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Health & Fitness

Helping Texas Chili Gain Ground in "Port Chester Chili Wars"

-- New Mamaroneck Location Welcomes MetroNorth Commuters --

           It’s been a long time in coming, over a year in fact, but Texas Chili of Port Chester is ready to welcome patrons to its newest location at 123 Halstead Ave., Mamaroneck, directly opposite the outbound side of the MetroNorth train station and adjacent to B&A Automotive on the corner of Mamaroneck Ave .  The Grand Opening is scheduled for Thursday at 7:00 AM for breakfast!

   The new location had to be totally renovated and so making it ready for business was not without its challenges.  As the commercial real estate agent who represented the Port Chester-based restaurant in the lease negotiations -- also not without its 'moments' --  I know first-hand that opening the new location became a textbook case of "one step forward, two steps back" as my client went through the process of meeting all of the rules and regulations required for restaurateurs in Westchester County.  There were also mechanical issues involving utilities, weather-related emergencies, and extraordinary business issues that caused further delays. 

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   Whenever and wherever possible, I intervened and helped my client, Chef Moises Hernandez, the founder and owner of Texas Chili, throughout the process. It started with introducing him to the right real estate lawyer who would get the lease negotiations completed, Phil Menna of White Plains. Then there was the lengthy (months!) approval process by various Village departments and boards. Once my client got the go-ahead, the total gut renovation finally began -- until everything else came to a grinding halt. It's tough to cook chili or most anything else on a gas stove that has no gas! My 20-minutes+ hold time phone call to ConEd finally got that resolved and soon my client posted the sign you'll see in the accompanying photo. 

   But summer 2013 came and went, as did Sept. 22nd., the official first day of fall. and still no signs of life, even though construction appeared to be virtually complete.  And then, finally, my client called me to say he had gotten final approvals by the Village of Mamaroneck and that he will be opening this Thursday, October 10th.  

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   The new restaurant is located next to B&A Automotive on the corner of Mamaroneck Ave. and directly opposite MetroNorth.  As evidenced by the perseverance of Chef Moises, I'm optimistic Texas Chili/Mamaroneck will make up for lost time and enjoy support from the patrons of the Village of Mamaroneck’s famous restaurant row.  Texas Chili is bringing to the Village a different kind of cuisine and a new casual dining destination.

  For gourmands who cannot get enough of the red-hot topping that is Texas Chili’s trademark, the gleaming new Mamaroneck location will reinforce the restaurant’s reputation for superior cleanliness and customer service compared to rival chili joints. “We will be preparing the same dishes that have distinguished our chili from our competition’s – hot, flavorful and non-greasy,” said Chef Moises Hernandez.  That means chili dogs, chili burgers, chili wings, chili onion rings, chili fries and, yes, chili-topped breakfast fare!  It will also be serving up its signature pink color Texas Water.

    Texas Chili in Port Chester is also moving to a new home to 36 Broad St., less than a five-minute walk away from its current location at 8. S. Main Street.  It has consistently earned four and five-star ratings on Yelp for far superior cuisine, cleanliness and customer service. Texas Chili also received a 100% approval rating from both Urbanspon and Roadfood.com. .  “It’s this kind of reputation that is allowing us to open the new location in Mamaroneck,” noted Chef Moises.

  Asked if he will continue to allow first-time customers to jot down their impressions on dollar bills and tape them to the wall, Moises just grins and says “It’s hard to stop them.”  If New York City’s famed 21 Club Bar can have a ceiling-scape of toys, sports paraphernalia, and corporate logos presented to the owner by its rich and famous clientele over the years, including John F. Kennedy, Willie Mays, Chris Evert, and oil industry titan Leon Hess, then why not ?

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