THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504270035
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: CHAIN REACTION
SOURCE: BY BROWN H. CARPENTER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
FOR MILLIONS of Americans, Chi-Chi's is Mexican food.
But Chi-chi's is also success.
The chain, which dates to the 1970s, is as popular as ever. Our party of four had to wait 20 minutes to be seated at the Norfolk restaurant one recent Sunday evening.
Not that the wait was a bad experience. We went into the bar and ordered drinks (they don't have to be alcoholic) and helped ourselves to complimentary appetizers.
The Chi-chi's format has changed little from the early '80s, when the restaurants spread across the land: Big portions of Southwestern- and Mexican-style food and low prices. You really have to comb the menu to find an entree over $10.
The Norfolk restaurant is decorated with pinatas and other Mexican knick-knacks. The serving staff helps customers celebrate birthdays with loud songs and much fanfare.
The menu is dominated by standard theme dishes: enchiladas, burritos, tacos and similar Mexican comfort food. Nothing is overly imaginative or spicy hot, though a bottle of fiery El Yucateco, a sauce from the Yucatan, is on every table.
The chain keeps up with trends, too, particularly Amerca's obsession with slimness. Three dishes - Veracruz chicken ($8.49), sizzling chicken Chajitas ($8.99), and the Sonora burrito ($7.99) - are low in fat. So is one appetizer, grilled chicken quesadilla light ($5.99). (Chajitas, by the way, are Chi-chi's version of fajitas.)
The snacks in the bar (chips and salsa, chile con queso and a ``mini-chimi,'' a cheese and jalapeno blend rolled eggroll-style in a small fried tortilla) were so tempting we had no room for the menu appetizers, which also include nachos, Mexican pizza and quesadillas.
Of course, salsa and chips were generously served: two kinds, mild and hot. When we requested some ``really hot'' salsa, the waiter obliged and brought a green chili concoction that was even more piquant.
Heading to the entrees, we chose the steak Chajitas ($8.99), chicken burrito suprema ($6.99), Santa Fe enchilada ($8.99) and the Ultimate Combo ($7.99).
The Chajitas, strips of tender beef served sizzling with chopped bell peppers, onions, guacamole, grated cheese sour cream and so forth - all to be piled onto a warm flour tortilla - were very good.
The enchilada was layered more like lasagna than the rolled-tortilla dish found South of the Border. The tiers included chicken, cheese and mild green chilies, all covered with rice and a red salsa with a blend of sweet and mildly hot spices.
OK, it wasn't authentic Mexican, but it was tasty. And big. We took half of it home.
The combo consisted of a chicken burrito, cheese enchilada and beef taco, all standard Mexican-American fare. They were unexceptional.
The chicken burrito suprema called for a flour tortilla filled with chicken and mushrooms. topped with a sour cream sauce and cheese. Give it a B plus and tell the chef to spice it up a bit.
Among the side dishes, we gave high marks to the Caesar salad Mexicana, which sounded a little gimmicky but turned out to be a nice innovation with roasted red peppers, grated cotija cheese and tortilla strips added to the traditional Caesar ingredients.
Desserts are huge. Fried ice cream, French vanilla coated with a cinnamon crust, was included with the combo but ordinarily costs $2.69.
We also consumed a Mudd Pie ($3.29), a chocolate cookie crust layered with chocolate and mocha ice creams, served with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Three or four people can easily share, and still feel guilty walking past the scales.
Entrees on the kids' menu top out at $2.50 and include some non-Mexican items, such as grilled-cheese sandwiches and hot dogs, along with child-sized tacos and burritos. ILLUSTRATION: ROY A BAHLS COLOR PHOTOS
One combination includes taco, enchilada and mini-burrito.
Pinatas and other Mexican knickknacks decorate the restaurant.
Photo
ROY A. BAHLS
A blackboard lists drink specials beneath a colorful painting of a
mariachi band at the Chi-chi's restaurant in Norfolk. The chain
dates to the 1970s.
Graphic
CHAIN REACTION
Chi-chi's Mexican Restaurante: 1050 N. Military Highway, Norfolk.
461-4585.
Hours: 11 a.m to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to
midnight Friday and Saturday. Bar is open until 1:30 a.m. seven days
a week.
Prices: Most entrees are under $10. All-you-can-eat lunch
buffet available weekdays for $5.49.
Reservations: Accepted for parties of eight or more. Smaller
groups may phone before departing home to be placed on the waiting
list.
Smoking: 30 percent of table space.
Owned by: Family Restaurants Inc. of Irvine, Calif. There are 205
Chi-chi's units, including several abroad and four in Hampton
Roads.
by CNB