Si Señor

Trying to get in as many date nights before the baby arrives as possible, we tried out the new "Mexican" restaurant in Leblon a few weeks ago. I put it in quotation marks because ethnic food in Rio in general tends to be very...meh. There are some good places, but most restaurants charge a premium for poorly executed dishes that are vaguely reminiscent of their namesakes. And that's even more pronounced in the Tex-Mex or Mexican scene. Gloopy yogurt-like sauce masquerading as sour cream, tomato sauce calling itself salsa, and sad, sad excuses for spicy fillings. Not to mention watery drinks, inconsistent flavors from visit to visit and exceptionally bad service...


But I'm not complaining. That's just the state of affairs, and it's actually a good thing, as it keeps us eating at home and saving our hard-earned reais. After all, there's nothing like watching the price of dinner climb (inflation? What inflation?) while the quality suffers to make you appreciate a home-cooked meal.


Which is why we were so thrilled with the Tex-Mex (not authentic Mexican, but certainly fits the spicy-and-cheesy bill we're looking for) served at Si Señor, located on Av. General San Martin 1011 (just before Rainha Guilhermina) in Leblon. Not only was the food excellent the first time, but it might have been even better the second time. It's not too often that we're willing to go post-work to Leblon, braving the traffic, just for dinner, but that's what we did yesterday. Vance informed me that this was "definitely" worth blogging about!

Since they're currently running a special to get people in on Monday and Tuesday nights, our bill was less than R$10 per person for the entreés (of course, drinks and desserts were both more expensive than dinner, but what can you do?!). Our server was fantastic, actually checking on our drinks, suggesting dessert items...not only doing her job but doing it well enough to make an impression. If you've been dining in Rio for any period of time, you know that's saying something! So go. Have quesadillas or a burrito or something. The sour cream isn't drippy. The jalepeños are spicy. The cook knows what he/she is doing, and the staff are friendly and efficient. Plus, going on a Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday after 6 pm gets you their special: tickets for 80% off the same entreé on a Monday or Tuesday...