LA-TX Culinary Cross-Pollination?

If you think the biggest food contribution from Texas is Hill Country BBQ you’re living under a rock.

It’s Tex-Mex.

Texas BBQ happens to be en vogue currently because it’s objectively one of the best styles of BBQ around popularized by Aaron Franklin.

Also...the most iconic seafood dish in this city isn’t influenced by our neighbors to the east, it’s a wonderful cocktail with influence from our friends on our southern border.

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no TX BBQ joints in LA

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Because Memphis or southern style bbq arrived here first. LA is more pork centric. Even Texas isn't entirely comprised of "Hill Country BBQ".

Also, if you think Houston is "formed" from the Energy Cooridor area, you haven't spent much time in Houston.

Sure a lot of the larger companies that call Houston home, headquarter in that area...but from a culinary and cultural standpoint, that whole area is VERY vanilla.

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It’s Tex-Mex.

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I 10000000% agree with you here. Though I miss my East Texas style BBQ over here, I miss the amazing Tex-Mex that is so hard to find in LA. 90% of the Mexican joints in the BR area do the same tired "mexican" food.

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Also, if you think Houston is "formed" from the Energy Corridor area

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I didn't say that. It was stating my experience is limited, i.e., formed by a specific area of Houston.

But characterizing the area as "VERY vanilla" betrays as ignorance of the area.

The point is that in Houston, LA culinary influences are ubiquitous whereas one of TX's major (and IMO worthwhile) traditions is rare in LA. So why so?

correct. Tex-Mex is so huge that most people who LOVE mexican food don't realize they have never had Mexican food.

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Huge numbers of people from La migrate/ migrated to Houston and southeast Texas (Beaumont, Port Arthur).

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This is true.

I think each observation you are making has a different reason.

Why is there so much cajun/LA influence in Houston? Because so many people have moved from LA to Houston... so that influences the food choices. Most of the LA food in Houston, though, is absolute crap. But all of the transplants there are so desperate for a taste of home that they will go for it.

I believe the reason TX BBQ hasn't caught on in LA, is purely and simply a product of price. In Houston... people will pay $10/lb for shitty crawfish and the like. Here in LA, especially NOLA... an average-at-best plate of brisket and 2 sides will put you back a min of $15. People in LA don't have as much disposable income and it's not worth it. The few places here that have figured out how do do BBQ really well are even more expensive and often run out of food by the end of lunch.

What is surprising to me, however, is how we don't really have many tex-mex options here. Or pure Mexican food. I've told people that places like Pappasito's and Chuy's - which to me are average at best in the Houston competitive market - would absolutely crush it here in NOLA.

Unfortunetly I think any further entry into LA in either tex-mex/mexican or bbq will have to be chain related. Carrabas and Saltgrass seem to be doing well.

Chuy's has made it as far as Lafayette, and the Pappas Family is learning how to work out of state with the expansion of Pappadeaux. Rudy's is expanding in the BBQ market... maybe they could give it a go here.