Even the best guacamole is a bland, one-dimensional paste.
But at Chiles and Chocolate, the three-year-old Mexican restaurant on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope, the better-than-average guac comes with an appealing option: roasted grasshoppers.
Now before you dismiss the bugs as a “Fear Factor”–style attention grabber, “chapulines” are an actual Oaxacan tradition. And Oaxacan food is Mexico’s best. So there.
Chef Francisco Lopez, formerly of Alma on Columbia Street, imports the insects from Mexico, and they add a smokey spiciness — and that unmistakable crunch — to the appetizer.
Other dishes on the menu require less adventurousness — try the rich, deep mole negro, whether over chicken or enchiladas — but we kept coming back to that guacamole.
Add a few Pacificos on the delightful back patio, and that’s pretty much all you need.
Chiles and Chocolate [54 Seventh Ave. between Lincoln and St. Johns places in Park Slope, (718) 230-7700].
