El Chisme
Time for the first review. I figured it would be good to start with a fairly new restaurant, and one that I’ve spent a significant amount of time at as well. El Chisme is a new Mexican restaurant on the Southeast side of Grand Rapids. Located at 739 Burton, close to the corner of Burton and Eastern, it occupies the building that used to be La Flora Cafe, and before that Miller’s Ice Cream. I’m usually at El Chisme at least once a week, as many as four times a week, and I’ve even been there twice in one day.
On to the food. It wouldn’t be a Mexican Restaurant without chips and salsa, and the Chiz (slang I use to describe El Chisme) comes through on the chips and salsa. I’m pretty sure the chips are home-made, as well as the salsa. Make sure you go for the hot salsa (you might have to ask for it depending on the server) because it seems to have better flavor than the mild. The name of the game with all the food at El Chisme is fresh. No pre-frozen meals here…always hot, always fresh, always tasting a little bit different. As I mentioned previously, I’ve been here a lot, so I’ll list everything I’ve had: Wet Burrito, Flautas, Tacos, Tostadas, Quesadillas, Fajitas, Torta…I think that’s about it…but there’s way more on the menu. Everything I’ve had has been good. I highly recommend the Torta. For those of you who have never ventured outside of Taco Bell for your Mexican food (may God have mercy on your soul), a torta is a sandwich on Mexican bread with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avacado, and your choice of meat. I usually get chicken, but you can get beef or pork as well. The wet burrito is another good selection…especially on Mondays when it seems to be $4.99. This rivals…maybe even trumps…another famous GR Mexican restaurant famous for their wet burritos (I’ll let you guess which one I’m talking about). Oh, one other thing…order the Horchata. It’s some type of sweet rice-milk type drink that is absolutely amazing.
With the food out of the way, the wait staff is always friendly. Monika (and I have no clue if I spelled that right, but it’s my blog so it doesn’t matter…and you pronounce it mo-nee-kuh) is my favorite because she always tries to teach us Spanish. I should be bilingual with as many times as I’ve been in there, but I’m usually too consumed with stuffing my face to worry about speaking in Spanish.
On to the atmosphere. There’s a bar area (though no cerveza…how’s that for Spanish?) that’s fashioned after a Tiki-hut. Something tells me this may be left over from one of the previous tenants, as it seems a bit more Caribbean than Mexican. However, there’s a fair amount of sumbreros, Mexican blankets, and little Spanish guitars on the wall to make it look a bit more like our neighbors to the South. Definitely stop in on Sunday afternoon to hear the mariachi singer…the dude can sing…and he wears the whole mariachi outfit as well. When it’s all said and done, however, you’re still in Grand Rapids, which doesn’t have a chance at being as cool at Tijuana.
It also seems that the GRPD has discovered this place and takes many a lunch break here. It’s usually a good sign when police officers are regulars at a restaurant, so this just goes to back my claim that The Chiz is one of the best Mexican spots in the city. So, next time you’re in the mood for Mexican, just keep driving right past Taco Hell and try El Chisme…unless there’s a warrant out for your arrest, in which case you should probably settle for a crunch wrap supreme.
***EDIT***
I just found the following article on WOOD TV’s website. Goes to prove that if you want to be safe, go to where the cops eat.
Taco Bell robbed in Grand Rapids
GRAND RAPIDS – Police are searching for two men who brazenly robbed a Taco Bell in Grand Rapids. It happened just before 9 p.m. Thursday in the 600 block of Leonard. Police say the men were both carrying handguns and got away with cash. Witnesses say the men fled out the back of the restaurant, but a K-9 search failed to pick up the scent.Police say the suspects are both black men. One was wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and the other was wearing a black one.Anyone with information is asked to call Grand Rapids Police Department.
Ummmmmm… I agree, great palce for a leadership meeting too…
On the topic of GR mexican food. I love Taco Boy’s bean enchiladas, and I like their homemade hot sauce. A new Taco Boy will be opening on Alpine soon! Also, I love the Maggie’s Kithen veggie burrito (I order it plus raw jalepeno) with that super hot El Yukuteka habanero sauce. YUM! If I could wish for anything, I would wish for a Mexican buffet to open up in GR. And it would have sauces from mild to super-hot!