I wanted to try Los Reyes de la Torta since reading about it in the Seattle Times over a year ago. Unfortunately, as I lived in Seattle at the time and now reside in the Bay Area, my chances to dine in Phoenix are limited. Cathy, Gabriel and I actually visited family in Goodyear, Arizona (just outside Phoenix) shortly after I read the article, but never made the half hour drive to the restaurant. (Important side note: While I love my in-law's dearly and enjoy visiting them, their house, or maybe it's the entire state, has a way of sucking all desire to do anything but sit on the couch and watch television. I'm not sure why this is (it can't be blamed on the heat since I've experienced the strange phenomenon during the winter), but it's a struggle to overcome this vortex during each visit.)
Anyways, during our most recent visit for Christmas we mastered the art of sitting, watching and eating (poorly). We did it for about five days straight and probably would have kept it up for the remaining two had my brother-in-law, Chris, not intervened. Our idea: Instead of sitting around the house eating poorly, why not go drive somewhere else and eat poorly!
First stop: A cozy brunch spot in Gilbert, Arizona, where they serve killer cinnamon buns and a decent omelet. It was a filling meal, but I wasn't about to let it prevent me from having a torta for lunch. Fortunately, everyone (Cathy, Gabriel, Chris, Brooke and Olive) was on board so we killed a few hours at a park and driving around aimlessly till we ended up at our destination.
Los Reyes de la Torta sits in a small, non-descript strip mall in Phoenix's Sunnyslope neighborhood, also known as "Little Oaxaca," according to the Seattle Times review. The restaurant is surprising large, split by a wall in the middle, making it look like it's two separate eateries. We were seated on the cafeteria-esque side of the wall and treated to the echoey surround sound of two opposing televisions playing the same Mexican polka band. It made for nice background noise as we scoured the colorful menu laden with a multitude of choices, including an entire page devoted to tortas (an entire page!). I opted to split (Actually, Cathy said she wasn't hungry and only wanted a few bites, but like usual she ended up finishing half my meal despite the fact that she also ordered an incredibly large (and tasty!) oatmeal drink...but I digress...) the pollo milanesa (who knew there was such a thing!) torta with chips.
At this point I was sweating. I knew Los Reyes de la Torta had to pull through. Otherwise my guests would wonder what all the torta hype is about. Why do I waste my time writing about tortas and why did I drag them all the way out to this place. And why not one of the other 12 torta places we passed?
When the torta arrived, I knew Los Reyes de la Torta was on my side. A lot can be said about a torta upon first glance. At most restaurants the torta is an afterthought, filler on a menu that no one will ever order. If someone actually does, they'll just slap some burrito ingredients on a loaf of bread and call it a meal. These are easy to spot - little chunks of meat, unmelted shredded cheese, bits of tomato, burnt bread. Restaurants that care have numerous options for what goes into the torta - milanesa, ham, chorizo, eggs. And when they arrive, the crisp roll is overflowing with fresh ingredients - refried beans, slices of cheese, avocado, tomato, onion. The sandwich atLos Reyes de la Torta fit the bill perfectly. It was a masterpiece. Perfect layers of avocado, tomato, jalapenos and pollo milanesa (seriously, who knew there was such a thing!). My mouth waters just looking at the picture. It was so good and so filling, it made me forget that the torta was served along side Ruffles potato chips. But who cares, Los Reyes de la Torta could serve their sandwich with a side of mushed peas and I wouldn't complain!
So, does Los Reyes de la Torta top El Tigre? No. El Tigre holds a special place in my heart, but Los Reyes de la Torta comes awfully close and it definitely didn't embarrass me, it only reaffirmed that I'm not wasting my time writing about tortas.
Los Reyes de la Torta
9230 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85020
