First Impressions

Mi Amigo’s has moved up in the appearance department-  less frills and random decor, more of a tidy, moderately expensive place.

However, once we were seated, the impression failed.  A laminated, child-proof menu, and crude tortilla chips, made of a half-tortilla each, didn’t make the grade.

The Menu

Did you guess Mexican?  Why not?  Mi Amigo’s goes for very standard fare– even explaining the ‘regional origin’ of many dishes, which implies a newbie audience you simply lack in Arizona.  We know Mexican food after 20 years living here.

While Mi Amigo’s offers about a dozen lunches, they’re scattered across a menu, and seem random in composition.  No clear “one taco, two, enchiladas” breakdown, so it’s not easy to find what you want.  Surprisingly, many of the lunches were limited– chicken chimichanga only, for example, even for pork fans.

Food

The salsa supplied with the chips was surprisingly good– well blended and balanced, and at a suitable feel for eating on chips.

For the entree, I chose the chicken chimichanga.  The shell was surprisingly light and delicate, and the chicken seemed to be fresh and mostly white, but it was cooked in a watery sauce which tended to weaken the overall feel of the dish.

Beans and rice were traditional, and with few surprises– thick enough, not dried hard.

Service

Our orders were all correct, which was a fair effort considering we had 8 people, and I asked for no sour cream.  Moreover, our clerk followed our drinks and chips closely, replacing as needed.  I was surprised by Mi Amigo’s service, in a good way, for once.

Conclusion

Mi Amigo’s seems on a solid direction.  While it’s clearly a step away from Rancho de Tia Rosa, the groundwork has been laid for a slightly more upscale experience than “Corona bombs and crispy fried kid food”.