Rio Rio Cantina

Rio Rio Cantina Restaurant Review:

Rio Rio's Cal-Mex menu is an anomaly in the sentimental home of Tex-Mex cuisine, and its tongue-in-cheek interior tweaks traditional Mexican motifs, too. The burrito, for example, was never a Tex-Mex standard---especially not when it arrives busting at the seams with rice, spinach, beans, cheese and mild chilies. Chiles rellenos are prepared with poblanos in these parts, pardner, but Rio Rio uses the tamer Anaheim instead. And there is a green chile and chicken posole that speaks to New Mexico. But the restaurant also serves beef enchiladas with chile sauce, melted cheese, diced onion and jalapeños that boldly approaches the local standard, and super-stacked, super nachos at least uphold the tradition of oozy excess. Good views of the River Walk can be had from the upper-level outdoor terraces, but for on-the-scene action, the river-level Naked Iguana bar is the place to be.