Los Rios Mexican & Seafood: Authentic and Homemade

One of the richest culinary blends in history was when the Aztecs and the Spanish combined their ingredients. The New World had tomatoes, corn, avocados, beans, squash, chocolate, peanuts, and vanilla. The Spanish introduced beef, pork, lamb, dairy, citrus fruits, garlic, wheat, vinegar, and wine. Put them all together cleverly, and you get Mexican food.

Thank you—glad something good came out of that meeting.

Just when I thought there was not another Mexican restaurant in the Grove to review, up popped . It is hard to find, located on Broadway’s mile of meals in a small strip mall just behind Jack in the Box at the eastern end of town.

On the inside, the place is about as big as a taco truck. Still, it felt comfortable, with about half a dozen small tables. When my dining partner and I arrived for lunch the restaurant was not busy, but kept up a steady stream of customers who mostly ordered take-out.

The steadfast rule for me when I eat at a Mexican restaurant for the first time is to sample the carnitas and the refried beans. If the taste and textures for those two are just right, you probably have a winner. True to form, I ordered the carnitas plate with corn tortillas for $5.95, and a medium horchata (no ice) for $1.75.

My friend (who can take a little time to order) was coerced into a chile relleno a la carte for $2.75, and a sour cream and cheese sope for $1.75. Sorry, but I was really hungry.

The meal comes with complimentary chips and a wide array of salsas. We helped ourselves, found a table, and nibbled while waiting for our food. Our order was called quickly, and I picked up the tray at the counter. Nice to see it was on real plates with metal utensils.

After a few photos of the food, it was time to dig into my carnitas. I loaded up a steaming corn tortilla with chunks of crispy pork; topped it with a dice of onion, tomato and cilantro; added a dollop of guacamole; spooned on some hot sauce; finished with a squeeze of lime—and inserted in mouth for the big bite. Me gusta mucho! Then I tried the beans—perfecto. The rice was also nice and flavorful, with the likable addition of carrots and corn.

My dining buddy was not as wowed by her meal as I was by mine. My sample of her chile relleno was quite good. It had a nice fresh chile taste, was in a light batter and filled with gooey white cheese. The sope with sour cream and cheese was little bland, but sparked up nicely with a liberal dosing of fiery salsa.

Los Rios offers a wide variety of food plus some hard-to-find Mexican dishes, like pierna (pork leg), lengua (tongue), and birria. You can also try a panela cheese torta, or a rajas (cactus) sope if you are feeling adventurous.

This four-year-old family-run restaurant has friendly, excellent service. The owners told me everything is homemade. I want to come back, and might even try some seafood next time.

Los Rios Mexican & Seafood is located at 7977 Broadway, between Grove and Kempf Streets. They take cash and credit cards. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. They don't have a website, but you can call them at 619-462-1792 to place an order to go.