Rocking Horse

While many restaurateurs dream that their labors of love will become hot spots, in New York such a blessing can also be a curse. After a while, the crowds move on, as they must, and many a once-hip restaurant shutters or becomes a desperate housewife, past its prime but putting on a show that everyone else finds embarrassing (Exhibit 1: Indochine). A few, however, age gracefully, becoming reliable standbys for consistently good food. Rocking Horse Mexican Cafe, in Chelsea, is one of the lucky ones, still turning out house-made tortillas in the dining room and packing in neighborhood crowds. There recently for the bargain-priced lunch, we enjoyed our lime fizz and complimentary salsa, liked our salmon burger, loved our chicken enchiladas with Chihuahua cheese, and reveled in the all-Michael Jackson playlist, remembering that some things never get old.