Dinner Report: Tiagos Cabo Grill...

Have you ever had someone with whom you normally have similar tastes recommend a movie that you find to be a stinker and they just flat out loved? It happens. And I suppose the same can be said about restaurants. My wife and I are usually pretty much on track with one another when we hit a new restaurant and we both either love it, hate it, or we both find it acceptable, but rarely do we look at one another and say, "You gotta be kiddin'!

I got off work today and my wife was eager to beat the Friday evening rush at local restaurants, so we hopped into the truck and headed out of our beloved Silver Creek on the way to the Chili's at 1604 & Culebra for a quick bite. Just then, the phone rang and it was my son suggesting that we meet him at Tiagos Cabo Grill over off of Loop 410 and Highway 151. So, why not try something new?

Thankfully, we did not have any wait at all due to the fact that my son got on the list before he called us (those of you who don't phone ahead for dining just amaze me), so I only had to stand in the awkward waiting area for just a few seconds. Like most restaurants, the waiting area is pretty much the entrance, but places like Chili's and Texas Road House have a way of partitioning things so the hungry people waiting don't get drool all over the happy people eating already. I definitely did not like this open, stare at the eater's type arrangement.The rest of the place is very open and certainly has a distinctive Cabo feel to it. Sadly, I have no idea what a "cabo" feel is. But ignore all that; the smell of the place is good. Also, they have an awesome looking exterior patio set-up that my son (who dines at this place often) says is most often full. The chilly weather was probably the main reason so many people chose to stand in the foyer waiting for an inside table.Moving along. As soon as we were seated, we were served a basket of chips and two types of salsa. Good deal! The bad news was, and this is no fault of Tiagos, we were seated next to two couples who seemed slightly over-served if you get my drift, and at least one of the gentlemen could not complete a sentence without expressing fornication desires with his mother. While this type of language doesn't bother me in the least, I'd just as soon not dine with MF this and MF that every third or fourth word coming from a conversation I'm not part of. Thankfully, they seemed to tone it down when they saw the bill; it seemed to take their breath away.

My son and I both ordered fajitas and my wife decided to simply eat off of our plates. The fajitas come served with white rice and refried beans, and three flour tortillas. In spite of the packed seating area, the wait for our food was not long at all.Here is where things go wrong. My wife was extremely upset about the guacamole she ordered being served brown. I on the other hand, grabbed a chip, scooped up the brown part on top of the bowl, ate it and said it tasted fine. Then, when our plates arrived, the tortillas were some sort of store-bought, thin, crepe-like things that she deemed UNSAT. Again, though not what we are used to, they seemed fine to me once I slathered a bunch of sour cream, (brown) guacamole and onions and stuff all over them.The fajitas, both chicken and beef were cut differently than we expected, but the taste was great and they were tender and delicious. But by now, (and coupled with the aforementioned MF this and MF that) my wife was not as excited about Tiagos as my son and I were.So, I'll tell you this. I did not like the atmosphere of the place; the layout, especially the fact that the people waiting to eat are literally hanging over the three foot retaining wall to get at your table as quick as you might abandon it. But I get the style and suspect that at slower hours, the place probably makes an enjoyable setting, especially if you have the luxury of being seated in a booth and not near a group of liquored-up profane people. I just don't think this should go as a strike against the place at all.I have zero complaints about the food I ordered and if I were to eat at Tiagos, I'd have no problem ordering up the fajitas again. The chips and two salsa's were good, (though I do prefer Chili's chips when they are fresh, not stale), and they were quick to bring them.Tiagos is pricey compared to Chili's, but not by enough to avoid it. So, bottom-line; you are not going to get an Eeee-Yum from my wife on this, but I'll give the fajitas a Tasty Treat. Call ahead and ask to be seated outside or in a booth. And please don't cuss just because you've had 4 or 5 of their potent Margaritas, you bastard!