What's up with Houston nachos?!?

Question

Every place (of 4) I've gotten nachos they were served in an unusual manner. Instead of what I think of as 'traditional' with a pile of chips and toppings on that, there were a few chips arranged on a plate with refried beans painted on and lots of mellted cheese. Think little plates of beans and cheese arranged around salsa, lettuce and guacamole in the middle. 

Anyone know the history on this? Is it an all-Texas phenomenon? If you've had them, do you like them more? I don't.

Answer

I think it depends on where you eat. I have had nachos at Chachos, where it was a bunch of chips on the bottom and all kinds of stuff was heaped on the top. I think they gave you separate bowls of the guac and sour cream, but don't remember. They also serve them this way at Fajita Willies, or did when I had them there, but it's been a long time.

Answer

Had Nachos like that at Cantina 1308(El Tiempo) the other night. I agree, I don't like this style. It seems like a rip off. Just enough cheese and meat to cover each chip. With a little lettuce, tomato and pico in the center. In fact their Nachos are priced by the chip. 10 chips is one price, 16 is another.

Try Maria Selma on Richmond near Montrose. Great Nachos. They have a huge plate of chips piled with a ton beef and guacamole, lettuce, cheese, tomato, jalapenos, etc. Fantastic nachos!

Answer

Well, to each his own, eh? And how nice they have both kinds so we can each get what we prefer.

But personally, I really hate the pile of chips laden with all kinds of crapola. To me, that reeks of "El Torito" fakey plastic cactus Disneyesque "Mexican-themed" chain restaurants and happy hour in the bar.

Nachos began as a good pre-fried crispy corn tortilla topped with cheese and a few slices of jalapenos. The individually-smeared with refried beans version came pretty soon after. But the "pile of crap" method came considerably later. Possibly because they were trying to impress you, like the mile-high Reuben sandwiches or something. Not to mention that they're much easier for the kitchen to make. With the traditional ones, you can't prepare them ahead of time. You can't sprinkle them with cheese, or spread the beans over or they'll get soggy. So you have to prepare them to order. You must construct them individually after getting in the order. You need to prefry a few good corn tortillas, then spread them individually with beans, arrange them individually on the plate, add the cheese, pop them into a broiler or salamander for just the right amount of time and no longer, add jalapenos and perhaps a few garnishes, and then get them out to the table piping hot. Pretty hands-on and time-consuming. Compare that with throwing some premade chips from a bag onto a plate and then dumping a bunch of goop over the top.

I suppose I shouldn't say I "hate" the "pile of crap" ones. That's a little strong. When I'm in some chain restaurant bar sucking down the mediocre frozen margaritas and having a good time and not paying that much attention to what I'm eating, they're fine. Acceptable and tasty bar food. And although I never, ever order them, and undoubtedly never will, I have to admit that I eat my share when someone else does.

But that's sure not my favorite.

And that's not how nachos got their start, either.

Which, by the way, was several decades back in the little Mexican town of Piedras Negras, across the border from Eagle Pass, Texas. So since they were invented down here, I think native Texans have more of a leg to stand on when we talk about which kinds of nachos are, and which are not, "traditional."

Answer

I often see the "pile of chips" nachos refer to as "stadium nachos" as they are similar to the kind served at the ballgame. I have found this to distinguish them from the texmex nacho you described as painted with beans. Nachos are served this same way in Dallas texmex estblishments. If a restaurant is not "texmex" then they may be more likely to serve the "stadium nacho" type of dish. I think stadium nachos are more bar-food than texmex.

Answer

Total Texas phenomenon. I think the story is that some guy right across the border named Ignacio needed to whip up something for some customers at an odd time and was short on product. So he fried up some tortillas, put some cheese and a jalapeno on each, and served them up as individual chips. Fast forward a few months and people showed up asking for some of "Nacho's chips"-->lead to nachos. 

If I'm at a Mexican place, I want the individual chips. If at Chili's or some random bar, I want the pile o' chips, and at home if I have some leftover beans and a jalapeno I want to make them individually as well. Ridiculously satisfying.

Answer

A pile of nachos? What's that? ;O Actually, that is my honest take on "piles". I avoid them.

But reading Jaymes noted "homesick" article - here in the Mid-Cities area of D/FW, I haven't seen "Longhorn" chedder in forever - to the point I'd completely forgotten about it. Mild - xtra sharp and colby are all I see anymore. Anyone else experiencing THAT phenom?

Answer

omg I LOVE my nachos that way! of course, you end up getting 12 chips for $10.00, but I 've eaten them this way for song long that a pile of nachos is unappetizing to me. I live in Dallas. I have been brainwashed! lol! btw you gotta try the tuna sushi nachos at Victor Tango's.

Answer

I just came across this thread, and wanted to chime in.

Yes. Nachos are Tex-Mex, invented by Ignacio Anaya in 1943 in the border town of Piedras Negras MX, across the Rio Grande from Eagle Pass TX. The original nachos consisted of crispy fried corn tortilla chips, jalapeno slices and topped with melted cheese.

These were prepared, broiled, and served as individual hors d'oeuvres/snacks/appetizers. Later versions included a dollop of refried pinto beans atop each chip.

They are elegant and sublime in their simplicity. Each chip remains crispy and crunchy, with molten cheese. A clean finger food.

Later, came the "queso/nacho/pump cheese," pile on whatever: taco meat, chicken/beef fajitas, crema, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes,olives, rice, etc.

Now, I dearly love my chile con queso, but I prefer it for dipping. I also love taco meat, fajitas, crema, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, rice, etc., but in their proper places and order. These smothered versions of nachos result in a gooey and soggy mess, with no texture. It's as much an abomination and a mess as a fully loaded "taco salad" is.

Up until a few years ago, it wasn't that hard to find the real nacho in Texas. Until it closed, a San Antonio TX ice house/beer joint served an inspired version: the Shypoke egg, a crispy, fried small round tortilla with a jalapeno slice, broiled with white and yellow cheese to resemble a fried. egg over easy.

Authentic nachos a la Ignacio are increasingly hard to find, as restaurants move to the cheaper and easier and more profitable ladle/pump/dump version, but, thankfully, they're easy to prepare at home.

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What's up with Houston nachos?!?

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