Many years ago we visited a friend in Dallas on the way to California, where we were dropping Jude to begin his life there. Our hostess in Dallas brought us into The Central Market, a grocery store like we’d never seen. Knowing Tom’s career as she did, she knew we would all love it, and we did.
Before we were wowed by the store, we were wowed bythe smell of roasting chiles at the entrance to the store. Our friend told us these were Hatch chiles, a New Mexican variety that was special enough to celebrate annually at this time of year. Tom knew about Hatch chiles of course but it was entirely new to me, as was The Central Market. That store remains to this day a favorite. Central Market has only one peer, and that is Wegman’s, a mid-Atlantic/Northeast supermarket wonder
Once Hatch chiles got on my radar, I wanted to find out more about them, and in 2013 I drove to Albuquerque for a birthday party. I made a point of passing through Hatch, New Mexico, chuckling as I drove through the four-way stop on the highway that is the entire town. It reminded me of Castroville and Gilroy, California, home of artichokes and garlic, respectively. Places you’d pass if you blinked.
When I returned from that trip, Hatch chile season was over, but I made a note to have some the following year. And every year after I have enjoyed Hatch chiles if I saw them. I have cooked with them and learned that they are surprisingly strong in scoville units. (heat.) The only place I know of in town that has Hatch chiles reliably year round is the Blue Line Sandwich Company on Metairie Rd. It’s a key ingredient in their corned beef hash.
I don’t love it enough to eat it regularly but my Hatch chile obsession remains. I recently got an email from the PR people for Huft Marchand Hospitality Group announcing a special promotion featuring Hatch chiles. My interest was immediately piqued. At all three of their restaurants locally, a special menu item featuring Hatch chiles was offered. These changed each week.
Two friends and I went to Barcar where the special was a boudin melt with Hatch chiles. When we arrived I ordered “the Hatch thing.” What came to the table surprised me. It was a Southwest chicken wrap with coleslaw, a side I subbed for French fries. I was surprised to see this arrive at the table, but since I knew they were changing these each week I just assumed this wrap was “the Hatch thing” for the week. It wasn’t.
There was a fried chicken sandwich with waffle fries on the table, a club sandwich, and this Southwest wrap, something I would normally never order. I detest wraps but I pulled all the green stuff out of this one and loved the interior filling. It had a fresh flavor heavily infused with lime. I am crazy about lime anywhere any time, and this one ingredient elevated this sandwich into a whole other realm. It was mostly green things inside, and I never did pick up a hint of Hatch chiles, but I loved it anyway.
When another server came to the table I asked if that wrap was part of the Hatch Chile offerings, and she said it was not. I asked to see our waiter to inquire how we got oue wires crossed, since that was the sole reason for the visit. Somehow it came out that it was still the boudin melt as the Hatch entree, but that the boudin eggrolls also had Hatch chiles as an ingredient. I ordered those.
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These were delicious. Crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside, each bite was infused with the unmistakeable spice a Hatch chile imparts to a dish. I only wish there were more than four pieces on the plate. They went quickly.The eggrolls were accompanied by a sauce for dipping that was the perfect consistency to stand up to these eggrolls, and it also had a piquant flavor. It was all just great. The waiter did not charge for the eggrolls to make up for the confusion with the entree. This was a nice gesture., I thought.
I like this little place. The menu is not very large, but what is there is very good, and I just love the feeling there. It’s a very classy bar.
There was another fun promotion the same week. BRG was teasing diners ahead of the opening of Delacroix on September 22nd by offering little "tastes" of a few menu items from the Delacroix menu.
There was a single item on a single day at Restaurant August. Mai’s Seafood Salad was featured at Friday lunch, and at Willa Jean, Wiley’s Crab & Shrimp-Stuffed Pistolettes ran for a week as a special. Snapper Collars are out of my league, but those were featured at Luke.
I made it to the pistolettes at Willa Jean. These were disappointing. Very small little bites filled mostly with cheese, that was melted everywhere. The sauce was the best thing about these.
Sometimes when cheese melts its consistency is unappealing. That was the case here, and I didn’t care for the rest of it either. Also, the bread seemed to be fried at the end, which is something I am seeing more of. I don’t understand this at all. White flour carbs aren’t needed by anyone, so to add an extra step of frying seems too much. Perhaps that heat is what made the cheese so runny?
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This would not be a deterrent to me trying the restaurant, which I am very much looking forward to. We have always been big fans of John Besh from way back in the early days of Artesia. There isn’t anything that isn’t first class at any BRG restaurant. Delacroix will be no different.
While I didn’t have much of the Hatch Chile offerings, and the BRG “taste” was disappointing, I am always going to be captivated by little promotions like these. I look forward to the next enticement any restaurateur will offer to get me in the door. Its fun.
