XL Food & Drink: On the Side
Rosie's Tamale House
Tex-Mex is anything but formulaic
AMERICAN-STATESMAN RESTAURANT CRITIC
Thursday, August 31, 2006
I often hear people comment that all Tex-Mex food is the same. I couldn't disagree more. The variations might be pronounced or nuanced, but there are distinct differences from one restaurant to the next.
Sometimes, it's in the style. Other times, it's the ingredients. Frequently it's the presentation.
Amber Novak
FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Co-owner Anthony Arriaga can count on a crowded house even on a weeknight.
Amber Novak
FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The chicken enchiladas are covered with a verde sauce and onions, with rice and beans on the side.
Amber Novak
FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The combination plate No. 1 starts with a beef taco, queso and guacamole and later, a cheese enchilada and a tamal.
Amber Novak
FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Fried cheese sticks are a surprising component of the abundant Rosie's Sampler.
Rosie's Tamale House.
- 13436 Texas 71 W., Bee Cave
- 263-5245.
- Rating: Forks up.
- Price: Cheap.
Rosie's Tamale House, which has been operating on Texas 71 in Bee Cave for the past 33 years, is a good example of the variations on a Tex-Mex theme.
Here the salsa is a simple, smooth, spicy tomato sauce without the chopped cilantro, onions or jalapeños evident in so many salsas. But it does have enough heat and flavor to be just as addictive.
The variation in ingredients is expressed in chicken enchiladas with verde sauce ($8.20). This sauce was sharply tangy, nicely zesty and thick with pieces of well-cooked onions, covering enchiladas stuffed with shredded chicken and topped with melted cheese.
The combination plate No. 1 ($9.75) illustrated the variations in Tex-Mex presentation. The first plate brought queso on a large, fried tortilla, a generous portion of guacamole and a crispy beef taco with well-seasoned meat. The second plate delivered rice, refried beans, a tamale and a cheese enchilada, both covered in a thick, chili-style gravy — a departure from the red or ranchero sauces many places use.
The Rosie's Sampler ($7.25) featured a chicken quesadilla, two breaded and fried cheese sticks (something I don't normally identify with a Mexican restaurant) and stuffed jalapeños, with guacamole and sour cream.
With that food, Rosie's has the basics covered. That might be why every table was occupied at 7:30 p.m. on a Tuesday at this check-or-cash-only restaurant. These customers appreciate the standards done well, and they recognize the difference.
