Chino Bandito's Gen Red quesadilla and Jade Red chicken. Photo by Jed Strahm

Chino Bandito will steal your heart–and hunger

By Lea Soto
Special to West Times

“If you haven’t been, you have to go.” That’s what I’ve been hearing for a while. Now I know why. Chino Bandito is a “you have to go” restaurant. Located where else, but in a strip mall on 19th Avenue just north of Greenway. The building isn’t fancy on the outside, and it certainly isn’t trying to compete with the more ambiance-driven restaurants. That’s the good thing, though, because the focus at Chino Bandito is on the food. Great food in a comfortable environment is exactly what is served up.

Chino Bandito combines great aspects of Mexican, Caribbean, and Chinese cuisines in an unusual-yet-definitely-works kind of way. Surprising, yes, but also a welcome combination of otherwise familiar items.

At Chino Bandito, before placing your order at the counter, you’ll have to pick up and fill out an order form. They’re off to the side by the door. Fill out the form by selecting the numbers that correspond for your selection. There are different combination plates available. That’s where things get interesting. You can choose from items such as chile relleno and quesadillas, or egg foo yung and teriyaki chicken, and even jerk chicken or gringo chicken. Side item options such as jerk rice, pork fried rice, and black beans are also available.

With so many options to choose from, I thought I’d mix up my plate for a real variety. I chose a chile relleno, jerk chicken, jerk fried rice, and black beans. Whether you decide to eat in or take out your meal, the food is served in take-out containers. With the large amount of food in each meal, leftovers are a big possibility.

When my food was delivered, I was rather surprised to see that all of the items worked very well aesthetically. The usual chile relleno was dipped in crispy breading pieces before being fried, and not just in batter. Next to that were pieces of chicken in a dark seasoning, alongside fried rice with the same seasoning, and black beans topped off with cheese.

The crispy chile relleno was fantastic for an item that I don’t usually order, and the jerk chicken’s gingery spiciness was something that I had never had before, and now won’t be able to go without. The jerk fried rice, just like the chicken, is an explosion of flavors, and the black beans are very good too.

The best part of all is the snickerdoodle cookie that comes with every meal. The cookie is better than any you can find at a mall food court.

If you haven’t been to Chino Bandito, you have to go.