When we walked into the new location of Tio’s Mexican Cafe, a sanitized spot on Liberty Street, my daughter complained that it had lost its hole-in-the-wall, authentic appeal. Tio’s was part of a much-publicized dispute when its landlord sold the building on Huron Street where the restaurant had been since 1986, forcing Tio’s out. It opened in its new location under the same management on June 12.

As for me, I’m okay with this new location, where parking is far more accessible than it was on Huron. Tio’s changed the ambience little from from its predecessor, Salsarita’s a fast-food Mexican place. The interior is expansive and cheery, with bright wall colors and a loud cloud painting on the ceiling left by its former owner. A long counter where customers at Salsarita’s used to get their food was taken down to make room for a cozy island/bar area along with high-backed booths.

Customers can expect the same quality food as they experienced at the former Tio’s, which means that some of the dishes are better than others. Service here, from the start, was impressive, with our amiable server consistently checking in on us. Our meal got off to a great start with smooth, creamy, perfectly seasoned guacamole and warm chips. Salsa tasted and looked homemade, with tiny chunks of tomatoes, green peppers, and onions providing a pleasant complement to the warm, slightly salted chips. Roasted tomato soup arrived piping hot, and it was a delightful, hearty broth.

As for the main courses, I most enjoyed the wonderful homemade Spanish rice, accented with chunks of fresh tomatoes, and refried beans. I would happily have made them a meal on their own.

The vegetarian burrito, filled with these ingredients, was delicious. My daughter complained that the chicken was difficult to decipher in her chicken quesadilla, the result of being so finely ground, you could barely taste it, though the overall structure and texture was fine.

My fajita was served with fresh-tasting grilled chicken and vegetables, but it didn’t arrive on a piping-hot skillet, taking away some of the appeal. And there was no sauce, making for a bland-tasting dish. The grilled chicken fajita salad included fresh greens and slightly spicy dressing and was quite good.

Deep fried cheesecake is purchased from Gordons Food Service, but it was nonetheless interesting, with a an interior that tasted like farmers cheese and reminded me of the cheese blintzes that my grandmother used to make — and that’s a great memory. RESTAURANT REVIEW Tio’s Mexican Cafe 401 E. Liberty, Suite 2 Tio’s Mexican Cafe in AnnArbor.com restaurant guide Tio’s Mexican Cafe web site 734-761-6650 Hours: 10 a.m.-1 a.m. every day. Plastic: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover Liquor: No, but a liquor license application is in process. Prices: Moderate. Most meals are in the $8-$12 range. Value: Very good. Noise level: Medium. Wheelchair access: Yes. Smoking section: No.

Photo: Tio's interior by Renee Tellez.