Chipotle’s Not Going Anywhere, Despite Naysayers

Oh, chipotle.
    The smoke-dried jalapeño chili peppers whose pods, powders, sauces and marinades have cranked up the heat in so many Mexican bar foods got the cold shoulder from some word aficionados earlier this year. “Chipotle” was added to an annual list of words to be “banished” from the Queen’s English for “mis-use, over-use and general uselessness.”
    Although it may have been kicked out of the vernacular, all things chipotle still hold court on the menus of bars and grills. Its appeal trudges on with consumers.
    Guests sidling up to the bar inside the sleek turquoise and gold interiors of Cantina 1511 in Charlotte, N.C., are as likely to order one of the restaurant’s signature dishes — quesadillas with chipotle-braised chicken and Oaxaca (wah-HAH-kah) cheese, a customer favorite — as they are a basket of crispy nachos. In the continuous effort to keep things current and fresh in the hospitality business, standard Mexican bar food is sharing the recessed spotlight with more upscale barroom fare.
    While some Cantina 1511 guests typically gravitate toward more familiar Mexican dishes to accompany their tequila, others opt for those that are patently unique. Regional Mexican and signature foods compliment their palates, says Cantina 1511 manager Grace Millsap.
    “We offer a creative interpretation of regional Mexican cooking,” she says.
Owner Frank Scibelli regularly travels to the Oaxaca region in southern Mexico to attend a cooking school where he gets culinary ideas for Cantina 1511.
    “Every three months, we change the menu and present something new,” Millsap says. “We add twists to our tacos and burritos to make them more exciting.”
    Cantina 1511 also is noted for featuring several fish dishes, including a fish special every weekend, which reflects the distinct Oaxaca cooking tradition. Also among the tasty appetizer fare is caviche ($8.99), fresh fish served with tostones (twice-fried plantain patties) marinated with citrus juices, fresh tomato, garlic and cilantro.
    Appetizers range in price from $2.99 for a regular-sized portion of queso fundido (imported Mexican cheeses melted with fresh herbs and chilies, served with steaming floured tortillas) to $11.99 for a 12-inch entree-sized quesadilla with Carne Asada steak, caramelized poblano peppers and onions and creamy mixed Mexican cheeses.
Cantina 1511, which also features some 40 brands of tequila, has two locations in Charlotte’s bustling historic and trendy Dilworth and Southend areas and primarily attracts crowds from nearby neighborhoods and out of town.
    Millsap said Cantina 1511 constantly strives to keep its menu as fresh as the ingredients that go into its appetizers and entrees and hopes to keep competitors on their toes.
    “We always think they’re going to start doing what we’re doing,” she says.       NCB