by Bottom Line: The chilaquiles from Panchos & Gringos offer a generous helping of their fresh-made salsas, and you can kick up the heat on those with their really hot sauces.
On the east side of downtown, there is a small restaurant on the corner of Nolan and N. Pine St. that you may not pay much attention to while driving by, but inside, they have some tasty food offerings and really spicy salsa. It is called Panchos & Gringos, and the menu features a selection of breakfast items, Mexican dishes, sandwiches, and a few other odds and ends. It looks like they change things up regularly because part of the menu is handwritten, but they have their standard offerings, including the chilaquiles and their salsas.
I am a lover of chilaquiles—which are basically tortilla chips cooked with salsa—since discovering them on a visit to Mexico years ago. Panchos & Gringos offers several variations on this dish, including one made with mole, though the morning I was there, they did not have that available. So I went for the combo of the roja and verde salsas, which also comes with two eggs, refried beans, and home fries.
There are different ways to prepare chilaquiles: you can either cook the sauce into the chips or pile it on top. Panchos & Gringos went with the latter, and the good thing about that approach is that you really get to taste the fresh salsas, which are the star of this dish. The salsa roja, which actually has a very orange tinge, has a nice, mild tomato flavor with a notable garlic presence. One of the people with me commented that it was similar to a spicy tomato basil soup, and that is true if you substitute cilantro for the basil (and that has given me an idea for a recipe—watch for that). The salsa verde is strong on tang, with a noticeable vinegar pucker and some good green chili flavor as well. The tortilla chips appear to be freshly made, and if you put those two eggs on top of the chilaquiles and dig in, you have one heck of a good breakfast or brunch in front of you!
As for the heat, both salsas are above Mild on my scale and approaching Medium, with the roja bringing just a little bit more kick. That is right about where I prefer the heat for breakfast because I am not looking for too much burn with my morning coffee. However, I was actually there at brunch/lunch time, and they have a couple of hotter salsas available if you ask for them.
The habanero salsa seemed like a variation on the roja, and you can definitely taste the habanero while the heat climbs above Hot on my scale. Then they have a salsa that combines habanero, ghost chili, and scorpion chili, and that one will light your mouth on fire! It has a good taste with a bit of sweetness, and you can definitely get a peppery kick from the three different chilis, which amp it up to beyond Fiery on my scale. But it never reaches the point of heat just for the sake of pain, and I happily dabbed that on my chilaquiles, refried beans, and home fries. Next time I’m there, I will probably get the plate of nachos along with some of that sauce, as it seems like a perfect pairing!
You definitely will not go hungry at Panchos & Gringos because the portions are quite generous. And their sandwiches look quite good so I will plan a trip to try those out, most likely the Cuban. But make sure you plan your visit accordingly because they are only open for breakfast and lunch, and they are closed on Mondays. Still, it is definitely worth the effort for their tasty food selections, and you can kick up the heat level to your liking with their selection of salsas.
Panchos & Gringos
900 Nolan St
San Antonio, TX 78202
Phone: (210) 227-6700
Hours:
Tue to Sat: 8 AM to 2 PM
Sun: 8 AM to 1 PM
Mon: Closed
