DALEVILLE, Va. – When you walk into Rodeo Chico, you feel like you’ve booked a flight out of the country. Daniel Sanchez is a co-owner, and says that’s the vibe from the decorations to the menu.
He says, “Each part of Mexico has its unique style of cooking.”
Everything about Rodeo Chico is a family affair, right down to the recipes. Sanchez recalls, “I remember my Mom cooking rice and making beans and all that stuff. When we first started in the restaurant business, we’d go back to our mom and say, ‘Hey, Mom what did you put on the rice that’s making it taste so good?’ and she would tell us. And we would just make that recipe into a bigger portion.”
He says Mexico is similar to the U.S. One food that you have in a northern part of the country could be different than what you get in the southern part. Their unique style of cooking at Rodeo Chico is highlighted in their new Birria Tacos. Usually made with goat, the crew here opted to make it with beef.
Sanchez walks us through the process, “Grill the tortilla, add the cheese to it and then you want that crispiness on the taco. You have to marinate and then let it sit and marinade for a good 24 hours, so you can have that nice and juicy meat. And then you cook it for five to six hours until the meat starts falling apart.”
You have the crunchy outer shell, with a chewy inner shell. Inside, you have the savory meat and veggies. You simply can’t stop at just one. Build-your-own burritos are always a hit, sealed up tight and thrown on the grill for crunch. Of course, you have the sizzle of a chicken fajita that you can hear coming at you from the kitchen.
What’s a Mexican restaurant without a margarita, right? Lucky for you, Sanchez says they have 16 or 17 flavors ready to go in their huge bar area.
Specials include Burrito Monday, Taco Tuesday and so much more. So be sure to stop off 220, and give Rodeo Chico a visit the next time you’re craving Mexican food.