Black Chile Mexican Grill: South of the Burger
Featured Posts,Table Talk
We really couldn’t believe it when we were invited in to try out the new Black Chile Mexican Grill. It had actually been the butt of an inside racist joke, which we couldn’t help but make public with an EATERAZ video. See, about 6 weeks ago, we were walking through Biltmore Fashion Park and saw Black Chile under construction. Tyda, prior to having a sip of coffee that morning, asked Phillips what a black chile is (chile, pronounced like “while” with a c-h, not “chilly” with a y). Phillips thought he asked about a “black child.” Then of course that turned into an inside joke about “who the hell would open a place called black child at the Biltmore … that seems odd.”
So we made a video, figured no one saw it, and then got a call from PR saying the owners thought it was hilarious and we should go in to try the food. Hey, someone out there doesn’t think we’re mean! So we took ‘em up on it.
We expected the place to be par, but were pleasantly surprised for a place that had been open for only a couple days. Strangely, though, what turned out to be great, no one (including the server) saw coming—the burger! The Rojo burger at Black Chile is now firmly set in our personal Top 5 Burgers List. No joke. You could stop reading this post now, go there to place an order, and send us a Thank You card filled with cash later.
We couldn’t believe how well seasoned this red oak wood-grilled Angus beef patty was. It came topped with Manchego cheese, pico de gallo, avocado, and chipotle mayonnaise, all between a soft, sweet sourdough roll. No offense to the folks over at Zinburger next door, but the Chile gang have one up on ya. It’s just a better-tasting burger.
It’s also entirely possible that this burger got a leg up from co-owner Mike McDermott’s dad, who started Fuddruckers. But whereas those burgers were expressions of build-your-own purity, this burger was full of original personality. You should go try it asap.
Still, we were really there for the tacos. We probably surprised the server when we said there was no need for actual taco platters (they come two tacos plus rice and beans, choice of corn or flour tortillas) but to just bring out one of each type. Hey, we throw the world’s only Taco Festival, we like tacos. So here’s our honest thoughts of the gamut (all communicated to the server, by the way):
Chicken—Not bad. Not great. It’s a solid taco that likely won’t receive any complaints or high praise from customers.
Fish—The best of the bunch. Of all the tacos we tried, this is the one to return for. It comes simply sautéed and covered in sweet cabbage slaw and chipotle mayonnaise. Simple, elegant.
Carnitas—The second best of the bunch. This one had the most interesting flavors and the one we kept going back to. Why was it not the best? Take a look at the pork mention below. It just got overshadowed by a better pork dish.
Vegetarian—Piled with roasted corn, sweet potatoes, squash, onions, black beans, Cotija cheese, and roasted corn aioli. We thought this taco needed more oomph. It was nothing a little hot sauce couldn’t fix, but the veggies tasted unseasoned. There was no sauce, leaving it dry. It felt like the chefs put it on the menu out of necessity, rather than because they want to nail a great veggie taco. Worst of the bunch.
Ground Beef—The weakest of the meat bunch. Really, the flavors just seemed out of balance, but the meat itself was juicy and not too saucy.
Carne Asada—Solid. Definitely won’t disappoint if carne is what you’re in the mood for. Meat had a tinge of lime and all the flavors worked.
So why did carnitas get slotted to numero dos? Because there’s a namesake entrée that may be the reason we never order a taco there again—the Black Chile (pronounced “chilly,” Tyda). It’s seasoned cubes pork of pork slow roasted and served in a hot skillet with onions, Serrano peppers, and sour cream. Grab a couple flour tortillas and make your own simple, clean tacos with it. This pork was the most mouthwatering Mexican item we tried. Hell, order it for dessert if you must. It’s that good.
The restaurant space itself looks great, with a huge wrap-around patio, open kitchen, and open-air bar. The tequila list, which was due to offer about 75 bottles, debuted with over 125, with some great ones that would pair nicely with a burger, and okay ones that make for a nice base to lime juice and simple syrup.
On a final note, we hear that Black Chile owners called in a slew of local chefs to try menu items and give them feedback. But the owners are the guys who created – and then sold – Kona Grill, so we’re not really sure why they needed these opinions. They obviously know what they’re doin’. But, we hear that Aaron May was one of those chefs. So if there’s anything you don’t like at Black Chile, you can just blame him. He makes a great scapegoat for anything going wrong. (Kidding.)
Black Chile Mexican Grill
Biltmore Fashion Park
2502 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-955-5593
blackchile.com
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[...] For full report go to EAZ. [...]
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