Tex-Mex occupies an unusual post.
The cuisine, born in the cultural milieu of the parched borderlands of the past and nurtured in the modern urban southwest, allows for crispy tacos, deep fried burritos, nachos smothered in cheese and other anomalies. Yet through no fault of its own, Tex-Mex has assumed dominance over ethnic cooking. Mention fajitas or chimichangas, for example, and people generally respond with something along the lines of “oh, I love Mexican food.”
Yet the popularity of Tex-Mex is understandable. As a fusion of several styles with no ties to staid tradition, it’s a cuisine open to change.
Take quesadillas. In most places cooks are satisfied to fold a tortilla over meat, cheese and perhaps refried beans then call it a day. But Cactus Grill in Clearlake prefers a more imaginative take on the dish. They prepare one with Greek flavors — spinach, kalamata olives, toasted almonds, red onions, feta and their take on tzatziki. For another, they travel a short distance across the Adriatic, including sun dried tomatoes and pesto in the mix.
Cactus Grill’s creativity extends across the menu. The paella burrito trumps the mundane seafood burritos served elsewhere by honing in on the gentle flavors of mahi mahi and shrimp — the latter carrying a gorgeous bittersweet char. Linguica complements this, layering in a garlicky bite and richness, which also plays well with the fish.
A cool sauce downplays the chipotle’s brawny nature, pulling instead on the smoky strain to rough up the sweet and sour cream just enough.
In place of pedestrian ground beef and tacky cheese product, the kitchen staff at Cactus Grill top their nachos with a choice of grilled vegetables, chicken or swarthy slices of steak, oozing a rustic, backyard grill savor.
To accompany the favorite Tex-Mex appetizer — yes, chips and salsa — the restaurant offers a “bar” of sauce options. Pasilla tames the robust chile in a creamy base, creating a delightful sweet tang over the rumble of heat. Charred chiles de arbol form a fiery salsa with a lasting burn. There’s a bright, cleansing cucumber and lime, a tomatillo and a classic pico de gallo, as well.
Oh, and the habanero salsa, which requires no introduction.
All of this is housed in an unpretentious — other descriptions would be apt, as well — box with a basic patio. But adornment clearly is not the point of Cactus Grill.
No, the focal point here is expressive Tex-Mex with creative tweaks that expand the flavors from the Sonoran deserts to the Mediterranean and beyond.
Yeah, they also serve more traditional plates, including Mexican favorites. But a kitchen that yanks typical Tex-Mex from its southwestern roots and sends the cuisine on a soaring adventure? You just want to go along.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
