[lost meals] Los Reyes De La Torta, Phoenix AZ

The lost meals entries consist of meals that occurred at various times throughout 2012 which, for any number of reasons, escaped my documentation – some due to a cross country move and a new job, some due to the Los Angeles Kings run to the Stanley Cup, and some simply as a result of too much travel. Having enjoyed many of these meals with friends or family and with some of them amongst the year’s very best the reality is that with time my memory has deteriorated and as life moves forward I’ve realized there is little hope to ever “catch up” or document these experiences as well as I’d hope, yet in order to preserve them I present these pictures, notes, and thoughts on the experience.

Strawberry Aguas frescas naturals

Arnold Palmer

Del Rey – Ham, melted cheese, pork sirloin, breaded beef, sausage, chorizo, eggs, tomato, onions, jalapeño and avocado

Cubana – Ham, melted cheese, pork sirloin, tomato, onions, and avocado

Pierna – Pork sirloin with melted cheese, tomato, onions, and avocado

Chocoflan

Trying to get my family to visit divey ethic restaurants with me is generally difficult and yet when I suggested Los Reyes De La Torta they seemed agreeable; perhaps an effect of learning to trust me, perhaps due to the online menu, or perhaps seeing a resemblance to Cemitas Puebla in Chicago and arriving at the restaurant early in the lunch hour to find the place more than half full it would not be long before we were seated…in the small side room near the bar…with the only other Gringos in the restaurant…clearly segregated from the Spanish speaking clientele populating the larger front dining area. At first a bit put off by this obvious isolation but quickly greeted by a pleasant young woman who proved both friendly and efficient we decided to stay, outcast or not, and what followed was actually a very impressive lunch at a bargain basement price.

Once (unbeknownst to us) featured on “Man vs. Food” it became obvious soon on opening the menu which items were considered signatures and with myself opting for the Del Rey while my mother and aunt went with similar, less gaudy options, plus a pair of icy mixed drinks similar in texture to the Slush-Puppies of my youth but far more delicious; the Arnold Palmer especially excellent with light bitter and a lot of sour without being overly sweet.

Moving on to the food, with each sandwich served on a fluffy and yeasty bolillo roll stuffed with flavorful meat and top quality produce, I can honestly say that every single bite of the Del Ray exceeded my expectations while both my mother and aunt seemed happy with their selections, as well. Generally not one to order a sandwich as I find them monotonous after a couple of bites the Del Ray succeeded where so many others failed because each bite was slightly different from the last, some smoky, some spicy, some saline, and others creamy and rife with fresh avocado. Large, easily enough to share, and certainly not for the faint of heart this is definitely the sort of dish that could have flopped and become nothing but a gluttonous mess but in reality, despite all the ingredients, never once did something seem unnecessary or overwhelming to the other ingredients…and as much as restraint probably would have been wise I enjoyed every last bite, a fact that *almost* made me glad they were sold out of their signature King Cake; though the dense “Chocoflan” of moist chocolate pudding cake meets smooth, creamy flan was quite rich itself.

With the Del Rey ringing in at a mere $9.50 I find it hard to believe that there is any place in the city offering more interesting Mexican food at a better value, though if there is I need to seek it out…right after I find some dining pals to head back to Los Reyes for Pambasos and Huaraches and some King Cake.