Rio Lerma | Mexican Restaurant — Restaurant in Terrell

The Chile Relleno That Got Away As remembered from a single, sacred bite.

It was a Tuesday. Or maybe a Thursday. The kind of day that’s forgettable—cloudy, maybe sunny, doesn’t matter. I was passing through a dusty little town on a long stretch of highway, chasing no particular deadline, just the hum of tires and the need to eat before the hunger turned mean.

I saw the sign like a whisper: Rio Lerma Mexican Restaurant Not flashy. Not polished. One of those places where the stucco’s a little cracked, and the neon “Open” sign buzzes faintly behind tinted glass.

I didn’t expect anything. Hell, I almost kept driving. But something—call it fate, intuition, or just a stubborn craving for melted cheese—made me pull in.

Inside, it smelled like cumin and slow-simmered sauce. The waitress handed me a menu with a smile that said, I’ve seen every kind of traveler come through here. I flipped it open and there it was: Chile Relleno – House Specialty.

I didn’t even hesitate.

What came out of that kitchen was a miracle wrapped in a poblano. Roasted just enough to whisper smoke, stuffed with cheese that melted like it had secrets to tell, all held in a golden, delicate batter that barely clung on—like it knew its time was short.

The sauce—oh, the sauce—deep red with a kiss of heat and a soul. The rice was warm, the beans were honest, and I swear the plate steamed like it had a story to tell.

I ate it slow. Reverent. Like I knew this was it. The one.

And then it was gone.

I paid, tipped well, and walked out with that rare, satisfied fullness that only comes from stumbling into something perfect. I didn’t write down the address. Didn’t snap a photo. I figured I’d find it again.

I never did.

Rio Lerma vanished like a dream. Maybe it closed. Maybe I imagined the whole damn thing. But ever since that day, I’ve ordered chile rellenos from every joint I find, hoping to recapture that one, impossible bite.

But none of them are it.

That was The Chile Relleno That Got Away. And I’m...

My overall experience was good. The staff was friendly, the wait not too long, and the food generally delicious. I particularly like the ambiance of the whole place with its access to sports broadcasting that was present but not too much in your face. If the story ended there I would’ve dropped a 10/10.

Unfortunately, that night I woke up with stomach issues. I later found out through my vomit that the culprit came some from spinach I had from the Pollo Relleno. Now, judging from the information I gathered that afternoon, I’ve come to the conclusion the cause can be attributed to the fact that this establishment “pre-cooks” their pollo relleno’s in a way to save money, afterwords using some sort of freeze storage for convenience. Personally, I haven’t a problem with this but y’all need to understand doing that can have some quality issues. Especially when heating the meal for serving, where the spinach I assume wasn’t heated correctly or maybe the freeze allowed some sort of pathogen to persist.

I can’t give more than 2 stars for contaminated food. It’s going to take me some time to have the stomach to go back. Do not get the pollo relleno or any spinach for that matter.

P.S: Chips and queso are S tier by the way. I think I’ve only had better chips at one other place.

Edit: Vomited again. More spinach. Had plans today but I haven’t been able to leave bed. Lowered...

11 of us arrived at 2 pm, and the restaurant was mostly empty midday. My husband ordered a taco salad which arrived as lettuce, squash, guacamole, sour cream and chili with a small of meat cooked in, no cheese, no taco meat, no refried beans, etc and a shell that was quite stale. I ordered Chilis Rellano (one of my favorites from most places). Unfortunately, they are nothing like chili's I've had elsewhere. You receive one chile, no cheese stuffed or other meat option, just a touch of cheese melted on top, made with barely seasoned brisket and a watery tomato salsa, not a cooked sauce per se. I'm diabetic so I saved my carbs up for this treat specifically and was saddened. I requested a vegetable in place of beans and rice as a diabetic replacement, thats why my plate is more empty. The veggies arrived separate. Be prepared, it's extra to substitute. However, I will say the squash/mixed veggie medley was the best part of my meal. My dinner was left essentially uneaten and picked up without even a question from staff. We were all shocked to find a 20% gratuity added to our bill. We all tip well over this amount. Having a tip deducted without mention was offensive to most of us prepared to leave more, so most did not at this point. The service was...