The black bean burger and small salad at Rojo. (Photo by Tessa Case).
Tessa Case – Staff Writer
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There are several things I look for when choosing where to eat: great staff, great ambiance and great food. What makes me, and probably anyone, a regular? Great prices.
Rojo, located in the Historic Highland District, offers a unique combination of American and Mexican fare, conveniently printed on two separate menus. Each set of cuisine is full of classics, as well as nouveau twists, and there is surely something for everybody.
The restaurant itself is easily recognizable against the brown and gray Birmingham scene. Built into a red brick building alongside O’Henry’s Coffee, it stands out with vibrant, colorful Christmas lights and a large, wood-grain patio. Part of the patio is walled in with large windows, and there are also several seats available outside of the wall which are dog friendly.
The interior of the building is dimly lit by warm, red lights. Several tables are located in the main room, a large bar is in the left corner and to the right is the line where you can see the cooks working hard and slinging up awesome plates of food. If there is a line, menus are available immediately upon entering the door, but there are also menus available at the counter where you order.
When crowds are present, the main room tends to be a little crowded. Thankfully, the patio exists, but there is also a second room, with a second bar, available to the public when not being used as an event space.
On this trip, I chose from the American fare menu and ordered a black bean burger. This burger, noted on the menu, is vegetarian friendly, but not vegan friendly. Both dietary restrictions are labeled on the menu, and while more vegetarian options are present, there are several vegan choices. I chose a small salad with cilantro vinaigrette as my side and a water. The pressing question, obviously, is how much did it cost? $8.75, tax included.
I chose a seat on the patio, which had a marvelous heat lamp during this brutal winter. My food took a minute to come out, but it was well worth the wait.
The burger was probably the size of my face, and topped with jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and onion. The side salad was basic: lettuce, shredded cheese, tomato and croutons. I enjoyed the dressing, but I definitely recommend a good stir with spoon before you pour it, as the oil and vinegar tend to heavily separate.
Now, to the star of the dish. The black bean burger left an overall impression of phenomenality in my mouth. The flavor had a mild kick to it, and the black beans and corn were evident in the patty, which was nice. Even nicer was that my first bite didn’t immediately destroy it, a problem that is typical to meat-free patties that aren’t extremely processed. The bun had a nice toast, the cheese was melty and all of the toppings were extremely fresh and yummy. The side salad was a great, crisp addition to the meal and I was full and content as was my wallet when I left.
Rojo is one of my favorite spots and has options galore. The majority of items are $10 or less, but there are some items that tend to be a little pricier if you feel like treating yourself. The menu is available online at http://www.rojobirmingham.com/menus/.
