Campo Verde Returns With Fewer Lights and Much Better Food (But Is That Bad?)

By Saturday morning, Arlington foodies' Facebook feeds were full of reviews of the new Campo Verde in Arlington from the night before. The Tex-Mex staple with a bit of Sonoran panache originally opened in 1983. Over four decades, the space became known for the toy train that circled overhead and a bazillion Christmas lights. I called it a "kaleidoscope of crazy" after my first visit, and I'll argue to the death on the accuracy of that metaphor back in the day.

The food was always marginal at best and nuclear at worst (the orange sauce served with the chips was ironically neon).
Up until a couple of years ago, you could still smoke at the bar, and the tables resembled those that my grandparents had in their kitchen in 1980. It was a time warp that many families pilgrimaged to, for better or worse, at least once a year, including me (I even liked sitting at the bar lined with ashtrays).

The original owners sold it a few years ago, and new owners gave the place a good scrubbing and tightened up the menu. But in January of this year, things seemed to fall apart, and the restaurant abruptly closed.

Meanwhile, across town, chef Mouhssine “Moose” Benhamacht was elevating Arlington's culinary landscape with Cafe Americana, which is maybe the best restaurant in Arlington. It's certainly one of the most diverse, but with Arlington's broad spectrum of wonderful Asian and Latin restaurants, that's a tough landscape.

Benhamacht and his partner, Liesl “Li” Best of Barbary West Hospitality, decided to reopen Campo Verde.

Friday night was their first official night of business; a reservations-only crowd flowed in, excited to see the space and try the food.

First, let's get this out of the way: yes, the train is running, but the zillion Christmas lights have been scaled back significantly. A representative with the restaurants says they will definitely ramp up the decorations for Christmas, but for now, they wanted to keep the space bright, with plenty of twinkling lights, clean and airy. Of the many rooms that make up the restaurant, there's a Santa-themed room, the same roomy bar and lounge, a tropical-themed Christmas dining room and a room with some Western flair. There's also game room with a few claw machines and a Mrs. Pac-Man.

We sat in a room towards the back, and if we go again, we would probably prefer a spot at the bar, but that's just a personal preference (I like to be nosey and see what's up).
Service was as expected on opening night. Naturally, there were miscues, but considering how smoothly Cafe Americana runs, I have full confidence that Benhamacht and his team will work things out quickly. Despite any missteps, the team was gracious at all times. Smiles were handed out like baskets of chips.

The menu, like Cafe Americana's, encompasses a broad range of plates. It goes high (tableside top shelf guacamole) with nods to old classics (queso). There's chicken fried steak, enchiladas and steak flambe.

Shortly after being seated, a basket of chips and a couple of salsas landed on our table. The freebies are the thin, salted type, but our queso came with thicker chips with a dusting of spices akin to the signature old Campo Verde.

There are appetizers, including the queso, which can be upgraded with proteins or peppers. There are also fried shishito peppers with an avocado ranch dipping sauce, ancho chili meatballs, ceviche and a shrimp cocktail. There's a classic tortilla soup and a chef's seasonal salad.
Brisket is sprinkled throughout the menu: you can get it in queso, in a sandwich (the Burnt Ends sandwich is $19 and comes with pickles "campo dressed" on a brioche bun with fries) and in tacos. The latter was one of our mains. The smokey and peppery tender meat is diced and served in three griddle-warmed tortillas along with guacamole, cheese and sour cream. We loved these.

While there are chicken enchiladas, taco and flautas plates, there's also a chicken-fried steak ($26) with black pepper gravy, which you can get topped with a cheese-stuffed chili relleno for $10 extra. We had a shrimp-stuffed relleno as our other main, and it was perfect; a thick, crisp coating swaddled a pepper stuffed with shrimp and gooey cheese. Each bite was met with little happy noises.

Plates of Southwest roasted chicken, shrimp, salmon, ribeye and baby back ribs round out the mains. 
That's a lot of variety. The kids, Mom, Grandpa and that fussy cousin should all be able to find something that suits them here.

We tried several drinks from the bar, and while an ancho reyes gimlet wasn't as chilled as we would have liked (first night, not an actual complaint here) the margaritas flowed effortlessly.

Here's what Campo Verde has going against it, though: it's a lot better than it used to be. And for decades-long regulars, that could be a hard enchilada to swallow. Nostalgia goes hard.

And the elevated fare comes with an elevated check; four drinks, two mains and a queso were a wee bit over $100. I don't remember ever spending that much there before. But, was the food worth it? Yes.

The place is still festive and full of many of the nostalgic touches that made it special, but not in a seizure-inducing way.

In a few months, after the sweltering heat of summer, hordes will once again begin descending on the place as they do every holiday season, wandering around the parking lot waiting for a table as they have for years. They may be in for a bit of a surprise — good or bad. It'll be interesting to see if the new menu and designs are appreciated or if nostalgia will take over.