It’s time: Where and when to find Hatch green chile in Fort Worth-area restaurants
You know what August means.
That is, besides the Dallas Cowboys’ camp.
This August marks 50 years of Hatch green chile promotions, marketing the fresh pepper crop from the Hatch Valley along the Rio Grande north of El Paso.
The Central Market Cafe locations inside supermarkets brought us one of the earliest Hatch chile promotions, but restaurants including Southwestern-themed Blue Mesa Grill are ready with peppers for every dish:
▪ Blue Mesa Grill, 612 Carroll St. at West Fifth Street near Montgomery Plaza, is offering a daily menu of Hatch chiles rellenos, steak tacos and smoked-chicken stacked enchiladas (all about $14) or posole ($9.50).
Hatch specialties will also be served on the weekly Sunday brunch buffet throughout August ($26).
There’s also a take-out tacos-and-rellenos family dinner ($35-$65).
From the bar, there’s a special Hatch pineapple margarita ($12, or $25 for a quart to go); open for lunch and dinner daily, 817-332-6372, bluemesagrill.com/hatchchilefest.
▪ Both Enchiladas Olé locations serve Hatch chile dishes regularly but will add a fresh Hatch sauce starting Aug. 3 that owner Mary Patino Vásquez described as “super caliente.”
The Hatch chiles have more heat this year, she said. Enchiladas Olé also has New Mexico red chile this year.
Both locations are open for lunch and dinner weekdays and Saturdays; 2418 Forest Park Blvd., 817-984-1360, or 9005 North Tarrant Parkway, North Richland Hills, 817-849-2451.
▪ Central Market launches its 27th annual Hatch Chile Festival on Aug. 3.
The highlight: a free tasting event 5-8 p.m. Aug. 5 featuring 10 food stations with Hatch crab crakes, Hatch meatballs with Hatch queso and the bakery’s new Hatch brioche. (Register at centralmarket.com/cooking-school.)
Expect to find Hatch dishes on the cafe food line and in the deli case; 4651 West Freeway, Fort Worth, 817-989-4700; or 1425 E. Southlake Blvd. at South Carroll Avenue, 817-310-5600.
▪ Eatzi’s Market & Bakery starts its Hatch menu Aug. 4 with dishes such as Hatch queso, Hatch pimiento cheese, Hatch chicken salad and Hatch chicken empanadas.
Eatzi’s is a gourmet market with a large cafe and takeout counter; 1540 S. University Drive, 817-945-9095, or 1200 Texas 114 West, Grapevine, 817-527-4007, eatzis.com.
