First visit: Feb 2021 (Prescott Valley, Arizona)
Locations: As I write this, Riliberto's has 12 locations in Arizona, 1 in Las Vegas, and one in.... India (?!) OK then.
The next best thing to seeking out local establishments would be regional chains. The more local, the better. When I saw Riliberto's from the highway (which is very close to Thai Cafe and Jamie's Waffles), it looked like the classic regional chain. Not pro enough for the national chains, but just a little more gritty and unpolished. The way we like it here at the RJG! To be honest, these "fresh" Mexican joints are hit and miss. Sometimes they're just fast food places who don't take the time to do things right. The workers are in it for the paycheck, and management is nowhere to be found. For all I know, that's the case here, but if so, they are lucky to have on staff some great workers!
Stepping inside, the seating was comfortable for indoor dining. Order up at the counter, and they'll provide everything you need (no salsa bar because of the pandemic, for example). But what to get? My staple of a smothered something or other wasn't offered. It's more taqueria styled, but for gringos as well. How about I stick to something basic? Like a beef taco, cheese enchilada, rice, and beans. Can't get more traditional Ameri-Mex than that.
Right away, I had a smile on my face, as I dug into the refried beans. They were of a super hot temperature. How I tire of cold or lukewarm refried beans. That's just gross honestly. But not here at Riliberto's. Sizzling hot. Reminded me of Abuelo's actually (reported somewhere in this blog), which was one of their strengths. Excellent flavor too. They may be too "refry-ey" for me, but OK, don't expect perfection RJG. The rice is of the standard Mexican fare, but also cooked properly (no hard kernels or mush here). The enchilada has a nice flavorful red sauce that I enjoyed. I ordered cheese mainly to taste the sauce. Yellow cheese is yellow cheese, not much you can do with that. But the best was the beef taco. Shredded beef, cooked to almost burnt-ends style, with a super flavor. Mrs. RJG would love this! And the taco shell is clearly homemade and was delightfully crispy. I tried the standard tomatillo green and the hotter red sauce. Both were fine, but didn't create separation from their peers. The taco and the beans were the winner today. Will have to try more from their rather extensive menu.
I like it.
Managed to finally get off my lazy butt and take some photos this time. Not sure why that proves to be challenging for me.
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