The airy, family-friendly Dusty Boot has been serving reasonably priced Tex-Mex treats to Vail visitors since 1998. The staff was exceptionally friendly and the location charming, with its blonde wood interior and cheery tin ceiling. Don't let the name fool you - there is no dust anywhere and the word 'saloon' never crossed my mind while we were there!
I'd call the cuisine "Tex-Mex with a twist". Nothing was quite what we expected, from the Texas Eggrolls (chicken and roasted corn inside a Chinese-style eggroll) to the Peach and Bleu Cheese salad with toasted walnuts. Our group of seven also gave rave reviews to the Blackened Tomato Chipolte salsa (very mild but not lacking in flavor!), and the White Bean and Smokehouse Bacon soup (rich and creamy!). I particularly enjoyed the variety of toppings available for the "Build your Own Darn Burger!". Whether your tastes run to beef, chicken, veggie, or buffalo burger, you can pick from several different types of cheese, numerous veggies, and even green chili strips.
The wine list was limited, but lets be realistic - you don't go to a place like the Dusty Boot for wine. A margarita would be a better choice to go with entrees like the Camarones al Mojo de Ajo (pan-seared shrimp tossed in smoked jalapeno garlic cream sauce).
Lunch entrees from $7.95 - $11.95, dinner from $14.95 - $29.95