Rodeo is so old that I don’t even remember when was the last time I visited it. All I remember is that it was among the first restaurants that brought the Tex-Mex cuisine to Delhi and that it had recently shut down. This family-owned establishment was founded in 1994 by Mr. Syed Shervani and at that time it used to serve only Nachos, Tacos, Fajitas and Enchiladas along with some margaritas and cocktails for the thirsty souls. The waiters used to be dressed as cowboys who used to pull out gun shaped menu cards. The wild-west theme got an instant liking with the generation-X of the 90s. Guest chefs from US and Mexico used to visit the restaurant on regular basis and the live music used to be played by none other than Bobby Cash.
But those were the days. Since nostalgia alone cannot keep an establishment up and running (there are few exceptions of course), it needs to be re-imagined and re-invented. Rodeo Cantina and Kitchen is the next generation Rodeo with ultra chilled out vibe and the Mexican street food on its menu goes perfectly well with the casual ambiance of the place. The version 2.0 has opened itself for the public on 30th March 2018. At the launch party, I met Syed Shhervani’s son Ahsan Shervani who seemed really keen to introduce me to the special launch menu. He told me that they have brought their Chef from Mexico City itself so the authenticity of the dishes will not be compromised. I too was pretty happy with the proposition till I saw Paneer Tacos and Paneer Fajitas and the entire world around me started to crumble.
Anyhow, while some bloggers enjoyed the paneer specialties I tried the Nachos with varieties of Guacamoles and Salsas. The various types of salsa were extremely good and went well with the Nachos, however, the guacamoles were an average affair. I also tried their Chicken Tinga Tostadas, Bajja Fish Tacos and Spicy Chicken Enchilada which were good.
The real winner was Chicharron De Queso, a popular Mexican street snack which consists of crispy grilled Gouda Cheese and guacamole to dip the chip. The desserts Vanilla Tres Leches Cake and the Churros were really good too.
I gulped my food down with the ever so popular cocktail Old Fashioned and a delightful Mexican specialty Caipirinha that consisted of Tequila, Agave syrum, lime juice and other citrusy flavors.
Though I would have preferred the new interiors to be in line with the previous wild west cowboy theme, still they didn’t disappoint me and are more in tune with today’s casual drinking culture.
