You can just hear that hillside pride. It's THE original. It got there first, and it got there before anyone else EVER came up with such a name or such a place. And before 1949, maybe no one had. Back then, they didn't have cell phones, after all, and they didn't even have civil rights. Whether or not we'll even have civil rights is under question, too, but that's a different concern for a different blog...
The Original Red Onion has stood through so many uncertain times, and it looks like it's stood exactly like that. Fireplace in a dark den looks so familiar and antiquated...like the regulars seated all around us. It kind of blows my mind that they opened back when Rolling Hills were just a bunch of hills that no one wanted to live on.
But people must have flocked for the food, and clearly they still do because the establishment stands staunch, backed by pillars of Mexican-American cuisine. There's a savory, coarse-cornmeal Tamale on my plate, shrouding a softer shredded pork. The Chile Relleno, which I usually hate, is so well-made it's baffling. This spicy-yet-sweet pepper is overflowing with fountains of melted cheese, and it's covered in a fluffy, egg-bread batter. The selection of side options is plentiful, but the plate doesn't feel right without some straightforward Mexican rice mixed with stringy cheese-covered refried beans.
The Premium Quesadilla seems a lot more modern, but change is good in the form of charred strips of carne asada interlaced with Mexican cheese. The flour tortilla is decent, and the steak is flanked by cool-downs like pico, guac, and sour cream.
63 years The Original Red Onion has stood the test of time. Not so original anymore, but there's a sweetness in its simplicity, and in some ways it's a lesson in PV history. I don't know what its future will hold, but I do hope it keeps on standing.
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