Where to Eat in Texas: A Guide to Navarro County Tex-Mex

The city of Corsicana in Texas’s Navarro County is a destination for music shows, museums, arts events and historic landmarks. With so much to do, it’s likely that you and your family will work up quite an appetite while taking in the sights, sounds and attractions. 

If you’re a diehard Tex-Mex disciple, or if you’re a visitor who’s always wanted to try the Lone Star State’s signature cuisine, you’re in luck. That’s because the Corsicana area is full of great answers to the question of where to eat in Texas. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the places you can consider checking out during your Navarro County visit:

Old Mexican Inn Restaurant & Cantina:

Homemade gourmet salsas (including a house favorite, the “orange dip”), sizzling fajitas and guiso (Mexican stew) are just a few of the items on the menu at the Old Mexican Inn Restaurant & Cantina, a longtime favorite with both locals and visitors who want to know where to eat in Texas.  Mexican Inn guests also enjoy the restaurant’s frequent drink specials, including two-dollar longnecks and happy hour margaritas.

La Pradera Mexican Restaurant: 

Another staple of the East Texas Tex-Mex scene is La Pradera Mexica Restaurant, whose website proclaims an offering of everything “from stuffed burritos and tacos to loaded nachos and fajitas.” La Pradera has multiple locations in Navarro, Van Zandt and Kaufman counties.

Don Jose’s Restaurant:

Conveniently located in the heart of Corsicana, Don Jose’s is known for a friendly wait staff and inviting cantina. Menu favorites include the Oscar Dip, a combination of melted cheese (queso), seasoned beef and guacamole, and the spicy shrimp cocktail.

To learn more about these restaurants or other restaurants to try in Texas, visit http://cityofcorsicana.com/index.aspx?nid=93

Discover Lefty Frizzell

In the world of American honky-tonk music, they don’t come much bigger than Lefty Frizzell.

The Country Music Hall of Fame legend has been cited as an influence on musicians Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison and George Jones—and countless other musicians.

The Texas native released a number of hits mid-2oth century, despite the fact that his heyday was also the heyday of rock-and-roll.  Noteworthy singles include “If You’ve Got the Money, I’ve Got the Time”, “I Want to Be With You Always”, “Always Late (With Your Kisses)” and “The Long Black Veil”.  Many of these topped both pop and country music charts, securing Frizzell a number of Grammy nominations.

Lefty Frizzell was known for a signature Paul Bigsby guitar, retrofitted with a custom neck and pick guard  crafted by the guitar maker himself. In a 2003 interview, performer Merle Haggard recalled, "When I was a teenager, Lefty got me onstage [at the Rainbow Garden in California] and handed me that guitar. That is the first guitar I played on a professional stage.”

His singing style was one-of-a-kind, featuring a laid-back, wistful quality.  Frizzell was equally capable of handling a haunting ballad like “Long Black Veil”, noted for its tragic imagery, as well as the impudent comedy of a tune like “I’ve Got The Time”. There’s little wonder that his style spawned innumerable imitators, as well as innovators who used his influence as a basis for their own signature sound.

"The impact Lefty had on country music is not even measurable,” as Merle Haggard recalled in another interview. “No one could handle a song like Lefty. He would hold on to each word until he finally decided to drop it and pick up the next one. Most of us learned to sing listening to him.”

To learn about Lefty Frizzell’s life and music, visit Corsicana’s Lefty FrizzellMuseum.