Ellington

The area’s newest culinary salute to south-of-the-border fare has opened with a flourish in downtown Chattanooga. Located across from the Tennessee Aquarium, Rio Picante puts a different twist on Tex-Mex fare.

THE MENU

When was the last time you saw sliders on a Mexican menu? This place tops the small burgers with fresco cheese. Yuca (a major source of carbohydrates in South America) replaces potatoes when fries come from the kitchen. And chipotle mayo takes the place of ketchup. Very different and a nice change of pace.

Meals begin with the standard chips and salsa. I liked the colorful presentation of a basket of red, white and blue chips. The salsa appeared to be homemade and had a nice kick to it, perhaps too much, though, for sensitive palates. So be wary.

The guacamole was fair. No chunks to speak of. A little too creamy. But the flavor was pretty good, though it needed a little more spice.

Our server recommended the taco salad, so I went with her recommendation and was fairly pleased. The beef has a very good flavor, and it was topped with a plentiful amount of lettuce, cheese, tomatoes and a huge scoop of sour cream. It needed some salsa, though, and there was just enough left from the salsa that came with the chips.

My dining partner had the chicken Rio Burrito Grande. Though the beans and rice were excellent, the burrito was dry and needed more sauce inside and on top, she said. A sprinkling of cheese would have been nice too. All in all, it was rather bland.

To finish the meal, we shared an order of the Chocolate Lava Cake with Dulce de Leche. It was a small chocolate cake with a center of melted chocolate. The caramel topping listed in the menu description was missing. When we alerted our server to this, she took care of it and came back saying the kitchen was out of it and we would not be charged, so it was taken off our check.

I took an order of enchiladas, chicken and beef, home for my husband, too. His review was positive, further evidenced by the empty plate he returned to the kitchen.

THE SPACE

Rio Picante looks great. I loved the bright-colored murals on the walls. The space is open and refreshing, with a patio off to one side complete with water fountain. This building, formerly the Tortilla Factory, has long been known for its fun rooftop bar, and Rio Picante continues the tradition, enclosing it with sliding glass doors in addition. This makes it available for partying year-round, even on the coldest of nights. The view is spectacular.

THE SERVICE

Our server was very efficient. And her handling of the dessert issue more than proved her professional attitude. I was impressed.

Room for improvement

Nothing to report.

THE VERDICT

Though Rio Picante is new, it appears to have attracted a following. I’m glad to see this prime location busy again.

IF YOU GO

Where: Rio Picante, 203 W. Second St.

Phone: 386-5170 and 386-5171.

Web site: http://riopicante.com.

Price range: $6.99-$7.29 (lunch entrees), $9.99-$18.99 (dinner entrees).

Payment: Cash and major credit cards.

Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

Alcohol: Yes, full bar, great margaritas.