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| - When I was a teenager I worked at Garcia's Metrocenter. As a lowly busboy at the chain restaurant I learned about how restaurants work. The job also offered me up some amazing Mexican food and all the chips and salsa I could eat. In the years I worked there, those never got old.
Back then, the operations were still watched over by the Garcia family, who had sold the name and concept to a large corporation. Today, the chain serves pretty much some of the most mediocre Mexican food around and many of their stores have closed.
However, the Garcia family wasn't dumb; they kept the best for themselves. The Original Garcia's Las Avenidas in Phoenix is still owned and operated by the Garcia family, as it has been for more than 50 years, and is not connected to the chain. Many of the dishes you remember eating as a kid can still be found and enjoyed here.
From the outside, the building has lush landscaping and a separate building for takeout orders. The interior is reminiscent of an old Spanish home with low slung ceilings and lots of woodwork. The main dining room is cavernous, like walking into a Mexican courtyard, bright and inviting.
Once seated, guests are greeted with a bowl of hot tortilla chips and a cruet of mild chunky tomato salsa. It took me right back to my busboy years. If you prefer more spice, ask for hot sauce, which they will provide upon request. I enjoy mixing the two sauces for a tasty hybrid.
To take advantage of the salsas, a Cheese Quesadilla ($5.50) is a must. I always ask for a side of lettuce and chopped tomatoes so I can adorn each crispy slice, then pour on some salsa.
The menu hasn't changed much over the years, which is a good thing. It's nice to know that you can always order your favorite dish, like my all-time Garcia's favorite the Pollo Fundido ($9.95). They take stewed chicken meat, then wrap it in a flour tortilla and fry it until it's light and crunchy. It's topped with smooth jalapeño cream cheese and slices of cheddar cheese then placed under a broiler until the cheeses are melted and bubbly. Served with rice and beans, each creamy bite is sure to please.
The Combination Appetizer ($9.25) offers hearty miniature-sized versions of Mexican classics. This plate includes miniature beef tacos, beef flautas, beef chimichangas, green corn tamale and refried beans. Give this plate a good dousing of salsa and it'll be hard to stop eating. Aside from the mini chimichangas, the cheesy green corn tamale really hits the spot with hints of sweetness.
If you can avoid eating the crunch flour tortilla shell, the Taco Salad ($7) loaded with seasoned ground beef, might be a healthier choice.
Desserts stick to the classics, such as Flan ($4.50) and Sopapillas ($4.25). My favorite is Deep Fried Ice Cream ($4.75), a ball of hard frozen vanilla ice cream covered in honey and cornflakes then quickly fried so the outside is slightly caramelized and crackled.
While I'll probably never go back to busing tables, the idea of all-you-can eat chips and salsa sure makes it tempting.
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