Navajo Grill is a long established restaurant in Fredericksburg, one of the leaders in the revolution to bring Texas cooking into the age of sophistication. Maintaining the robust quality of cooking that Texans prefer while combining it with the tastes and flavors inherited from the many ethnic groups who populate the Southwest, Navajo Grill is a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Management has changed hands without any loss of gusto and with a continued zeal for experimentation.
This is a spacious restaurant with tables placed far apart. You can go here with the confidence that no one will be listening if you want to firm up a business deal, or whisper sweet nothings in a special person's ear. Now owned by Mike Raymer, Navajo Grill has met with such success that they have recently added a rustic limestone patio where you can enjoy outdoor eating in privacy as well. The food at Navajo Grill is robust. Blending into the southwestern, there are hints of creole/cajun cooking, along with Mexico's enlivening spices, but with a decided nod to the Texan taste for steak and game birds. Try the quail stuffed with blue cheese in a buffalo sauce as an appetizer, and, if you're in the mood for steak, order either New York Strip au Poivre or melt in the mouth Filet Mignon that comes with blue cheese mashers, asparagus, and is topped with Texas pecans and fig jus. Southwestern food means a menu that accommodates many tastes, and there are vegetarian dishes, prepared with organic ingredients, but we were torn between the popular Navajo Blanket and the glazed red snapper. Planning to share tastes, we ordered one Navajo Blanket and one snapper. We weren't sorry to share as the seared snapper, delicate and fresh, was served over a creamy but firm jalapeno corn pudding with braised baby bok choy and a citrus soy glaze. The Navajo Blanket is a signature dish of shrimp rubbed with spices, grilled and served on a flour tortilla spread with corn queso and a large dollop of black bean sauce. This is a beautiful dish. Small pillows of Coronado Sauce, a spicy thick red sauce form a star pattern around the edges of the tortilla with a grilled shrimp on each pillow of sauce. A handful of Mesclun Greens tossed in a cilantro vinaigrette, rise from the black bean mix. Completing the design, sliced fried plantains sit between the shrimp. This is southwestern cooking done with artistry.
Portions are generous and filling, and the service attentive and friendly without being intrusive. We accompanied our meal with fine Texas wine from Raymer's extensive wine list.
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