Want It Now: Queso

It’s a hype in the States: queso (officially: chile con queso or chile queso). Spicy Tex-Mex cheese dip. Suddenly, it’s being poured over everything, or everything is being dipped into it. So it’s no longer just about nachos. Food & Wine is even talking about the queso wars. Has the creamy cheese dip already crossed the ocean?

Whoever orders queso in a Tex-Mex restaurant in the US usually gets nachos with spicy cheese dip. But lately, tacos, burritos, fries and—why not?—pizza have also been served with the smooth, creamy and stringy sauce that comes close to being the ultimate comfort food.

Chipotle

At every Tex-Mex chain in North America, queso is guaranteed to be the most-ordered item. Except at Chipotle, that is. Until last week, the restaurant that presents itself as a natural fast-food chain wanted nothing to do with it. Even though it was by far the most-requested item that wasn’t on the menu.

What held Chipotle back? The fact that queso at North American Tex-Mex restaurants consists of imitation cheese à la Monterey Jack. And that’s not something they will accept.

Jalapeños

But since queso is the New Sriracha, Chipotle nevertheless started experimenting in its own Next lab, until it came up with an all-natural queso made with cheddar, jalapeños, tomatillos and spices. Just in time for the hype.

Last week, it was rolled out at all locations, immediately resulting in the longest queues ever at Chipotle. According to Eater.com, the dip is still lacking in flavor and especially spice. That doesn’t change the fact that queso is already the most-ordered item.

Can we find queso here too? Unfortunately not at Amsterdam’s newest Mexican restaurant, Coba Taqueria. Nor at Burritomaker or Tomatillo. But some deep journalistic digging turned up Café DS, the Mexican-inspired café at Amsterdam’s Club De School.

Chili cheese fries

And there are two items with queso on the menu: Nachos with black beans, cheese sauce (queso, that is), feta, jalapeño, corn and guacamole. And chili cheese (AKA queso) fries made from sweet potato with pork shoulder, cheese sauce, jalapeño and coriander.

We want it. Now.