Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

dc chimis: samantha's

I’ve been on a quest for good Mexican food since I moved to D.C. from Arizona. It’s been a bumpy ride — especially since I tend to judge D.C. Mexican restaurants by the quality of their chimichangas more than anything else.

Based on a hearty recommendation from D.C. Foodies (relayed to me by Shawn), Rob and I checked out Samantha’s, a Mexican / Salvadoran Restaurant in Silver Spring, Md.

I loved the tortilla chips — super-thin and not too salty — and the salsa had a nice kick to it. The service was prompt and friendly. But I wasn’t super-impressed by their chicken chimi. (Granted, the restaurant is known more for its pupusas than its chimis.) What threw me off most about the chimi was that it was pan-fried rather than deep-fried, meaning that the dish looked more like a browned burro than a fried chimi. And, for me, part of the appeal of the chimi is the golden brown (but not too crisp) tortilla shell. I do have to say, however that I thought the chicken inside was well-done — tender and flavorful, although perhaps overpowered a bit by too much rice.

Ratings (on a scale of 1-10):

• Tortilla / shell - 5
• Filling - 7
• Quality of meat - 8