Why Chilte has so many rave reviews

Catch up quick: Chilte is next to the historic Las Palmas Inn, which reopened last year as the very retro Egyptian Motor Hotel.

• Its chef, former NFL prospect Lawrence "L.T." Smith, and his fiancée, Aseret Arroyo, opened their Chilte Tacos food stand in 2020, followed by the restaurant in February 2023.

What we ordered: Everything.

• That included smaller plates of yuca fries with queso cincho and aioli, lamb and mole flautas, the tamale-like green chorizo vampiro and the mushroom-filled Santa Quesadilla.
• For the entrees, we went with the birria tacos — both flour and squid-ink corn tortillas — and the plato de asada, featuring wet aged ribeye.
• The menu featured some unique drinks as well. Much of the table went with the green chile margs, while Jeremy tried the Por Siempre, Chilte's take on an Old Fashioned, with sotol instead of whiskey.

The verdict: Where do we even begin? Everything was incredible.

• Jeremy's favorite dish was a tough call between the birria tacos and the mole flautas, which packed a ton of flavor and were spiced perfectly.
• The ribeye was tender and delicious. He even loved the quesadilla, even though he doesn't like mushrooms.
• Jessica's favorite was the birria, though the steak was killer too.
• The Por Siempre was delicious. Jeremy could tell it was based on an Old Fashioned, but with an intriguing flavor, including some spice that he attributed to the mole bitters.

What's next: The protein-heavy menu will change up in the spring.