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homerhorizon.com dining out
the Homer Horizon | April 19, 2018 | 21
The Dish
Chuy’s Tex-Mex offers a different kind of fusion
Amanda Stoll, Assistant Editor
True or False? Traditional
Mexican tacos are served
topped with cheese?
If you guessed true, you
would be wrong according
to Jose Salazar, general
manager at Chuy’s in Orland
Park.
Lucky for those cheeselovers
out there, Chuy’s
serves both traditional and
Texan-inspired dishes, and
some with a little bit of
both.
The chain started in Austin,
Texas in 1982 and has nearly
100 locations, mostly spread
across the South, East Coast
and Central Great Plains.
Hallmarks of the chain
include a nacho car, a selfserve
nacho bar situated in
the trunk of a Buick 1958,
and the chihuahua bar,
where visitors can bring a
framed picture of their dogs
to hang up and receive a free
appetizer to boot.
Salazar said last week
there were almost 300 pups
adorning the walls and bar
area, but he is hoping to get
that number up to at least
1,000.
One room is reserved as
the hubcap room, where
the ceiling in the original
location was painted purple,
and — because of the
owners’ displeasure with
the color — consequently
covered with a variety of
hubcaps.
Upon closer inspection,
the iconic purple paint can
be seen between the gleaming
hubcaps at the Orland
Park location.
Many of the same things
can be found at all Chuy’s
locations — including the
menu, nacho car, chihuahua
bar, indoor palm tree decor
and hubcap room — but the
artwork adorning the walls,
the design and layout are
unique to each location.
Most of the decor in the
restaurant is brought in
from Mexico, where Salazar
said the company tries
to support local artists, including
those who have
been making the more than
1,000 hand-carved wooden
fish on the ceiling in the bar
area.
Chuy’s opened March 27,
and so far Salazar said the
Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom
chicken enchiladas ($12.29)
have been among the most
popular menu items. He said
what sets the dish apart are
the fresh ingredients, inhouse
roasted chicken and,
of course, the Boom-Boom
sauce.
The Boom-Boom sauce,
one of a variety of sauce options
at Chuy’s, is made with
cheese, roasted New Mexican
green chiles, tomatillos,
green onions, cilantro and
lime juice, as well as some
“secret spices.”
The creamy jalapeño
sauce, although originally
served as only a salad dressing,
has become a favorite,
Salazar added. It is a ranchbased
sauce with a jalapeno
kick, and people put it on everything
from tortilla chips
to burritos and tacos.
Chuy’s even sells the
creamy jalapeño sauce in
32-ounce take-home containers
for those who cannot
live without it.
Their burritos ‘big as
yo’ face,’ tacos, house specialties
and enchiladas are
served with freshly cooked
Mexican or green chile rice,
and house-made refried or
charro beans.
Their burritos are made
with homemade tortillas
stuffed with refried
beans and cheese ($9.99),
seasoned ground sirloin
($10.29), oven-roasted
chicken ($11.29), or fajita
chicken or beef ($11.99).
Chuy’s
15610 S. LaGrange
Road in Orland Park
Hours
• 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday-Thursday
• 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday-Saturday
For more information …
Web: chuys.com
Phone: (708) 403-5334
The Elvis Green Chile
Fried Chicken ($12.29) is
a popular Chuy’s original
recipe, featuring a chicken
breast breaded with Lay’s
potato chips, deep fried and
topped with green chile
sauce and cheddar sauce.
Chuy’s connection to The
King includes a small shrine
within the restaurant and an
annual celebration in January,
during which patrons
who dress up as Elvis or
Priscilla Presley eat for free.
Happy Hour at Chuy’s is
from 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday,
when visits to the fullyloaded
nacho car are free of
charge.
Happy Hour also features
drink specials including
traditional or strawberry
house ritas ($5.95) served
frozen, on the rocks and
made with fresh squeezed
lime juice; the grande
house ritas ($8.95), served
in a pint glass with 1800
Silver tequila and extra
Grand Marnier; the house
Texas martinis ($9.75),
made with top-shelf premium
tequila and a choice
of Cointreau, Grand Marnier,
or Patron Citronge,
and served with jalapeñostuffed
olives; and domestic
beers ($4).
Other specialty drinks on
the menu at Chuy’s include
the Chuy’s Brew, a frozen
lime margarita topped with
a 7-ounce Corona, and seasonal
sangrias made with
fresh fruit.
Salazar said Chuy’s regularly
partners with local
organizations such as The
Bridge Teen Center in Orland
Park and area schools
for fundraisers.
For more information on
upcoming events and fundraisers,
visit www.chuys.
com/community.
The purple ceiling in the hubcap room at Chuy’s is adorned
with hubcaps from various cars of various eras, providing a
uniquely shiny and interesting focal point.
The Chicka-Chicka Boom-Boom chicken enchiladas
($12.29) at Chuy’s feature freshly-roasted, hand-pulled
chicken and cheese inside homemade tortillas and topped
with Boom-Boom sauce.
Photos by Amanda Stoll/22nd Century Media
The Welcome Place
Preschool
14719 W. 163rd St., Homer Glen
OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, April 26 • 4:00 to 7:00pm
Registration NOW OPEN!
3 YEAR OLDS
(3 by Sept. 1st)
Tues. & Thurs.
Morning Classes
4 YEAR OLDS
(4 by Sept. 1st)
Mon., Wed. & Fri.
Morning Classes
It is our mission to help children develop the gifts they
have been given in order to grow up into individuals
who know how they are loved and set free to make a
positive difference in this world.
We strive to fulfill our mission through
these strategic actions:
Showing Love • Teaching Faith • Developing Skills
(Spiritual, Academic, and Social)
Call 708-301-3883 for any information
or check out our website
www.CrossofGlory.com/preschool
Jamie Knutson, Preschool Director
The Welcome Place Preschool is a ministry of Cross
of Glory Lutheran Church
16 YEARS IN THE COMMUNITY