Don Pollo Mexican Gourmet: 12 Fast Facts

In May, I did a Standard-Examiner story on Don Pollo Mexican Gourmet. Last week my husband and I stopped by for lunch while we were in the Ogden Valley. It looks like the restaurant is still doing fine, although manager Shauna Miller has left to move to Florida.

Here are a dozen fast facts about Don Pollo, located on 2429 N Highway 158, next to the Mad Moose Cafe in Eden.

1-It’s owned and operated by chef Cesar Ruiz, who already has a track record for founding two fast-casual Don Pollo restaurants in West Valley. Originally from Michoacan, Mexico, he moved to Utah in 1994.

2-It has sit-down service, and a large menu of typical Mexican fare such as street tacos, burritos, nachos, fajitas, etc.

3-About the name: “Pollo” is Spanish for “chicken,” and Ruiz considers Sinaloa grilled chicken as the major specialty. Ruiz chose “Don” because, “In the Hispanic community, ‘Don’ is the word for respect. And I want people to know that they will receive the best food and service when they visit.”

I asked Ruiz to confirm the restaurant’s exact name, because the sign out front says “Don Pollo Mexican Grill,” and yet the Facebook page is called “Don Pollo Gourmet.” The website calls it “Don Pollo Mexican Gourmet.” He told me not to worry, all the names are fine. Well, OK. I’m calling it Don Pollo Mexican Gourmet to go along with the website.

4-Ruiz opened the restaurant last December, after visiting the Ogden Valley and falling in love with the area.

5-So far, some of the restaurant’s top-selling dishes are fajitas, street tacos (a choice of chicken, asada, pastor, carnitas, chorizo or shrimp) and asada fries — fresh-cut fries topped with Angus steak, melted cheese, grilled jalapeños, grilled onions, sour cream and cotija cheese.

6-Sinaloa chicken comes from his wife’s home state of Sinaloa, Mexico. Ruiz uses a family recipe where a whole chicken is marinated, split down the middle and slow-grilled until the skin is crispy, then cut into pieces. It’s sold as two-, three-, or four-piece combo meals with side choices of rice, beans or salad. It’s a big seller in Ruiz’s two West Valley restaurants, because the community is familiar with it. But in the Ogden Valley, most customers need to get better acquainted.

Molcajete (mol-ca-hay-tay) is the second specialty dish that Ruiz hopes will catch on with diners. A molcajete is a very heavy, mortar-and-pestle-type bowl made of lava rock. Ruiz heats the molcajete over a flame until super-hot. He arranges chicken, shrimp and skirt steak around the edges of the bowl and fills the middle with rich chile verde sauce and sautéed peppers, onions, mushrooms and asparagus. It’s sizzling hot when it comes to the table. Accompanied by tortillas, rice and refried beans, it becomes a feast that easily feeds two to four people. ($33.99)

“I’m not the first one to do Molcajete, but I’m the best,” said Ruiz, who likes to tweak recipes. “There’s no limit when it comes to cooking. If you teach me one way, I will try to change it.”

8. Other menu favorites: Mexican pizza, a thin crust spread with refried beans, topped with jalapeños and the Sinaloa grilled chicken. Also, rolled taquitos filled with grilled chicken, and fajitas, with a choice of grilled chicken, steak, shrimp or a vegetarian version with portobello mushrooms, asparagus, peppers and onion.

9. As with most Mexican restaurants, you’re greeted with complimentary chips and house-made salsa. The salsa is made fresh every day, Ruiz said. It’s full-flavored, with a tongue-tingling kick but not a lot of burning heat.

10. Most of the dishes are mild, heat-wise, but you can kick it up with hot sauces.

11. The restaurant has outside patio seating and take-out, but currently doesn’t have a liquor license.

12. In June, Ruiz began serving breakfast on weekends, including huevos rancheros and chilaquiles, as well as typical breakfast items like pancakes and eggs.

According to its Facebook page, the restaurant is currently closed on Tuesdays because, like many other Utah restaurants, it’s struggling with staffing. So you might want to give the place a call (801-745-6267) to make sure it’s open before you’re making a special drive to Eden.