Isotopes unveil new 'Red vs Green' menu items

Calling it a rivalry might be a stretch. But everybody has a clear preference and Jim Griego is no different.

“I think as we all grew up, we were taught, ‘oh, you need to eat either green chile or red chile,’” the Albuquerque Isotopes executive chef and Albuquerque native said, “so you find a favorite. I prefer red chile over green chile. I have no idea why – they’re the same chile.”

And to Griego, chile belongs at the ballpark – with few exceptions.

“It doesn’t belong on ice cream, I can tell you that right now,” he said.

Rivalry or not, there will be a divide come Saturday evening at Isotopes Park. As part of the Isotopes’ Mariachis de Nuevo México promotion, Griego unveiled the full menu for their scheduled “Red vs Green Chile” concessions theme with nine new items making their debut and a few old favorites returning.

The general premise: red chile items will be sold and available on the first base side, while green chile items will be for sale on the third base side. Griego admitted he wanted to set up a “Christmas” stand meshing red and green chile right behind home plate, but had to settle for the split.

On the red side, Griego brought back the “fan-favorite” BTE Orbit Dog, an all-beef hot dog topped with bacon, macaroni and cheese and carne adovada, “which is why it lives on the red side of the park,” he said. Griego also added a sopapilla burger, with tomatoes, red chile, lettuce and onions on top of a beef patty.

Of the new items on the green side, Griego unveiled a green chile brisket grilled cheese cooked on a flattop grill and served with chips. The addition of green chile macaroni and cheese was something fans had asked for “for a long time,” Griego said.

The most intriguing item, red or green? Griego’s new take on the ballpark sushi dog. Originally just a hot dog wrapped in a rice sushi roll, he adhered it to the theme by coating the inside of the roll with green chile.

“You’ll never find that in any (other) place,” Griego laughed.

The full menu with vendor information as follows:

Red

• Chile relleno, smothered in red chile (Santa Fe Trail)
• Flautas, with red chile dipping sauce (Santa Fe Trail)
• Red chile braised pork ribs (Santa Fe Trail)
• Red chile sopapilla burger (Batters Up!)
• Red chile Indian taco (Santa Fe Trail)
• BTE Orbit Dog (Santa Fe Trail)
• Perico’s carne adovada nachos
• Perico’s carne adovada burrito

Green

• Chile relleno, smothered in green chile (Pecos River Trail)
• Flautas, with green chile dipping sauce (Pecos River Trail)
• Green chile brisket grilled cheese (Noodle Cart)
• Green chile macaroni and cheese (Pecos River Trail)
• Green chile chicken brat (Wild West Cart)
• Green chile ballpark sushi dog (Green Chile Philly Cart)
• Green chile Philly (Green Chile Philly Cart)
• Dion’s green chile pepperoni pizza

BLACKMON: On Monday, the Isotopes announced Colorado Rockies outfielder and designed hitter Charlie Blackmon was scheduled for a two-game rehab assignment Tuesday and Wednesday in Albuquerque. However, on Tuesday, the Isotopes announced Blackmon would not be making that rehab assignment.

A four-time All-Star and 2017 NL batting champion, Blackmon has been on the injured list with a fractured right hand since June 11. Blackmon is hitting .265/.347/.422 with 14 doubles, five homers and 26 RBI over 56 games with Colorado this season and most recently played in Albuquerque in 2019 via a preseason exhibition game.

First pitch on both Tuesday and Wednesday is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.