Back in 2016, I wrote about a much-loved local restaurant called R&F Restaurant, owned by Ray Arballo, and his mother, Fana. On Wednesday nights, it was always packed due to it being Mexican Night. With the Arballos’ Mexican heritage, they were able to put out the most outstanding Mexican food around. Unfortunately, due to financial troubles, R&F closed down, and Mexican night was no more.
Then we found out that the Arballos were now working at Stateline Bar and Grill, just east, on Highway 491, of the Utah-Colorado borderline. Mexican night was back, it was on Friday night instead which leads me to the story of Stateline Bar and Grill’s Mexican Night. While the Arballos no longer work at Stateline, they helped owner, Shelley Jean, and new chef, Julie, develop and upgrade the new Friday menu.
Which now leads me to tell you all about that Chef Julie, who had been at Stateline for two years, and is now also the general manager. Julie, who is a jewel, and many folks call her Jules, is like a sister from another mother as we have so much in common with our culinary developments. Her inspiration was her great grandmother and learned the concepts of home cooking from her. She began her love for cooking at seven years old, and her parents were supportive and encouraged her. Being self-taught, for the most part, she went from home chef to restaurant chef with the notion of, “make food with love and that puts the extra special ingredient into all the dishes.”
Chef Julie is a hoot, so very friendly, and enjoys sharing stories about developing new recipes, and the reactions from customers, local or just passing through. She is proud of her achievements, and happily told us about Stateline’s winning points. Sauces and dressings are made from scratch, except for Italian and bleu cheese. If you enjoy country fried steak or deep-fried battered fish, it is also made from scratch and hand battered. When it comes to sourcing, local businesses are relied on as much as possible, while other items come from food companies.
Alright, now to the focus of this article, Mexican Night. When it comes to the chile peppers used, it is Hatch all the way, and they are roasted on premises. Now this is an important point, onions, tomatoes and garlic are also roasted on premises, and you will appreciate this importance, since it intensifies the scent and flavors of the vegetables. With your dinner order, chips and salsa are served; the salsa is served warm, and not one ingredient overwhelms the others. Here now, I will allow Roy to review the salsa, since he did eat three quarters of it before our meal was served. Roy says, “At first, the mild heat hugs the tip of the tongue and makes its way gently to the back of the throat. The minced vegetables allow for a larger scoop upon the chips which packs more flavorful munching in the mouth.” Thank you dear for that descriptive review, and I bet everyone reading this is saying to themselves, “I got to get me some of that!”
Sopapillas also come with the meal, a puffy tortilla pillow that is so very yummy with drizzled honey over it. By the way, a Taco Plate and Chimichanga are also on the menu; along with chicken or spicy pork as additional offerings in fillings. However, always ask your server about the featured special, you do not want to miss out on something awesome, and different from the norm.
Also ordered, for take home, was a small bucket of Sweet Potato Fries; crispy and tender, and those became a perfect snack while watching a movie for Saturday date night. This means, while Friday is Mexican night, the entire menu for Stateline is also offered. Stateline is perfect for couples, families, friends or even coworkers looking for a nice night out together after work. Not everyone might want Mexican, shocking, I know, but with the entire menu up for grabs, it is a win-win night for all.
Mary Cokenour
Stateline Bar and Grill
Address: 69576 US-491, Dove Creek, CO 81324
Phone: (970) 677-2649
Hours of Operation:
Thursday thru Sunday: 11am to 9pm
Closed: Monday thru Wednesday
Brunch Offered: Saturday and Sunday