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Rongovian Embassy
to the USA
1 Main St./
Rt. 96
Trumansburg
Prices: $6-15
http://www.rongo.com
Posted on: October 13, 1999
Trumansburg and Ithaca are near relatives, with most of the former spending their time in the latter, so the venerable Rongo is fair game. Several years ago -- the student years -- we never gave the Rongo much consideration, assuming that it was a smoky bar. Passing by on the way away from town, it always seemed so small. So you can imagine how silly we feel now, knowing that the Rongo is in fact a sedate club, roomy, and besides all that, a fine site-down meal.
We never have understood the "Rongovia" shtick, but give them credit for taking their theme as far as it can go, what with the wallmaps, geographic history, and all. The dining room here is both cavernous and intimate at the same time, a dark and woody, yet bricky and airy space.
Although none of the maps imply that Rongovia is anywhere near South America, the menu is biased in the way of Mexican style dishes, along with the occassional Jerk chicken and blackened salmon. Beer lovers can delight at the terribly large drink list, while those of us interested in actual food should immediately target the sweet potato sticks with their excellent curry dipping sauce, or for the yam-o-phobic, cajun cheese fries.
We've had consistent and strong showings of the Mole Pablano, enchiladas covered with Mexican chocolate, as well as the other Mexican combinations including enchiladas, chimichangas, and all those other rhyming hispanic words. Moving eastward, the Jamaican jerk pork was pleasingly spicy and sweet, although perhaps a bit on the lean side in quantity for its $13 price.
There's plenty we
have yet to try at the Rongo (can't keep away from the sweet potato sticks!),
and that we plan to says a lot in the Rongo's favor. It's definitely not
whatever we mistakenly thought it was ... you can even take your folks
there.
