Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Looking forward to our next visit at El Rodeo in Concord

The wait is finally over for those in Concord who have been wondering about El Rodeo. Because this is the first new Mexican restaurant to open in this area for many years, we were excited to give them a try.


If you are driving on Loudon Road look for the lollipop shaped sign below in the distance:


We walked in to be greeted warmly by the hostess and asked to be seated at a booth. Thankfully they were not crazy busy when we visited on the first Sunday of their opening weekend. That said, there was a steady stream of customers arriving in the parking lot.

The first thing I noticed was the floor that had what looked like decorated brown square tiles throughout. The walls were painted with a light salmon color that is not too overpowering to the eye. They also have a large bar to the right and plenty of dark brown booths with lightly colored padding, nice and comfy. Overall we like what they did with the interior of the former Outback Steakhouse.

While we waited chips and salsa were provided for our munching pleasure.


Warm with a nice crunch.

Next, our waiter stopped by and we decided to sample their Margaritas:


We both approve, a smooth flavor with just the right amount of tequila.

Their menu has most of the typical Mexican favorites such as fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas and burritos. We asked our waiter what he would recommend and the suggestions talapia or the fajitas. Although we appreciated the help we were in a different kind of mood.

My choice was fried (you can also get them soft) chimichanga's:


Two covered in tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream served with a side of refried beans. Filled with tender chicken and a sauce that had a slight sweet flavor this completed a wonderful entree.

My wife selected a shrimp dish:


Plump shrimp and vegetables served with rice, we recommend that you order this for your main meal.

The service was good and much improved over the poor service we have seen in some Mexican restaurants recently.

So there you have it, we enjoyed our first visit to El Rodeo and are looking forward to going back soon.