200 Southgate Dr.
Southgate Shopping Center
Boone
(near Wal-Mart)(828) 265-4041
We ate lunch here one day during Indian Summer…
Tom: Well, this place describes itself as “Southwest and Caribbean Fusion” but we were intrigued by our Guru’s characterization as sort of hippy-organic-Mexican. But don’t let that fool you either–it is fairly classy, complete with pricey artwork.
Ray: Well, classy to you because you just have paintings on velvet of big-eyed dogs playing poker!
Anyway,the atmosphere here is relaxing and informal, with light jazz playing and earthtones mixed with vibrant colors on the walls, along with some very over priced paintings. There are also a number of outside tables, but like so many other places in Boone, these tables only have a lovely view of a parking lot, so there seems to be little to recommend them. Finally, the Guru reports that when the restaurant is
full, the close, informal seating gets a little to close for comfort.
We split an order of chips with guacamole & pineapple habanero salsa ($3.50), and I had the Havana Burrito with strawberry habanero salsa ($7.95) and a Butte Creek Organic Porter ($2.50).
Tom: I had the Taos Boat ($8.95), which I tried to order with Pico de Gallo salsa (since I tried the strawberry Habanero with the chips), but the waitress brought strawberry instead. As a test (since I was already frustrated with the Jerk Chicken she said she could sub but then being informed that it was a dollar extra), I pointed out the error and she brought the correct salsa. But she took away the strawberry! What was she gonna do–re-use it? Trash it? Why not just leave it. Both these errors should have been ‘eaten’ by the restaurant. How cheap! At least I washed it down with a Weeping Radish Corolla Gold ($2.50) to forget it all.
Ray: Are you through ranting? Well, the chips and guacamole were fresh made and good, but slow to show up. However, neither the pineapple nor the strawberry habanero salsa was hot enough. The habanero is one of the hottest peppers on the planet. As such, diluting its heat down with fruit is, in my opinion, nuts. Tabasco is hotter than this stuff. The Havana burrito is a mix of red beans, jerk chicken, roasted corn, grilled mushrooms, roasted green chilies, lettuce, jack
cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and mashed potatoes, all wrapped up in a large flour tortilla. Yes, that’s right, mashed potatoes in a burrito.
Tom: My dish had an interesting assortment, including corn bread and sweet potatoes. It was excellent–I think it all worked!
Ray: Yeah–although these combinations sound odd, it was actually very good. The tastes of the ingredients were well balanced, and there was so much of it that even a porker like me couldn’t finish it. On the other hand, the organic porter was less than stellar. It had a funky aftertaste which left it not tasting as fresh as it should have. I’ve brewed porters myself, and certainly can’t recommend this one.
Tom: And what was your take on the service?
Ray: While we got a table right away, the service here after that point went quickly down hill. It took a full 10 minutes for our chips to arrive, and another 25 minutes for our food to show up. In addition, there were a couple of errors in our order, as you described. Keep in mind that we were eating after 1 pm, and the restaurant was not even half full at the time. Perhaps they were out chasing the free range chickens down in order to make our meals. To top all this off, there
is a small notice on the cash register which says “Carryout boxes are $0.25 each. You are welcome to bring your own container in order to avoid this charge.” This fee brings parsimoniousness to new dimensions. Note that these carryout boxes are styrofoam, a strange and somewhat
hypocritical choice for a restaurant that purports to be concerned about the environment.
Tom: More cheapness, and I am not so sure that bringing your own containers is allowed under health rules. McDuck’s, for example, will not fill your own coffee mug for such concerns. So, what’s your vote?
Ray: While the service here is terrible, the food is very good, when it finally arrives! I would never have dreamed of putting mashed potatoes in a burrito, but oddly enough, it works well. The portions here are large and the ingredients fresh, although the prices were a bit on the high side,
especially for lunch. At first I thought we had just ordered from an expensive section of the menu, but this was not the case. Everything at Coyote’s with meat in it is over $6. Lastly, I felt that the food could have been a bit more spicy, but I always think that about every place I eat.
While the food here was excellent, the slow service really turned me off. I’ll probably go back, but only when I have plenty of time to relax and enjoy my meal. Coyote Kitchen would be a great place to take a first date… you’d have plenty of time to get to know each other! My only remaining question is… is the coyote free range, how is it cooked, and how much is it? 
Tom: I agree about the service. After all, that is a lot of why you are eating out–to be served. And while a particular waitperson may be the problem, it is up to management to make sure the service is as good as the food.
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 36° 11.904′
Lon: 81° 39.609′
Menu (prices may change)
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