Lechon meal
THE “cowboy” meals of Rodeo Grill have filled hungry bellies since opened in June 2012. From SM Cebu City, the cowboys have galloped to a new location—along President Roxas Street, Kasambagan, beside the Castle Peak Hotel—with an outdoor and saloon style cabin, complete with the swinging saloon doors that we usually see in western movies.
Jake Ricardo, a USC BSBA graduate, related that after college he flew to New York to do his OJT in printing and advertising. Here, his family often did barbecues at the park, and this inspired his restaurant’s theme—a rodeo grill.
His father, Jet Ricardo, who has settled in the States, owned Insta Press in Cebu.
It is where the marketing collaterals of the defunct Cebu Plaza Hotel were printed.
Arkansas Tender Ribs
Young Jake was his dad’s runner who liaised with me for the printing of the hotels monthly Table Talk, the F & B Promotional collateral/tent card.
Jake says that while he is no chef, he loves to eat.
Very imaginative and resourceful, he designed the wooden tables and chairs as well as the droplights of the restaurant.
The menu plays around with cowboy and Indian terms—Geronimo’s Sizzling Bulalo, Pancho Belly, Porky Pistols, John Wayne’s Chicken, Lonestar Fish and so much more.
The Cowboy Meals are served with double up rice while Ranger favorites are ala carte choices, quite extensive, with regional classics like Rider’s Bicol Express, Old West Pinakbet, Salt Lake Sinigang, Ranch Bulalo Soup and more.
We started with the bestseller, Sgt. Pepper Sizzler, a thick slab of Pork Steak served sizzling with mushroom gravy, veggies and rice. Tender and juicy, it’s easy to see why it’s a bestseller. TheLonghorn Kare-Kare has big chunks of tender beef and ox tripe in creamy peanut sauce and veggies.
The Wyoming Lamb Chops was a treat, served with corn, rice and mint to temper lamb’s aftertaste.
Wyoming Lamb Chops
The Arkansas Tender Ribs were fork-tender with the meat falling off the bones. I welcomed the Barrel Man Squid after enjoying meat courses.
The freshness of the squid was refreshing to the palate.
While enjoying the grilled meats, Jake tells me that his branch in SM Bicutan, Metro Manila, is well accepted and he is now ready for franchising.
His themed concept may be a fancy branding but the food is actually simple, as food should be when grilled or barbecued to bring out the natural flavors.