There are certain things Coloradans know that others don't — like how Lookout Mountain turns a sixer of Fat Tire into enough beer for six people, how to walk in heels in downtown Denver in three feet of snow and not break your effin' ankle, and, most important, which restaurants have the best green chile.
5230 E. 72nd Ave.
Denver, CO 80222
Category: Restaurant > Mexican
Region: Southeast Denver
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The best Colorado green chile.
Santiago's Mexican Restaurant is a homegrown chain that sprouted from a single store in Brighton, where in 1990 Carmen Morales used her mother Rachel's recipe to create Santiago's now-famous "Authentic Green Chile Sauce with Pork." Today there are twenty full-service dining spots and four limited-service or "Express" locations stretching from Frederick and Fort Morgan to Englewood and Golden; all of them are owned and operated by either members of the Morales family or close friends. I would not want to do business with family, as the old adage goes, but apparently the Morales clan defies the odds while cooking up gallons upon gallons of green chile sauce. Maybe the feisty relatives get scullery duty when they get mouthy. Scullery duty at the Commerce City location.
At first glance, this spot seems like the last place in the world you'd want to put a full-service restaurant, since the surrounding neighborhood — full of hulking industrial buildings and expanses of mostly empty parking lots — resembles a deserted, post-apocalyptic wasteland in the evening. The patio was deserted when I dropped by at 7 p.m., but the small dining room was almost full of people either eating or waiting at the counter for their bags and boxes of food to go. I sat myself and ordered an orange soda in a large plastic cup (no liquor at any Santiago's) from my friendly server, who asked what I wanted before I'd even seen a menu. That's a positive signal that a place has repeat business — a lot of repeat business. The server grinned, grabbed a menu for me and left me to peruse the possibilities.
The menu is simple and pretty much the same in all the locations, though a few also offer a "Sopapilla Sundae" that sounds like a jolly treat. (This one didn't.) There are standard appetizers like nachos, taquitos and chips and salsa; Indian tacos, tostadas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas and all kinds of combinations of these; a children's menu with mini-portions; and a category labeled "American Food" with only two items: a hamburger and a cheeseburger. I ordered a large combo (taco, tostada, cheese enchilada, smothered bean burrito, tamale, beans and rice) and a chile relleno dinner (two smothered chiles rellenos, soft or crispy, with beans, rice and tortillas), as well as a side of guacamole.
Peering out at the drab, dreary scenes beyond the window was the opposite of stimulating, and the sparsely furnished dining room was not much to look at, either, so I got lucky when the gentleman at the next table, a regular, started up a conversation with me. He told me the place was a nuthouse at lunch. "Everyone from the factories comes in, and you're lucky to get a seat," he said.
Which explains why Morales chose to plop down a store in the middle of Bartertown. On a lunch break, who wouldn't want a hot, sit-down meal you don't have to unwrap rather than grabbing grub at a drive-thru at one of the usual fast-food suspects? (Some Santiago's have drive-thrus, too.) Especially when a meal here is a real deal. I got a metric fuckton of food: The large combo filled three plates, the rellenos an oval platter — and the ramekin of guac was the size of a teacup.
The first thing I tasted was the green chile, the true measure of any Mexican restaurant in this part of the world. I spent five fun, green chile-soaked years living in Albuquerque, and natives there discuss the comparative merits of different restaurants' green chile like people in Paris discuss who makes the best bread. There are as many styles of green chile sauce as there are preferences: Some folks like their sauce thin, some thicker, others want more pork — or less — and still others judge the amount of chile versus seeds. My personal preference is medium consistency, with a solid, fruity flavor, medium heat, less pork than chiles — so it's not too weighty — and those chiles extra-roasted: "autumn-roast" style, if possible. As far as I can see, besides New Mexicans calling it "sauce," the biggest difference between green chile sauce there and green chile in Colorado is that New Mexicans prefer autumn-roast chiles with extra char on the skins, giving the sauce a deeper, more wood-smoky flavor profile. Coloradans seem to fancy their green with cleaner, less-roasted chiles for a more direct, young, vegetal profile.
But Coloradans bicker their blowholes off just as much as New Mexicans do about their favorites.
Santiago's gives customers a choice of hot, mild and half & half: medium. I'd ordered half & half with sides of hot and mild to try. The sauce was medium-thick, a bright orange-y color, with just enough fat to give it a light sheen but no grease pools; it was dotted with meaty chunks of pork and swimming with vivid green bits of chile and only a pinch of seeds. I raised a spoonful to my mouth, and...holy Christ on a crack pipe: It was the best green chile I'd eaten since leaving New Mexico, which is about the highest compliment I can give, since that is the green chile capital of Planet Earth.
There is NO BEST GREEN.....What is best to you, isn't to her, or me or my goat.....SANTIAGO'S is the best to me, because it is of very good quality....AND they ship it to me in SOUTH CAROLINA.....This is the best chili in the world when you live in Charleston.....WoooooHOOOOOOO...SMD
I drove to the one on the outskirts of Castle Rock. It was before lunch, the chile had not been heated to a safely high temperature. It seems like management at more restaurants would either come in earlier, or plan more accurately about heating up foods that can really make customers ill. I am a fan, but think certain locations are more reliable than others. The one on South Broadway has always been up to par? With a luul in economy, no one wants to throw food away or end up with a Motezuma's revenge (no matter what type of food) :):(
I'd like to publish your comments in our print edition, ideally with your full name/town. If that's okay, e-mail me at patricia.calhoun@westword.com
Their green chile is pretty good, but eating there for a meal is a huge mistake (just like the immensely overrated Bennys).. get their tasty burritos to go, and you're fine... but do not eat in their restaurants for a weekend breakfast. Ever. Seriously, ever.
Well, I grew up in New Mexico and I have my preferences about green chile and Santiago's ain't it. Primarily because green chile should be green not the orangey gravy that Denver seems to favor. And because, IMO, their "green chile" is just to damn hot to enjoy. I like spice aplenty but not just for the sake of making you sweat (like Brewery Bar II as another example). Flavor is more important than heat IMO. You want good New Mexico style green chile - go to La Loma or Little Anita's. Just one New Mexican's opinion. As I have said before, there will never be a consensus on green chile in Denver and that's OK - to each his/her own. And, the good news is that Hatch chiles should be in anytime and I can make my own.
Glad for Santiago's success though - sounds like Carmen has done a great job of taking care of her family and building a successful business.
@Denver Dave How can anyone say that one is better than the next? I'd say.....is the best? Who cares? Just eat ...
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