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| - I hate it when people are like, "I'm from Chicago so I know what a Chicago hot dog IS!!!"
But dammit, I grew up in a AZ/NM border town and this place falls way short. It doesn't really even seem like the food is made in a New Mexican style of preparation. It's more like New Mexican as seen through a Sonoran filter. I mean no disrespect to Sonoran style Mexican food, it's tasty as well.
But the green chile sauce I've had smothered over, and within, various dishes at my fave NM spots has a lot more green chile in it and is NOT merely a greenish gravy with green onions and pork (or beef). The essence of the sauce should be green chile and not over compensated, or embellished with too many spices otherwise.
Thus, the meal I had at Arriba was lackluster. I had huevos rancheros. The potatoes were warm and stale as if they'd been sitting for a spell. The refried beans could have been canned and I wouldn't have known the difference. Even the cheese was bland.
I've been here twice expecting to be knocked off my seat with a NM/green chile flavor explosion. No dice, chino.
Aside from the cheesy name, if you'd like a step above this substandard NM fare, try Si Senor in Chandler. They're pretty solid. And if you want fire, there is always Los Dos Molinos.
Arriba, you need work.
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