Place: Chili’s
Item: Lettuce Wraps
Price: $7.29
No, this isn’t the debut of our new “Lettuce Lads” column.
We Lunch Guys still love the Wendy’s Triple like we do our own mothers,
but even we venture to the greener side of the menu every now and then.
That’s why we walked into Chili’s recently with a hankering for
something wildly different to keep our palate guessing. The choice was clear:
Lettuce Wraps. We’ve sampled similar offerings at restaurants that are
a slight step up, namely the Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang’s. But
could the fajita cooks at Chili’s craft a gardeny dish to satisfy the
Lunch Guys?
Chris: You know, I get so caught up in the as-seen-on-TV
fun atmosphere of Chili’s, I think I’d be happy even eating raw
asparagus there. The moment we stepped in, I saw big tables of co-workers
guffawing and exchanging high-fives. I didn’t think anyone enjoyed lunch
more than we did, Tom.
That said, the Lettuce Wraps did the trick for me. What at first glance appears
to be a green-and-orange plate suited for my vegan NorCal sister with its
pile of Bibb lettuce and shredded carrots is actually a very carnivore-friendly
meal. The centerpiece is the 6 ounces of beautifully meaty
instead of cheese and lettuce instead of tortillas, then
this may be the tasty-healthy-upscale item you’ve been looking for –
as long as you go light on the peanut sauce. Chili’s does a downright
respectable job with their Lettuce Wraps. The chicken was excellently moist
and substantial while the spices and peanut sauce were anything but bland.
Yet as you pointed out, Chris, the wrapping-it-yourself novelty quickly fades
and you’re left with something less appetizing than a Thai chicken salad.
Chris: Yeah, Tom, I’ll admit,
it will probably be a while before I get this again at Chili’s -- I’m
a sucker for the fajitas and Ground Peppercorn burger. But that combo of chicken
and peanut sauce is a craving that could hit me out of the blue anytime the
clock strikes noon.
Tom: I agree. I’m never going
to crave this item. It falls into that “good-but-not-great” category
like so many other lettuce-based items. It’s kind of like a “fajita
light.” Great taste? Less filling? Both? Neither? I’m not sure.
Rating: 4 sporks (out of 5)
Food facts: Not available through Chili’s,
but calorieking.com lists the wraps with sauces at 730 calories (46% from
fat), 37g fat, 60g carbohydrates, 39g protein.
E-mail The Lunch Guys:
tomandchris@thelunchguys.com
chicken strips marinated in Thai spices, then double dipped in the little
cups of sesame-ginger and peanut sauces. I didn’t mind that the
almonds, water chestnuts and rice crisps are basically stomach filler for
a 9-ounce appetite. I even enjoyed the arts-and-crafts project of rolling
it all up in one of about six lettuce leaves, though by the fourth leaf, I
was all about getting that chicken into my mouth via fork ASAP.
Tom: As much I enjoyed this dish, there’s something
unsettling about seeing other diners livin’ it up with steaming plates
of fajitas, giant hamburgers with chili and bacon, and quesadillas oozing
with cheese while I eat what is essentially rabbit food. No wonder they’re
high-fiving each other. They’re on a fat-induced euphoria from their
satisfying meals.
It’s one thing to order a salad from the solitude of your car at McDonald’s,
but it’s quite another to be tempted by the sizzling smells at Chili’s.
However, if you can handle the fact that you have carrot shreds
