It was just over a year ago that I reviewed The Fold for the Arkansas Times, and my opinion of the place at that time was rather tepid. But after recently eating some crow about Local Lime, a commenter told me to give the Riverdale taco joint another try — and I have to say, I’m glad I did. The Fold seems to have settled into its groove nicely, and some of the issues I remembered from my previous visit — slow service in particular — were nowhere to be seen. And since the restaurant has a restaurant month deal going on where they give you a free cheese dip with the purchase of a taco plate, we were already pretty happy with the place.
About that cheese dip — it’s good. I love white cheese dip with just the right amount of spice, and The Fold’s Habanero Queso was just my style. Creamy, smooth, and with a subtle heat that added punch without overpowering, we worked our way through the ample portion in no time. I love that the wife and I got it for free, but I would gladly pay $5 for this dip any time.
My wife got the three taco platter, and she was immediately enamored by the Cochinita Pibil (Pit Pork) and the Puerco Verde (another pork taco), and although the Tejas steak taco she got as her third choice was a little underwhelming due to the toughness of the beef, we both declared the The Fold’s pork to be excellent — well-seasoned, tender, and quite juicy.
I wanted to branch out from the taco part of the menu, so I ordered a Steak Torta, and I was rewarded with a massive sandwich of tasty steak, chimichurri, pickled onions and pico de gallo piled high on a perfectly toasted roll. Again, the steak was a little tough, but the flavor was on point. The bread was soft and chewy on the inside, but had a nice toasted crunch that I enjoyed. The voluminous toppings spilled from the sandwich onto the plate, making the whole experience a messy, decadent pleasure.
I’ve always loved the atmosphere at The Fold — light and airy, with a funky decor fitting the space’s past life as a service station. And while we still had a few issues — the tough steak and an utterly forgettable rice side dish — our overall meal was pretty fantastic. Service was excellent — I think at least three people asked us how we were doing during the meal, and our food and drinks came out very quickly. Final verdict? I’ve got to change my opinion once again from “skip it” to “put it on the rotation.” We’ll be back to The Fold, especially the next time I get a hankering for a torta.