Stepping Out
Peter DavisChimichanga Mexican Restaurant
5425 S Grand Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63111
(314) 352-0202
Chimichanga is a fun neighborhood hangout that is worth going to if you want better than average Mexican food at a reasonable price. The staff showed a clear concern for its patrons and their food, which was a nice surprise on a night where the restaurant was very crowded.
In an attempt to branch out from our Italian choices of the past, we had set our sights on a restaurant different enough that visiting it would truly be considered “stepping out.” Unfortunately, Subway closed early, so we had to default to our back-up restaurant. Having made our selection, we rounded up our usual gang of eaters.
The restaurant is closer to SLU than our own campus, so the drive took a long time. The restaurant appeared rather crummy-looking from the outside, and when we entered we found that the dining area was cramped and rather loud. There was also an hour-long wait for an inside table. Luckily we were able to get a seat in the outdoor section, and we decided to give mid-November outdoor dining a try. After all, anything was better than sitting around for an hour-and we were also dying to see what kind of food would inspire people to suffer hours of waiting.
Our gamble paid off. The waiters brought out two large space heaters, which worked remarkably well to keep us warm while we perused the large, diverse menu. What worked even better was the bountiful amount of chips and salsa that were supplied to us soon after sitting down. The chips and their friend, Mr. Salsa, were fresh, salty, spicy and, most importantly, free.
After gorging ourselves on these processed bundles of joy, we decided that we should order an appetizer that better served a healthy diet. After putting our nutrition hats on, we looked through the menu and found nachos supreme. which had lettuce on it. The appetizer arrived about thirty seconds before our entrees, which initially angered us a bit. The lettuce was accompanied by chicken, cheese and sour cream, all on top of more chips. The toppings were put in sections of the chips, not layered and spread out as we would’ve liked. Everything was soggy as well. We wanted to be able to scoop the toppings with the chips, but when we tried, the chips wilted under the pressure of the toppings and our expectations.
Thankfully the rest of our meal was already there. The steak fajitas had the best presentation: a beautiful background created by red tomatoes, green peppers and onions enhanced a centerpiece of meat that looked to be perfectly cooked. The vegetables on this plate were as good as they looked. Though well cooked, they kept their form wonderfully. The texture of the tomatoes, the crunch of the peppers and the faint sweetness of the onions made these items the best part of the meal.
The steak, however, was a different story. Surprisingly tough and flavorless, the steak was like the actor Paul Walker: great until he says his first line. The meal was served with tortillas, rice, beans and guacamole, which were all solid but not spectacular.
The chicken tacos were basic, but very tasty. We feared that the chicken would be stringy, but instead we found it to be tender and juicy. The tacos were served in hard shells with cheese and lettuce on top. They weren’t that filling, but perhaps that was for the best, considering all of the other food we ordered.
The chicken taquitos, containing chicken meat and what tasted like cheese, were good but not great, and they were arranged around the more substantial part of the dish: salad. For men who prefer eating animals, this was disappointing. This dish was also not quite as filling as we would’ve hoped.
The beef burrito, for its part, was a simple success. Filled with meat, cheese, lettuce and refried beans, topped with a cheese sauce, this item provided both a lot to eat and great bang for the buck.
The saying at Chimichanga is that you can’t eat there without ordering their famous chimichangas. Wikipedia defines a chimichanga as a deep-fried burrito, created in Tucson, Arizona. One of our companions decided that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be told what to do and gave the specialty a try. Our chimichanga had chicken in it, and we have to hand it to the restaurant; it was truly excellent. The crisp texture of the exterior was fantastic, and the meat inside was moist and flavorful. We enjoyed the regular burrito, but the wonderful crunchy, fried nature of the chimichanga simply was in a league of its own.
Chimichanga was clearly a popular place for people of all ages. The quality and quantity of the food wasn’t excellent, but it was good enough that we were all content upon leaving. If we were ever in the neighborhood we would definitely stop by again.
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