This Mexican Chocolate Chili was inspired from the Colorado Burrito from what was my favorite Mexican restaurant of all time, Casa Mia in Santa Monica Canyon, CA. While the restaurant is gone, the memory of their incredibly delicious Colorado chili lives on.
Growing up, on Tuesday nights my dad would go on his weekly Sierra Club hike in the Santa Monica mountains, I would go to gymnastics practice, and my mom and brother would go to one of the best Mexican restaurants of all time -- Casa Mia in Santa Monica Canyon, CA.
And we all went together at least once a week also.
The Scene at Casa Mia
Less than 5 minutes from the Palisades where we lived, Casa Mia was seconds from the ocean, though not on the beach. The restaurant was very small and dark -- one might call it a dive. With burgundy vinyl booths, each table had an old school, round red candle holder covered with a white "net."
Just across from the tiny, full bar, stood the most awesome old jukebox ever, that played oldie after oldie. And from just about every table you could see the owner/cook, Joanne Livas, putting orders on the kitchen window shelf.
The front of the restaurant on Channel Road, Santa Monica Canyon, CA.
The Menu at Casa Mia
My order: Two A la Carte Beef Tacos. They'd arrive sitting on white paper in a bright red plastic basket, and were unbelievably greasy -- so greasy that they were actually dripping. That, in conjunction with the perfectly spiced beef and fresh, crisp lettuce was amazing! (I can remember exactly what each delicious, bite tasted like.)
My dad's order: The tostada, which was pretty much the tacos, only in bowl form.
My brother's order: The rich and cheesy Enchilada Suizas, which came on a plate that was always too hot to touch.
And my mom's order: The Colorado Chili Burrito, which I always had a bite of. The delicious, greasy tacos kept me from making it my own order, but I'll never forget the fork-tender chunks of beef in a deeply flavored, spicy sauce that oozed out of a warm flour tortilla. This is what my Mexican Chocolate Chili was inspired from. I really wanted to recreate it.
And no, Colorado Chili has nothing to do with the state of Colorado.
Colorado means red in Spanish and is used in the name to describe the sauce, which is typically made with a variety of red chiles.
The Key Ingredients
- chipotle chiles in adobo sauce - Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce are jalapeño chiles that have been dried, smoked and packed in a sauce made of tomatoes and spices. They come in a can and you should be able to find it in any major grocery store.
- bacon - I always try to buy bacon with the least amount of fat on the strips. (Applewood smoked bacon is a great choice.)
- onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
- garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old and likely bitter. Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots. (Pro tip: if there are green shoots in your garlic cloves, slice them in half, lengthwise, and remove the green root with the tip of a knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
- stew meat - Chuck or shoulder cuts are best for stew meat. You can typically find it in stores already cut into cubes.
- Mexican oregano - Regular is fine, too.
- spices: ground cumin, chili powder, ground cloves
- red wine - A drier red wine is best, like Merlot, Pinot Noir or Shiraz.
- kidney beans and black beans
- chocolate - Just a bit. I use semisweet chocolate chips. This give the chili a mole vibe.
I can almost guarantee Casa Mia did not make their chili with chocolate, but I couldn't help myself. It's adds richness and makes the sauce extra smooth.
My brother and I would both say this restaurant was a wonderful part of our childhood. Thank you, Casa Mia, for the memories and so much delicious food!
Casa Mia in Santa Monica Canyon was bought from it's original owner, Charley Lowery, by the Livas family (Poncho, Joanne and Chris), in 1961. And sadly, the doors closed in 1988 when the building was sold and the new landlord raised the rent to an unaffordable amount. The recipes were a blend of those from Lowery and the Livas family. If you want to get a feeling for the awesome vibe of Casa Mia, you can check out the Casa Mia, I Remember Facebook page -- which was created by Chris Livas, who has kept the history and memories of Casa Mia alive.
Share Your Casa Mia Memories!
I was only a teenager when Casa Mia closed, so my memories are minimal compared to those who knew the restaurant longer. If you are one of those folks, and you're reading this, please chime in with your stories, in the comments below.
Photos of the restaurant were taken from the Casa Mia, I Remember Facebook page.
More Mexican (or Mexican-Style) Recipes
- Ancho Enchilada Sauce
- Puerco en Salsa Verde
- Picadillo Empanadas
- Mexican Salad with Pepitas
- Amazing Vegetarian Enchiladas
- From Scratch Mexican Black Beans
- Poblano Guacamole Recipe with Lemon
Now get in the kitchen and start cooking this delicious Mexican chocolate chili recipe.
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Mexican Chocolate Chili Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 strips applewood smoked bacon, diced
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- 1½ tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1½ pounds stew meat, cut into approx 1-inch pieces (i.e., Chuck Shoulder, Rump Roast)
- 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup dry red wine, such as Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in tomato juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce,
- 1 (14-ounce) can Kidney beans, drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained
- 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate, finely chopped or chips
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- optional garnishes: sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, finely chopped red onion, and cilantro leaves or chives
Instructions
- Cook bacon, onion and garlic. Add the diced bacon to a large pot (a Dutch oven is perfect), and place it over medium heat. Moving it around occasionally, cook the bacon until the pieces are becoming crisp, about 5 minutes.Stir in the onion and garlic and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. (You shouldn't need to add oil to the pan -- the bacon fat should be sufficient.)Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon-onion mixture and place it in a bowl. Set aside.
