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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Traffic stop nets half-pound of meth, $11,700 in cash 170 structures threatened in Oregon Gulch fire Oregon Gulch fire 11,000 acres and growing Changing winds saved Pinehurst Inn from Oregon Gulch fire Medford police have arrested a second arsonist Crime, Courts and Emergency Services 5,000-acre wildfire forces evacuations in Greensprings Emergency Services Man cited for DUII after drifting into an oncoming lane of Interstate 5 and hitting a truck head-on Two-bit crime spree yields $866 in quarters Community blog: ARSON-FROM WORRY TO RELIEF Politics and Elections Medford council veterans plan exit Former colleagues laud Atiyeh's 'practical' leadership Former sheriff candidate is let go Education Migrant student numbers soar $21 million Science Building upgrades begin at SOU Eagle Point district mulls fate of Trail school SOU Provost James Klein plans to retire Poverty standard hurts Central Point schools State news Nation - World Obituaries Don Mallaghan Ethel Iris McCoy Margaret Elizabeth Powell Van Lynn LaMaster Jack Jerry Ansures (Tooter) Weather Photo Galleries Videos Sports Latest Stories Another decent start for Tiger Lynch ends holdout with Seahawks Coach Riley prepares Beavers for fall camp Coaches rank UO fourth in first poll Flurry of trades prior to deadline Varsity 541 College Sports Coach Riley prepares Beavers for fall camp Mannion, Beavers look to close the gap Riley's coaching longevity bucks the trend in Pac-12 His own Gary Payton Beavers hope new diet plans give them bite Pro Sports Judge OKs record-setting $2B sale of Clippers Recovered from illness, Serena ready for return Darvish, Rangers drop Yanks Even after payday, Seattle's Sherman hungry as ever Fists flying at Philly practices Community Sports LOCAL REPORT Cowden, Hunt power Mavericks in win Medford Mustangs stay hot LOCAL REPORT Rogues come up short against Bells Business Latest Stories Blog: Part 2: How to Stay Cool in 100 Degree Weather Avista requests rate hike of 9.7% Blog: Study finds Oregon's exports slow to recover Contractor sweep nets 34 violations in S. 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Dining India Palace Taco Riendo Uber Herbal Coquina Restaurant Home State BBQ Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living NEWS NOW Taco Riendo It's a simple one as far as epiphanies go, but Mexican ingredients add up to more than the sum of their parts when rolled tight as a drum in a flour tortilla. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 25, 2014 @ 2:00 am Updated at 11:07 AM Posted Jul. 25, 2014 @ 2:00 am Updated at 11:07 AM Word of Mouth --> Dining out with the Mail Tribune Taco Riendo 4001 Cirrus Road, Medford Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays 541-538-9612 » Read more X Word of Mouth Dining out with the Mail Tribune Taco Riendo 4001 Cirrus Road, Medford Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays 541-538-9612 » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> It's a simple one as far as epiphanies go, but Mexican ingredients add up to more than the sum of their parts when rolled tight as a drum in a flour tortilla. That was the thought that crossed my mind as I bit into my burrito at Taco Riendo. Serving a simple menu of authentic Mexican foods with friendly service from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, the restaurant, off Biddle at 4001 Cirrus Road in Medford, offers a quick, authentic lunch at near fast-food prices. Although a few Mexico-inspired frills prevent the clean, manufactured space from feeling too Spartan, in the tradition of Mexican taquerias the focus is on the food rather than the diner's surroundings. Outdoor tables were available, but we preferred the comfort of air conditioning on the hot July day. Our server recommended the marinated grilled pork carnitas, so I made it my choice as the meat in my burrito ($7). Other meat choices included chicken, carne asada and chicken chipotle. My friend ordered four chicken tacos ($1.50 each). The restaurant didn't serve horchata — my taqueria beverage of choice — so we each ordered Jarritos ($1.75 each). My burrito did not disappoint. Fresh, savory, spiced, grilled carnitas went great with the soft, fresh rice, pinto beans, lettuce, sour cream, cilantro, onion and salsa. As mentioned before, these ingredients were wrapped nice and tight in the fresh white-flour tortilla. Each taco topped two corn tortillas with meat, chopped onions and cilantro. I don't think my friend realized he'd chosen the blander of two chicken options when he placed his order, but my sample of the meat tasted fresh, and it was nothing the salsa bar couldn't fix. One disappointment was the arguably stale store-bought tortilla chips served while we waited during our Friday visit. At one point the server chucked one batch of chips and replaced it with a different batch of less-than-fresh ones. They redeemed themselves with fresh chips when I returned for a second visit, but I'm not sure whether the Mission brand tortilla strips best accentuate the salsa bar choices. My second visit was on a Tuesday slightly after peak lunch hours to try one of the restaurant's tortas (Mexican sub, $7). The server again steered me toward the carnitas, so I took his recommendation. The menu offered to add avocado for 50 cents extra. My friend came along and ordered the carnitas burrito with black beans. The roll was fresh and toasted, smothered with beans, sour cream, lettuce, onion and tomatoes. The highlight of the sandwich was the savory, grilled pork carnitas. My friend enjoyed his burrito, and its hearty portion served as lunch the next day. Unfortunately, that small order came at the tail end of a catering-size order ahead of us. The 15-minute wait didn't seem typical, and the restaurant apologized for the delay, but I'd recommend those pressed for time call in their order ahead of time at 541-538-9612. — Nick Morgan MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jul. 25, 2014 @ 2:00 am Updated at 11:07 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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