Ernesto GastelumHead Chef

Welcome to Rio Azul, Palm Springs

The inspiration for Rio Azul Mexican Bar & Grill came from a young man’s dream to introduce

his original and distinct interpretation of Mexican food to the masses. Born and raised in San

Benito, Sinaloa Mexico, Head Chef Ernesto Gastelum began his culinary journey at a young age.

He attended school in Culiacan and came to Los Angeles, CA when he turned 13. Ernesto learned

to cook from various chefs he worked for. He started his career as dishwasher and through

perseverance he worked his way up to line cook, front of the house while knowing he wanted to

be a Head Chef someday. Among some of the restaurants he has worked for in the desert are

Jillian’s, The Vintage Club, The Hideaway and Café De Beaux Arts. Ernesto’s passion and love

for both his food and his culture have allowed him to create an array of eclectic and delicious

dishes – many of which have come from his family recipes passed down from generation to

generation such as his Abuelita’s Albondigas Soup to the Tia Maria’s Green Corn Tamales. Ernesto’s

fi rm belief is that every plate must be prepared with fresh ingredients and provide exceptional taste.

He is very adventurous with food and likes to challenge the palate by making every dish as if it was

himself eating it. His experiences have given him a deep understanding of operating a restaurant.

Every dish is prepared promptly and with a homemade Mexican fl avor. Let the food speak for itself.

His extraordinary dishes will have you returning time and time again!

AntojitosFresh Guacamole — $9.95

Prepared tableside with fresh avocados, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, Serrano pepper, and fresh squeezed lime juice.

Chiles Desnudos — $9.95 Fresh Anaheim peppers stuffed with cotija & jack cheese, garlic, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, & Pibil sauce.

Chiles Gueritos (Yellow Peppers) — $12.95Half dozen tasty baked yellow peppers stuffed with sautéed shrimp, garlic, tomatoes, onions,

and cilantro served with a creamy soy sauce.

Queso Flamiado — $9.95A delicious cheese casserole made with jack cheese and Mexican sausage.

Also available vegetarian.

Quesadilla — $9.95Large Flour tortilla fi lled with jack cheese, Anaheim peppers, diced tomatoes,

served with Pico de Gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.• Add Chicken $11.95 • Add Steak $12.95

Nachos — $9.95Homemade tortilla smothered with refried beans, jack cheese, ranchera sauce, topped with sour cream,

guacamole, pico de gallo, and the chefs famous salsa negra.• Add Chicken $11.95 • Add Steak $12.95

Calamari — $10.95Deep fried calamari dusted with New Mexico chile fl our served with Guajillo sauce and lemon pepper.

Ceviche — $10.95Chopped shrimp cooked in fresh lime juice mixed with tomatoes, onions, cilantro,

and Serrano pepper, served with corn tostaditas.

Chiles Toriados — $2.95 Spice it up with grilled chiles to any entrée. Ask waiter for available chiles.

SopasSopa de Tortilla

Our homemade tortilla soup with diced chicken breast, red bell peppers, onions, and basil, topped with jack cheese and tortilla strips.

• Small Bowl $4.95 • Large Bowl $7.95Frijol Negro

Our homemade black bean puree garnished with sour cream.• Small Bowl $4.95 • Large Bowl $7.95

AlbondigasAbuelitas famous meatball soup made with fresh cut vegetables creating its own savory broth.

• Small Bowl $4.95 • Large Bowl $7.95

No Split checks for Parties of 8 or More, an 18% gratuity will be added. $2.50 charge for split checks of 8 people or more.

EnsaladasTostada Grande — $12.95

Large fl our tortilla bowl fi lled with refried beans, your choice of shredded chicken or beef, topped with iceberg lettuce, jack cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

• With Pork $13.95 • With Fish $14.95

Carretilla — $13.95 Crispy baked fl our tortilla topped with refried beans, shredded cabbage, Monterey, cotija, black beans,

pico de gallo, pork barbacoa, sour cream, guacamole, & salsa negra.

Rio Azul Ensalada — $13.95Romaine lettuce with our homemade dressing made of olive oil, sweet basil, cilantro, pepita, cotija cheese,

served with grilled chicken, avocado, tomatoes and topped with tortilla strips.• With Shrimp $15.95

• With Fish Diabla $15.95

Fajita Ensalada Romaine lettuce tossed with our homemade garlic, lime, apple vinegar dressing topped

with grilled tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, & garnished with a slice of avocado.• With Chicken $14.95 • With Steak $15.95

• With Carnitas $14.95 • With Shrimp $15.95

House Dinner Salad — $2.75

Rio Azul CreationsAll creations are accompanied with refried beans and rice

One Item — $9.95 Two Item — $11.95Three Item — $12.95

Enchiladas Choice of: Cheese • Beef • Chicken • Pork

•

Tacos Choice of: Beef • Chicken • Pork

Tamales Choice of: Green Corn • Chicken • Pork

•

Chile Relleno

No Split checks for Parties of 8 or More, an 18% gratuity will be added. $2.50 charge for split checks of 8 people or more.

ParrilladasIncludes a combination of citrus marinated grilled shrimp, bacon wrapped

shrimp stuffed with jalapeño and jack cheese, succulent quail cooked to perfection, grilled chicken, and grilled steak served over grilled onions, green and red bell peppers

accompanied with fresh guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, rice and your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans. A must try!

For 1 Person $19.95 • For 2 People $38.95 • For 4 People $75.95

CarnesServed with rice and your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans

Cochinita Pibil — $16.95A slow-roasted pork cooked in a banana leaf to preserve its fl avor & tenderness with fresh orange juice, lime juice,

achiote sauce, fresh Serrano and Habanero pepper, topped with red onions. Homemade empanada with cheese and garlic.

