Every Mexican restaurant with a liquor license offers margaritas, but Cicero’s Rancho Viejo hit us with a combination that put some spice in our evening. The cilantro-jalapeno margarita ($16) is a pretty straightforward concoction of tequila, sour-and-lime juice mix, jalapeno peppers and cilantro.
Served on the rocks in a Tajin-rimmed chalice, it’s not much to look at — flecks of cilantro leaves floating in a cloudy liquid — but the flavor was quite nice. The cilantro was very subtle, primarily noted in the aftertaste, while bright sour mix and jalapeno played off one another to create a 1-2 of tang and burn. No expense was spared in the booze factor, as an ample amount of tequila was used.
Rancho Viejo is one of about two dozen Mexican restaurants in Onondaga County — not counting national fast casual and sitdown chains — and all of them offer a similar lineup of Tex-Mex, where American-style fajitas, cheese-stuffed enchiladas and nachos appear alongside carnitas, moles and other more traditional Mexican dishes.
My goal for visiting Rancho Viejo was to figure out what sets it apart from all the others. The margarita was a good start. So was the michelada ($13) that followed it. Served in a quart-sized terra cotta mug, this traditional Mexican blend of beer, Clamato juice and chili peppers offered the refreshment of a lager – Modelo Especial was used – with spicy and salty notes from the other ingredients. They’re rarely found in area restaurants, so I try to order one when out to show my appreciation…