Modern Taqueria

Chileverde is a place where you might see movers and shakers
enjoying lunch. You know who they are: that lawyer you saw on TV last
night, or perhaps a famous local chef. You’ll see plenty of people
wearing jury tags, too.

There are several reasons for this mixture of clientele. One, of
course, is the location. Chileverde is located next door to the Pima
County building on Stone Avenue between Congress and Pennington
streets. It is a short walk for many a downtown worker, and several
courthouses are in the vicinity.

Another reason: The service is fast casual, which is ideal if you
have to get back in short order to that all-important legal stuff.

The décor and atmosphere are pretty cool. Part of the kitchen
is open, so you can watch the cooks hustling. The floors are painted
cement; an open brick wall adds an industrial-chic look. The small
tables are packed close together, and there’s a big-screen TV always
tuned to news.

Another important part of the décor is the salsa bar. Salsas
include a pico de gallo, a salsa verde, a mild red sauce, a hot red
sauce, and a thin and flavorful guacamole-like sauce, plus fresh limes.
Grab napkins, silverware, salt, pepper and your fountain drink, and
then head for your table; it’s all very simple and easy.

On one visit, John and I clocked in around noon, midweek, to find
the place pretty empty. Fifteen minutes later, almost all of the tables
were filled.

At the counter, John ordered the two carne asada tacos ($6.50), and
I had the daily special: a shredded beef chimichanga ($8.99) with a
drink. John then grabbed a table, and I headed for the salsa bar. (By
the way, the prices of some of the items actually increased between
visits; we only paid $6 for those tacos.)

Before I even sat down, a complimentary cone of chips was delivered
to the table. These come with every meal, as does a side of refried
beans, one grilled onion and one grilled green chile (hence the name:
Chileverde).

But before we could even dig into those chips, our food arrived.
That had to be some type of speed record. Now, I appreciate expediency
in service, especially at lunch, but it seemed as though the kitchen,
in an effort to get diners moving, may have had items plated and ready
before they were ordered. The result? Lukewarm food. What a bummer!
Even the beans hadn’t been heated thoroughly.

The temperature, or lack of it, affected the flavor of both dishes,
especially the carne asada. A few more minutes on the grill and some
warm tortillas would’ve made a big difference in the overall flavor.
Fair tacos would’ve become great tacos.

My chimichanga was not of the deep-fried variety. Instead, it had
been grilled to a toasty brown color. The filling consisted of shredded
beef, some cheese, chopped chiles and onions. But all those flavors
were lost, because the food wasn’t hot.

Would things be better the second time around? Yes, yes, yes!

Miranda and I ate there, again midweek. She ordered the burro de
pollo asado ($7.50), and I ordered the mar de Cortes salad ($9); we
also decided to split an order of guacamole ($5.50). Miranda had
lemonade ($1.95) which is made fresh and served from a big glass olla
on the counter.

Again, food arrived at the table lickety-split. (However, we had to
ask for the cone of chips this time.) The generous portion of guacamole
was served atop a bowl of chips. Chunky and amazingly fresh, it was
topped with white cheese and some pico de gallo. It was almost a meal
for one all by itself.

Miranda’s burro was also huge. Inside were good-sized bits of
grilled chicken, avocado, pico de gallo and cheese. All those flavor
layers came together perfectly. She especially enjoyed the creamy beans
that came with the burro. She said they tasted homemade, like “they had
been cooking, (prepared) by someone’s mother, for a long time.” She
also called them rustic and earthy. I took bites of everything she ate,
and I agree. She also wished there were more of the chiles and onions
on the side; perhaps they could add these to the sides menu, or offer
them at the salsa bar.

My salad consisted of mixed baby greens, avocado and cilantro that
had all been tossed in a tangy mango vinaigrette. On top were about 10
medium shrimp that had been marinated in tequila and lime, and then
grilled to the ideal point. As I ate it, the avocado blended with the
dressing, adding a nice creaminess.

All considered, it was a much better meal than we had on our first
visit—offering what I believe is a truer sense of what the
kitchen puts out on a regular basis.

Chileverde has another personality as well: Thursdays through
Saturdays, it becomes a club, called Centro, with live music and a
limited menu.

This article appears in Jul 30 – Aug 5, 2009.