Green Chile always brings back memories of a road trip, I and my husband had taken in
New Mexico. We drove through New Mexico, and also ate our way through. From the fancy fine dining spots in Santa Fe to the iconic
Church Street Cafe in old town Albuquerque, and so much more. And Green Chile featured high on our list of favorites. So when
Chuy's sent me an invite to check out their
Green Chile Festival, I was all set to make some new food memories.
You have heard of Farm to Table and its a different take on Farm to Table. All the Green Chile used across Chuy's locations, come from the very same farm. How's that for taste consistency and authenticity. It is the 30th Annual Green Chile Festival, which is currently on at al Chuy's locations across the country, till September 2nd. Needless to say, they take their passion for Green Chile very seriously, if they are running a food festival for this long. in 1989, the co-founders of Chuy's were in search of the perfect pepper to compliment their Tex-Mex cuisine. Their travels took them to the Hatch Valley, in New Mexico. Green Chile is an annual crop, which reaches its peak in August, hence the timing of the festival. Chuy's gets in 1.75 million pounds of Green Chile every year for the Green Chile Festival.This festival runs for three weeks every year. The Menu features four new items prepared with Hatch Green Chile. With a healthy appetite, we headed to our local Chuy's to savor the goodness.
For our drinks of the evening, we had a huge choice, but as it was a Chile Festival we were celebrating, we thought of going the spicy route. It was the beloved
New Mexican Margarita, made with green chile-infused el Jimador Tequila. I was initially skeptical as to how spice would pair with spice, and whether or not I should have opted for the sweeter option with the Watermelon Margarita. But one sip, and I knew I had made the right choice. It was not overly spicy as I had expected it to be. It was refreshing with a slight kick to it. And it was a very generous serving.
We started off with
Chips and Salsa and went on to our main course. As you wait for your food, you cannot help but admire the quirky decor. Each Cuy's looks different and each room at each Chuy's looks different. From the decor in the ceilings to the Elvis Shrine, from the colorful tiles to stained glass lamp fixtures, you do get into a very colorful mood.
As Chuy's comes up with 4 new items featuring Green Chile, every year I and Hubby wanted to try out two different things, so that we could share and compare notes. A family which eats together stays together. Our daughter cannot handle spice, as she is a toddler, and was super happy that she could order her
Chicken Nuggets and Fries.
I opted for the
King Carne Burrito, which is stuffed with ground sirloin, bacon, green chiles and french fried potatoes, topped with Jack cheese, green chile, and more bacon. Its served with Hatch tomatillo sauce, Queso wings, and charro beans.
My husband opted for the
Cosmic Combo. A Chile Relleno stuffed with ground sirloin(he subbed the chicken), topped with Green Chile sauce, pico de gallo, and a drizzle of sour cream. And a Shrimp Velvet Enchilada(he subbed the chicken, again), served with Green Chile rice and refried beans.
The portion sizes were amazing. Chuy's believes in freshness and once you take your first bite, you realize what that means. All the tortillas are all made fresh every single day, as are the sauces and lime juices and the works. As a couple, e and my husband can handle a fair amount of spice. And sometimes, even when restaurants and menus scream spice, they are not hot enough. Another problem is also that, sometimes the flavor profile gets lost if the food becomes too hot. Chuy's had a right mix of heat and flavor.
We had a great time, over some good food and cocktails. Thank you Chuy's for having us over. Go ahead and try out the Green Chile Festival this long weekend, with your friend and fam.
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