FOOD REVIEW: Rincon Regio reigns at what it does best

What: El Rincon Regio
Where: 805 E. Ferguson Ave. Pharr
Credit Cards: yes
Wheel chair accessible: yes
Telephone: 956-781-5925

 Service: 4 1/2
Ambiance: 3 1/2
Food:3 1/2
Overall: 3 1/2 

By Paige Lauren Deiner
paige_deiner@themonitor.com

El Rincon Regio provides an escape from the everyday. It features large wooden tables, a black exposed ceiling supported by multiple floor-to-ceiling arches. Lights suspended from the ceiling cast a warm yellow glow over the restaurant. Large windows afford a glimpse into the kitchen.

Walking into the restaurant, I felt that although the establishment lacks paintings on the walls, every detail of the décor had been calculated. The result is a rather austere warmth.

But what makes the restaurant really stand out is the wait staff. They seem to genuinely enjoy what they do and have impressive solutions to problems. I ordered a mushroom and cheese hamburger, but I asked if they could serve it without the bun and possibly replace the French fries with some sort of vegetable. Our waitress looked at me, smiled, and said basically what you want is a salad with meat, cheese and mushrooms. Pretty much, I replied.

She took my order to the kitchen and a few minutes later came back with my salad and my husband's tacos de cabrito. My salad wasn't the greatest salad I've ever had, but it was tasty. The presentation was nice with bits of fried tortilla artfully place on the top. What was out of this world were the cabrito tacos. The restaurant specializes in cabrito and there goat is fabulous - tender, juicy and slightly less expensive than other area restaurants.

I liked Rincon Regio. The restaurant is a family restaurant in the truest sense. Every person working there is somehow related to the owners (Our waitress for example was a niece).  Having a stake in the restaurant seems to make everyone work just a little harder, or maybe it's the example set by one of the owners who I watched bus tables when he wasn't speaking to customers. I liked that the owner came and talked to us, asked us about our food, chatted about the restaurant and its history. (Note: I never tell restaurant owners that I am coming to a restaurant, that I write restaurant reviews or even work for The Monitor. I even write notes on scrapes of paper or in a calendar to ensure that my behavior doesn't scream restaurant reviewer. In that way, I hope to get the most authentic experience possible from the restaurant.)

We will return to Rincon Regio to enjoy the food, the atmosphere and to chat with the wait staff.

Paige Lauren Deiner covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425.