1418 Game Is On--Week 4

August 29th, 2011 Chitos Mexican Restaurant, Plano, TX

I've passed by this "hole in the wall" every day since starting my new job. I might not have braved it, if I didn't get a recommendation from a friend. I mean, who REALLY wants to eat at a restaurant in a gas station.

Technically, it's not IN the gas station, but adjacent to it. Unlike the gas station, the restaurant was clean. I heard it was authentic. I have to break my rule and go back.
1. I ate there without my son, who is now upset, since he considers himself to be the bean and cheese burrito foodcriticguru.
2. Also it was mid-day and I couldn't eat a whole meal.
3. MOLE!!!! First restaurant to have mole on their menu. Good news--MOLE. Bad news--they won't put it on enchiladas. I have to eat it on chicken.


I had a lunch special with a cheese enchilada and tamale. I broke all my food karma rules and ate pork!! BABE PLEASE FORGIVE ME. The pork tamale is one of their award-winning dishes. It kind of tasted like chicken. Not sure if it was the best, since I don't eat pork, but it was tasty, despite my guilt. Guac--had a bit of kick! Cheese ench--ok, nothing out of this world. Looking forward to mole!!!!

1418--GAME IS ON: week 3

Week 3--August 27, Abuelos, Plano, Texas



More upscale than your average tex-mex. The interior was beautiful with hand-painted murals. The central courtyard with a fountain was enclosed, but in James Turrell fashion, emulated an open sky.

Guac--heavenly--creamy with bits of tomato. Homemade chips were light, not greasy. Served 3 types of salsa--regular, roasted and habanero.

Tortilla Soup--not overly cheesy or soggy with tortillas. Lightly spiced chicken, broth had complex flavor.

Bean & Cheese burrito--the son pronounces that it is not as good as Chuy's, but a close second. They didn't have it on the menu, so bonus points for making it special for him.

Pescado--Mahi-Mahi topped with shrimp, scallops, spinach, red-peppers & white wine sauce.
AMAZING. The cilantro-infused rice was delicious. The fish was perfectly cooked--not dry. Service--very attentive




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1418--GAME IS ON: week 2

Week 2--August 19, Chuy's, Plano, TX

Fun, Fun atmosphere. The night my son and I were there, they were hosting a green chili-festival and had decorated the place with superhero banners, streamers and servers were wearing capes. The place was jamming by 5:30pm with a short wait for dinner.

GUAC--perfectly ripe avocados and seasoning.

Bean & Cheese Burrito--my son's only menu item. he's consistent. said it was the best he's had. he's on board for the burrito--eating challenge. if you eat 2, you get the 3rd free. these are mongo-sized burritos. i told him that he needed to train properly for the event. i didn't want any food comas or spewing in my car.

Veggie Enchiladas w/Ranchero Sauce--delish! I was so hungry, that I forgot to take a pic until I was full. Ench #2 for tomorrow's lunch.

Bonus--very creepy t-shirt for PapPap--NAKED TEX MEX

1418--GAME IS ON: week 1

1418--THAT'S HOW MANY MEXICAN RESTAURANTS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS. That doesn't count the surrounding towns of Plano, Richardson, Addison, Garland, etc...

My goal is to eat at all of them. Ok--maybe that's unreasonable, since I have roughly a year, perhaps two at the most and don't want to eat Mexican EVERY single day of the week. Revisionist goal--1 new Mexican restaurant each week--documented on this blog.

Week 1--August 11, Holy Frijoles, Plano, TX

I ate the tortilla soup. It was all cheese and tortilla strips. Not enough broth. Guac was bland. Restaurant was dirty. My son's bean and cheese burrito was sub-par. How hard is it to screw up a burrito? NOT RECOMMENDED.