know that kind of food existed. It
well-trained team, and he has
was a different world. The
earned
their
respect
by
kitchen was small, kind of
maintaining high standards while
downstairs, in an old building. It
keeping a fun and creative
felt more like New York or
atmosphere. “We’ll come up with
someplace else, not at all like the
the main components of a dish,
El Paso I knew.” He spent a year
proteins and sides, and then think
at Café Central, getting a
of things that will tie in Texas
serious education in the
heritage influences,” he said.
practical production of fine food.
These heritage touches often
Around that time, Chef Jason
make the dish, as with the shrimp
Dady was opening Bin 555 in
campechanas,
a
traditional
12-Gage Gordita—A ribeye cap with a traditional masa shell on a crispy Brussels sprouts salad, with
San Antonio. Rodriguez went to grapefruit, pomegranate and homemade lemon vinaigrette.
Mexican take on shrimp cocktail.
work for the brand-new venture
The norteño-style cocktail has the
overworked.
I
was
looking
for
opportunities
from the acclaimed restauranteur, a wine and
shrimp chopped with avocado, cucumber,
tapas bar with a wood-fired oven and trendy elsewhere on Craigslist and I saw the Gage’s jalapeno and cilantro in a spicy tomato-based
Spanish cuisine. He spent a year learning from posting. Chef Michael DiMaggio was looking sauce, served in a glass and eaten with corn
Chef Dady and then worked in several other for a sous-chef. I applied for it, thinking I could tostones. Rodriguez’s seafood chowder, a
San Antonio restaurants to support his young spend more time with my family, slow down a personal favorite of the author’s, features
family. “I moved around in a few crummy little.”
seared scallops, clams, mussels and a
Not long after Rodriguez and his family tempura-fried prawn stacked enticingly on a
kitchens, including the hospital, which was a
job I took for the insurance. We were expecting arrived in Marathon, Chef DiMaggio left, and highly-reduced corn and shrimp stock sauce,
our first child so I took whatever I could get, he suddenly found himself in the chef’s with bacon and potatoes. Nothing at all like a
including a tea and sandwich shop. I finally position. His experiences in Texas fine dining bowl of stew, the intensity of the flavors makes
had prepared him well, and he took off the dish a memorable experience. Rodriguez
landed in Boerne at the Cypress Grill.”
Rodriguez worked with Tom Stevens and running.
sources his proteins with care; the bavette and
Rodriguez’s style marries well with the 12- filet come from Native American ranches in
Paul Thompson at the Cypress. “I learned
quite a bit from those two guys,” he said. “It Gage’s signature dishes, which include game the four corners area, where the grass-fed and
meats and traditional Texas fare. “I try to grain-finished beef is raised using traditional
was a fast-moving, high-pressure job.”
He moved to Alpine and spent a year at the bring more little touches of border flavors,” he practices, and the proceeds support the
Reata before returning to the Cypress Grill, said. “Texas cuisine includes influences from communities.
where the pressures of city life made the job the French, Spanish, Mexican and German
And what is the chef’s favorite menu item?
even more difficult. Boerne had a high cost of cultures that all settled here.” He said that After a moment of thought, he shrugged a
living and was overcrowded, and the Cypress menu development is often a team effort with little. “Well, it’s the chicken fried steak,” he
Grill was a lot to handle. “I was feeling burned his staff, with whom he maintains a close said with a laugh. He’s not alone there.
out,” Rodriguez explained. “I was definitely working relationship. Rodriguez relies on a
Recipe:
4
1
1
1.5
1
2-3
garlic cloves
tsp cumin
lb dried New Mexico
red chilis or guajillo
cups of flour
lb meat, diced
tbs of oil
salt & pepper to taste
CHILE COLORADO
Add garlic, cumin, and chiles to a stock pot and cover with
water.
Dredge diced meat in flour.
In a large pan heat oil and sear meat until browned.
Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.
Allow the peppers to steep until pliable. This may need to be done in batches depending on the size
of the pan.
Remove the contents from the water and add to a blender. Add the chile colorado sauce back to the pan so that it
covers the meat.
Add enough water to the blender so that the sauce has a
liquid consistency.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until meat is tender, about an
hour.
Pour the blended sauce through a strainer.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cenizo
Winter 2020
19