I pause writing this. I almost don’t want what appears to remain a secret getting out. Then again, are there really any restaurant secrets in Richmond? Certainly not when the names Tuffy Stone and Ed Vasaio are involved. These guys create a lot of calories in this town, and the result of their collaboration opened in April.
Rancho T, simply put, is a Latin American-inspired saloon. It’s said to be influenced by the old Texas-Wisconsin Border Café and the author, chef and restaurateur Rick Bayless.
Rancho T is on Morris Street, practically a stone’s throw from its Border Café inspiration, a space now occupied by Bellytimber. It’s small, casual, inexpensive and exceedingly friendly. And, joy of joys, there’s even a parking lot. Lunch, brunch, dinner or midafternoon drink and snack — there always seems to be a smiling face at the door and, thus far, a table available.
One quality found in all of Vasaio’s other restaurants is the invariable consistency of the food. For more than a decade, no matter who’s manning the helm in the kitchen of Edo’s Squid, the white bean and squid salad is exactly what you expect it to be: fresh, sharply acidic, heavily doused in olive oil and intense with garlic. The osso buco at Mamma ’Zu always arrives as rich and pillow-soft as you remember it. Perhaps Rancho T is still getting its sea legs, but a few noticeable inconsistencies come out of the kitchen when I visit.
When I first taste the tamale, it’s sweeter and softer than a baby lamb tucked into bed, moist and paradoxically light and dense, with the eggs a perfect, buttery soft scramble. But on each subsequent visit, the same tamale contains braised chicken and is delivered dry, underseasoned or both.
The fried potatoes that accompany dishes such as the refreshingly spare yet wonderfully crisped half-chicken with garlic mayonnaise ($15) or the deeply rich and satisfying griddled Texas Cubano ($10), at times are exceptional. Crudely cut, 1-inch-square chunks of potato, likely boiled then fried, arrive salty and crunchy with a melting middle so good that you don’t even notice the top of your mouth is singed. At other times, these very potatoes appear unrecognizable, with little to no crisp and mealy centers.
But for the most part, what comes out of chef Aaron Cross’ kitchen is tremendously satisfying. Pulling from time spent cooking with his Puerto Rican grandmother, it’s clear that Cross has great reverence for the soul of the food he prepares. His bold and confident use of bay, cilantro, marjoram, mint and every pepper imaginable, and his capacity to balance brightness and heat, is impressive. The spicy, sweet and sticky wings ($8) in the traditional Costa Rican lizano sauce, prepared with guajillo peppers, cumin and molasses, are excellent examples.
Cross knows his way around soup, too. His billowy pork shoulder green chili ($5/$8), essentially a humble pozole, underlines the complex funk of boiled hominy with electric jolts from the tomatillos, lime and green chili. A chilled corn soup special ($7) manages a perfect balance of cool, creamy, sweet and bright, each bite brimming with intense corn flavor.
In addition to the printed menu, daily specials are not to be dismissed. If fish tacos ($12) are an option, order them. They’ll feature a fresh catch of the day with house-made tortillas and salsa with ripe tomatoes and crisp peppers. Put that all together with a squirt of lime and a sprig of cilantro and bestowed upon you is a gift from the universe. Perhaps the most memorable of the specials, served at brunch, is an extraordinary barbacoa ($17), steaming hot and gelatinous braised beef with crunchy charred bits. It might as well have been the only dish on the menu.
Do save room for the Danish churros ($5), which as puffed squares more closely resemble beignets. The dollop of gooey dulce de leche is hidden at the bottom of the dish, underneath everything, making it tough to access, but the dough is fried to a beautiful light crispiness and the hint of orange zest in the cinnamon- sugar dusting brings together a gently sweet and deeply satisfying end to your meal.
Yes, there are a few wrinkles to be ironed out here and there, and perhaps a little focus is in order. The core menu is likely to evolve during the next few months while Cross plays with all of his varying daily specials. But I guess the secret’s out: Rancho T is a great place to have a drink, a snack, a meal or just to hang out. It’s the kind of place you wish had always been here, and hope will always stay. And the food? It’s downright gratifying. S
Rancho T
1 N. Morris St.
355-2418
Mondays-Thursdays 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Fridays-Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
ranchot.com
