The meals shared with family are the most memorable ones; and at Don Ruben’s in Al Fazari Square, owner Nora Ortiz has managed to bring her families’ Mexican recipes to our tables here in Riyadh.
Named after her grandfather, Don Ruben’s first opened in the DQ last April 2022. Designed as a local taqueria, it paid homage to Nora’s Mexican heritage with decor including large, embroidered sombreros as worn by Mariachis and colorful skull ceramics depicting Dia de los Muertos. They have recently renovated to accommodate more guests and now a mural of Frida Kahlo lights up their vibrant interiors; including the wall of portraits of Nora’s beloved family members.
The kitchen is headed by Chef Albert and Chef Fernanda, both natives of Mexico. Along with Nora, they source the majority of their ingredients from their country and make sure that everything is made to order, fresh, and authentic. Their take on a crowd favorite, the Nachos – will make you rethink the commercial kind that you’ve been consuming all your life. As I would later deduce from tasting the rest of our orders, their winning formula is in how they make the tortilla. It is dense and crispy and you can really taste the corn in every bite. They make their own pickled jalapenos and salsa that topped this seemingly simple but filling dish. Those nachos alone were already a reason to come back soon.
We were also served their local beverages: Agua de Horchata, Agua de Tamarindo and Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus). Amongst the three, I found the Horchata’s creamy taste topped with cinnamon dust very comforting.
From the main dishes, our table held an array of their bestselling items: from the Baja Tacos (Fish), Tacos Gobernador (Shrimp), to the Queso Birria (Beef). The fish from the Baja Tacos were cooked to crispy perfection, thanks to the beer batter that they use. For the Tacos Gobernador, the indulgent bite comes from the melted cheese and scrumptious shrimp combined. Finally the tender and finely pulled beef from the Quesa Birria was generous and chopped cilantro on top balanced the flavors quite well.
There’s more in the menu to try but from these orders alone, we were happy and full to the brim! They also serve burritos, flautas, and gorditas. It’s no wonder why they have been named as one of the highly recommended Latin American Restaurants in 2022 and one of the Top 10 American Restaurants in 2023. Personally however, what I was really left with remembering after eating here (apart from the authentic flavors of their food) was learning about the passion of Nora in bringing this cuisine to life here in Saudi and more importantly, her utmost love and respect for her family’s legacy.
Don Ruben’s Mexican Restaurant
9163 Ain Street, Al Kindi Square
Opening hours:
12:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Sunday-Thursday)
2:00 PM – 11:00 PM (Fridays)
Closed on Saturdays
Instagram: @donrubens.sa
