Audio By Carbonatix
After traveling through the villages, towns and cities of Mexico and eating everything in sight for almost a year, the first thing I wanted to eat upon my return to the United States was Mexican food. Ironic.
The Mexican food that I longed for is what I like to refer to as “Pocho” Mexican food. “Pocho” is actually a slang term used to describe a first-generation American of Mexican decent.
But you know the type of food I’m talking about — burritos smothered in sauce and melted yellow cheese, cheese crisp, red chile, chili con carne, crisp tacos, sour cream on everything. Not really authentic Mexican food; it’s Americanized Mexican, but still very tasty.
One of the best places for “Pocho” Mexican food is Rito’s, a little hole in the wall located in a south Phoenix neighborhood. More than 25 years ago, the fragile building, with no sign, located at the intersection of 14th Street and Garfield, was a little neighborhood market and deli. Soon the Salinas family started selling burritos to go. The burrito business was good. So good that eventually the market closed and the location became a strictly to-go Mexican restaurant.
The Phoenix Police Department alone has kept Rito’s in business for all of these years. One officer, a 31-year veteran of the department, says Rito’s has the best to-go Mexican in town.
Its business has been strictly word of mouth, and it’s a pretty simple story: Rito’s sells bean, red or green beef chile burritos, tostadas or tacos. That’s it: bean, red or green chile.
It’s open Mondays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. After 25 years at the same location, 909 North 14th Street, the Salinas family still has no signage to indicate you have arrived. There is no advertising or promotion. The lunch lines can get long, but you can call ahead to place your order.
The next generation of the Salinas family is preparing to take over the business as the original Rito and his wife plan to retire in the near future. They are talking about adding a sign to the exterior of the building and of expanding. Maybe a larger menu will come with the changes.
I think, why change a good thing? No sign, no eat-in, no frills — just really good “Pocho” Mexican food. Sometimes less is more.
Silvana Salcido Esparza is a local chef and restaurant owner.
