In my not-so-humble opinion, the measure of a Mexican restaurant is its take on chile verde. Chile verde is a Mexican-American stew usually consisting of tender pork and a combination of tomatillos, jalapenos and other peppers that give it a green hue and a moderate spice. Sometimes it's garlicky. Sometimes it has potatoes. Sometimes it's chunky and sometimes it's smooth. It's one of my favorite dishes yet I refuse to cook it because my dad's recipe was the best I've ever had, and I don't want to disgrace those memories by fucking it up.
Anyways, now that there are a handful of solid Mexican restaurants around my Northwest Vegas headquarters, I took it upon myself to find out which makes the better dish. First up, my reliable family taco joint, Vega's Cafe. The menu here is traditional and basic, but they do basic so well, from the homemade tortillas to the chili rellenos to the tacos papas. The Calderon family's version of chile verde is unlike any I've had before: super spicy with plenty of fresh vegetables. And since they don't do pork here (yes, it's a problem), I sampled this dish with tender shredded chicken. The green sauce was well seasoned with a little tangy zip, but the peppers and onions interspersed throughout seemed to be only lightly cooked. It was a unique experience, crisp, and I had to drink quite a bit of beer to cool off. Everything I've eaten at Vega's is comfy and likable, but this is not the chile verde I had in mind.
A little bit closer is what they dish up at Camacho's Cantina, the franchise inside Aliante Station. Seems like a commercialized, time-tested menu like this one wouldn't include such a rich chile verde, with plenty of red onions and cilantro mixed in. But it does. And it's good. A return trip here on Taco Tuesday also was a pleasant surprise, when for a few hours in the bar, little street tacos of carnitas, carne asada or chicken were a dollar each.
The most recently opened Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood is Lindo Michoacan, the third installment of a Vegas franchise. Many Mexicans tout Michoacan as the best food in Vegas. While I've been to all three locations and had pleasing meals at each, and while the menu is expansive and includes homestyle favorites like birria and tongue and seafood and everything, I'm not convinced Michoacan is head and shoulders above other local favorites. The chile verde here is mighty tasty; the chunks of pork are the biggest and best among the restaurants I'm blabbering about here. But the sauce had a little too much lime, the acidity taking away from the hearty stewness that chile verde is supposed to be, and it didn't have enough veggies. Dad's had the pork, yes, but it also had strips of simmered jalapenos and other peppers that would burn your fucking face off if you didn't have a flour tortilla and some ice water at the ready.
Anyways, now that there are a handful of solid Mexican restaurants around my Northwest Vegas headquarters, I took it upon myself to find out which makes the better dish. First up, my reliable family taco joint, Vega's Cafe. The menu here is traditional and basic, but they do basic so well, from the homemade tortillas to the chili rellenos to the tacos papas. The Calderon family's version of chile verde is unlike any I've had before: super spicy with plenty of fresh vegetables. And since they don't do pork here (yes, it's a problem), I sampled this dish with tender shredded chicken. The green sauce was well seasoned with a little tangy zip, but the peppers and onions interspersed throughout seemed to be only lightly cooked. It was a unique experience, crisp, and I had to drink quite a bit of beer to cool off. Everything I've eaten at Vega's is comfy and likable, but this is not the chile verde I had in mind.
A little bit closer is what they dish up at Camacho's Cantina, the franchise inside Aliante Station. Seems like a commercialized, time-tested menu like this one wouldn't include such a rich chile verde, with plenty of red onions and cilantro mixed in. But it does. And it's good. A return trip here on Taco Tuesday also was a pleasant surprise, when for a few hours in the bar, little street tacos of carnitas, carne asada or chicken were a dollar each.
The most recently opened Mexican restaurant in the neighborhood is Lindo Michoacan, the third installment of a Vegas franchise. Many Mexicans tout Michoacan as the best food in Vegas. While I've been to all three locations and had pleasing meals at each, and while the menu is expansive and includes homestyle favorites like birria and tongue and seafood and everything, I'm not convinced Michoacan is head and shoulders above other local favorites. The chile verde here is mighty tasty; the chunks of pork are the biggest and best among the restaurants I'm blabbering about here. But the sauce had a little too much lime, the acidity taking away from the hearty stewness that chile verde is supposed to be, and it didn't have enough veggies. Dad's had the pork, yes, but it also had strips of simmered jalapenos and other peppers that would burn your fucking face off if you didn't have a flour tortilla and some ice water at the ready.
A sign that marriage shapes you: reading this I started a mental list of all of the reasons that *real* green chili comes from New Mexico made from Hatch green chile. This is Matt's rant more than mine. (But I agree that green chile makes almost everything better). That said, I'm guessing his preferences have been shaped by memory and family just as your notions of the Platonic ideal aren't just an issue of an ingredient list. You should still try the hatch.
ReplyDeleteThis has gotten long. Um, hi. I've outed myself as a reader. We're looking forward to visiting vegas soon.