When Keith and I moved to Mineral Point seven years ago, one of the best spots to hang out was the Old Royal Inn.  There was a restaurant and bar on the main floor.  We spent many Saturday mornings there munching on Mark & Jennifer’s famous egg sandwiches and sticky buns with multiple cups of coffee.  Keith even had a favorite spot to sit.  A brown leather chair in a corner (which we bought after they closed).  It was a fun spot where they hosted open mics.  A couple of times, my students even had their recitals in there.  When the restaurant closed, the space became a temporary gallery space and it also housed the winter farmer’s market.  Now, it is home to a new restaurant called Tequila Point.

Keith and I went on opening night.  The dining space was bright and airy and the Southwest-inspired menu looked enticing.  To start, Keith had the house margarita and I had a delightful pineapple-jalapeño margarita, rimmed with cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper.  The chips arrived with two kinds of salsas, a mild type and a richer and spicier habanero.  After that, a refreshing plate of shrimp and scallop ceviche with baby greens and multi-colored sweet peppers.  Next was a plate of pork enchiladas with fried potatoes.  The next set of drinks included something called the “Mambo”, a coconut cream and lime cocktail and a honeydew melon and cucumber margarita, rimmed with cinnamon.  We then shared the beef brisket tacos with fat chunks of queso fresco served with rice and beans.

Determined to have the complete experience, we let Richard, one of the owners, coax us into trying their horchata milkshake (which can be ordered with or without alcohol) for dessert.  We had eaten quite a bit already so I was happy that he offered to bring two little servings in shotglasses.  It was an excellent meal and we can’t wait to go back!

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