Austin Bites: El Chile North

El Chile North
Location: 3435 Greystone Drive [map]
Phone: (512) 284-7863
Cost: $ ($=Under $10; $$=$11-30, $$$=$31-60, $$$$=$60+, avg cost per person including 1 drink, tax, and tip.)
Website: www.elchilecafe.com

Since El Chile on Manor is a favorite spot, we thought that the opening of a new E.C. in our neck of the woods was sure to be good news. Rustling up two companions, we convened at the new location, up near where Anderson crosses Mopac, and started making comparisons.

The menu is exactly the same as at the other El Chile, so there's not much new to say there. Having always loved the mole-based dishes at the old location, we decided to venture a bit further afield. One of us had the chile relleno, which was stuffed with a copious quantity of pulled pork, but could have stood a bit more heat. Diner #2 partook of a dish called camarones enchipotlados, which translates into "shrimp chipotled," or some such (love the idea of "chipotle" being used as a verb). The "sweet/smokey chipotle-barbeque sauce" was indeed sweet—perhaps, as the third member of the party protested after a taste-test, a bit too much so.

This malcontent had ordered tortilla soup, and initially thought it was delicious, but as time went on and she progressed through the giant bowl, she began to mutter mean words like "ketchup" and "barbecue sauce" under her breath. By the end of the bowl, she had begun accusing poor defenseless El Chile of using the dreaded HCFS (that's high fructose corn syrup, for those who've never read a word of Pollan). As far as the other two-thirds of the party were concerned, the sweetness, while palpable, didn't impede enjoyment of the meal.

The venue is more user-friendly than the other Chile, with an interior that's more spacious and less loud. However, the patio is much smaller, possibly because the new EC is located in a very North Austin shopping plaza, next to a charming Pizza Hut. Those dining on the patio get a view of parked cars, instead of, as in the other EC, looking out on an interesting East Austin scene. The shrimp-eater remarked practically that at least it was easier to park than at the mothership on Manor. That may be so, but for our money, charm trumps convenience. Next time we'll be returning to East Austin for the real deal.