Chapman Chile Kitchen

You’ll probably hear this several times as you read this review, but this chili is AMAZING.
I had this place on my list for a while, and actually one day I tried to go there with no success because I drove by it TWICE (duh! I know!) and didn’t see it. Needless to say, I paid more attention today and finally found it.
I’m really happy that I found this place because, as I said earlier (you can’t say that I didn’t warn you…) it is absolutely AMAZING. I ordered the hot version of the chili on a Frito pay and the stuffed jalapenos and loved both of them.
The chili had an AMAZING taste, with just the right amount of spices. However, be forewarned that the hot version is, indeed, HOT! I had to eat it with both a glass of water and a coke on the side to lessen the effect of the fiery peppers (and, remember, I’m Mexican and I’m used to hot stuff…) The jalapeño were good, not great. I liked the fact that they’re baked instead of fried, however, their flavor was mild and needed more ranch dressing that I really wanted to use.
I encourage all of you, chili lovers out there, to go try this place. I betcha you won’t regret it.

A healthy, tasty lunch alternative! (Chicken wings currently not available).
This one has been on my list for a while and I decided to hunt it down for lunch. It’s a little off the beaten path, and very easy to drive by without seeing as it occupies a very small area in a small shopping center.
I got an order of the stuffed jalapenos (sold by 3 stuffed with cheese and chicken for $ 4.99), baked with Panko. I also had a bowl of the medium spicy chili. I was eager to try the smoked wings, but the owner Fran mentioned they’ve had continuous problems with their smoker/​attempts at buying new smokers, so they weren’t available.
The chili is served with Bison meat, which is actually leaner than chicken apparently. It was delicious — very hearty, sans beans, sweet, and the chunks of bison were ground up into small bits which is something I always prefer in my chili. Medium was recommended and it was the perfect amount of heat. Outside of the Bison Burger, Fran had brought back a cold chicken salad, due to popular demand. I sampled a little and found it to be lacking a little in flavor. I also really enjoyed the stuffed peppers — had a wonderful flavor and were actually only mildly spicy, due to the removal of the seeds. I really appreciated the baked panko also — yes, it’s very different than frying, but the tradeoff in healthier eating versus loss in flavor was marginal.
Fran mentioned a lot of other big plans for the restaurant — a possible expansion to the neighboring space, opening for dinner, and adding a variety of salads/​soups to the menu. Can’t wait and look forward to trying the bison burger!

Chapman Chile Kitchen’s gotten rave reviews from critics since it opened, and decidedly mixed reviews from everyone else. Either you love it or you think, I don’t get it. What’s the hype all about?
I’m a bit of a food cynic in this town but in this case, I fall in to the camp of adoring admirers.
I can’t help it. I have a weakness for hole-​in-​the-​wall mom-​and-​pop joints. It doesn’t get much more hole-​in-​the-​wall or mom-​and-​pop than this. It’s a sliver of a space next to a former laundromat. You could easily drive past it if you’re not looking for it. Don’t expect seating and table service — there are two two-​tops out front and two tall chairs inside (to sit at as you wait for your order) but that’s about it. Fran and Randal Chapman are the owners — Fran runs the front, Randal whips up and serves up tasty concoctions from their tiny kitchen. Their kids are also sometimes known to be around — I’ve caught a glimpse of the playpen behind the counter more than once!
The menu — what it lacks in quantity and diversity, it more than makes up in quality and execution. Love, love, love the spicy chicken wings, even though they almost burn my lips off every time (and I’m no wimp when it comes to spice!). I usually can’t eat more than 2. Maybe 3 on a courageous day. With a fork and a knife (to avoid the burning fingertips!). Make no mistake, though — the wings aren’t just numbingly hot. There is a depth and complexity of flavor from the home-​roasted chilis and spice blend that you won’t find at BW3.
The spicy chili — delicious with a little cheese, sour cream, and onions. The stuffed jalapeños — substantive and lighter than jalapeño poppers you usually get as bar food.
I’ve also ordered the chicken salad, which is respectable, but why go to a chile kitchen and not order something with chiles in it? The buffalo burgers are also decent — not my go-​to dish, but I’ve yet to try creating a chili burger with the delicious spicy chili. That may change my mind about the burgers.
I don’t know if they’ll ever be able to expand next door, but if they end up moving, I’m coming with them. You won’t find food prepared with as much heart or with as much care at many other places in Dallas. Based on the food, I’d probably rate them at 4 stars — the extra star is for character!

