Turns Out Mexicans & Xi’an Locals Are Culinary Cousins

As a born-and-raised Xi’an native, I found a familiar taste in this Mexican taqueria — it took me right back to Xi’an’s shuǐpén (water basin soup) and zá gān tāng (offal soup). Pure, soul-satisfying comfort. 🐮 Taco de Lengua 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌖 Braised beef tongue tacos — thick-cut, slow-cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender. Rich beef flavor with that distinct tongue texture. Served straight from the broth, so each bite drips with savory, fatty soup. A little salsa adds freshness without overpowering the meat. 🐂 Taco de Cabeza 🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑 Stewed beef head taco. Very aromatic, but being mostly lean, the meat fibers were slightly on the dry side. 🍲 Orden de Cabeza 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌖 Beef head broth — incredibly rich in meaty, fatty flavor. No gaminess, just clean beef essence. The broth uses minimal seasoning (maybe onion, cilantro, white pepper, bay leaf), letting the meat shine. A layer of fat floats on top, concentrating the aroma. Eat with corn tortillas — dip in the soup or wrap the meat. The meaty depth in both tacos and soup is intense — the aroma lingers long after, even in aftertastes 😌. Spices are used sparingly, complementing rather than masking the natural beef flavors. #MexicanFood #Taco #BeefTongue #BeefHead #Phoenix #Chicago #XiAn #FoodCrossCulture 🌎