"We ordered takeout, and I was pleased to find that the service was warm and friendly, both over the phone and at the drive-thru. It's clear that the owner, Rey, prioritizes hiring friendly staff and encourages the right attitude among employees. You always feel welcomed at this place. To maximize our chances of enjoying the meal, I ordered two different dishes. I genuinely want to like Casa Del Rey because it's frustrating to have to travel 20 miles round trip every time we want to eat out. Dining options in Grantsville are limited, especially since our local burger spot struggles with soggy buns.
In the past, my family found Casa Del Rey's food to be extremely bland, lacking salt and flavor even in basic items like rice and refried beans. We often left wishing we had opted for fast food instead. It's disheartening for a small Mexican restaurant to evoke such feelings. I enjoy good Mexican food and have favorites like Red Iguana and Blue Iguana downtown, as well as fond memories of a great spot called Pancho Villa back in Rockville, MD. All of these places deliver on flavor, which is what I crave when I want Mexican cuisine.
I don't necessarily require spicy food; I'm not one to take part in the Habanero Challenge or believe that spicy levels define my masculinity. But when I indulge in Mexican dishes, I want to experience a variety of flavors—not just what the eye can see. For example, if I'm eating a taco with onions, pork, and peppers, I expect to taste something beyond those ingredients. I want the flavors of the meat, the sweetness of the caramelized onions, and the freshness of the peppers to shine through.
For this visit, I ordered Alambres—strips of top sirloin with sautéed vegetables, bacon, ham, and melted Monterey Jack cheese—and Cochinita Pibil, which is roasted pork in achiote sauce, traditionally wrapped in banana leaves. I chose these dishes based on their descriptions and the fact that they were featured in the Dinner Specialties section, suggesting they might be the restaurant's better offerings.
I won't dive deeply into the details of the Alambres. The steak was cooked well and had a fair amount of flavor, but true to my earlier experiences, it was still somewhat lacking. The flavor didn’t stand out compared to some of the better taco stands I've visited. The refried beans were quite bland—only the taste of beans came through, with a minimal amount of cheese on top that did nothing to enhance the flavor. There was no salt whatsoever, which is inexcusable in any dish. The rice was just as flavorless.
Next, I tried the Cochinita Pibil. Contrary to the menu, there were no banana leaves present. The pork was decent, with some flavor, but I couldn't detect any Habanero in it, nor was there a sauce that featured any hint of it. Instead, we received three containers of a very bland salsa that tasted like canned tomatoes mixed with diced onions and maybe a touch of cilantro. It lacked flavor entirely, leading my wife and I to disregard it after sampling just a spoonful. As expected, the rice and beans had the same deficiency in flavor.
Ultimately, while a couple of entrées were somewhat comparable to a good taco stand, they were still underseasoned. There are not many standout dishes, so diners may find themselves making several trips to discover the few items that are merely acceptable—not great, just tolerable. And whatever sides come with the entrées, like rice and beans, will likely lack flavor beyond the obvious ingredients.
As a final note, I do not know anyone who works at Casa Del Rey or in any surrounding restaurants. I have no personal grievances; I genuinely want this establishment to improve and deliver food that brings a smile to my face. It would significantly enhance the experience of living in Grantsville. While there are many positive aspects to life here, the limited dining options—which consist of a Domino's, Subway, a decent Chinese restaurant, and a burger place that doesn’t quite grasp the art of a dry burger—make weekends a challenge."
