Chilam Balam

This past weekend, Brady and I went to Chilam Balam, a Mexican restaurant in Lakeview. I have been wanting to try Chilam since it opened a couple of years ago and now I am kicking myself for waiting so long to try it. We both thought the restaurant was terrific- excellent food, casual and inviting atmosphere and great service. Plus the restaurant is BYOB which is a huge bonus!

I love that this isn't your typical Mexican restaurant. You aren't going to find tacos with a side of rice and beans anywhere on the menu. The menu consists of small plates meant to be shared and the restaurant prides itself on using local and sustainable ingredients. The menu changes monthly, a few dishes are always on the menu but the specials change to reflect the season and what's available from the ranchers and purveyors that they buy from.

Brady and I ordered 5 small plates as suggested by our server. Here is a rundown of what we ordered:

• Chunky guacamole with pickled radishes, served with crispy tostadas
• Shiitake Mushroom Empanada with grilled vegetables, Wisconsin jack cheese, and salsa verda- This was our least favorite dish. I thought that it could have used something else in it, maybe black beans and a different sauce.
• Seared Barramundi with grilled frisee, pineapple, bacon and sunchokes- So good! The fish was served with a side of corn tortillas so you could wrap the fish up like a taco or to use it to soak up the sauce. 
• Duck leg Enchiladas with tomatilla sauce, baked jack cheese, and watercress- These were beyond good. I would have been happy with just a bigger helping of these enchiladas. 
• Chorizo Meatloaf with pickled jalapenos and mashed potatoes- Another amazing dish. I loved the combination of the meatloaf and picked jalapenos plus who doesn't love mashed potatoes?

I'm already looking forward to our next visit to Chilam Balam. All of the dishes on the menu sounded fantastic. It was incredibly hard to narrow our selections down to five but I think for our first visit we made great choices and we both left happy with our new restaurant find! 

** Top Chef fans might recognize the chef of Chilam Balam from the current season of Top Chef Texas. Unfortunately, he didn't make it too far in the competition but I guess that means he is back in the kitchen making good food at the restaurant!