Food & Drink Editor
Don’t hit Los Pollos seeking poultry plates. Oddly, for a place named “The Chickens” they serve none. Turns out it’s a nickname for two cute kiddos featured on the business’ signage.
First-time restaurant (well, snack bar, really, as a better translation of “antojitos”) owner Jorge Huerta has done a beautiful remodeling job on the former Mexicanos Carolina spot. His Jalisco-style menu includes lunch tortas, micheladas (non-alcoholic tomato juice concoctions) and items with shrimp, like my papa ceviche and chilindrina. For the first, pick your choice of chip — I go for truly spicy kettle chips — which, like nachos, get topped with fixings.
2826 E. Pikes Peak Ave., 719-310-9851
Here that’s citrus-cured shrimp bits, chopped cucumber, tomato, red onion and avocado. It’s a juicy, crunchy treat. New to me, chilindrina starts with a plate-sized, rectangular wheat wafer that chews with the texture of an ice cream cake cone. Topping it are a mayo smear, shredded cabbage, tomato and avocado slices and the all-important cueritos, cold — pickled pork rinds that eat a little chewy like calamari.
Valentina hot sauce and a lime squeeze add more acidity and spice to contrast the mild brininess from the salty pork. It tastes light and fresh, nice with a house agave-sweetened mineral water Limonada Jalisciense. I add mezcal to it at home for a damn fine drink. Kudos also for the quality, recyclable plating and to-go containers.
Food & Drink Editor
Matthew Schniper is the Food and Drink Editor at the Colorado Springs Indy. He began freelancing with the Indy in mid-2004 and joined full-time in early 2006, contributing arts, food, environmental and feature writing.
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