Growing up we frequently visited this restaurant called, Tortilla Flats, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Now when I say we visited it frequently, I mean we went at least once a week if not more… definitely on the more side ;)

It was this amazing authentic mexican restaurant. The owner, Lara, was from Mexico, and she knew our family all by name, all 7 of us.

I always ordered the same thing: two soft shelled tacos with ground beef… and then ate about 2 baskets of chips and went through many many many of these little bowls of mild salsa. It was always the best when they brought the salsa chilled. And it makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Since I’ve moved away from the cheese state, it’s quite obvious that I can’t frequent the restaurant as much as I’d like. We go there several times when I visit but my body craves the weekly trips.

A couple of years ago the restaurant had changed ownership and was on the brinks of shutting their doors for good. You can’t even imagine the horrible feeling I got in the pit of my stomach. I mean, this restaurant would give my family the big corner booth, even if it was just my mother and I eating lunch. My freshman year , my dad took me there before the homecoming dance and I experienced my first pitcher of margaritas. My ex and I would order their food for pick up and rent movies while munching away. The news had to be a rumor but sadly, the economy really hit the restaurant hard.

Slowly things began to change and the news of their current financial situation hit the community hard… but they banded together and more and more people began to remember the great tasting food they were known for and started to frequent the restaurant again. Things were looking good for the restaurant and a smile was put back on my face.

Throughout the whole ordeal, I was talking to a friend of mine (who is an amazing cook and has even cooked at the White House) who was asked to become the head chef at the restaurant. He was debating whether or not to take the position because he wanted to go back to school and didn’t know if he had the time to juggle the two. Well good news for me, he took the job. That’s good news for him too but really good news for me. He gave me the recipe for the salsa that I ate by the little bowlfuls. I’m still trying to perfect it because it just doesn’t taste the same but I don’t mind practicing. And as much as I would love to post the recipe on here… that’s a secret that cannot be shared with the internet world (unless of course you email me!).

The only problem with knowing the salsa recipe is not knowing the seasoning recipe that went on the chips. That was my whole experience… the chips and salsa. They paired so perfectly together. Normal tostitos don’t do the trick.

I took B there a couple times when we were visiting and he said the chips tasted exactly like the ones from Chevys. Even though I lived in San Diego, I never ate at Chevys. Boo on me. I should have. Then again, I probably would have gained 100 pounds and gone broke from eating there every other day!

Good thing B is the man of my dreams… because I think I may have found the seasoning recipe for the chips! Had we never met, I would have never known that Chevy’s chips are similar. Anyway, I googled (favorite past time I swear) “seasoning for Chevy’s chips” and low and behold… a recipe came up. Now I have yet to try this because I literally found it right before I started this post but I am excited. I am more than excited… I am thrilled beyond the full experience of being thrilled.

Now I just have to run back to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients I do not have… and grab the ones for the salsa too.

I will share the recipe for the chip seasoning because that’s not a secret anymore:

Source: Executive Chef Peter Seratoni, Chevy’s Fresh Mex – Found in Chevy’s & Rio Bravo Fresh Mex Cookbook

Note: Use as a seasoning for tortilla chips, vegetables, popcorn, and a rub for steaks, chops, chicken, or fish.

1/4 cup paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons oregano

Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Store in an airtight container, out of direct light, for up to 6 months.

So off I go to Lowes and to the grocery store!

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 and is filed under the food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.