There's an old adage in Texas that says: if it ain't broke, you don't fix it. Could have been Darrel Royal or some other southwestern luminario who coined the phrase, but you'd be amazed how often you still hear it today in the business world and surprisingly, in the restaurant world. Well, the Iron Cactus restaurants at Stonelake and 6th St. certainly weren't "broke" but new executive chef Steve Southern has nonetheless "fixed em" and done a fairly substantial menu change. And you know what, I'm glad he did.
The concept is Southern's tequila grill and it works for me. Indicative of this new style is the Gulf Coast Grilled Crab Relleno. This dish features grilled Anaheim chiles stuffed with a delicious crab and queso fresco. Red pepper infused oil is drizzled across the top and this dish lights up the night. Muy bien! We also liked the Chile Con Queso. This has a lovely, robust flavor which resonates from the New Mexico green chiles and the Jalapenos. Very tasty. Another dish which will be very popular are the Chipotle Poppers. These are jalapenos stuffed with blended cheddar and jack cheeses, shredded chicken, and chipotle peppers. They've got to be careful with the density of the chicken on this dish. If they keep the balance right, they've got a winner.
Not all the appetizers are brand new. We tried our old, favorite Chicken Flautas and they were as good as ever. The crispy corn tortillas filled with jack and cheddar cheese and shredded chicken were wonderful and perfectly complemented by the sour cream, guacamole, and chile con queso.
The Tortilla Soup is a standard against which all good Mexican restaurants must be judged and Iron Cactus did not disappoint. The chicken stock could have used a bit more seasoning for my taste but the overall flavor component was quite good.
The entrees were full of flavor and zest. I tried the Ancho Chile Rubbed Pork Tenderloin. The seared, marinated pork tenderloin was done on the grill producing a lightly charred yet very comforting flavor. Served over a chipotle demi glaze with mashed potatoes and herbed vegetables, it was an absolute treat. We also tried the Cactus Shrimp. This dish featured large crabbed-stuffed shrimp covered with tortilla strips and coconut crust. The taste was immediate and very pleasing. And the pineapple salsa was the perfect dipping sauce. And no meal at Iron Cactus would be complete without their Chile Relleno, the Shiner Beer battered Poblano pepper stuffed with roasted chicken and blended cheese. No changes there. And the dish still rocks. I have only one request: please bring back the Black Pepper Linguine Pasta. I do miss that.
We finished off with a Margarita Pie, their classic lime pie infused with tequila. The taste is tart and causes the lips to smack with pleasure. I think you get the picture.Iron Cactus has two locations in Austin, on 6th St. and at Stonegate across from the Gateway Center. I like what chef Southern has done. I think you will to.
-Rob Balon, August 2005