Bandera - Review - Newport Beach - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"A mile south of Gulfstream in Corona Del Mar is Bandera, the Hillstone restaurant with a loose Southwest theme. The ambiance is dark and moody, with soaring wooden rafters and Navajo-style blankets on the walls that make the place feel like a Taos hunting lodge. From the moment the doors unlock at 4pm, expect to see middle-aged couples in high-end golf wear queued up at the bar ordering Jackrabbits (tequila with Campari and fresh grapefruit) and grilled artichokes. Bandera’s specialty is allegedly its rotisserie grill—you’ll see a dozen whole chickens spinning over a wood fire in the small open kitchen—but we find the chicken here a little drier than other non-rotisserie Hillstones. For something unique to Bandera, stick with the solid cheese and veggie enchiladas with a duo of smoky, mildly spicy sauces or the Macho Salad studded with big chunks of avocado, dates, and goat cheese. Food Rundown Cornbread Bites If your server asks if you want to start the meal with a mini cast iron pot of sweet, fluffy cornbread squares dabbed with butter and cheese, the answer should always be yes. And at just $4, it should be an emphatic yes. PlayMute video credit: Garrett Snyder Dip Duo Is this just glorfied chips and dips for $14? Yes, but it's the little touches that make it worthwhile: unlimited warm chips, creamy guac, and "jalapeño queso" that's more like spicy pimento cheese spread (and we're not made about it). PlayMute video credit: Garrett Snyder Veggie and Cheese Enchilada Ordering enchiladas at a non-Mexican restaurant (or at least a vaguely Mexican restaurant) can be risky. But these vegetables and cheese enchiladas are a under-the-radar winner, especially as a vegetarian option. There's generously packed with molten white cheese, the duo of sauces on top smoky, rich, and slightly spicy, and the runny fried egg on top is a nice touch. PlayMute video credit: Garrett Snyder Rotisserie Chicken and Barbecue Rib Combo Given that Bandera has a spinning chicken rotisserie in its open kitchen and a cool neon clock in the dining room that reads "Spit-Roasted Rotisserie Chicken," we expected more from the roasted bird here, which had a nice char-smoked flavor but was on the dry side. The fall-of-the-bone barbecue ribs however, a staple at pretty much every Hillstone restaurant, are reliably delicious. Banana Cream Pie As tasty as it is messy. Thick slices of banana, lots of creamy pudding, and a graham cracker and walnut crust thick enough to stop a bullet. PlayMute video credit: Garrett Snyder" - Garrett Snyder