There is a pink building in west Lakewood That draws crowds from all over the nation. The cuisine they serve is not very good, And bills have gone through a price explosion. But it is hard to resist the cliff diver Performing to a Mariachi band. The roaming gorilla is the driver For the amount of fun to be on hand. They will keep your margarita glass filled, So you can explore Black Bart’s Cave. The puppet show is just as it is billed, And the illusionist is all the rave. My lost childhood is ready to meet ya In the world famous Casa Bonita.
There are people in this world who are in the know. They usually live in the southwest part of the United States, and they enjoy a certain brand of Mexican food that can only be found in that part of the world. Of course, these people enjoy all kinds of Mexican food, whether it is authentic Mexican, the Cali blend, or the famous Tex-Mex. But to those in the know, the best type of Mexican can only be found in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. This is because a certain kind of Mexican delight can only be found in this part of the world for some reason.
This delicacy is known as Green Chili. For those in the know, they already knew where I was headed. If they were already residing in one of those three states, they might start thinking about having come green chili for dinner, and for those living outside of these three states went through an odd rollercoaster ride with their emotions. At first, they would be excited as they would be brought back to memories of when they were able to enjoy this entree, but then they would get sad because they would not be able to find any place where they could have some. Even if they had a recipe for this simple meal, they would be discouraged because the place where they were living might not have the right kind of chilis to make this for themselves.
For those not in the know, green chili is a simple pork based sauce that is made with chilis, flour and a little water. Some people have made it with chicken and there are some wonderful vegetarian versions out there as well. Mexican restaurants in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona usually keep a batch heated up in the kitchen, and they will smoother any dish that you want with it. This simple added feature turns any Mexican dish into something distinct and unforgettable. It is the dish that is the one that anybody visiting the region should look for. Those who have come out here, and have tried it, know what I am talking about.
It is surprising to me that it only resides in this part of the world, and I do not know why it has not been brought to other places. I have had kimchi in Jordan, hummus in Japan, and Pho in America, so I don’t understand why this dish is impossible find outside of where I grew up. Finding Mexican food around the world is not hard, and most of the time it does a pretty good job. Still, it misses that one thing that makes it Mexican for me. So I ask those owners of these Mexican restaurants around the world to add green chili to their menu. It might not sell right away because there are not many people in the know, but after people try it, the word would spread, and they would have a hard time keeping it around. Also, I would be able to enjoy this dish outside of the United States which would be the thing that would excite me the most.
As for right now, I am back in Colorado, and am enjoying it again. I will have to have as much as I possibly can while I am out here, and try to find a way to make it when I move back to Jordan. Until then, please give me a scoop of that green chili on my Mexican and I will be in heaven.
Until next time, keep on finding those local treasures, and having great adventures.
Don’t get me wrong. It is pretty cool, and it is fun to have this dedicated place where you can get a drink, and a choice of some delicious food from five or six options. But I did not know that food truck stops have become such a big thing. I traveled down to Bend last night to visit with an old friend at one of these places, and along the way I could see a collection of food trucks gathered together like a small herd at many locations along the way. According the local news, there are even more of these spots all over Bend. I was even invited to go to a different one while I was staying outside of Portland but couldn’t make it because I was still under quarantine protocol at the time.
My point is that I have been away from the country for a couple of years, and all of a sudden, it has become a thing. I know that the food truck is not a new thing. It had been around long before John Favreau highlighted the story of a man’s adventure with one in his great movie, Chef, and I had even eaten from a few of them from time to time. I also knew that there were places where they would gather in order to sell their feasts; I had visited them in Colorado and Seoul, but usually during some kind of festival so they had a reason for gathering. It is just that they are all over the place now, and seem to be more ubiquitous than a regular restaurant, especially in the Central Oregon area.
The one I went to last night was called On Tap, and it was located by the St. Charles hospital underneath the shadow of Pilot Butte in the eastern part of Bend. It boasts of having the most beer on tap than any other location in Bend, even though it does not brew any of the beer that it serves. Most of the selection comes from local breweries even though I did see a couple from the east coast and one from Colorado on the list. They also had a nice selection of wines, and various ciders (which has also become a thing while I was gone). You go up to the counter, order your drink from a couple of pushy bartenders (they could have been a little more patient as I read through the selection), and then find a spot at one of the many picnic tables found on their grounds. It has a very communal atmosphere, and I would imagine would be even better if people did not have to socially distance themselves due to the straggling effects of the pandemic still lingering on. I don’t know what happens during the winter. The bar is located in a permanent structure that can be closed up with some seating still available, but the amount is severely reduced because of this. But then again, Bend is a big tourist destination during the summer, so maybe On Tap can make a bigger chunk of its money during these months, and allow that to give them what they need to coast during the rest of year.
The food I had was really good as well. I had a shrimp po’ boy, and it was nice to have some cajun food again after not seeing a place where you could get for so long. It was really tasty though I wish it could have a little bit more of a kick with it, but then again I am in the Pacific Northwest, and this is not something that is always offered with the food out here. They had a lot of other selections as well with vegetarian, Mexican, Asian fusion, bar-b-q, and Philly cheese steak sandwiches. Of course, I couldn’t taste it all, but the food that I saw being carried around all looked delicious.
Families and dogs were even welcomed. I saw many children run and duck through the tables, and they even gathered on the grassy patch at the far end for a game of tag. The dogs were always looking for a piece of dropped food or a pat on the head from the people passing by. The food, drink, outdoors, and people created the perfect atmosphere for a great summer evening. It does not mean that I will hunt out another one of these herds every night, but I would enjoy finding different ones, or coming back to this one so I could try some of the other cuisine. It was all around a fun evening.
I guess I now understand why this has become a thing.
John Collings 