It is that time of year once again, when the rancid, off-putting smell of oil that Eddy County residents have learned to push into the background of their senses is replaced with the sweet, smoky aroma of freshly roasted green chiles at every marketplace in town.
YellowBrix has been in Carlsbad for over a decade and has established itself as one of the premiere eateries in the city. With a diverse menu and vibrant atmosphere that sometimes offers live entertainment on weekends, YellowBrix offers its patrons a very unique dining experience. While every item on the menu is top quality, the Green Chile Chicken Fettuccini truly embodies the New Mexico spirit.
This very dish was one my mother was famous for cooking when I was growing up. So, when I decided to order it at YellowBrix, I went in with high expectations.
They did not disappoint.
The sauce is creamy. The noodles are tender, and the chicken adds a nice full taste. There is a beautiful balance between the three that is necessary for the dish to succeed as a whole. However, the green chile truly is the star of the show; it cuts through beautifully with the Alfredo sauce and brings just enough spice to round out the dish.
Green chile and grits are the match made in heaven that nobody is talking about.
Not to be outdone, Lucky Bull Bar & Grill (which, as it happens, resides just a block away from YellowBrix) also has an extremely unusual menu item that features green chile.
Of all the dishes you could possibly pair with our state’s green delicacy, grits would most likely be one of the last ones to come to mind. That is, unless you happen to be at Lucky Bull.
Like YellowBrix, Lucky Bull provides customers with an intriguing, relaxed environment that welcomes people in and makes one feel at home.
The comfort transfers to the food items as well, and nothing is more comforting than the Green Chile Grits. I admit I was a bit skeptical when I ordered them, but they truly were something else. Green chile and grits are the match made in heaven that nobody is talking about. While simple in appearance, Lucky Bull Grill’s star of a dish packs a punch worthy of its soul-food pedigree. The cheese and green chile combine for a perfect complimentary layer of salt and heat, enhanced superbly by the hint of green onion in every bite.
Not only that, but like the YellowBrix fettuccine, the heat of the chile does not overwhelm the dish. If you are one who loves green chile but are on the sensitive side of the spice spectrum, then this is the dish to try. You get all the flavor of the green chile and only a delicious hint of spice.
The Carlsbad restaurant scene is as vibrant as anywhere else in New Mexico, and our state’s culinary claim to fame is everywhere you look, enhancing even the most unexpected dishes, from Italian staples to soul food. If you have not been out in a while, check out one of these fine establishments, or any of the other dozens in town for some amazing food, and do not forget to add a little green to it.
Article written by Zeke Montoya and originally published in Focus on Carlsbad 2022 Fall edition.
