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Dining Out: Jobie's El Chile Verde
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Posted by nwv_admin Tue Nov 23, 2004 08:09:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Over the years, Jobie McCay's customers asked why she didn't open up another El Chile Verde restaurant in addition to her White Lane location.

They suggested Las Vegas and Pismo, everywhere from the desert to the beach and beyond. Jobie always politely declined, until she started hearing from regulars who lived in the Northwest and wanted a more convenient eatery. That sounded reasonable -- and she went for it.

Jobie's El Chile Verde has been at its Rosedale Highway location for one year and eight months, and it's regularly packed with regulars and newcomers sipping margaritas and lining up at the popular buffet.

"All of our recipes are authentic. They come from Jobie's mom. People love the chile verde and homemade rice and beans," said Anna Muro, manager at the Rosedale location who is known for her Bloody Marys.

Jobie's, owned by its namesake and her husband, Robert McCay, and Cindy Chavez, opened in Shafter in 1985 and later relocated to White Lane. Muro has been an employee for 17 years, and her three sons -- Junior, Rudy and Michael -- also help out frequently. "It's a family thing," she said.

El Chile Verde staff and customers have discovered benefits of being located at what was previously Pancho's Mexican Restaurant, including more parking and a broader clientele. They've also redone the interior of the building, which has an adobe look, complete with piñatas hanging from the green ceilings and a gazebo in the center.

If you're starting off your meal with a cocktail, there's a variety of beer and wines available, as well as two talked-about margaritas, the Jamie Shots ($12.50) and the Jobie's Skirt ($13). Named after the McCays, the Jamie Shots is a regular margarita plus a mini Corona beer, and Jobie's Skirt is a raspberry margarita with Zima or Bicardi.

Appetizers include the plato de Mexico ($12.95), a sampling of popular Mexican dishes like nachos, beef taquitos, chimichangas, tacos, quesadillas and flautas, as well as hot wings served with guacamole, sour cream and salsa, and the jalapeno shots ($5.85), handmade, breaded jalapenos stuffed with cheddar cheese, fried golden brown and served with cool ranch dressing and salsa.

The El Chile Verde special ($9.75) consists of Anaheim chile pepper stuffed with jack cheese and onion, rolled in a flour tortilla, fried golden brown and topped with chile verde and melted jack cheese. Another choice is the chile relleno ($7.95), described as Anaheim chile pepper stuffed with jack cheese and onion, then dipped in egg batter and fried golden brown, topped with chile verde sauce and melted jack cheese. House specialties are served with rice, beans and two handmade flour tortillas.

If you opt for a combination plate, you might try the Bar Ba Coa ($10. 95), deep pit-style beef seasoned and slow-cooked and served with guacamole and pico de gallo, or the La Gringa ($10.25), a four tortilla stuffed with white meat chicken, onion, cheddar and jack cheese and salsa verde deep fried golden brown and topped with sour cream and guacamole and more cheese.

Seafood selections include the camarones ala diabla ($13.95), eight extra large shrimp sauteed with peppers, onion and garlic and simmered in a spicy red chile sauce, or the tacos de pescado (2 for $11.95), two soft corn tortilla stuffed with a deep fried, battered cod and topped with cabbage and a creamy tarter sauce.

If you're in the mood for something lighter, there's the basic chicken salad ($7.25) or the salad burritos, served on open face flour tortillas and topped with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole and olives ($4.25-$5.50).

The child's plate ($3.95), available to those 11 and under, comes with a choice of a cheese enchilada, taco or burrito served with rice and beans.

Desserts include fried ice cream ($4.75), flan ($2.75) and strawberry cheesecake ($3.95).

If you finish dinner and are still hungry in the morning, go back for breakfast and sample the huevos rancheros ($6.95), two eggs served over a corn tortilla and topped with spicy chile verde sauce, or the chorizo con huevos ($7.50), Mexican sausage sauteed with onion and tomato, scrambled with egg.

A buffet is available Monday to Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $7.95, including a drink.
Sunday brunch ($11.95, $7.95) is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Happy hour is from 4 pm to 7 pm and banquet facilities are available.

Jobie's El Chile Verde (Rosedale)
2681 Calloway Drive
588-5055
Hours: 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Reservations recommended.

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