tomatoes, olives, green chiles, red onions, cilantro lime rice, seasonal veg
jumbo shrimp, jalapeño, Panela, bacon, Mexican rice, choice of beans
It’s been 13 years today since the Twin Towers in New York City crumbled to the ground and forever changed our way of life. As we commemorate 9/11, we, at Iron Cactus, salute our own brave firefighters.
Iron Cactus Firefighting Crew
Last Sunday, we sponsored a team of firefighters, who honor their fallen brethren by climbing the equivalent of 110-stories at a building in downtown Austin. What is known as the Memorial Stair Climb for Texas Firewalkers, our team and the rest of the firefighters who participated, carried their full firefighting gear walking up 110-stories. They do this Memorial Stair Climb every year to honor the 343 brave heroes of the FDNY. Say thank you and hug a firefighter today. Never Forget!
Gluten-free is not just a diet craze.
According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, about 1% of the U.S. population has celiac disease. For these individuals, staying gluten-free is a matter of life and death.
The rest of the population who are going on a gluten-free diet are doing so because they may be gluten sensitive or simply want to cut the amount of gluten foods they eat. Removing gluten from one’s diet may benefit some more than others.
In a recent article in CNN.com by Dr. Arthur Agatson, author of The South Beach Diet Gluten Solution, he declares that “as a society, we are in a state of ‘gluten overload,’ and millions of people of all ages and all walks of life are suffering as a result of a condition that was recognized only a few years ago, called gluten sensitivity.” [To view the complete article, please click here.]
One common complaint by many who have decided to try being gluten-free is the lack of taste in gluten-free dishes. At Iron Cactus, its gluten-free menu includes dishes that even the non-gluten-free guest would find delicious.
“We want to ensure that our gluten-free guests are able to experience the same tasty dishes that we create for our non-gluten-free guests, “said Iron Cactus Executive Chef Jaime Chozet. “Our gluten-free menu includes appetizers, entrées and desserts.”
The stacked pork enchiladas is one of the many gluten-free menu items at Iron Cactus.
Iron Cactus has been serving gluten-free dishes since 2008, years before other restaurants started to offer it.
So if you’re gluten-free, be sure to check out our gluten-free menu the next time you visit Iron Cactus.
For the 18th consecutive year, Iron Cactus Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar hosted a charity golf tournament to raise funds for Marbridge, a non-profit residential community that offers transitional and lifetime care to adults with a wide range of cognitive abilities providing them opportunities to learn, experience and live a normal life.
Through this annual charity golf tournament held at Grey Rock Golf Club, Iron Cactus has raised more than $400,000 excluding this year’s tournament. Last year alone, Iron Cactus raised $25,000 from the golf tournament. The funds from last year’s and this year’s event will go to the construction of a new gymnasium named as Victory Hall Athletic and Events Center at Marbridge. The name was suggested by its residents.
“We are thankful to our tournament sponsors and the golfers who play year in and year out,” said Gary Manley, General Partner at Iron Cactus. “With a new gymnasium, the residents of Marbridge will have a chance to learn and play new sports. It will also allow the Marbridge staff to host a variety of events and seminars.”
Fajitas have grown from obscure, South Texas roots to become a beloved mainstay of Mexican cooking. The history of fajitas, while somewhat blurred, belongs to the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and northern Mexico, where skirt steak was often used as payment to vaqueros (Spanish for “cowboys”). The vaqueros soon became adept at marinating the steak and devouring its various, tasty forms.
The mainstream popularity of fajitas truly began in the 70s as restaurants and concession stands in South Texas awakened the cowboy tradition by grilling skirt steak on sizzling platters and serving them with flour tortillas. Soon, thanks to some very satisfied and loyal customers, their popularity exploded. Ingredients quickly grew to include guacamole, grated cheese and pico de gallo, a combination of fresh onions, tomatoes, peppers and cilantro.
The tradition of delivering them to the table on a sizzling platter certainly did nothing to inhibit their popularity. Many customers can readily attest that it is hard to resist the delectable smell of sizzling, flavorful steak as it passes by your table.
Soon enough, they became a staple at Mexican restaurants across the state, with many variations on this simple dish.
At Iron Cactus, we appreciate the authentic roots of fajitas and have added our signature unique blends of flavors to create our own interpretation, including such evocative dishes as Tequila Marinated Chicken Breast, Tequila Adobo Marinated Shrimp, an unforgettable steak and chicken combination, and the Achiote Marinated Pork Carnitas. Be sure to come and try one of these delightful dishes for yourself. You will be keeping an authentic tradition alive while delighting your taste buds.
I’ve worked in the restaurant industry for many years and have always enjoyed learning every aspect of the restaurant business. One thing that I’ve never done in my years of experience is showcase a dish on live TV, but that all changed last Monday.
Iron Cactus Riverwalk was invited to be part of the local NBC morning show, San Antonio Living, for its July 9th show. Being the general manager of the Riverwalk location, I was asked to be the guest on the show to demo a Tex-Mex dish. Our team decided on the Yucatan Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa. It was an excellent choice since it is a refreshing dish that is perfect for the summer season and can be made by the home viewer.
Since this is my TV debut, I arrived at the studio early to make sure I had enough time to set-up and prep for my segment. I was glad that everyone who worked on the show was welcoming from the camera guys to the director to the show’s host, Shelly Miles. She walked me through how the segment was going to go down.
I was also glad that the San Antonio Living set had its own kitchen. It made it easier to get the food and ingredients prepped before I went on the air. I also quickly learned that nothing ever happens as planned on live TV. Due to lack of experience, I had a couple of minor mishaps during prep time. Thankfully, the live cooking segment went without a hitch.
More important, I was able to share with the audience what the Iron Cactus Riverwalk has to offer including our unique Mexican dishes, award-winning margaritas, happy hour and our recent fundraising for our troops.
If you’d like to view the segment and learn how to make Yucatan Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa, play the video below:
See you at the Iron Cactus Riverwalk soon!
Steve Clemens
General Manager
Iron Cactus Riverwalk
Tequila. Oh, how we love our tequila. Sometimes a bit too much, but with over 100 types to sample in our Agave Room, there’s a lot to love. With that said, it’s best to get to know them a bit first, so here’s a quick guide to the five basic categories of tequila.
Blanco/Plata (white/silver) – Bottled straight after distillation or after sitting in neutral oak or stainless steel barrels for up to two months, this tequila is the most neutrally flavored of the five categories.
Reposado (rested) – After a solid nap in an oak barrel for up to a year, reposado tequilas are not so much “aged” as they are “rested-up and ready for anything.”
Joven (young) – Joven tequilas are the offspring of reposado and blanco tequilas, so they’re literally born for mixing.
Añejo (aged/vintage) – There’s plenty of wisdom to be found in a bottle of añejo. This tequila bides its time in an oak barrel for up to three years, absorbing the worldly flavors of the ancients.
Extra Añejo – The granddaddy of tequilas. Extra añejo tequilas slosh around in oak barrels for at least 3 years, reaching heights of enlightenment that a newborn blanco couldn’t begin to comprehend.
Aged tequilas made with 100 percent agave tend to be mellower and more complex, like a wizened old hippy with a dark past. Younger tequilas like the blanco and joven are often a bit harsher and are best enjoyed mixed into something sweeter.
So there you have it. Each tequila has something to love and is precious and unique in its own way. Stop by the Agave Room sometime and get to know one or a hundred.
606 Trinity St,
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 472-9240
200 River Walk Suite 100,
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 224-9835
