Robyn Wight, 6, happily eyes her quesadillas before diving into them at Redmond's Desert Fire Southwestern Grill. Two kids can eat free on Mondays with the purchase of one adult entree.
As a native Texan, I'm continually on a quest to find decent Tex Mex and a great frozen margarita in and around Seattle. While nothing will ever compare to the enchiladas in my hometown of San Antonio, Desert Fire's food was a pleasant surprise and the frozen margarita was an improvement from others I've tried in the area.
My kids loved the torches outside and were mesmerized by the fire pit in the center of the restaurant. The fire makes for a cozy atmosphere on a chilly, wet Northwest evening. The Southwest décor and lively Tejano music were fun, too.
The menu has a vast number of options. The Tex Mex fare ranged from tacos to chili rellenos (stuffed peppers) to fajitas – pretty much what I expected. They also had a vegetarian section, burger section, and seafood section.
The kid's menu was basic, but good – taco, burrito, enchilada, or quesadilla with a choice of chicken, ground beef or cheese. Each comes with rice and refried beans, which was great, but no vegetable (not-so-great). It's a pretty good deal to get two kid's meals free per adult dinner purchase on Mondays.
Instead of the expected chips and salsa, the waiter brought breadsticks and a spicy cream cheese – a hit with both my kids. The service was extremely slow, which was difficult as my 2-year-old began her nightly transformation into a gremlin. I think the waiter had several tables fill up at once.
The food was good. The Mexican rice was just right, as was the chicken in my enchilada – two things I see many restaurants get very wrong.
While I prefer noisier restaurants when I'm dining out with my kids, some of the patrons watching a football game in the bar area got very loud and their cheers were a bit inappropriate at times for younger ears, but don't think my children did. At least no one was bothered by my two-year-old's antics.
In the future, when I hear the call of Tex Mex that all Texans must answer, I'll stop in for a meal at Desert Fire to hold me until my next trip down south.
IF YOU GO
Where: Redmond Town Center, 7211 166th Ave. N.E., Redmond. When: Kids 12 and under eat free on Mondays (two kids meals free per adult dinner purchase of $8 or more), 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cost: Price Range, moderate ($9 to $30). Contact: 425-895-1500; www.desertfiremex.com
Laura Spruce Wight is a Bothell area freelance writer, native Texan, and mother of two.
