MJ and I have been extremely fortunate to attend some pretty awesome events lately (e.g. Cafe Mueller opening party, an evening with the Mango Board, RL Reeves' pop-up restaurant). Who knew our little space on the web would afford us such opportunities? I've especially enjoyed these nights because, even if only for a brief time, they give us a chance to focus on one another and forget the busyness of life. This past weekend we got invited to try the menu for Chile Bash '13 at Z'Tejas.
Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill, birthed here in Austin TX, now has 11 locations peppered throughout the western U.S. With the restaurant landscape changing almost daily, it's refreshing to see an establishment do just that...remain established. The fine folks at Z'Tejas have been serving their South-inspired menu since 1989, and I've been a fan of theirs since 1998. College...now those were the days :).
I don't think I need to remind you of our obsession fondness for the Hatch chile, but just in case...we LOVE Hatch chiles. When we received an invitation to try the menu for Chile Bash '13, benefitting the Cancer Survivorship Clinic at the Children's Blood & Cancer Center at Dell Children's Medical Center, we were more than a little excited and motivated to check it out.
When we pulled into the parking lot of the Avery Ranch location, we were blown away by how packed the place was. We're usually able to beat the masses by eating early but not on this night. Even the scalding temperatures couldn't keep the outdoor patio from filling up. I guess we're not the only ones who get excited about these chiles...
The highlight of the night came early for MJ when our stellar waiter, Nathan, brought out the complimentary skillet cornbread. Piping hot and filled with kernels of sweet corn, this loaf of goodness is always so hard to resist. Not that I don't want to eat the bread, but what starts out as a couple of bites quickly turns into the whole pan, leaving absolutely no room for the rest of the meal.
To celebrate in true Chile Bash fashion, we were determined to order only off of the seasonal menu. But as we looked it over, we quickly realized that deciding what to eat was not going to be an easy task. Everything looked so tasty! We ordered a plate of the Hatch Chile Onion Rings and a Skinny Z'Smash to buy us some time. The rings were lightly battered and fried to perfection. As much as I love onion rings, the fried Hatch chile rings were phenomenal. They were accompanied by Hatch chile and barbecue dipping sauces. The sauces were almost unnecessary, though, as the dusting of cotija cheese, the fresh cilantro and the seasoning in the batter imparted plenty of flavor. The Skinny Z'Smash (Herradura Anejo, fresh oranges and lemons, mint and agave nectar) was light and fruity. I probably could've finished off about ten of these, but I guess that would've defeated the purpose of drinking a skinny.
Torn between the Tamarind Chicken Salad and the Herb Chile Glazed Mahi Mahi, MJ turned to our waiter for some much needed assistance. She did not regret doing so. Served with her beloved corn tortillas, the Mahi Mahi was thick and succulent and was not overwhelmed by the bold glaze. The New Mexico slaw was a cool and slightly sweet complement to the spicy red beans and the chile in the glaze. MJ was especially intrigued by the Hatch chile rice. In fact, I caught her fork wandering over to my plate to scoop up morsels of the delectable side. I'm usually not too keen on sharing but this night I didn't mind :).
As for me, as tempting as the Pork Tenderloin Sliders sounded, I couldn't resist the Adobo Steak Relleno - roasted Hatch chiles stuffed with seared beef tenderloin, Jack cheese and caramelized onions. I'm a huge fan of chile rellenos, and this was definitely one of the best I've ever had. The meat was tender, and I loved the spiciness of the dish (spicy red beans, Hatch chile rice, red chile sauce...they weren't shy with the chiles in this one). It wasn't painful but...therapeutic? It just made you feel warm all over and satisfied. Or maybe that was the alcohol ;). Either way, this dish was a winner.
We considered trying the dessert, but Hatch Chile Coconut Flan just wasn't calling out to us. Well, not to me anyway. I've never been big on coconut or flan for that matter (I'm weird). The gang at Z'Tejas Avery Ranch was amazing. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, we couldn't have been treated better. The food looked immaculate and had the taste to match. Our waiter was friendly, charming and willing to put up with our excessive picture taking. We also got to meet the general manager, Nick. He graciously took time away from the madness of the restaurant to chat with us and even allowed us to get a couple of shots inside the kitchen.
If by chance you're in the Austin area and get the opportunity to stop by Z'Tejas before September 16th, be sure to order off their Chile Bash menu. For each item sold, $1 will go to Dell Children's Medical Center. Great food benefitting a great cause? Sounds like a win-win to me.
Z'Tejas Avery Ranch, 10525 W. Parmer Ln, Austin TX 78717
Kari @ bite-sized thoughts says
What a great cause - and a great idea to support it! The food looks and sounds brilliant too 🙂
Hungryman says
The food really was quite tasty that night. We were so happy to take part in such an event.
Ashlee @ the Crunchy Moose says
I may just have to drive down to Austin for dinner! I might have to try making hatch chile onion rings at home
Hungryman says
Hatch chile onion rings at home? That's a brilliant idea!! Of course, if you can make it down to Austin, I don't think you'd be sorry. 😉
Maura @ My Healthy 'Ohana says
What an awesome dinner and a great cause! Wish I could have tried that mahi mahi 🙂 And what a handsome couple...Min, I keep meaning to tell you that I love your new haircut!! Tim, you give such quality reviews of these restaurants, it' s no wonder that you guys are getting invites to all these events!
Hungryman says
Maura, thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. We're really trying to find an excuse to visit you guys but I think our schedules have us booked till late 2014! 🙁 BTW, Min was sooo excited to see you blogging again!