Chuy's Green Chile Festival menu (Website) debuted Monday and will run until September 4th. It features 5 dishes made with the Hatch Green Chiles (Website). The Hatch green chiles are only picked once a year starting in August. The chain picks over 2 million pounds from Hatch, New Mexico.
(The chain's) love for the Green Chile dates back to 1989 when co-founders Mike Young and John Zapp were the first to bring Hatch Green Chiles to Central Texas. They created a special menu of made-from-scratch dishes to serve during the heat of the season and the first annual Green Chile Festival was hatched.
The chain's local PR company invited me to sample the green chile menu after we forgot to attend the media opening of their Winter Park location. They invited me, I accepted and then didn't show up. I blame no one but my iPhone.
The Green Chili Fest menu:
The Green Chili Fest menu:
- Queso Fundido
- Spinach Chicken Enchiladas
- Green Chile Street Tacos
- Burrito Loco
- The Valley Combo
Our server at the I-Drive location (my favorite) was bouncy I assumed because she was told to be nice to the haggard, bitter old blogger and his stunningly good looking boyfriend. However, he and I go to Chuys often and I swear I've had her before and she was just as bouncy before she knew I was a high priced hooker - I mean - blogger. BLOGGER.
I wanted to juice myself because I am over 40 and have very few chances for true joy before God takes me from this good earth so I ordered a Coke Zero and vodka DOUBLE TALL. The boo had a house margarita with a shot of grand mariner because HE'S WITH ME. And I will die soon.
The server walked us through the menu. She recommended the "funded" as a starter. I didn't understand the description but I trusted her judgement. After all she's not 40.
When it showed up I was... perplexed. It's as if someone melted a taco, magically removed the shell and the innards burst out and onto a sizzling plate. Scooping up the murdered cheese and meat with tortilla chips was tasty, as was forking the same onto fresh flour (ahem) tortillas that came with them.
When it showed up I was... perplexed. It's as if someone melted a taco, magically removed the shell and the innards burst out and onto a sizzling plate. Scooping up the murdered cheese and meat with tortilla chips was tasty, as was forking the same onto fresh flour (ahem) tortillas that came with them.
The boo ordered the street tacos because you give him dairy and you never see him again the rest of the night. The street tacos had the least amount of cheese and he STILL had to get it on the side. Why do I put up with this?
I wanted the street tacos but since this is a blogger dinner and I gotta sample multiplie items I fell on the sword and got the sampler platter: a chile rellenos doused in green chile sauce and a chicken & spinach enchilada.
The street tacos came out and the meat was skirt steak. I'd have preferred a trifecta selection of ground beef, chicken and steak, but all three came out steak. The portions were overflowing and more than fair, but I was confused by the crispy tortillas. This coming from someone who's had authentic tacos from that place inside the Chelsea Market and another place in Winter Garden. #expert
My dish came out and the appearance was similar to the restaurant's standard dishes: rice and beans in the middle of two cheese-covered objects.
I learned that a chile rellenos is a fried chile filled with cheese (I don't read menus with two double vodkas in me). The chile and cheese was delicious but I wondered "Why fry it? Is this a fair? Will I be forced to eat fried oreos next?" The enchilada had uncooked spinach and hard chicken bits. Someone back there knows me and was making sure I got what I deserved.
The server's attention to not only ours but all her tables (we watched) made me feel like I was in a higher end restaurant. You don't see service like that at a corporate chain.
While a visit during the green chile fest won't be the culinary highlight of your year, it will educate you on the fact that these Chiles are grown exclusively for Chuys, give you another reason to appreciate good service and give you double vodkas for six dollars.
(Full disclosure: our meals and drinks comped)
