By One June, it was probably 1990, I took a trip to Santa Fe. I was single and had no traveling companion. It was a place I wanted to see and so I made my first visit to New Mexico.
Having recently learned the joys of the chili chile relleno, that’s what I ordered in nearly every restaurant once I hit Clayton, New Mexico. Well, one exception, at The Shed in Santa Fe, I enjoyed their stacked blue corn enchiladas. (Yes, I can remember what I ate in restaurant 17 years ago. We do remember what’s important, after all.)
So, it was with pleasure that I devoured Tom Parker’s blog entry called A Return to Kansas Summer which is mostly about the chili chile relleno, of which he and I share a fondness.
What a writer he is, that Tom Parker.
That’s my favorite! I love chilli rellenos, but I have had some pretty awful ones, so I’m hesitant to try them. It sounds like a good reason to go to Albuquerque!
Have you tried the chilli rellenos at the new Mexican Restaurant on Industrial? Not quite sure of the spelling. Something like Centinellas.
They are great! We also like the Mexican food at La Hacienda, but their
chilli rellenos sometimes do not have a chilli in them and they do not resemble a chilli rellenos. If you have not tried one at Centinellas, you must try it sometime.
Thank you, Onnalee! I WILL try them at Centinellas. I have been there a few times, but not tried them there. I think I did try them at Haciendos–and I like that place!–but not the chilli rellenos. Wasn’t there a Mexican restaurant where Coach’s is now? I think, and I could be wrong, that that place had wonderful rellenos. I think it was first Strawhat Pizza (what happened to them?–and then maybe Mexican.
Gringos used to be where Coach’s is now, ele. It was there when I moved to town. Gringos had “manufactured” rellenos, but I kind of liked them at the time.
There’s a restaurant in Topeka that we like. Is it called “On the Border”? It’s on Wanamaker, up in that new restaurant area a ways North of the Mall and even north of Barnes and Noble. Might even be North of 70. I’ll tell you better next time we go.
They have chili rellanos that must be made with fresh anaheim chilis rather than canned. The batter is good, and they’re stuffed with cheese.
Another thing that I usually like there is fish tacos. I wind up too full there if I’m not careful.
Janet
Agood chili relleno can’t be beat and I enjoyed his telling of it. But the next paragraph under it was the one that told me the most. The one that tells how it feels , how a person feels road worn and weary to be home to Kansas. I felt the same way when Johnny and I went to New Mexico, it was beautiful while there but it was so goooood to be home.
When we moved to Emporia – 2002 – the restaurant which was at the
building that Coaches is now was “Diamond Creek”. They sure had good
Reuben Sandwiches.
Diamond Creek–didn’t they have baked sweet potatoes? I liked that place, too, and I do remember, since you mentioned it, Cheryl, GRINGOS–not really sure that was the place with the great chilli rellenos. Seems like they had a buffet–kind of a buffet–on Sundays, Oh, I’m probably thinking of someplace else. “On the Border”–I’ve eaten at the one in Overland Park; my kids like it, but now they’ve found better Mexican restaurants. What I like at Haciendo–is the white cheese dip and the crisp & thin & salty chips!
Diamond Creek turned me onto the idea of baked sweet potatoes, adding a bit of cinnamon sugar to the butter. Not that sweet potatoes need the extra sugar, but sometimes it’s nice.
“uncle Al” was always at Gringos. And he ran S’ghettis, too. And the tavern – Uncle Als.
The building was built as a pizza place I seem to remember but forgot the name.
Yep, it was the Straw Hat Pizza. Along with the pizza, which you ate sitting at picnic tables, they showed old films, like “Little Rascals,” and others (in black & white). My kids loved it!
I loved this thread and got very hungry indeed. However, Kansas folks, please, please, puh-lease, never refer to the sacred chile as chili. Note the placement of the e in the correct form. This is holy writ. Chile=fruit; chili=red stuff made in Texas. Okay, now, repeat after me, chile relleno is manna from heaven, chile relleno is manna from heaven. There, I’m proud of you! Now start eating.
Okay, Tom, another good spelling lesson for us. I even knew it was chile and not chilli, but I didn’t want to embarrass anybody for misspelling it……hehehehehe