Chapala, Chapala, Chapala………….

Yeah you’ve seen them, been there done that but are they all the same? I think not.

The first Chapala restaurant I visited was in Hailey, ID close to 18 years ago. I assume it’s still there and remains number one. When I say number one I don’t mean it’s the best but I believe it to be the first in their existence. As you have or will notice on the marquis at the Chapala’s around the valley, they are all numbered in the order they opened their doors.
I can’t say that I have been to every location in the Chapala family but I bet I’ve been to most in Boise, Star, Nampa, Hailey and Garden City. They may all look the same, have the same menu and be owned by the same people but the food quality and presentation is quite different. I’m not referring to the common items such as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc. but the Arroz Con Pollo and the Carnitas just to name a couple. The differences are subtle in most of these items but the biggest and most noticeable is in the Salsa.
It’s obvious this delicious condiment is home made by each of the locations and not hard to understand why it’s so different. If I made a batch of salsa using the exact same recipe as you, I would bet they would taste different as well. My jalapeno may be hotter than yours and your onions may be sweeter than mine. But what really sets these places apart is consistency.
The most consistent and most visited by yours truly (close to my office) is the Garden City Location on Chinden. Good quality Mexican food served up fast and friendly. Best salsa in town, huh Jess? Make sure to try them for lunch and take advantage of the lunch menu pricing. Oh, and speak clearly when they ask you if you would like flour or corn tortillas. Nine times out of ten when ordering corn tortillas I get flour. I think it’s a game for the wait staff.