Based on your specific criteria for technique explanation, weeknight accessibility, and Mexican-American restaurant focus, here are the top recommendations that bridge the gap between Rick Bayless's complexity and your desired approachability.
This is your perfect match. Santibañez uniquely combines Le Cordon Bleu classical technique training with native Mexican heritage, creating what the New York Times called "like a textbook for the basic groundwork of Mexican food." The book excels at explaining the "why" behind techniques - from roasting chiles to making fresh tortillas to filling enchiladas properly. Santibañez teaches essential techniques through master recipes that become building blocks for multiple dishes, exactly matching your preference for conceptual understanding over recipe collections.
Why it fits: Native Mexican chef with French culinary training, restaurant experience, and explicit focus on technique explanation rather than just recipes. Less intimidating than Bayless while maintaining authenticity.
Since you already appreciate Bayless but find some recipes too challenging, this is his deliberate solution to that exact problem. All 90 recipes are designed for under 30 minutes of active cooking time, using streamlined techniques and common grocery store ingredients. Bayless maintains his technique-focused teaching style while making everything weeknight-friendly. The book includes "riffs" and variations that teach adaptable concepts rather than rigid recipes.
Why it fits: Same author you trust, explicitly designed for weeknight accessibility, maintains technique education while reducing complexity.
This James Beard nominee and 2022 "Best Cookbook" winner takes an encyclopedic approach to masa-making, teaching everything from nixtamalization science to 50+ applications. Gaviria excels at technique explanation with step-by-step photography and input from food scientists. While focused on masa specifically, this covers the foundation of countless Mexican-American restaurant dishes (tortillas, tamales, pozole) with the deep technique understanding you crave.
Why it fits: Award-winning technique focus, covers restaurant staples, recent publication with modern teaching approach.
Kennedy is the unparalleled English-language authority on Mexican cuisine, and this is her most technique-focused book with detailed step-by-step photos. She explains traditional methods through cultural context - why chiles are charred to round out flavors, how to balance piquant chiles with salt and acid. Her 50+ years of field research across Mexico provides unmatched authenticity, though some techniques may still be complex for weeknights.
Why it fits: Ultimate technique authority, explicit focus on explaining "why" behind methods, comprehensive ingredient guidance.
Stupak brings a modernist technique approach from his Michelin-starred background at Alinea and wd~50. He explains the science of masa preparation, temperature control (tortillas shouldn't drop below 120°F), and compares traditional vs. contemporary techniques. Perfect for understanding the "why" behind methods similar to Kenji López-Alt's approach, focused specifically on tacos and related techniques.
Why it fits: Scientific approach to technique explanation, professional chef authority, covers core Mexican-American restaurant item.
Centeno is an active San Antonio native restaurateur (Bar Amá, Orsa & Winston) who understands both traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex adaptations. The book covers classic Mexican-American restaurant dishes - breakfast tacos, carne guisada, nachos compuestas, migas - with both traditional techniques and modern restaurant innovations. Combines authentic Texas Mexican heritage with professional restaurant expertise.
Why it fits: Active restaurateur with Mexican-American specialization, covers familiar restaurant classics, technique-focused approach.
This 175-recipe collection is specifically designed using supermarket-available ingredients, perfect for Chicago accessibility. ATK's signature testing methodology means every recipe includes technique explanations and scientific rationale for why methods work. Covers classic Mexican-American restaurant dishes with substitution guidance and troubleshooting tips.
Why it fits: Scientific technique approach, supermarket ingredient focus, systematic testing methodology, covers restaurant classics.
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Compared to Pati Jinich: While excellent for accessibility, less technique-focused in teaching style.
Compared to Diana Kennedy's earlier works: "From My Mexican Kitchen" is her most technique-focused, but her other books lean more toward regional specialties than restaurant classics.
Compared to recent regional specialists: Books like "Oaxaca" or "Mi Cocina" excel at authenticity but focus on regional specialties rather than familiar Mexican-American dishes.
Your ideal starting combination would be Santibañez's "Truly Mexican" for foundational technique education, plus Bayless's "Mexican Everyday" for weeknight applications, supplemented by Gaviria's "Masa" for deep technique understanding of this core element. This trio provides technique explanation, weeknight accessibility, and the conceptual understanding you're seeking while covering familiar Mexican-American restaurant favorites.