Blue Cactus Grill: Succulents of the Southwest

You don’t have to travel to the desert to enjoy succulents in Norwalk.

 The blue cactus belongs to the plant grouping of succulents that are nature’s marvels at storing water in the arid deserts of Arizona where they thrive.

At in Norwalk’s Spring Hill neighborhood, Arizona transplant Victor Amereno creates one-of-a-kind succulent burgers that can be ordered online and are delivered free with a warning: “Caution: Habit Forming.”

Surrounded by living, breathing blue and other cactus plants, Amereno inhabits a culinary realm influenced by cultural traditions of the Southwest.

“I serve killer comfort food,” says Amereno, who opened Blue Cactus Grill a little more than a year ago.

By “killer,” he’s not necessarily referring to heat, although you’ll get plenty of that in some selections, such as the Killer Cajun Chicken “Cheese Steak.”

His creations are over-the-top in heaping heartiness and flavor, slathered with fresh homemade salsas and reasonably priced.

“We don’t cut corners,” he says as fresh jalapenas are roasting nearby and fresh-cut, hand-made potato chips are cooking to crispness in the deep frier.

 A Danbury butcher supplies custom beef patties—equal parts chuck, sirloin, top round—with an 87-13 lean-to-fat ratio.

 Amereno transforms the beef into half-pound meals-in-a-bun.

Menu

Most popular is the “Five-Napkin Burger,” deep-fried for starters, cooked on the grill in its own juices, wrapped in bacon and cheddar, deep-fried for the second time and covered in chipotle barbecue sauce with onion rings. ($7.95)

Each burger comes with a side of cactus slaw (shredded cabbage with cilantro and lime).

“No one’s leaving hungry,” he says by way of understatement.

Other favorites are the Tucson Monster, a Philly-style cheese steak with fresh-sliced top round steak, chili, bacon, charred jalapeno and melted cheese ($8.95), and GiGi’s Chicken Cheesesteak (“a classic chicken Philly with thinly sliced ham, provolone, honey mustard, $7.95), named for his five-year-old daughter, Gianna.

Soups of the day include a hearty New England clam chowder and Angry Red Lentil fired up with hot peppers.

Amereno’s homemade banana pudding, cheesecake, apple cinnamon blondies and chocolate chip cookies are well-known to his growing fan base.

With an eye toward nearby , the Blue Cactus menu features healthy salad selections as well, such as Sofia’s Salad (named for Amereno’s eight-year old daughter, Sofia), consisting or organic mixed greens with chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, rice noodles, cucumber and crumbled Gorgonzola, all tossed with a fat-free raspberry vinaigrette ($9.95).

The breakfast menu features high-octane combos that could keep some diners fuelled for most of the day, such as the Spicy Sunrise (scrambled eggs, fresh jalapeno, black beans, salsa, melted cheese in a wrap ($6.50) or the Bronx Bomber (double egg, bacon, cheese, chili and potatoes  on a bagel or roll ($6.96) or wedge ($7.95).

“Everything is cooked to order—I try to make everybody happy,” says Amereno, who exudes pride in the cooking he learned living in Tucson. “We go the extra step for quality.”

“We’re Norwalk’s best-kept secret,” he adds.

The Blue Cactus has two tables-for-two and seating for four at an elevated countertop amongst cactus plants.

You can order online or by telephone.

Blue Cactus Grill

51 Stevens St.

203-838-8800

www.BlueCactusGrill.net

Open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.