How to make ‘patakos’ – an innovative twist on a classic appetizer

In Greenville 3, a 12 hole par-3 course in Greenville, SC, the menu is loaded with some tried-and-true favorites: an outstanding hot dogspicy and sweet Carolina Hot ChickenAND a killer burger.

But on the appetizer front, adventurous diners may be curious about a special offering: pataços.

What are patachos? We’re glad you asked. Think of it as longtime GOLF writer Josh Sens aptly describes it: it’s like fries and nachos having a baby.

On a recent visit to 3’s, Sens got the chance to watch executive chef Chris Wehking create a patchouli dish from start to finish.

The secret of the dish’s taste? Almost every part is made from scratch, including the potato base, which Wehking sears in a pan for two to three minutes.

Shredded pieces of chicken thighs are then heated in a pan and coated in seasonings—a mix of chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin, a classic taco-style seasoning mix.

When the chips are done, Wehking salt them and sprinkle them with house-made queso — white American cheese melted with a little milk, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne and some roasted green chilies broken up.

“They’re mild,” Wehking said of the chiles. “No heat – just depth of flavor.”

Next: some dollops of salsa, which Wehking makes with tomatoes and four different types of dry chilies. Again, these are not included for heat, but for flavor.

Additional masks include thinly shaved red onions and pickled onions. Next, the heated chicken is topped with another layer of queso, followed by a house-made cilantro ranch dressing. The whole dish is garnished with chives before serving.

How does it taste? Sens was a fan.

“That’s really good,” he said. “The potato is the key. It’s such a different taste. Easier and more interesting.”

To see a tutorial on how Wehking makes patachos at 3’s Greenville, watch the video above. And to learn more about the 3, click here.

Editor of Golf.com

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural women’s varsity player class, Jessica can blow away anyone in the masthead. She can also drive them in the office, where she is primarily responsible for producing print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her series The original interview, “A Round With,” debuted in November 2015 and appeared in both magazine and video form on GOLF.com.