One of my favorite Mexican foods is the Chile Relleno – a mix of “wake-you-up yet not-too-spicy” pepper, cheese, egg batter and sauce. When I visit a new Mexican restaurant, chances are that if they serve Chile Relleno, then I will try it. This is a log of such experiences. The top rating is three

Como Esta? Taqueria in Palo Alto has a Chile Relleno burrito, which has smaller chiles alongside beans and rice. Downside, if memory serves correctly, is that the stems are still attached (and are too tough to eat). (~2015)

I tried the chile relleno at the Whole Foods hot food bar today for lunch but it was a bit underwhelming. Delicious? Sure. But was a tad soggy and the “nothing special” peppers still had the hard stems attached. (24 Jul 2019)

On my way to do some hiking in the Sierras, I stopped at Cocina Michoacana for lunch in Oakdale, CA. Their version of chile relleno had plenty of cheese and an egg batter. The main difference is that they covered it with your choice of red or green sauce. Though the peppers didn’t really stand out as much as I prefer, it was yummy nonetheless. (17 Aug 2019)

Agave Mexican Bistro on Castro Street in Mountain View has a chile relleno bowl option. While quite healthy – it was packed with good veggies – the peppers and sauce were not quite highlighted as much as I’d prefer. (19 Aug 2019)

La Hacienda on Laurel Street in San Carlos is a cozy, traditional (think tiled floors/walls and oven-warmed plates topped with melted cheese) family-run Mexican restaurant. They serve chile relleno as a plato fuerte (main dish). The egg-battered peppers come as a delicious amalgam, mixing with beans, rice and sauce. The peppers were mild yet still packed plenty of flavor. (21 Mar 2020)

I tried a chile relleno as part of a combination (with enchilada) from Casa Azteca in Milpitas, and sadly was a bit disappointed. The relleno was soggy and the flavor did not standout. (03 Sep 2020)

LuLu’s on Main Street in Los Altos offers chile relleno in a plate or a la cart. It’s a large pasilla pepper, which along with the sauce has just enough spice to make me sweat (the right amount). Deliciosa! (25 Sep 2020)

Lolo in San Francisco‘s Mission offered a sizable chile relleno plate, with a battered poblano pepper stuffed with cheese, shrimp and bacon. It was accompanied modest amount of sauce and veggies. It was enough to share along with a few other dishes, or could be one diner’s main dish. A little spicy without being overwhelming, I would definitely eat it again. (28 Aug 2021)

Fiesta Vallarta in Los Altos makes a delicious chile relleno – a battered poblano pepper loaded with cheese. It came with a medium spicy sauce on top. I would definitely like to go back and order it again. (02 May 2022)

Santa Cruz‘s El Palomar Mexican restaurant is in a lovely historic building with high ceilings. I went there after a fun day at the beach and walking around. The chile relleno was delicious and filling – it surely hit the spot – and yet it was a little soggy and didn’t have a strong flavor profile. I’d go there again but next time I’ll try something else – maybe the seafood.