Yellow Chili Tapas Kitchen – Riverside

Article Dated: January 28, 2012 by John D.

Yellow Kitchen Tapas Bar Riverside plate

When people say that the Inland Empire doesn’t have good restaurants they clearly haven’t seen how much food the I.E. has to offer. The newest addition to the I.E. is Yellow Chili Tapas Kitchen. Located in Riverside in the Canyon Crest Towne Center, this new restaurant offers big flavor on small plates.

Now the food here isn’t traditional spanish, but it is served tapas style, meaning small plates that are perfect for sharing. The restaurant also has T.V.’s all over as well as a fully stocked bar with top quality spirits. This restaurant really caters to those who want to catch the game or just sit back and relax with some great food.

Fantastic Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls

What’s so fantastic about this place is how affordable and delicious it is. Most plates here are between $6 and $11 which makes it perfect for spending a little or a lot depending on your budget. One thing that I was worried about was that we might be leaving hungry or the food wouldn’t be enough to share. I was completely mistaken. The food portions are so generous and so is the flavor. There are some really great takes on old favorites, like the Chicken Samosas, Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls, Y/C wings (They have so many unique flavors to choose from), and the naan burger. A friend, who was with me, commented on the Naan burger he ordered and said it was one of most unique burgers he had ever tried and just the look of it had me wanting one.

Beer and Pretzel wings. Delicious and unique!

Another aspect of this restaurant that I really respected was that pretty much everything is made in house. Our waiter informed us that all the sauces and desserts are prepared at the restaurant and it really shows. The mint sauce that came with our Chicken Samosas was so bright in flavor and was some of the best I’ve actually had. You can see on every plate how much they care about how the food looks and tastes. And the wait staff is no exception to this rule. Our waiter was beyond friendly and really seemed to care about how our experience was. Even walking into the restaurant it was made clear how much they care about the customers. The hostesses were friendly and attentive and even came by every once in awhile to make sure we were having a good time. Their dedication to a good experience really shined through.

Fully Stocked bar and TV's! Perfect for watching the game!

Finally, we had to order drinks just given how nice the bar looked. My table ordered a couple of their signature cocktails: Jim’s Cherry Lemonade, and the Pink X. The cocktails stay true to everything else on the menu at Yellow Chili and offer really punchy and delicious flavor for those who enjoy a good cocktail. Lastly, their beer selection was decent but not extensive. That’s not to say that they didn’t have good beers, it was just that their selection wasn’t as massive as the Salted Pig’s. With that said, I ordered a 24 oz Hangar 24 for only $5.25! I was shocked by how cheap the beer prices were and it definitely made up for the lack of selection. You’ll find the typical beers there: Hangar, Budweiser, ShockTop, Blue Moon/Blue moon seasonal, and Newcastle.

This place really worth checking out and is really a hidden gem in Riverside. It’s so close to UC Riverside that it might not stay hidden for long. Stop on by and try some great food and order some great drinks while you’re at it. You definitely won’t be disappointed with Yellow Chili Tapas Kitchen.