Stepping into Tio’s Tacos, I didn’t know what to expect. Art made from trash usually is not something you want to see when eating at a restaurant. Nonetheless, as a Mexican food enthusiast, I always take it upon myself to find the best Mexican restaurants in whatever area I’m in. I immediately knew I was in the right place when I saw the menu with photos of different dishes hanging on the back wall — a staple feature in any locally owned Mexican restaurant. Since it was my first time reviewing a restaurant, I decided the best thing to do was ask the staff what dish they suggested I try.
Feeling adventurous, I took the cashier’s recommendation and ordered the “mojarra,” a deep-fried Tilapia fish sauteed in lemon and garlic sauce, even though I never eat fish. Unsurprisingly, I spent a good ten minutes performing surgery on it in an attempt to avoid the tiny fish bones. I’ll admit the mojarra was not the best decision for me due to my inexperience with eating fish. However, the lemon and garlic sauce absorbed beautifully into the fish meat, filling my mouth with its nuanced flavor. Cooked tenderly, the fish was nicely paired with corn tortillas, red rice and refried pinto beans. This is an excellent choice if you like fish and don’t mind picking at your food. However, it was not enough for my appetite.
So, I returned to the cashier and ordered a carnitas burrito — my safe Mexican food bet — with a mango and strawberry agua fresca. Wrapped in a warm flour tortilla, the carnitas burrito was a perfect choice. The mixed assortment of beans, red rice, soft avocados, chopped onions and green lettuce created a delicious taste with its different textures and flavors. However, as someone who likes their meat well done, the carnitas were a little too pink for my taste. Nevertheless, the burrito was reasonably priced at $13, an affordable cost for college students and for the quantity of food you pay for.
The best part of my meal, which will have me returning, was the refreshing strawberry and mango agua fresca. A sweet Mexican fruit juice mixed with sugar, the strawberry and mango agua fresca was a tasty drink to accompany the warm and often spicy food. When I shook the drink, floating pieces of mango and strawberry seeds whirled around, showing the fruity concoction’s freshness. Tio’s Tacos also lets you mix different flavors in one drink so customers can create unique and fun refreshments.
When entering the back patio, you are welcomed by an eclectic array of artwork made exclusively from recycled materials. Every nook and cranny of the outdoor seating area was filled with handmade art, from the painted tin structures of the “Despicable Me” characters to the airplane made of tin cans on the roof and the tin R2-D2 and C-3PO from “Star Wars.” The owner, Martin Sanchez, reuses “trash” to create all the unique art pieces and sculptures in the back patio and parking lot behind the restaurant.
Not only is the art sustainable and environmentally friendly, but each piece, from the Selena statue to the flock of migrating monarch butterflies and the beer bottle wedding chapel, represents the blended cultures of the Mexican American experience in Southern California. Because the outdoor area is constantly changing and evolving with new art pieces, customers discover something new each time. To get the best experience, I suggest sitting on the back patio (rather than at the tables inside the restaurant), where most of the sculptures are located, so you can look at the fantastic art while you eat.
Overall, Tio’s Tacos is an affordable and authentic Mexican dining experience best enjoyed in their one-of-kind outdoor sculpture patio of hand-crafted, sustainable structures unique to Riverside.
