Green Chile Kitchen Marin: New Mexican Cuisine in San Rafael

We've been to Green Chile Kitchen in San Rafael a number of times, it's the only New Mexican style restaurant we know about in the Bay Area, and it's outstanding.

These are some shots from a visit last summer I just found. I think this is a Sandia (Watermelon) Agua Fresca.

Consistently high quality cuisine, some of the best chile rellenos you can find, even the beans and rice are over the top.

Christmas chiles.

Chile Relleno: stuffed Poblano. As you can see, this Chile Relleno is quite different from the breaded Anaheim from our first visit. Xmas Chiles (red & green), cheese and beef.

Carne Adovada: pork (probably shoulder) slow-roasted in sweet chiles (anchos & pasillas would be my guess), and probably a bit of orange to add more sweetness. Best version of this dish I've ever had at a restaurant.

Four Corners Salad, mixed greens, roasted corn & red pepper, avocado, jicama, red onion, black beans & cilantro, with shredded chicken and buttermilk dressing. Quite good, but couldn't stand up to the exalted level of the relleno and adovada dishes.  

Slow cooking is half the game.

The Poblano itself was still pretty firm--you can see the skin was just starting to peel. I thought this made this dish great, Robin wanted it more done. Always a good idea to ask waitstaff for details. Or check reviews. The other relleno dish at Green Chile is cooked so the Anaheim is soft. I wonder if they'll use Hatch chiles during Hatch season?

Pretty good salad, but it's like a good AA pitcher getting lit up at the show.

Chile Relleno at Green Chile Kitchen Marin.

New Mexican Cuisine in Marin County? I was highly skeptical, as that's not something I would expect. Marin County isn't exactly a "food desert," but there's not that many restaurants I'm keen on, either. But dang, I'm glad to have my preconceptions exploded. The menu (see the link below) is worth checking out--we've got to go back--take a look at the salads, for example. This location, in downtown San Rafael, is connected with the Arts Center Downtown, and Green Chile Kitchen's site talks about their other (and previous) restaurants. This isn't their first rodeo. 

Chicken Enchiladas with Christmas chiles.

But for our first time, we wanted to get a good idea of how they do the "classics" of the genre. I love the rolled tube version of enchiladas when done with skill, but there's many regional variations on enchiladas, and here's one that's done masterfully. Succulent chicken, tortillas with a nice tooth to them, and of course the green and red (thus, "Christmas") chile sauces, which clearly were made from scratch. 

Possibly the first dish I've ever had in the North Bay that verged on what I would call "picante" (but just a nudge of it). As great as this version of Chicken Enchiladas is, let's share the spotlight with the sides, and take a moment to praise the beans and rice. Robust pinto beans, cooked perfectly soft without exploding, garnished with a nice blend of fresh spices such as cumin and coriander. The rice clearly is cooked with stock, probably a vegetable-based stock.

Green Chile Stew.

This is the stew version of Pork Chile Verde in a rich broth. But the best one you've ever had, unless your mother, grandma or other family member raised you on it. Pretty sure there's onions, chiles, and tomatillo in there, possibly some ground pumpkin seeds. Soul food.

Chile Relleno plate.

I have never encountered Chile Relleno done this way, a New Mexican Anaheim stuffed with rich Cotija and Jack Cheese, with a crispy blue corn batter, and served with the slightly picante green chile sauce. Absolutely fabulous. Imagine the contrasting textures: crisp batter with green chile without and within, rendered perfectly luscious but still with a bit of dense pepper meat, then the Cotija & Jack oozing inside. I want to cut this up in smaller pieces and eat it slower to savor the sublimity. If there's a better version of this classic, I have yet to encounter it.

http://www.greenchilekitchen.com/gckmarin/