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Back In The

Saddle

Disaster can't keep a good place closed.

BY ANNABEL COHEN I PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGIE BAAN

SAGEBRUSH CANTINA

8 S. Broadway

Lake Orion

248) 693-0100

ys: 11 a.m.-2 a.m,

Entrees: $8.95-$16.95; includes all

the fre

umbo Cantina
Cuervo Especial,
fresh-squeezed
rocks.

B 1. 0 •

JANUARY 2008 •

IN platinum

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you can e

In March 2004, a tragic fire began at the
Sagebrush Cantina and by the time it was
contained, several neighboring businesses
in the Lake Orion area were destroyed. But
the Sagebrush was clearly the most missed.
Lovers of this self-styled Tex-Mex eatery
lamented, online and elsewhere. They didn't
have to wait long for Sagebrush to open
another cantina in Fenton, but Lake Orion
went without — until about a year ago,
when Sagebrush came back bionic-style:
rebuilt, bigger, better.
The new Sagebrush is slick, with
Mexican accents and brightly painted chairs.
The homey feel of the previous incarnation
may be history, but the eclectic Tex-Mex-
American menu is a crowd pleaser.
No, it's not authentic Mexican food.
No mole, no posole. So what? Most bona-
fide ethnic cuisine is far different from our
familiar Americanized versions. The reality
is that the masses don't really want authen-
ticity. They want shredded meat, chicken,
tortilla, salsa, cilantro and cheese combos
that are hot, saucy and delicious. With
refried beans and rice on the side, of course.
It's here where Sagebrush excels. No
matter what you order, you are assured of
the best of the genre. And with a huge beer
menu (Negro Modelo, anyone?) and spe-
cialty drinks (banana liqueur, coconut rum
and fruit juices are the beverages of choice),
the ingredients are plum for success.
Fresh guacamole, a very generous por-
tion, arrived in a fried tortilla shell. My
Super Burrito, with shredded beef, refried
beans, rice, guacamole, lettuce, pico de gallo
and who-knows-what-else wrapped in a
huge flour tortilla, was a sight to behold.
It must have weighed two pounds. Most
of the enchiladas and burritos were similar
with slight variations, but I had little doubt
that whatever I ordered would be of the
same high quality.
Among the dessert selections, Deep-
Fried Cheesecake consisted of three very
sweet cheesecake-filled tortillas, wrapped
egg-roll style and served with vanilla ice
cream and way-too-much whipped cream.
It's enough, really, for four people. If you
can imagine a melted Hershey bar wrapped
in fried pastry, then you've got the idea of
the Chocolate Chimi.
Although Sagebrush Cantina doesn't
take reservations, call ahead for quicker
seating — you'll need to if you want to
avoid a two-hour, weekend-night wait. ❑