and salsa .

She has beverages available already has a nice little farrang menu. The food she makes now is good, of course I can screw that up in a heart beat.

I was thinking about a weekday evening like Wenesday.

So guys you want to try this? I know I can make it the way I like doens't mean everyone will.

If it looks like something she can do and put a few baht in her pocket, then I will teach about Chicken fish and pork Taco's, Burritos, Enchaillada's

Remember guys one night only so don't look for Mexican bands and margarittas.

I have no desire to be in business in Thailand, but the wife and I will help her learn to cook the food.

So I need some input guy's before I get this lady in a mess

[laphanphon]

i'm a soft, non corn tortilla fan myself, sounds like a good idea, that will be 3 more mouths, as those other 2 enjoy my tacos, but since taco place closed, i no longer have access to the tortillas, to lazy to make.

[docta]

I'm in, and can't wait for the Chicken, fish, pork Taco's, Burritos, & enchilada's.
I prefer decent corn tortillas over the softy flour job's, but who cares, really.
Just hope they are made in a hearty manner, and not as cheap as possible.
Please, where is; first home village on the main road?
Udon map reference?
It'll be good to see ya, LA...
Thanks,
Doc

[bumper]

I'm going to try to get the corn tortillas from Mexico in Nong Khai, why I'm putting it off for a bit.

Soft fried is how I do them, or at least try to

You know as I said I really have no desire to be in business so I never really paid any attention. Anyone know what the last Mexican resturant charged for a Taco plate two tacos' refried beans?

I know she will ask and I really don't have a clue.

[Irish Alan]

(Some text removed.)I was thinking about a weekday evening like Wenesday.

Bear in mind Wednesday is pool/free buffet night in Mojo's.

[bumper]

Good Idea Irish thanks, don't want to interfere with other places. I was thinking of a mid day in the week, so it wouldn't disrupt others. Thursday may be good, even Harry's is closed.

You know six years now and I can always count on this forum for finding what I need to know.

Got lots of time so I hope to make sure she can be preapred and not stuck with a bunch on inventory. See busines is way beyond my abilities.

[docta]

Hey, git, don't worry about those corn tortilla's for me, this is your gig, make them how you make em.
I'm sure they'll be great, and thanks for the effort.
Doc

[bumper]

Oh I'm selfish as usual I love Mexican food and having some that close, WOW that would be great. Actually I like doing this kind of things from time to time. I've had hamburger meals for first homes. Had a Pot Roast feed at my place. But never in a buisness enviornment. Looks like a win win for everybody if it works.


If from the business side of life it works for them thats great and maybe that will be incentive enough for a bit of a menu change. The stuff they have now is good, this would just a bit of a change.

I really wish Brian and Nee were here now that is lady who makes sauce and Spanish rice to kill for. Spanish rice I am no good at.

Oh well guys like I said let me know if you have an interest and we will do this.

So far I have five people say they want to do it

I think they need more then that to do it. So we will see what happens over the next week or so.

[rickfarang]

If she uses vegetable oil in the refried beans instead of using lard, I might try some bean-only tacos. Who knows, she might want to put tacos or taco salad on the regular menu.

Where is this restaurant? A map might help people find it, especially if its on Nongbua Road.

[bumper]

The refried beans will be Casa Fiesta however they are made, not home made. Pinto beans are not handy around these parts

Y-11 on the Udon map. for you right outside the gate on the main road, where the new buildings are, next to the mechanics shop. Long trip HUH

You should stop by, they already have a menu going, may have some vegetarin things I didn't look. Good coffee, spot. I think she would accomidate you if she can, Nice people

[bumper]

Well I guess I know why the Taco Place closed no interest

Well I feel better now I will tell her not to go to a mexican food menu. I'm really glad I did this, the forum sometimes gives you good ideas of what to do. In this case gave me a good idea of what not to recommend.

Valuable information either way.

[watchoutsnakeman]

hi.

Never found the taco shop that nice, food 50/50 but for service they had a girl from burma (i think) she coundn't understand english or thai.

then I've started going to, was it called CALIFORNIA, next to IT-something.... nice mexi..and service..
what happened with that one???

SO if somebody are making or knows a good place to get mexican food (don't has to be FULL menu), please let me know!

thanks

[bumper]

The owner had a very accident at home and is still recovering with his wifes help.

The reason I asked the question is at the moment not any good places to get Mexican food. The lady at the shop does speak english very well.

I woudl never say the Taco Place did not have good food. But I'm from California and have ate it all my life. It was not to my taste. I can make and teach her to do it, not complicated the hardest part is finding he imported ingrediants, yuo can't pop into the local Talot and get refried beans Good corn Tortillas and it is expensive.

So completly different inventory is required.

It took years to find good ingredient's here I did and we make it at home. But cooking ( wife better then me) for myself and running a resturant is a completly different thing.

I can buy as I know i'm going to eat. Resturants can go broke in hear beat by over buying, real thin profit margins.

It was an idea to try to feel a void and help the owner at the same time and of course there was selfish me wanting a place I could go and eat out.

