Nacho Kung Fu: Journey of the PERFECT BITE

Legend has it that in search for infinite culinary wisdom, ultimate balance of chefing chi and absolute nirvana of all things yummy, one must complete the task of finding and consuming the PERFECT BITE. This of course is referring to the mystical nacho chip loaded with the perfect balance of cheesiness, creaminess, spiciness, saltiness, crispiness, and pungency - all at the same time. Yes, to achieve this ultimate culinary kung fu of deliciousness one must search far and wide¦ or considering recent gas prices, at least throughout the Providence area.

My journey began at El Rancho Grande, the charming little Mexican Restaurant on Plainfield Street. There, Chef and Owner Maria Meza treated me to authentic Mexican hospitality and some seriously tripped out nachos. Crispy tortilla chips were laid over a spread of slow-cooked, savory beans and stacked with smoky barbacoa, crisp lettuce, grated and runny goat milk cheeses and freshly prepared pico de gallo, resulting in a perfect bite truly representative of the nacho’s country of origin. Like a true master of the art, Maria confidently told me the secrets of the nacho: how to get the beans just right, how pico de gallo is like ying-and-yang, a balance of flavors, and how it is an insult to think that the creamy white drizzle on top is sour cream. I left her little kitchen in awe of my tasty training, yet I still hungered for more knowledge and chips!

As my travels for nacho know-how continued, my next perfect bite came from the most unlikely of places, O’Rourke’s Bar & Grill in Pawtuxet Village! Despite the pub’s mixed reviews and the fact that it’s obviously Irish, the nacho kung fu there is actually quite strong, in a not so Mexican sort of way. Like comparing boxing to karate, O’Rourke’s Irish nachos are different, yet effective in knocking you out! Hand made, salty kettle potato chips are topped with a mound of melted cheddar cheese, ample amounts of bacon bits, fresh tomatoes, scallions, sour cream and jarred salsa. Though I object to the jarred salsa and the absence of spiciness, the mix works remarkably well to produce a perfect bite, especially when washed down with Smithwick’s ale right off the tap.

Another not-so-Mexican destination that I found, the hugely popular Trinity Brew House in Downtown Providence, offers the Americanized nacho we all know so well and executes it to perfection. Seriously, what’s more American than topping a classic mix of nacho chips, oozing cheddar cheese, scallions, onions, salsa and sour cream with nearly a pound of slow roasted barbeque pulled pork? This perfect bite was both outstanding and satisfying, especially when washed down with one of their full-bodied home-brewed beers.

As my journey continued to places like Restaurant Mexico on Atwells Avenue, and the newly started Don Gallo’s on Chalkstone Avenue, I began to build a collection of a thousand perfect bites, but fell short when I began wondering about the history of the legendary nacho. Spicy cheesy questions began to melt in my brain: where did its origins specifically come from? When? And with that knowledge, could I ever attain the power of the perfect bite?

When I found the truth, I was truly startled. Searching through catacombs of lost history, I learned that nachos were so much more than a collection of opposing forces brought together to achieve perfect equilibrium, but rather were a symbol of good old fashioned American freedom! As when the French gave us the Statue of Liberty, the Mexican’s gave us the Nacho of Chips!

It all began in the 1940’s in the town of Piedras Negas, Mexico, where the heroic restaurant owner, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, played host to visiting American solders on a night where he had little food available. Relying solely on his culinary kung-fu training, some leftover tortillas and 3 pounds of Wisconsin cheddar, he taught the solders a whole new food-fighting style, different from their basic training. From there these nacho ninjas spread the word of Ignacio’s gift to America throughout Texas. Within 15 years, it hit L.A. and then the world!**

Gaining such knowledge, it’s hard to keep my mind from drifting away. I can imagine myself disappearing into the red setting sun; wind whipping dust up off the road through my chef coat and apron, much like a journeying kung-fu master’s gi. My journey continues as I search for 789 more PERFECT BITES.

**Chef Branden Lewis is not responsible for any historical inaccuracies found in his works; especially when he is writing while eating nachos and watching old kung fu movies.