My experiences at the postage stamp-sized Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen in Park Slope, which opened at the end of January, were similar to a roller coaster ride. On my first visit, I was welcomed by packed tables and a veil of kitchen smoke filling the restaurant. We ate in a cozily decorated, but drafty dining room where no table can fit more than four. The space was so tight, I actually shattered a vase maneuvering out of my seat (sorry). The dinner service was equal parts friendly, forgetful and overwhelmed. Meals peaked during blissful mouthfuls of corn and enchilada, only to be derailed by valleys of un-special “specialties.” With every first bite, I didn’t know if I’d be wowed or dejected.
I had high hopes for Chiles & Chocolate based on their intriguing selections, which the menu declares to be different from your average Mexican joint because they focus on indigenous cuisine from the southern region of Oaxaca, Mexico. We New Yorkers are always on the prowl for “authentic” dining experiences, and I’m as guilty as the next food snob.
I started off by giving the Oaxacan specialty Guacamole with Fried Grasshoppers ($7) a shot. I closed my eyes and tried not to imagine what I was eating for my first bite, but the bugs offered a nice spice-kick when sprinkled on top of our generous portion of simple guac. Next, the Elotes Del Zocolo ($4) left me elated. Served as two ears of fire-roasted corn, slightly charred and intoxicatingly spicy, my eyes were majestically opened to a new corn experience. I fell for Oaxacan cheese upon trying Quesadillas Antiguas with Calabasitas ($5). Its mildness has a savory flavor that far surpasses generic, smothering cheddar-jack combos, which made this zucchini quesadilla a winner. But my enchantment quickly waned upon tasting the Ensalada de Nopal ($6), a pickled cactus salad served with peppers and onion that can best be described as flat. Nothing about it compelled me to want another bite.
The entrees were also disappointing. I ordered the Stewed Pork with Coloradito Mole ($15) based on the recommendation of our server. However, there was nothing stewed about the tough slices of pork loin topped with a red mole. The Pato Cacahuate y Chocolate ($16), a duck dish advertised as prepared with a special mixture of peanut, chocolate and chipotle tasted more like plain pieces of duck breast in a pool of unremarkable sauce.
More smoke escaped from the kitchen as we devoured our Pastel Tres Leches ($5). We ate so quickly that I barely had time to think of ways to describe how good it was. Cakey and soaked in milky sweetness, this dessert left me yearning for more. My companion who’d spent a summer in Oaxaca, commented, “It’s not like any dessert I had in Mexico, but I like it better.” The Platano Con Chocolate ($5) wasn’t as lovely. It was described as caramelized baby bananas with chocolate sauce, but was served to us as one large uncooked chocolate-covered banana. My accomplice commented, “I could have made this in less than five minutes for less than $5.”
A lunch trip allowed me and my dining partner to be endlessly amused by loud-talking, name-dropping blogger/writers, (par for the Park Slope course, I guess) but also gave me the opportunity to be more impressed with the food. The Enchiladas XOXO ($9) were a great value, and the spicy sandia chili sauce elevated the dish above standard fare. I also loved the moist Tamales Del Dia ($9), which were stuffed with Chicken Mole Negro, giving me a taste of the expertly prepared traditional sauce. But my roller coaster continued its ups and downs. My enthusiasm for the tamales was undermined by the “fresh salad” they were served with, which turned out to be a small garnish of undressed shredded iceberg lettuce.
I want to root for family-owned neighborhood places like Chiles & Chocolate. Yes, they were less than a month old at the time of my first visits, so I forgive some of the sore spots. Clearly, people in the kitchen know what they’re doing, but they’ll have to be more consistent to win the hearts of discerning diners.
Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen
54 7th Ave. (betw. Lincoln & St. John's Pls.), B’klyn
718-230-7700
