On Saturday, Blair Anthony Robertson of the Sacramento Bee posted a stunning review of our own Taqueria Mi Lindo Apatzingan. Four stars for service, Four stars for value, 2.5 stars for service, four stars overall. Outstanding!
After the discussion we had about Mexican food on the Facebook page just last week, I decided to stop in for lunch and compare notes. My father-in-law Herschel Jones and I were out taking care of some business, so I brought him along as my eating companion.
Predictably, the place was packed. 2pm and just two tables open. I ordered a Chile Relleno plate, and added a side of Chile Colorado. Father-in-law had the Molcajete. Drinks were Negra Modelo for me, and cane sugar Mexican bottled Coca-Cola.
Robertson raved about the Molcajete.
…most of all, it shows their ability to bring it all together – the cactus, steak, chorizo, chicken, beans, onions, salsa – into something greater than the sum of its parts, something magnificent.
Eating from the molcajete requires some low-effort assembly. You extract pieces of meat and green-bean-like cactus from the wide bowl, place them on the fresh-made tortillas, spoon on the salsa, fold and consume. The broth alone is so nuanced, complex and transcendent that you are sometimes shocked by the words your brain chooses to describe what you’re tasting and feeling.
Like Chando (Chando Madrigal, Rio Linda resident and owner of Chando’s Tacos), I too uttered certain profane phrases while in the thrall of devouring this dish – none of which can be printed in a family newspaper. But my mouth was too full for anyone to understand – or be offended by – what I was saying.
My couple of spoons full of the Molcajete were delicious. I don’t know that I can add anything to Robertson’s analysis. In fact, it was all great. The Molcajete and Chile Colorado approached a little too salty for me, but I attribute that to my generally low-salt diet.
Total cost for two with drinks was under $30.
Robertson notes at the beginning of his article that “I’m in an area not normally associated with destination dining… Rio Linda.” and I’ll concede that. But this is two restaurants in Rio Linda that have gotten excellent reviews in the Bee in the last 2 years. The other being the 1-4-5 Club which you can find here: http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/restaurants/article2577932.html
I think most of us will agree that we have the best diner around in the Creekside. It seems to me that we’re at a crossroads of low rent, high growth prospects and a community seeking good local food options that is making RL more attractive to food entrepreneurs. I think everyone I know has a summer garden full of tomatoes, squash, and salad greens. Are we the real farm-to-fork capital of the farm-to-fork capital?
Thanks to Blair Anthony Robertson for bringing some positive attention to our Rio Linda business owners and the community, and thanks to Taqueria Mi Lindo Apatzingan for a great lunch.
Taqueria Mi Lindo Apatzingan
928 Oak Lane in Rio Linda
(In the MarVal Shopping Center)
(916) 991-2577
Ps… Chando, please bring your Chando’s Taco truck to the Thursday Night Market this summer. Bring extra tortillas. People are begging for it.
