Manuel's Mexican Food - Phoenix Arizona

March 5, 2013

This was our first dinner in Phoenix on this years trip for spring training.

When we arrived for dinner the parking lot was mostly full but there were a few places out a ways from the restaurant. We went in and there were many people sitting and waiting in the front and I thought we might have to wait a while, but we told them told them there were three of us then they seated us right away. The chairs with the table were on wheels which I haven’t ever seen before in a restaurant. Shortly after we were seated someone came by with salsa and chips and asked if we would like hot sauce we said yes.

 

Both the salsa and the hot sauce were in bowls which was easier for me to eat them as opposed to when they’re in squeeze bottles which hot sauce typically is. This salsa was pretty good and the chips were decent. The hot sauce I don't like as well it had a strong cumin flavor, which I like that flavor, but it was a little too much of it. It was hotter than the salsas though which I guess should be. Someone else also came and took our drink orders which were two Cokes and an iced tea ($2.50). A few minutes later before our drinks were brought out another of the wait staff came and wanted to take our drink orders; we told him that someone already did it. He said he'd be back while to take our order. When he did come back to take our order mom decided to get a build your own combo with a beef taco and cheese enchilada. The waiter said this was their special today for $6.99, this is what I decide to get as well. I did read about this special online but did not see it posted anywhere in the restaurant nor did our waiter mention it before we ordered it.  Dad built his own combo with a beef enchilada and a cheese enchilada for $11.75. After we sat and waited for a while our food arrived the plates were pretty large and hot.

 

I thought the food was pretty average, the taco was alright and I like the fact that was on top of the lettuce and not sitting in the enchilada sauce, so it was not soggy. Also when I bit down the taco shell didn't shatter, which made it easier to eat. The shredded beef was okay, I didn’t think it was anything special. The cheese enchilada was pretty average as well, just your typical cheese enchilada. This also came with Rice and beans which were okay I thought, mom thought it tasted like minute Rice. At first dad thought his beef enchilada was really good but as he ate, he changed his mind. In the end I thought this was a pretty average Mexican restaurant in a place like Phoenix with so many Mexican restaurants that would be a better choice.

 

1111 West Bell Road

Phoenix, AZ 85023

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