this is life in austin & aspen

When I heard Changos had made the switch to all-natural, free-range meat and wild-caught fish, plus recycleable servingware, I was really excited. So excited that I made my roommate from college who was in town visiting head to the nearest Changos on Guadalupe to try it out.

I grabbed a salad with chicken, she had a chicken and a fish taco plus some chips and queso. She really liked the tacos, noting that the chicken had a really great flavor.

The chicken did have a really great flavor, but I ended up feeding half of it to my dog, who sat on the patio with us, because it was so fatty. I hope I simply got a bad piece of meat, because everything else for a yummy salad was there: the lettuce was fresh, the peppers spicy and crisp, the lemon vinaigrette lemony and light. And the chicken I could eat was great, it was the chicken I couldn’t eat that really ruined the salad for me. I hate having to pick through chicken to find the non-fatty pieces, that’s just gross.

• According to the company, the beef dishes at Changos are now “Premium Gold” brand, which features Premium Black Angus Beef owned by Texas ranchers and created by registered breeders.  The cows are partially grass-fed, combined with a 100 percent vegetarian diet, at yards certified for humane treatment. They are never given artificial growth hormones or antibiotics.

• Chicken served at Changos is now all natural, minimally processed (no saline solution pumped into the chicken), hormone-free and antibiotic-free. Pork served at Changos is also now all natural, free of hormones and antibiotics.

• The black drum, yellow fin tuna and shrimp are “wild caught” from the Texas Gulf and harvested from sustainable fisheries. Fried items and salad dressings are made with canola oil, a healthier, zero-trans fat oil.

The plastic cups, paper cups and disposable silverware are made out of eco-friendly cornstarch (by a company my out-of-town friend has a friend who works for!–small world), and the new “to go” bags, paper towels, and napkins are made from unbleached recycled paper. Changos is no longer using plastic bags, and recycling plans have been implemented at Changos Guadalupe and Changos South Lamar.

www.changos.com / @changosmexican

Verdict? Give it a shot for quick food, but if your chicken is too fatty don’t say I didn’t warn you.