I can't recommend to her to add this to her current farrang and Thai menu, if only one or two people have in interest. That is just not good business. I would be doing more harm then good.

I thought about trying it one night and help her, to see how it would go. Then she wouldn't get stuck with a bunch of food that can't do anything with.

Oh well I tried

[UdonExpat]

Good effort Git. I love Sonoran Mexican food, but not much of a fan of Tex Mex.

The California Cafe did a decent job of its limited Mexican fare, but Lai and Sal decided they didn't want to work so hard, as it was a labor of love. They didn't need the money.

Taco Place tried 2 different locations. The first outside the ring road didn't create enough customers so she moved to the second location in town. After moving there she found a job that paid her more than the restaurant, so she hired help. She finally gave it up after being robbed at gun point and decided it wasn't worth the risk.

I'm about to have some leftover enchilada casserole for breakfast. I stock up on Mexican food ingredients whenever I go somewhere that has items. Usually, Chaing Mai, Bangkok, or Pattaya: Pinto beans, enchilada sauce, corn and flour tortillas, chorizo, etc. I've not found any Mexican style cheeses, but there are passable substitutes. I make up refried beans and casseroles and then freeze them portion sized.

American food (I consider Mexican food as American, also) is lacking in Udon.

[bumper]

Sounds like my house

[RLTrader]

The Taco Place had great tex/mex food and it was cheap, well when it was outside the ring road and before she divorced the real cook! Then it went to pot, became expensive & bland, then she found a few new loves, but the food never came back. Wonder where and with whom she's with now?

It would be great to have a good tex/mex place. Maybe she could put an item or two on the menu, and just try it for a few weeks. If it don't sell, think low cost/lost. Even if you got 25 people to go, one afternoon, still no guarantee they will return often.

Think a good idea is to give it a shot, one day long special, one tex/mex plate, at special price. Enough for maybe ten people, when its gone its gone. Then let her decide to continue or not.

If you do; post when, and maybe (the spam guard) LA will let it slip-by.

[laphanphon]

The Taco Place had great tex/mex food and it was cheap, well when it was outside the ring road and before she divorced the real cook! Then it went to pot, became expensive & bland, then she found a few new loves, but the food never came back. Wonder where and with whom she's with now?

well, that is very interesting, but a bit irrelevant, unless you really enjoy talking about other peoples personal lives.

The Taco Place had great tex/mex food

well, said, no argument from me or the dozens of loyal customers she had on a consistent basis, and i agree, she is surely missed.

the spam guard

i've been called a lot of things, but that's a new one, though i defer that to our highly qualified mods. i'm just an opinionated A-H, feel free to agree or disagree, but better, actually add something to the thread. i think the OP has suggested an excellent idea, proposed a good business option to someone he cares about, made a great effort, and excellent decision based on response. if only others were as caring about our neighbors as him it would be a better world. as for me, i think i'll be munching on some fine mexican fare in the immediate future, if you are there, feel free to debate, and i'll gladly buy you a beer.........if you are not there, i understand that also.

having all of 3 people express interest besides the OP doesn't exactly hold a lot of interest to start a side line of food at additional high end cost w/no customer base. even on a one day a week basis to experiment with. unless you commit to bringing yourself and extended family, if having.

but feel free to express yourself, in what ever your thought process may be, enjoy. back to that F & F option.

[cryptic]

The Taco Place had great tex/mex food and it was cheap,
Then it went to pot, became expensive & bland,
If it don't sell, think low cost/lost.
at special price.

You cheap charlies want it for nothing dont you, be honest. You want people to work their guts out, so you cheapies can clean up. Oh thats right, you live in Issan the cheap charlie nest hole of Thailand, sorry I forgot, please forgive me.

[UdonExpat]

For many people the most important things about food is the price. If it's cheap, it's good. Also they tend to prefer quantity over quality.

I've learned to very seldom follow food recommendations on this forum.

[bumper]

Ok guys stuff happens in Udon it is fact. Althought the food was not to my taste. It certainly was a nice alternative to nothing.

I have figured out a different way to get her trained, It will be business decesion if they want to proceed. Not something I would dare to comment on.

I am not going to teach he how to do Taco Bell food. The ingredients are expensive, in the end you can't produce a qaulity product when you deal with imported foods at an inexpensive price. The purpose of a business is to earn a living. Unless it is a hobby. If it is a hobby eventually it is going to turn into grind.

What I'm goign to do I enjoy doing, once a year maybe twice

So guys if it works out it works out and maybe we will have ome alternative. If it doesn't then hey at least we tried.

Taco Place they knew what they were doing they had owned a Mexican Resturant before. At one time actually made ther own corn tortilla from corn here in Thailand. Thats not light weight stuff. It simply wasn't to my taste. I have to say now many people did enjoy it.

No I don't expect to get good foriegn food for what I pay for nooden. We donlt go out much so wehn we do. it's an occassion. The food we like are made right in our home. My wife is an excellent cook good both in Thai and the foriegn foods I like.

So it's either going to work or not. But, very little to argue about