I recently saw this written up in D magazine as one of the top 10 new restaurants of the year. It reminded me that I went about a month ago and had not reviewed it. Well, I honestly forgot about it, and that’s about how the review goes. It was forgettable enough that I didn’t review it, and don’t know if I’ll go back unless someone else just wants to. The menu is small, the restaurant is small, and I was hoping for more in the way of satisfaction but it was on the small side as well. It’s run by a very nice couple, and I know they are hoping to expand into a larger space at some point, but I’m sure this will depend on business and revenue.
For the food — It’s not that I disliked it, however I felt like I could have easily made it myself. The stuffed jalapenos sound so flavorful with the description of shredded chicken, cilantro and several cheeses. They also sound healthy with Panko bread crumbs and they aren’t fried which is a plus. Well that’s great, but I’d rather have the fried fattening version with more flavor. The breadcrumbs didn’t wan’t to stay on my poppers so there wasn’t really any crunch. Plus the ranch was strange to me. The wings were okay, but that ranch was too preservatized or something and I didn’t care for the blue cheese dressing either. The chili with bison was good, but it didn’t blow me away by any means. It was made with fresh chile’s but I couldn’t really tell.
This is no 2 star review, but I certainly don’t agree with D magazine and couldn’t give it a 4 either. Just a very average 3. I loved the owners that you’ll meet since they do everything with very little help. They are so nice that I really wanted to like it more, but that’s not the point when it comes to real reviews: D, eh?
I guess I’m the lone man out with my review here, so see for yourself if ya like. It certainly won’t break the bank to check it out. In hindsight I wish I would have tried a bison burger! Maybe I’ll have to go back and try that. Then I will have about covered the menu in 2 visits: D I’m hoping the menu will expand along with their space so that you can sit inside at a table. For now there are only 2 or 3 barstools. Maybe they could add some sloppy joe sliders and chili chile cheese dogs in the future. Frito pie cheese dogs or something?
It’s now your turn to try and write: D Hopefully you’ll like it better than I did.

Also, check out CCK on the weekends at Shed #2 at the Farmer’s Market!

I need a beer with my chili… maybe. Okay well at least let me eat it inside… YES!
Okay…this time everything heated up perfectly. The chili was GREAT. It’s always great. The stuffed peppers were good. The fluffernutter sammich was GREAT. I’d never had one before but anything with peanut butter, banana and marshmallow fluff HAS to be good. Next time I will get extra fluff, not because it wasn’t awesome but because I want it to taste akin to a banana peanut butter rice krispie treat.
AND a little bird told me they will have indoor seating in about three months. MAYBE a beer license on the horizon, but no promises. They are so neighborhood conscious. They want to make sure it’s a good fit for the hood before they move on the idea. But expanded indoor seating and extended hours are definitely on the way!
Yay Chili!

Fantastic chiles and chilis! Stuffed jalapenos are simply out of this world; the baked panko breading and chicken, cheese and spice filling are delicious together. Spicy chili brings the heat without killing your taste buds, and is full of flavor. Original burger was nice, but needed salt and pepper and could use some crust on the outside. I’m a sucker for stuffed jalapenos, but these are above and beyond (and not surprising, as this is the dish that started their business). While I share the hope of them expanding space, I hope it’s not at the expense of quality.

Went here today with two coworkers hoping for a good bowl of chili. We decided to order three bowls of Original Spicy Chili, two orders of stuffed jalapenos, an order of hot wings, and a burger.
First the chili, deliciously spicy. I like my food spicy and am usually disappointed. The chili, while not blow you away spicy, had some legit heat to it. The stuffed jalapeño’s were delicious (and huge), and were a perfect complement to the chili. The hot wings were a real standout. Very hot, almost uncomfortably hot. If you don’t like spicy then I would pass on these wings because they will make your lips burn. But if you want some real meaty spicy hot wings, these are the best I’ve had in Dallas. Finally, the burger, although the last item I sampled, was possibly the best. I only had a third of the burger (we only ordered one to share), but I will definitely go back and order it again.
Overall, for $ 4.99 an item you can’t go wrong here everything we tried was excellent. This place is a great value and the food is really good. Bottom line: if you want to get your spicy on this is the place to go!

The owners of this gem are hoping to expand to the adjacent abandoned building if possible, and based on their brisk lunchtime business, and seating challenges, they better hurry. If heat is what you want, these folks can bring it. The excellent stuffed jalapenos are down right timid next to the spicy frito pie and the spicier wings. The thick coating on the perfectly cooked chicken clings to fingers and lips, and the residual heat leaves a reminder of your meal for hours. As an amatuer oral masochist, I went straight for the heat on each of my choices, but there are just as many options for those who don’t enjoy sweating while dining.

After reading a string of suspiciously over zealous reviews of fledgling Chapman Chile Kitchen (CCK), I had to try it out for myself to see if all the buzz was legit. I’m pleased to say that CCK has the chops to merit some glowing reviews.
Just over the last couple of weeks, I’ve uncovered some awesome hidden gems in East Dallas like Kalachandji’s, Taco Joint, and now CCK. If you blinked or sneezed, you’d drive right by CCK. It occupies a sliver of a building next to an abandoned laundromat. There’s a tiny eating area for two inside and a «magnificent 10 sq ft outdoor patio» (gotta love their humor) that barely holds two small tables for two.
CCK is operated by a friendly husband and wife team. Come here on the weekends and you can see the entire family, kids and all. Seeing I was a first timer, I was offered a free sample of the stuffed jalapenos. The panko crumbs add a nice crunch and you can really taste the lime. I brought home a six pack take and bake and followed the directions. Delicious. The real star for me, however, was the hot and sassy wings. These wings aren’t fried, they’re grilled over cherrywood and coated with a homemade chili sauce that will kick you in the pants. I know spicy so trust me when I say these wings pack some serious heat. These wings are probably my second favorite in Dallas, right behind Lumi. Wings were juicy and meaty — a great deal for about 7 wings for $ 4.99. I can’t wait to try the sweet sauce wings on my next visit.
Just given the size of the place, I’d favor carry-​out over dine-​in. CCK may be hidden for now, but with wings this good, I’d say hit this place up before the word gets out!