- Sear the meat. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, and turn the heat up to high. Add the meat to the pan. (You should hear a sizzling sound -- if you don't the pan isn't hot enough.) Sear the meat, browning it on all sides.
- Return bacon mixture to pot and add spices. Return the bacon-onion mixture to the pot and add the oregano, cumin, chili powder and cloves -- continue to cook for another couple of minutes.
- Deglaze. Deglaze the pot with the wine and tomatoes, and use a wooden spatula to scrape any bits of food off the bottom of the out and into the mixture.
- Add chipotles and simmer. Stir in the chipotles, turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the pieces of meat are super tender -- almost (but not quite), falling apart, 2½ to 3 hours. Stir the chili from time to time.
- Add beans and chocolate. Mix in all of the beans and the chocolate and cook on low for about 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt.
- Serve with any or all of the garnishes is desired.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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CC
Wonderful food memories and you're keeping them alive! Love it! I moved to LA in 1988, so I missed out on the original. Thanks for sharing this recipe, though!
Valentina
Thank you for checking out my memories, and the recipe, Christina. xo Valentina
Teresa
I am super excited to find this recipe. I’ve been searching for a Chili Colorado recipe that did not make me roast peppers! I know I could, but I don’t want to. I really want to have it from the restaurant in KC that we used to frequent. I moved away and the last time I went there it was gone. Replaced the old Mexican restaurants with newer trendy looking places. So not the same.
I’ve never had a bowl like theirs again. They served it with 3 fresh handmade tortillas. I try it every time I see it on the menu. This sounds perfect. So glad I found you from Jenni Field, PCO
Valentina
So happy you landed here, Jenni. Handmade warm tortillas with the chili is perfect. Hope you try the recipe and love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
Somehow, I missed this post when you first published it; I would have loved it then, as I had just learned how to make Chile Colorado from some abuelas in Puerto Peñasco on the eastern shore of the Gulf of California. No, there was no chocolate in theirs, but I will be sure to add some -- I love the idea. And, while (as you say) you can substitute regular oregano, Mexican oregano is so good.
Thank you for sharing a wonderful memory of your family eating at Casa Mia. ❤️
Valentina
Hi David, It's so cool you learned how to make the chili from abuelas in Puerto Peñasco! LOVE that. Would love to see/try it one day. 🙂 ~Valentina
Chris R
Gonna make this tonight! While I was in high school, believe it or not, I worked at a liquor store on Wilshire Blvd as a delivery boy. I'd make deliveries all over the Santa Monica, Brentwood and Palisades area. Whenever a delivery took me near Casa Mia I'd stop and order a couple of burritos to go and wolf them down as I made my deliveries. I remember them assort, juicy and wonderful. Nothing better!
Chris R
Made this two nights ago. It was absolutely awesome. It's just my wife and I so we had left overs. Last night I thought what to do with the leftover chili colorado? I boiled some pappardelle noodles and smothered them with the warmed up chili adding some grated parmesan cheese to the concoction. Wonderful!
Valentina
Hi Chris. I'm so happy you made and loved this recipe! I really like what you did with the leftovers -- Pappardelle happens to be my favorite noodle, perfect to go with such a hearty sauce. And yes, those burritos at Casa Mia were SO good. It all was. Thanks so much for sharing your memories, and for trying the recipe. 🙂 ~Valentina
Elaine Punchard
Thank you for sharing. I could almost taste those tacos you describe. Good memories you were lucky to have grown up in a place with so many different restaurants. As a child in Scotland we never went out but choices were fish and chips or Chinese take out. There were a couple of Italian restaurants but too expensive. Now Glasgow has exploded with many different cultures .
Valentina
Hi Elaine, Thanks so much for writing. I love fish and chips -- those are delicious food memories, too! I went to Ireland this past October and had the best that I've tried. Though I haven't been to Scotland . . . yet. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
Saying hello and hoping matters are slowly, slowly moving forward. Have read your story eight years after the last comment and can imagine the quiet satisfaction you get from the memories . . . a big hug from across the ocean . . .
Valentina
Thank you so much, Eha. And a hug right back to you. 🙂 ~Valentina
Charlie C
I grew up in Westwood, but would make the trip to Casa Mia with my parents once a month or so. Loved their greasy tacos with the parmesean and the aforementioned crisp lettuce. The enchiladas also came on those oh so hot plates and were stuffed with plenty of nearly liquified cheese.
And a funny aside, those trips to Casa Mia were also educational from a cultural standpoint. I was so young at the time, I didn't know what homosexuality was or that gay bars existed before asking my parents about the "cool ship place" next door.
valentina
Ah yes, the "SS Friendship!" Thanks so much for sharing your Casa Mia memories! I'd forgotten about that dusting of Parmesan cheese! I LOVED that! 🙂
Kara @ Byte Sized Nutrition
These flavors sound fantastic! And I'm sure they taste even more amazing with all those memories associated with them