Chilli’s American Bar and Grill

text Sheshan Dias

Originating back to the late 1970’s in Dallas, Texas “Chilli’s” features good ol’ American food! Offering a variety of Burgers, Fresh Mex, Chicken Crispers and Margaritas (as very prominently highlighted on their website) they do present a wide variety of American, Texan and Mexican food. Having officially launched in Sri Lanka on the 16th of August 2021 we decided to check out what one of America’s most famous Food Chains had to offer. 

Photos Pradeep Dilrukshana

Ambience  

Located right at the entrance of One Galle Face Mall, I felt that the seating arrangement gave off more of a dine-in restaurant vibe as opposed to a pub vibe. But they have TVs lined up around the bar which is at the centre of the pub and a few screens placed strategically around as well. It's good if you want to down a couple of drinks and watch a cricket or rugby match while enjoying some authentic American burgers!

The Food  

Our food experience at Chilli’s wasn’t exactly what we expected it to be. There was a crazy hype and build up to it, because after all it seemed like we were going to get the authentic American Experience. We were only able to taste a few appetisers which made it impossible for us to give a comprehensive review on the food, or even give any proper recommendations. That being said though, the appetisers we got tasted pretty good! A bit pricey, but good.

My favourite dish was the Southwestern Eggrolls (Rs. 995/-). Black beans, corn, jalapenos, jack cheese, spinach, red peppers wrapped in crispy flour tortillas and served with avocado ranch, this 6 piece appetiser would be the perfect choice on a game night! Dipped in a cool ranch sauce it had a combination of great flavours to make for one fantastic appetiser! 

Next up was the signature Hand Tossed Chicken Wings marinated in a tangy sauce and the Smoked Chicken Wings. Both were priced at (Rs. 1095). The Signature Wings had a really lovely tangy flavour and as someone who adores wings I thought this really hit the spot. The Smoky Wings had no distinct flavour so I wouldn't really recommend it. I thought both dishes were a bit pricey based on the taste and the quantity. If you do end up going to Chilli's though I would recommend the Signature Wings. It's served with a cool ranch dressing which provides a mix of taste bud tingling flavours and would be a great choice to warm up your taste buds for the main course (or the beverages, it's your choice really!)

The Texan Cheese Poppers (Rs. 995) consisted of 8 Bites of breaded cheese. Creamy Monterey Jack Cheese, cheddar cheese and cilantro made for a runny, cheesy interior while the crispy bread roll on the outside provided a much needed crunch. Dipped in Chipotle ranch sauce these were tiny balls of cheesy delight! 

We also got a portion of “Big Mouth Bites”. A medium sized burger split four ways. Packed in the middle of two sweet brioche buns was a veg patty that was stuffed with cheese and a ton of flavour. I assume the non veg version with the bacon patty would have tasted even better.  

Our  final dish, the “Margherita Flatbread” (Rs. 1195) was well worth the price. Flatbread Nachos were topped off with delicious Monterey Jack Cheese, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and a touch of cilantro crema to make a fantastic eight piece dish. The burst of cheese, paired up with the well seasoned bread made for a mouthwatering delight!  

All things considered, I thought that the food we were served tasted great and Chilli’s is a restaurant I would certainly go back to!

Service