RUDY’S MEXICAN GRILL in West Garden Grove (Photo by John Borack).

By John Borack/Orange County Tribune

My former place of employment (for more than 25 years) was in West Garden Grove, so I was constantly searching for new places to dine in the area. These days I travel through Garden Grove quite often on my way to work, so the search for something new and different continues.

While driving to work recently, I decided to check out a place I had passed by for years but for some reason never tried: Rudy’s Mexican Grill, located at the corner of Knott Street and Lampson Avenue, in a rather nondescript strip mall across from Pacifica High School.

I stopped by Rudy’s Mexican Grill on a recent Thursday afternoon for an early dinner and it did not disappoint. The first thing I noticed upon entering is the menu on the wall behind the counter: it’s pretty massive and the print is extremely tiny. There’s also a printed menu on the counter … but unfortunately, that’s just as tiny.

Since my eyesight isn’t what it used to be, I turned my attention to the daily specials listed near the counter. Below the specials I spotted two words that immediately caught my attention: chicken mole.

Chicken mole (pronounced mo-lay, if you’re unfamiliar) happens to be one of my favorite Mexican dishes, and one that is not always served at Mexican restaurants.

Mole sauce is highlighted by the twin flavors of chili and chocolate—yes, chocolate—and is slightly sweet, slightly smoky, and very tasty—when done properly. (I’ve had a few awful mole experiences, including one at a restaurant that shall remain unnamed in the city of Orange, where it tasted like the poor chicken had been bathed in a melted Hershey bar. Yuck.)

At any rate, after ordering at the counter, my dinner was served promptly and cheerfully. Most chicken mole dishes I have tried in California use boneless chicken breasts, but Rudy’s comes with a leg and a thigh, along with rice, beans, and four tortillas.

After the first bite of chicken, I was suitably impressed: the meat was so tender it was literally falling off the bone. The beans and rice were pretty standard, but I was able to flavor them up a tad more by adding several drops of jalapeno salsa from the salsa bar. (They have 10 different varieties available.)

The corn tortillas were hot and fresh, and perfect for dipping in the mole sauce. The cost for the dinner was $14.99, which was perfectly reasonable given the amount and quality of the food.

Rudy’s Mexican Grill is a family-owned business and recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary in Garden Grove, and while it’s definitely nothing fancy, the food is definitely high-quality and super fresh. Just remember to bring a magnifying glass along to read the menu. (I kid.)

Rudy’s is located at 12525 Knott St. in Garden Grove and they’re open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m.to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They do not seem to have a website, but you can find them on Yelp.