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 video credit: Garrett Snyder 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. 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). 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. 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. video credit: Garrett Snyder 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." - Garrett Snyder
