When Green Chile Kitchen opened several years ago, it was the kind of spot neighbors took to instantly, perfect for a quick weeknight burrito or rotisserie chicken dinner.
The tiny, 28-seat interior seemed to burst at the seams. That is, until late last year, when owner Trevor Logan nabbed the space at the top of the street and moved the operation there. He did, however, hang on to the original space, which morphed into Chile Pies and Ice Cream, serving mostly desserts.
The new Green Chile Kitchen is large and bustling, with oversize windows, religious artwork and sculpture lining the other walls. With nearly double the seating, the dark wood tables are mostly occupied by young families with children, and students from the nearby University of San Francisco.
True to the restaurant's name, chiles dominate much of the menu, topping items like a tender tamale appetizer ($7.95), gooey nachos ($8.95) and chicken enchiladas ($11.95), with soft blue corn tortillas, cheese and meat layered into a casserole version.
Diners can choose between mild or fiery green chiles or medium red chiles; all add heat and flavors that distinguish this fare as New Mexican. Craving a burrito made from carnitas, pinto beans, Mexican rice and a slew of condiments? This ain't the place. Here the wraps ($5.50-$7.95) are stuffed with chile-simmered chicken, ground beef, steak or pork, mild rice and chiles, then grilled and slathered with more of the tangy chile sauce.
Tacos can be ordered soft ($10.95 for three) or crispy ($9.95 for two) - the hard-shell ones filled with ground beef are a throwback to Ortega and taco-sauce childhood meals, but still utterly appealing. Also retro is the heartland taco salad ($10.95), a blend of crisp romaine, beans, avocado, cheese, tomatoes and ground beef. A green chile buttermilk dressing ties the salad together, best scooped up with the accompanying blue corn chips.
Rotisserie chicken is also central to the menu, served by the quarter ($8.50), half ($11.95) or whole ($19.95). The citrus- or chile-rubbed birds are from Fulton Valley, fork tender, and anchor a full dinner. Each plate comes with beans, rice and tortilla, and a choice of salad, chile-spiked mashed potatoes or calabacitas - a vibrant array of squash, corn and, yep, chiles.
