From February 2004

CHILI'S: DON'T DO IT FOR THE BABY BACK RIBS

A saloon with a make-believe Tex-Mex accent, Chili's offers fajitas and nachos along with Skillet Queso and Margarita Grilled Chicken. But before one gets to the Boneless Buffalo Wings or the Grilled Shrimp Alfredo--just two of the non-Southwestern dishes included on the menu for the sake of regional diversity--one is confronted with a choice of variations on the theme of margaritas: straight up, on the rocks, or frozen. A request for a classic margarita--tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice, served in a salt-rimmed glass--results in a very good cocktail, far superior to the artificial-tasting versions served at some independent Tex-Mex cantinas. The base price for a margarita is $6.50, which is uptown pricing.

With the margaritas, a couple should consider sharing Chili's Southwestern Eggroll, a successful invention of its corporate kitchen--a mini burrito in a thick, lightly browned white-flour tortilla, densely packed with smoked chicken, corn, black beans, spinach, and a generous amount of jalapeño jack cheese. The tortilla wrapper is oil-free and the stuffing daringly spicy, to which the avocado-ranch dipping sauce provides a cool contrast.

Thanks to the TV commercial with its percussive jingle and close-ups of glistening meat, Chili's baby back ribs may be the best-known barbecue spareribs in the country. Sampled at the Baileys Crossroads location, they were marginally edible. Served at room temperature, they had a texture more associated with steaming than barbecuing. They were soggy under their blanket of sauce and lacked any crispy bits or even the faintest hint of smoky flavor. For honest barbecue ribs, you'd do better by taking a short drive to the Red, Hot & Blue in either Arlington or Clarendon or to the Memphis Bar-B-Q Company in Ballston Common.

Chili's is not a good choice for fajitas: By the standards of Tex-Mex restaurants, such as the very good Cactus Cantina and its offspring, Lauriol Plaza, Chili's portion of grilled skirt steak is skimpy. The few pieces of beef on the cast-iron skillet lacked sizzle and juice, as though the meat had been grilled well ahead of the time it was to be served. The accompanying onions were nicely caramelized; the slices of green bell pepper were all but raw. For fajitas that are worth the trip, skip Chili's in favor of the Rio Grande Café in nearby Ballston.

If you're drinking margaritas at Chili's, the best thing to cushion the stomach is an oversize burger. The selection includes one with chipotle-chili sauce, bacon, and bleu cheese and another with sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese. It is a good burger, not overly compressed, fresh tasting and juicy enough that serious burger fans would enjoy it best with the simplest combination of garnishes: lettuce, tomato, pickle, and a slick of mayonnaise on the top half of the bun.