Chiles and Chocolate - awesome Oaxacan restaurant at 7th/Lin

Given the mixed reviews (and trying to put my horrible Stone Park experience behind me) I have to weigh in with my take on Chiles & Chocolate. We went there last night for the first time and... wow. I can honestly say that I had the best Brooklyn dining experience and one of the best meals I've had in NYC period. It was tremendous.

Now, I'll agree that the service was a bit spotty. The food came out promptly, but it took a while for water and for our horchatas to arrive (and we had to remind them). But, it was evident that they had just come off a serious crush of customers and were working like mad to clear tables and get the next group of diners in. This is a small place with a smaller kitchen... I'm willing to give them some leeway.

Now, the food. Simply exceptional. I had the pork loin with mole negro... the mole was delicious and the 2 generous pork pieces perfectly cooked. The rice and beans and tortillas were fine, but served primarily as vehicles to get the mole sauce into my mouth. Amazing.

Hubby had the chile relleno with a really delicious light tomato sauce. The chile was perfectly charred.

We also had 2 horchatas (spiced rice milk)... we're used to the very sweet, cinnamon-y horchata from the Red Hook soccer stalls, but this was light, subtle and super vanilla-y. Finished things off with my favorite desert: tres leches cake. This version wasn't dripping in condensed milk (which I love) but was light, moist and fantastic.

All in all: I say service was 8 out of 10 and food was easily 10 out of 10. This is my new favorite restaurant in the Slope and definitely one of the top in the city.

And, yes, still BYOB.

My wife and I stopped by for the first time today - around 4:30PM. I really liked the look, and vibe of this place and hope it makes it to it's first anniversary. So I write this critique in the hope that it's ownership reads this and takes corrective action about the things I mention below.

First the good: The staff is super friendly, the Mexican sangria was wonderful and the tilapia fish tacos with sour cream chipotle sauce were killer - BUT the lime slices served should not come with the fruit label still attached!

Now the completely unsatisfactory: Given that there was only three other people in the restaurant, I find this intolerable. The entrees must have been completed a full 10-15 minutes before we were finished with the appetizer - they arrived before we were completely finished and the plates were scorchingly hot (enough to seriously burn your fingers) which meant that they were being nuked while we were eating our appetizer.

Result? My wife's mahi-mahi dish was seriously dried out and my chicken enchiladas the same. It's too bad because the dishes showed a lot a promise and if they had been prepared properly were certainly meant to be excellent. Also the spices were at the upper range of acceptable - cutting back a tad would be welcome.

I'll go back because they deserve a second chance and PS sorely needs a place like this - just hope they read their reviews.

veets - thanks - I think I will, Luther-like, post my 3 Theses on the restaurant door.

I thought Chili and Cho was just ok. I would say one thumb up for the food, and MAYBE 3 stars overall. It's REALLY cramped (not intimate, just cramped), and the tables are wobbly and the waiter we had, as nice as he was, was TOTALLY absent minded. People arrived after us, ordered, ate and left before we got our food. Luckily my girlfriend and I can pass the time talking and did not realize how long things were taking, but still, that's pretty bad. But like I said, the food was pretty good, though not great.

My bf and I have been C&C fans for a while but I have to report a bad experience last night.

Last time I ate in the restaurant, my favorite item--rellenos with chicken--was not available. Last night we ordered take out. I ordered rellenos with chicken, no cheese and mentioned that they didn't have it last time and asked if I could get it. I was assured that they have chicken, cheese, and beef rellenos so I ordered the chicken. The food comes and I have a beef rellenos with cheese. I call and explain that my order was wrong. From the beginning the girl on the phone was rude, not a hint of wanting to remedy the situation or help. Told her what I ordered and what I got.

Her response was "we don't have chicken rellenos anymore. You can't order that"
"yes, well I was clearly told I could order and did."
getting really huffy now, "We only have beef and cheese" no offer to fix in any way

After a while I got a refund but she was really bitchy on the phone. Won't be dealing with them for a while after that kind of service.

belzjm wrote: if it's the same girl i had last time i was in there a couple weeks ago for dinner, she isn't so much bitchy as SLLLOOOOW.

and i don't mean her speed.

i love that place, but i have to say i've had a couple not great experiences with them lately.

Time for a visit from Gordon Ramsay.