"It’s healthy to introduce a change to the menu every so often," says Ang. "Since no other outlet is currently offering wraps, we’ve decided to serve it at Chili’s."
The wraps take over the pitas that Chili’s used to serve and complement its offering of fajitas. In a way, the wraps are pre-rolled fajitas that take away the mess of having to fill and roll one’s own tortillas. They come in five variants, namely Buffalo chicken, club, fajita chicken, turkey and chicken Caesar salad.
"Our wraps are not ordinary sandwiches," Ang adds. "They are really portioned big for sharing."
And he’s not kidding. When we dropped by at Chili’s Greenhills to take a peek at what’s cooking at this casual dining chain, we were impressed. A wrapper is as big as a dinner plate and when rolled proves to be a daunting proposition. Stuffed with your choice of filling, with a siding of tostada chips and a bottomless drink, it makes for a really heavy lunch.
"The wraps are part of the Chili’s menu in the States, and this is the first time we’re offering them in the Philippines," he explains. "It may look big to most Filipino diners, but for most Americans, it’s just the right size."
Chili’s is turning eight years old in the Philippines later this year, and it has confidently carved a niche as a family dining establishment. On weekend nights, its three different branches in Metro Manila – in Greenbelt 1, along Connecticut St., Greenhills, San Juan and Tomas Morato Ave., Quezon City – are filled with barkadas on a spree. On weekends, especially on Sundays, it is packed with families.
"We have established a name," Ang says. "We have loyal guests who have been frequenting the same branch all these years."
Chili’s is an American franchise brought to the country by the owners who studied in the States. They liked the restaurant’s offering of American southwestern cuisine so much that they decided to introduce it to Filipino diners.
Chili’s may have been slow in opening branches around Metro Manila, since the firm has a strict policy on consistency of food quality and service. With most of its supplies imported from the US, it continues to offer the same Chili’s experience to its loyal clients.
Apart from the wraps, Chili’s still offers all the goodies it’s been known for all these years. It has its selection of Texas-sized fresh ground beef burgers, grills and steaks, as well as its Guiltless Grills, which are low-fat chicken entrees. It is now working on expanding its vegetarian line, although it now has a number of salads and a vegetable fajita.
Of course, it has its line of desserts, with the chocolate molten cake taking pride of place. It is a culinary sleight-of-hand that combines a warm chocolate cake filled with hot fudge sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. As you sink your spoon into the cake, the syrup oozes out and steams as it mixes with the cool ice cream. Taken with a wrap, it’s really a wrap, Chili’s style.