el rinconcito chapin

I was checking on the status of a nearby poké place when El Rinconcito Chapin (Chapin’s Little Corner) unexpectedly appeared on the map. Just then, The Bride walked in. “Where we going for lunch?” she asked.

Chapin’s started as take-out only at Payton Gin and Lamar, progressed to full-service at 6539 North Lamar, and has now opened an outpost on Anderson Lane in the same strip mall as Fresh Plus. The proprietor (Chapin?) came straight from Antigua, Guatemala, and brought a bunch of recipes with them. Guatemalan cuisine is similar to, but different than, Mexican cuisine. Mayan culture influences both cuisines, so you’ll see dishes you expect, but you’ll also get some surprises in execution (which is where the fun comes in!).

An excellent place to start is the Chapincito Plate, a sampler with two garnachas, a chicken tostada, a chuchito, and fried plantains ($18). Garnachas are thick corn tortillas topped with meat (in my case, chicken) and sauce. The chicken tostada carried me back to that old Wendy’s commercial with the old ladies, “Where’s the bird?” But it’s there, micro-shredded, Guatemalan style. Chuchitos are what you might call a Guatemalan tamale, but they are masa heavy and holla thicker. Another good place to start is with the tostadas, where you can try three with different toppings, including tomato sauce, chicken, guacamole, and refried black beans (topped with cotija cheese, onions, and parsley depending on the main topping; $3 a piece).

The desserts, although few, are amazing (and amazingly priced). We tried the Blushed Pears (a pear smothered with red wine and spices sauce, served with ice cream; $6) and were amazed by the visual drama and flavors of the dish. They also have something called Snow Figs (three sweet figs garnished with caramel sauce and coconut flakes; $6) and Platanos en Molé (fried plantains cooked in sweet mole sauce and garnished with toasted sesame seeds; $6). The restaurant has a stage and hosts live music to boot. If you’re seeking a short trip to Central America, you only need to get to your culata over to Anderson and Rockwood pronto!

El Rinconcito Chapin, 3022 West Anderson Lane, elrinconcitochapin.com