Don’t judge the name. Try Hay!! Chi Wa Waa
Voice-Tribune review by Robin Garr
Hey, Chihuahua? What kind of a name for a restaurant is that? With a wacky Señor Gonzales accent? Really? Are they talking about the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, or calling a little dog? Or maybe, just possibly, poking a thumb in the eye of "Yo quiero Taco Bell"?
I like that last theory, myself, because Hay!! Chi Wa Waa, a recent arrival in the Lyndon quarters sadly vacated by the loss of the lovable La Colombiana, is to Taco Bell as, say, an artist like Diego Rivera is to your local graffiti scrawler.
Here's the good news: In addition to authentic Mexican standards, this establishment, rooted in the Lone Star State, offers real "Tex-Mex" fare, the historic cuisine that bridges Latino and Anglo cultures in the South Texas border country. You could call it the Mexican equivalent of the Italian-American family fare evolved in New York and New Jersey and environs by the families of Ellis Island immigrants.
A lot of people use "Tex-Mex" for the culturally homogenized, simplified "Mexican" fare served up at dozens of restaurants around town, but that's really more like, well, Chinese chop-suey houses, offering a simplified bill of fare that may serve well to feed the inner person but doesn't do much to celebrate ethnic or culinary heritage.
Hay!! Chi Wa Waa's crew celebrates both their heritages with a noisy yippie-ki-yi-yo, declaring on their Website, "Our loving Texas Style To Cook Mexican Culinary Food. Grandma said 'Hay!! CHI-WA WAA' … that's TEX MEX."
Er, right! Or ¡Si!
My friend Anne and I dropped in for lunch the other day and were pleasantly impressed ...
Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes.com:
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/dont- ... chi-wa-waa
and in the Voice-Tribune:
http://www.voice-tribune.com/life-style ... hi-wa-waa/
Hay!! Chi Wa Waa Mexican Bar and Grill
808 Lyndon Lane, Suite 105
883-1924
http://haychiwawaa.com
Robin Garr’s rating: 84 points
Went for lunch today with a girlfriend ( already planned before the review) and both agreed that it was way above the typical Mexican options in town. Great space. Excellent chips, and all the salsas ( we were given three) were higly flavored and very good. My grilled fish taco was perfectly prepared; my friend's Vegetarian enchilada was excellen,t and they warned her in advance that it was a bit spicy. Very attentive service. Lunch options are around $7.99. We will definitely be back for dinner and tequilas!