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| - Rodiberto's is nothing if not versatile. Like so many local Mexican food spots with the Berto suffix attached to their name, this Downtown Phoenix version offers a little bit of everything. Tacos, tortas, burritos, chimichangas, menudo, and even taco bowls. Its a menu that will likely take you a good 3-5 minutes to peruse before ordering. I'm of course of the opinion that those establishments that try to do everything great often don't do anything great. But in deference to Rodiberto (assuming there is such a man) and his conveniently located restaurant a few blocks from my apartment, I made a trip for a quick dinner on a Saturday evening.
You'll find Rodiberto's dressed with blinking rainbow light windows on the west side of Central Avenue and Garfield Street. There's parking in back (though you have to walk about two blocks around the buildings to reach the main entrance) and for now the restaurant bumps up to a busy construction site where The Stewart Apartments will one day reside. Truth be told I've walked by this place hundreds of times and have steered clear largely because it seems like the place is always empty. I could probably count on one hand how many people I've seen dine here in all that time. Maybe the work week lunch crowd is big here? Maybe the construction crews in the neighborhood are keeping this place afloat? I honestly have no idea how this 60 seat joint stays open, but nevertheless its still here. They must be doing something right, I guess.
After looking over their Yelp account and seeing that the owner most proudly advertised his Carne Asada Fries, I largely shrugged that off. But when I asked guys at the counter what their staple item is and they confirmed it was indeed Carne Asada Fries, I set my suspicions aside and agreed to order this strange concoction. To wash it down? Why, Horchata of course! Total cost for the food, drink and tax came to about $13. Seemed a little pricey, but no matter. I'm committed now.
A few minutes later, a tray of two hot sauces, napkins, plastic ware, and a plate containing a gargantuan pile of ingredients arrived at my table. I now understand the price point as this plate of food is absolutely huge. On the bottom, at least two hand fulls of fries. On top, mounds of carne asada, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream. Its the kind of plate that I can easily picture the tired, the desperately hungry, and the inebriated types fawning over. More specifically, the Downtown college crowd (which may explain why they offer Downtown college kids a 10% Yelp Discount here). The dish wasn't bad, but it was shall we say, a bit much. I finished it, but it wasn't easy. The Carne Asada was cooked well, though the cheese wasn't particularly melty (cold in spots actually), and the sour cream was a little runny for me. No complaints about the Horchata as it was perfect, and the meal portion was (obviously) very generous. It was all a perfectly serviceable meal, but I would probably feel a lot better about myself if this had been eaten in the service of soaking up booze or curing a hangover.
For those uninterested in my dish, there's at least three dozen other options (if not more) on the menu to choose from so feel free to explore. Long story short, I'd say Rodiberto's is pretty much exactly what I expected. No frills, straight forward, inexpensive Mexican food along the lines of Filiberto's, Isberto's and other Berto's you would find around town. The fact that Downtown's increasingly sophisticated culinary scene has one is somewhat miraculous. I wish them well, though I can't say with any confidence when (or if) I'll have the urge to make a return engagement.
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