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Drove by the place today,but wasn't hungry to go in (an who would be hungry after 2 days of leftovers anyway).
5816 Merriam Dr.

Hmm. I'm pretty sure the space was a barber shop for years and the space on the left of the building is the original Tarahumara take-out location. This is a couple hundred yards south of Johnson Drive?

north.
it's north from the Music store, between it and the park/market.

North is what I meant. Yeah, that's the building. I thought Tarahumara still had their take-out there as of 6 months ago or so. Wonder if Fred's connected to the new place too?

here is one of its previous incarnations
http://www.kclunchspots.com/2008/09/pol ... icken.html
and the one before that
http://www.kclunchspots.com/2008/05/coy ... am-dr.html

Interesting that this new incarnation seems to be yet another tamale and grilled chicken place. It has changed hands a couple times within the same family and this may be more of the same.

Speaking of Tarahumara, their place on 87th closed a couple weeks back.

Wow, talk about a punch in the gut - pun intended.

They always did well in the take out joint, but never quite got the hang of a humming sit-down place. They tried once before, about 8-9 years ago and failed there too. I think it was across the street and south a bit. Kind of where the tavern is.

I haven't tried any of the Pollo al carbon joints in town, but when we drive down to New Mexico, we try to time it for lunch at Super Pollo in Liberal, Kansas. It's simply awesome. Fist time we were there they had a sign with all their other locations posted. Texas, Chihuahua, and others. Were through there in August, and I overheard the proprietor telling someone else that they were no longer affliated. Don't know the details because my espanol es malo.

Looking forward to giving this new joint a try. Thanks!

I've had so much darn work to do that I'm falling even further behind in posting. Heck, I've got an obsolete post on the well-intentioned fellow who operated for a couple months in this space after the original crazy chicken but before the current incarnation. I was all excited when he said he was putting a potato and chorizo gordita on the menu, but when I went back he said he couldn't get the gorditas to come out right with the available masa (luckily I've since discovered a pretty good version at El Taco Nazo). I suggested maybe he try huaraches, and he seemed enthused at the suggestion. A little too much of a work in progress, I guess.

Anyway, for pollo al carbon, you've got to get to Pollo Rey. This is a post I've been sitting on since summer, here's a good primer at Hot Blog on a Stick. Chimpotle's absolutely right--terrific grilled chicken, over hickory logs and coal. Great stuff.

I know you mentioned Tarahumara on the Chicago board, Doug, and we tried to go once or twice on closed days. Sorry I never made it there, and sorry that it's passed.

i finally got to El Pollo Rey the weekend before thanksgiving. It was delicious and cheap. i got a whole chicken and it lasted me nearly 4 meals.

one oddity tho. I got there close to 8pm and when i ordered the chicken, he took one out of a steam tray. Do they usually cook it fresh when you order it?

and is that the concensus place to go for grilled chicken? ever since my trip to miami last year when i ate at Pollo Tropical (surprisingly delicious for a chain)... i've been looking for a similar grilled chicken place...ideas?

Made it to La Cabana yesterday, had some chicken and my companion had tamale and couple of tacos. Chicken was pretty good, maybe little more salty than I like. Tacos looks like a street taco kind, no cheese or lettuce, just tortilla and meat with cilantro etc. Service was superfriendly, we were the only customers and the whole family was helping out including kids. Very clean. I will probably go back.