Chile Verde — $14.95Juicy tender chunks of pork in our delicious fresh homemade tomatillo sauce.

• Also available as Enchiladas $14.95• Also available as Burrito $15.95

Carnitas — $14.95Delicious tender pork topped with our homemade tomatillo sauce and jack cheese,

accompanied with guacamole, pico de gallo, and chile toriado.

Carne Asada with Enchilada — $18.95Marinated beef sirloin grilled to perfection, served with guacamole, and chile toriado,

your choice of a cheese enchilada or adobado shrimp.• With Adobado Shrimp $20.95

Pollo A La Plancha — $14.95 Grilled chicken breast topped with the chef’s delicious achiote cream sauce and pico de gallo.

Cordoniz Estilo Ernesto — $24.95Grilled Quail served with sautéed tomatoes, potatoes, garlic, cilantro, and green onions,

accompanied with Chef Ernesto’s Famous Diablo Cream Salsa.

Sizzling FajitasServed with rice and your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans

Chicken $15.95 • Steak $16.95Shrimp $16.95 • Carnitas $15.95 • Vegetable $13.95

No Split checks for Parties of 8 or More, an 18% gratuity will be added. $2.50 charge for split checks of 8 people or more.

Especialidades de la CasaServed with rice and your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans

Enchiladas Poblanas — $14.95Shredded chicken mixed with onions zucchini, cilantro, garlic rolled in corn tortillas topped

with our homemade poblano pepper, chicken cream sauce topped with cotija cheese.e.

Enchiladas Suizas — $14.95Two corn tortillas fi lled with shredded chicken breasts, topped with tomatillo sauce,

cotija cheese, and sour cream.

Enchiladas Ranchera — $14.95Flour or corn tortillas rolled with shredded chicken breast topped with our homemade vegetable

ranchera sauce, jack cheese, sour cream, and salsa negra.

Enchiladas del Mar — $17.95Sautéed shrimp and crab meat, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes rolled in fl our tortillas topped

with our homemade cream sauce and cotija cheese.

Enchiladas Vegetables — $13.95 Corn tortillas fi lled with bell pepper, onion, sweet corn, black beans, zucchini,

cheese topped with our vegetable ranchera sauce.Also available as Burrito - $14.95

Chimichanga — $14.95A crispy, deep fried burrito stuffed with your choice of shredded beef or chicken,

topped with red pasilla sauce, jack cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo.

Carne Asada Burrito — $15.95Large fl our tortilla fi lled with marinated beef sirloin, sautéed with bell peppers, onions,

cilantro, tomatoes topped with guacamole and pico de gallo.

Pollo Asado Burrito — $14.95 Large fl our tortilla fi lled with grilled chicken, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro,

and topped with our citrus cream sauce.

Poblano Relleno — $13.95 Fresh Poblano pepper, stuffed with cheese, tomato, garlic, topped with our homemade ranchera and Poblano salsa.

• Add Cochinita or Chile Verde $15.95• Add Chicken $15.95 • Add Shrimp $16.95 • Add Steak $16.95

Chiles Toriados — $2.95 Spice it up with grilled chiles to any entrée. Ask waiter for available chiles.

No Split checks for Parties of 8 or More, an 18% gratuity will be added. $2.50 charge for split checks of 8 people or more.

TacosServed with rice and your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans

Tacos de Pescado — $14.95Lightly-breaded grilled white fi sh served with onions, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, shredded cabbage,

topped with our citrus cream sauce served in of corn or fl our tortillas.

Tacos de Camaron — $14.95Gulf shrimp sautéed with bell pepper, chipotle, cilantro, tomatoes, onions, and jack cheese served in fl our or corn tortillas.

Also available as Burrito - $15.95 Cochinita Tacos — $14.95

Slow roasted pork accompanied with cabbage, guacamole, pico de gallo, and red onions served in corn tortillas.

Tacos de Carne Asada — $14.95Grilled marinated strips of beef sirloin on two lightly grilled corn tortillas

served with cabbage, jack cheese, and pico de gallo.

Tacos de Calamari — $14.95Two fl our or corn tortillas fi lled with deep fried calamari dusted with guajillo chile fl our

served with cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado, and our homemade citrus cream sauce..

Platillos del MarServed with rice your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans

Camarones Azul — $18.95Gulf shrimp sautéed with bell peppers, onions tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, chipotle, and jack cheese.

Camarones A La Diabla — $18.95Large shrimp sautéed in our own blend of chile peppers, shrimp broth, garlic, butter, and white wine.

Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo — $18.95Large shrimp sautéed with lemon, butter, garlic, white wine, and a hint of tomato sauce.

Achiote Filet — $17.95 Grilled white fi sh topped with our achiote cream sauce & salsa negra.

Pescado Veracruz — $17.95Boneless fi let sautéed with fresh bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, leeks, and garlic.

Camarones Rellenos — $21.95Large shrimp stuffed with Jalapeño chile powder, jack cheese, wrapped in bacon,

and topped with our delicious homemade ranchera sauce, accompanied with fresh guacamole, and salsa fresca.

Postres - $5.95Abuelita’s Flan - A creamy vanilla custard in a rich carmel sauce.

Sopapillas - Two sweet puff pastries crowned with honey, powdered sugar, and cinnamon, served with vanilla ice cream.Fried Ice Cream - Vanilla ice cream covered with crunch corn fl akes, deep-fried and topped with whipped cream & chocolate sauce.

Homemade Churros - Chef’s homemade recipe batter, deep-fried and topped with cinnamon, and whipped cream, accompanied with vanilla ice cream.

Children’s MenuAvailable upon request.

No Split checks for Parties of 8 or More, an 18% gratuity will be added. $2.50 charge for split checks of 8 people or more.