Comments (0) Best Place to Take a Foodie - 2012
Distrito
At the recently rehabbed Saguaro Hotel, celebrity chef Jose Garces, a former Iron Chef America contestant and James Beard Award winner, has created a vibrant, colorful, and tasty paean to Mexico City street food that has caught not only the attention of local diners but the national media, including Food + Wine magazine. Despite a few misses, the "modern Mexican" small plates at Garces' restaurant are spectacular. Start with the rich gourmet version of green pozole, featuring pieces of crispy pork belly, smoky chorizo, and littleneck clams, or the citrusy yellowtail tuna ceviche, a sashimi-like twist on the beloved Mexican seafood cocktail. For a main course, dig into outstanding mahi mahi and pulled pork tacos or a tender piece of rotisserie chicken topped with a tantalizingly complex brown mole. It's nearly as good as just about anything on the barbacoa portion of the menu, especially the slow-roasted pork dish cochinita a la pibil, served in a small pool of achiote and pineapple barbecue sauce. There certainly is no shortage of local star power and top-notch culinary geniuses in Scottsdale, which makes it all the more special that someone of Jose Garces' stature chooses to bring his distinct vision to this thriving culinary scene.
