Yes, I realize that most folks who don’t hail from these here parts, deep in the heart of Texas, just won’t understand. Chuy’s (prounounced Chew-eeze) is an Austin institution. When people come to town (I guess I should edit that to) when people used to visit us, there was no question that we’d take them to Chuy’s. That’s before they expanded and have restaurants scattered about the state, and maybe beyond our borders now. They used to be Austincentric. They are an infamous Tex-Mex institution of deliciousness. I’ve been known to drink three or more strawberry margaritas (back in the day) and my hubby would, obviously, drive me home and enjoy my company. I admit, I’m entertaining with a few frozen-no-salts in me. Really! And I can sing too…
My son, headed off to college next week, said he’d like to hit it up for old time’s sake, and because he knows that Colorado just can’t cut the Tex-Mex mustard (to put it mildly). For the last sixty-freaking-three long ass days, I’ve avoided ALL Tex-Mex like the plague. I love it. I could eat beans, salsa, chips, margaritas, flautas, burritos, chimichangas, jalapenos, fajitas, breakfast tacos and tortillas for every single meal. No lie. We didn’t buy bread when I was growing up. Everything went in tortillas pretty much, even hotdogs.
So, we all headed to dinner… I’m talking the whole fam-damily. Ex hubs, his wife, son, our two boys, my hubby and I all crammed into a big round corner booth. I bet I gained 4.3 pounds on smells alone. Not only that, but I had a covert lusty affair with a frozen prickly pear margarita the woman was sipping in the next booth. I sat with my back to it but I swear it was flirting with me and whispering come-ons from a table away.
Did I mention it’s Hatch Green Chili time and there’s a special menu that brings the heat? (Oh for the love of Pedro! PorQue?) Four baskets of chips, queso with beef mixed in, 2 types of salsas and creamy jalapeno ranch (which rocks my socks) taunted me, mere inches from my face. I wanted to pick up a chip and lick it. Just to pretend. But, I ordered a salad with grilled chicken fajita meat, NO CHEESE, NO AVACADO, NO JALEPENO RANCH… the waitress gave me a pitying look. She knew. We all knew that this was a special kind of torture. I watched as faces were stuffed and the queso bowl scraped clean. Just so you know, to my left one son had a Big As Your Face Burrito with beans and cheese and queso sauce, next another one with beef and hatch chili queso sauce, heaven on a plate! Then, a Chuychanga, a freaking chicken Chimichanga with 2 kinds of sauce… a Chili Relleno, mixed chicken and beef fajitas with homemade corn tortillas… then my sad face salad.
Just so you know, I kicked Chuy’s ass! Not one chip, not one bite of queso, not one blessed sip of a frozen-no-salt. Truth be told, I honestly didn’t care. That’s a lie, I wanted to not care. I did. I wanted to drown myself in queso and drink margaritas til the cows came home.
I did not. I told myself lies about the food in front of me, and how I really, really didn’t want any of it. Even though that delicious carb exploding delectable deliciousness did not enter me, it was all over me. I smelled like homemade melt in your mouth tortillas, fresh fried tortilla chips, and smokey fajitas. As soon as we rolled into the garage, I bolted and I jumped straight in the shower and washed it all off. If I hadn’t, who knows what might have happened, someone might have lost an arm.
My son got his fix, and that’s what mattered.
(*&^%^$! I survived. 🙂
barely…
August 12, 2014 at 1:50 am
Epic self-control. Epic.
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August 12, 2014 at 3:29 am
I’m still in pain! I told my hubby tonight that I can still smell the chips! I want those chips! Lol!
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August 12, 2014 at 2:42 am
I’m sooooo impressed my family is originally from Texas and anything Tex Mex is my weakness. I would of had a few Big Reds instead of the No Salts but thats just me lol. either way !!! your amazing and awesome for the will power!
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August 12, 2014 at 2:43 am
haha! Thanks, you must drink Big Red with BBQ! That’s how it works! 🙂
It still hurts, just so you know… how bad I wanted to dig in!
sigh…
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August 12, 2014 at 2:46 am
But tomorrow there wont be the guilt of over doing it the night before both drinking and eating :O) That’s how i see it.
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August 12, 2014 at 3:30 am
True, and I didn’t feel bloated or yucky!
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August 12, 2014 at 6:08 am
*lol* you are funny… made my day start with a smile! SO GOOD! wow!!!!
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August 12, 2014 at 1:13 pm
Thanks CJ! I must write better when I’m “salty”!
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August 12, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Your missives always amuse me hunny cxx
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August 12, 2014 at 9:50 am
My comment got stuck for AGES and I can’t even close the page…it’s just stuck in another window with my half a comment. I can’t even copy and paste…grr.
I seriously want to go to that restaurant and eat ALL the yummy things you listed. You are a freakin rockstar for resisting!! I don’t think I would have been that strong, maybe why I am battling to lose weight. lol. You are my inspiration for the week my friend!
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August 12, 2014 at 1:16 pm
Sorry about your stuck comment! You are welcome any time (next year) when I’ve got no monkey! Im in! There are a few others that I even like better. Oh damn, my mouth is watering again! I kid you not, there’s nothing better than Tex-mex
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August 12, 2014 at 9:50 am
Sorry re: comment being stuck…I sound like a mad person making no sense I know!
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August 12, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Hahaha, no! Sometimes I wish my comments would get stuck, but they seem to just fly right out of my mouth whether I want them to or not! Ha! Filter!
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August 13, 2014 at 2:33 am
Someplace nostalgic like that would make it so difficult not to have the things you normally used to get! Props to you.
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August 15, 2014 at 7:52 pm
Oh my Lord, we got a Chuy’s here in upstate SC a little over a year ago, and it is a weakness. I was super good from March to May, but on my birthday weekend, I wanted to indulge and I did. Now, I’ve been heading back once a week. I’ve gotta wean myself off of it again. Maybe just go once a month or every two months like I had done. The Deluxe Quesadillas are my vice. I’m totally addicted.
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August 15, 2014 at 11:03 pm
Wow! I had no idea they’d expanded that far afield, however I’m glad someone out there totally gets it! 🙂
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