Recovering from my hospital stay in September seemed to take longer than I anticipated. Beyond the doctor-suggested three to four weeks, it took even longer for me to relearn what foods would make my digestive system rebel against me. Over time, I was able to handle spicy foods again, but I figured nachos were forever going to be off my list of things I could eat.
During a grumbling conversation about my dislike for how processed nacho cheese has sealed my fate with nachos, a friend advised me that I should try the nachos from Chuy’s Taqueria. After a grueling two weekends of Girl Scout cookie booths in windy, rainy weather – I decided it was time to take a break, treat myself and give them a try.
The excitement of eating nachos for the first time since August was more thrilling than I thought. I didn’t realize how many meat options Chuy’s offers on their menu and for a quick second I was torn between the carne asada and the carnitas. Being a child of the 80s, I went for the steak.
Chuy’s certainly brought the beef, the jalapenos, and the queso. My stomach and foodie heart sang with joy when I discovered that Chuy’s cooks top their nachos with legit melted cheese, not goopy processed who-knows-what. And it wasn’t just a sprinkle on top. Strands of cheese were melted over, under and throughout my pile of crisp tortilla chips.
The shredded beef was seasoned and cooked perfectly. It wasn’t tough or dry, and I was able to break the meaty chunks into smaller pieces with ease. The flavor was also on par with my expectations of what carne asada ought to taste like. Not too salty, and had just enough smoky flavor and a hint of chilies to taste.
The large marinated jalapenos and spicy carrot slices were the silver lining on top. The one request I made was for no onions, but the tomatoes, chopped cilantro and creamy guacamole on top brought all the right flavors together so that I didn’t miss them.
For fun, because why not, I also ordered three flautas on the side. I appreciate a good, crispy flauta and I had yet to try Chuy’s. I wasn’t disappointed. Some folks miss the mark on their flautas. The flour tortilla is not crisp enough, there’s not enough flavor in the chicken filling or it’s overcooked. Not these ones.
These flautas had just enough crispiness to the flour tortilla shell to satisfy that want for crunch. The chicken filling was meaty enough that you actually could taste the chicken, but wasn’t overpowering with too much seasoning. I also enjoyed the toppings of shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa and sour crema drizzle.
I was able to scoop it all up with the role and get a good flavor profile in one bite. The flautas were also a good-sized role that I brought the rest home to eat for dinner. Once again, my stomach claimed it was hungrier than it could actually handle. I also didn’t share anything that came home with me, much to my preteen’s dismay, and I don’t feel bad about it.
If anyone wants to get nachos, let me know. I now know where to go to enjoy them.
