[eating team] El Chupacabra, 2007-01-07
El Chupacabra is on Greenwood Ave, at the point where it mates with Phinney Ave and refuses to give Red Mill Burgers up for adoption. It appears to be a converted house, with a large patio out front and neon beer ads in the window. Inside, it's the sort of place that really should be full of cigarette smoke - red-brown walls, skulls (with Devo hat in one instance), candles in tall glass cylinders, chile-shaped fairy lights, well-used furniture, and, curiously, a brown-felted pool table. I got the distinct impression that someone exactly my age was running the jukebox.
Staff were attentive, friendly, and extensively tattooed. Our server appeared to ignore us once or twice, but the place was fairly loud and I'm guessing he's been to enough shows to give an audiologist the Fear, so I'm not going to hold it against him.
The menu is fairly straightforward - "Mission-style" burritos, tacos and enchiladas - mostly between $5 and $8 - and most of the Mexican beers I've heard of nestling in its bar. Introductory chips and salsa featured curiously hot and slightly stale chips and cilantro-y salsa. To me (and many others), cilantro tastes like detergent, but Mexican restaurants everywhere disagree with me on this one and I've learned to accept it. The salsa squirt bottles on the table eased this disappointment. Quesadilla was straightforward and effective, meat burritos subtle and magnificent, but a veggie burrito came out not entirely hot, which doesn't bode well for consistency.
The Stranger and Seattle Weekly can't decide whether to call El Chupacabra "Bimbo's West" or "Bimbo's of the North" - which gives you some idea of which neighborhoods those guys prefer. The comparison makes sense - both Bimbo's Bitchin Burrito Kitchen and El Chupacabra share burritos, booze, decorating ideas, somewhat, um, counter-cultural staff, and atmosphere (even without cigarette smoke). For a pure Mexican food experience Gordito's is a better bet, but if you like ethanol-based adulterants, El Chupacabra has significant appeal.