Silvana Salcido Esparza

Get ready for West of Western

Tempe Treasure

A hidden home of southern Mexican fare reveals how to eat dried worms

Black Market Bonanza

Getting fresh at the mercado

Soul Celebration

Celebrants get into spirit of Day of the Dead

Cheese Wiz

Mexican delicacies discovered in Valley

Día de las Gracias

Traditional tastes merge on Thanksgiving

Rancho Cooks Among Us

Phoenix Ranch goes to market

BEST MODERN MEXICANA RESTAURANT

Barrio Cafe

Coming Soon: Barrio Cantina & Grill

No wonder there were rumors. A couple months ago, I'd heard that the acclaimed Barrio Cafe was moving to Paradise Valley, and I just wasn't buying it. Come on -- can you see chef-owner Silvana Salcido Esparza, a pierced and tattooed CenPho gal, leaving her 16th Street digs? Nuh uh. She tells ... More >>

Downtown Brown

Barrio businesses are flourishing, but not in downtown Phoenix

Letters

Letters from the week of May 15, 2003

Nappy Roots

Silvana dispels the "lazy Mexican" stereotype

Chile Reception

Carey Sweet tries her best to find something wrong with Barrio Café.

Van Dulce

Chevy rules Mexico's roads

Chef Talk: Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Cafe

Lauren Gilger Silvana Salcido Esparza behind the bar at Barrio Cafe. When she was 19, Silvana Salcido Esparza left her family's Mexican bakery in Merced, California, and moved to downtown Miami to work in international banking. "Columbians would come into my office with paper bags full of $1 ... More >>

July 7 In Blogs: 103.9 The Edge, Barrio Cafe, Citizenship, and Golden Rule Tattoo

In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Up on the Sun: Update on The Edge 103.9's "Format Modification:" Less New Music, More 90s Hits New Release Tuesday ... More >>

Recipe: Enchiladas del Mar from Barrio Cafe

Lauren GilgerEnchiladas del mar from Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza at Barrio Cafe.Don't go serving Silvana Salcido Esparza some over-worked, over-wrought, over-thought dish that sits in a nice little design in the very center of the plate. "I don't like my food to be puréed, recongealed, molded and ... More >>

Beard Awards Bypass AZ in Finalists List

Oh, the anticipation of Twitter.This morning, the James Beard Foundation live-tweeted the finalists for its prestigious culinary awards.Nobody from Arizona made the cut. There were five finalists for each category.In the running was Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts (Outstanding Restaurateur), ... More >>

Meat Up at This Weekend's AZ BBQ Festival

​I doubt the AZ BBQ Festival will be a one-off event. Those guys over at the EaterAZ blog, Rick Phillips and Dave Tyda, have done a bang-up job with organizing and promoting their brand-new culinary festival, which takes place this weekend at the Scottsdale Waterfront. I drove ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza Stands Up Against SB 1070

​Barrio Cafe chef Silvana Salcido Esparza swears she's not a politician -- nor does she want to be one. But when SB 1070, the controversial immigration law, was about to be passed, she couldn't bear to stay in the kitchen. So she headed to the State Capitol, to chat with the young people who ... More >>

Asadero Norte de Sonora, Taqueria 3 Amigos, Tortas El Guero, and the Rest of Phoenix's Mexican Restaurant Row

​Barrio Cafe chef Silvana Salcido Esparza swears she's not a politician -- nor does she want to be one. But when SB 1070, the controversial immigration law, was about to be passed, she couldn't bear to stay in the kitchen. So she headed to the State Capitol, to chat with the young people who ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza Cooks For Political Fundraiser

"I always watched politics like sports," says Barrio Cafe chef-owner Silvana Salcido Esparza. "But SB 1070 was the straw that broke the camel's back." Nowadays, the acclaimed culinary talent -- who was a semifinalist for a James Beard Award this year -- is getting more politically involved, speaking ... More >>

Proud to Paint

Mural project rallies community

Day of the Dead in the Gardens and Pumpkin Cheese Balls in Today's Eater's Digest

kitchensimplicity.com​Hungry for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Dia de los Muertos The Desert Botanical Gardens welcomes you to come and celebrate the time honored tradition of celebrating the lives of lost loved ones tomorrow, October 28 at Cuisine and ... More >>

Make Tamales With Barrio Cafe Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza

​Better start thinking about the holidays, people. Now that the Halloween hangovers are starting to fade, there's work to be done, shopping lists to be made, and a whole lot of food to be devoured between now and New Year's. Barrio Cafe chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's offering a heck of a hot ... More >>

Making Tamales With Barrio Cafe's Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza

Aren't they adorable? I made these tiny tamales myself, and can't wait to gobble them up. ​Last week I met up with three girlfriends for a fabulous early Christmas treat: a tamale-making class at Barrio Cafe. Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza is one sassy sensei. I'd happily take anothe ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's Tamal Mexicano Basic Masa

​It's all about the lard, baby."Fat is your friend," said Barrio Cafe chef Silvana Salcido Esparza at her recent tamale making class (read about it here). "Once a year, go for a walk!"Well, there's also salt, liquid, and ground corn that's been dried and boiled in lye, but making the masa fluffy w ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza Plans Barrio Cafe in Gilbert

Silvana Salcido Esparza is taking Barrio Cafe to the 'burbs. ​One of the most highly acclaimed chefs in Arizona is about to open a second restaurant -- and the location is the burbs, not the barrio.   Silvana Salcido Esparza -- chef-owner of Barrio Cafe and current nominee-in ... More >>

This Weekend: Devoured Phx Culinary Classic

Last year, Kai's table at Devoured was the most beautiful display of all.​Over the last few years, the Valley of the Sun has become the Valley of the Culinary Festivals. A handful of must-visit food- and wine-tasting events is now a sprawling season of eating, from East Valley to West. ... More >>

Taberna Mexicana Gives Phoenix's Mexican Food Competition a Run For Its Masa

Last year, Kai's table at Devoured was the most beautiful display of all.​Over the last few years, the Valley of the Sun has become the Valley of the Culinary Festivals. A handful of must-visit food- and wine-tasting events is now a sprawling season of eating, from East Valley to West. ... More >>

Friday at Devoured: Palette to Palate

Roasted Corn Cocktail and Shrimp Ceviche from the Barrio Cafe​To kick off this year's Devoured PHX Culinary Classic the Phoenix Art Musuem hosted Palette to Palate, a pairing of chefs, artists, and spirits, in the great hall of the museum for a crowd willing to spring for the $45 (plus fees) ... More >>

Cooking Channel Visits Barrio Cafe for Food(ography) Shoot

​Last night the crew from Mo Rocca's Cooking Channel show, Food(ography), visited chef Silvana Salcido Esparza for a four-hour shoot at Barrio Cafe. Here's a behind-the-scenes snapshot of the episode. Word is, Mo was a no go, but who needs a host, anyway? Esparza could carry her own show ... More >>

Five Guacamoles We'd Eat Straight From the Bowl

  All guac is not created equal. And if you've ever dipped a chip into the offerings at our five favorite spots for the best use of avocado, you know what we're talking about.   1. Barrio Cafe. Really, here in Phoenix, Silvana Salcido Esparza sets the standard with her tableside guacamol ... More >>

SB 1070 Has Been Bad for Arizona and Worse for Mexicans, But It Inspired a Year's Worth of Great Art

  All guac is not created equal. And if you've ever dipped a chip into the offerings at our five favorite spots for the best use of avocado, you know what we're talking about.   1. Barrio Cafe. Really, here in Phoenix, Silvana Salcido Esparza sets the standard with her tableside guacamol ... More >>

Why Barrio Cafe's Silvana Salcido Esparza Won't Be Partying on Cinco de Mayo

  Lauren Gilger Silvana Salcido Esparza​Silvana Salcido Esparza tells it like it is, and the other day she was doing just that on Facebook. The topic? Cinco de Mayo -- and how much it bugs her. So we asked the chef/owner of Barrio Cafe to tell us why. Recently, I was opening my busi ... More >>

Barrio Café's Silvana Salcido Esparza to Open Two New Restaurant Concepts in Scottsdale

Silvana Salcido Esparza​It looks like Silvana Salcido Esparza, chef and owner of Barrio Café, is planning a move to Old Town Scottsdale. The Arizona Republic reports that Esparza's two restaurant concepts, slated to move into the SouthBridge space in Old Town Scottsdale that previously house ... More >>

Barrio Cafe Chef to Whip Up Dishes for Latino Artists

Diana Martinez​Barrio Cafe has been in the news a lot lately, what with the upcoming airport branch and Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's new Scottsdale restaurant ventures in the works. But she's not the only Barrio chef to be getting around.Esparza's right-hand man, Chef Julio Mata, will demonstra ... More >>

Barrio Cafe Celebrates Ninth Anniversary With Free Flan

Silvana Salcido Esparza​Hard to believe that nine years ago, chef Silvana Salcido Esparza and Wendy Gruber established Barrio Cafe, the now-famous restaurant featuring modern versions of traditional Mexican cuisine. To celebrate Barrio Cafe's ninth anniversary, Esparza and Gruber are offering ... More >>

New Chef Competition Show for Bravo Now Casting: Will Valley Chefs Represent?

Attention Valley chefs: Time to pull out the can of whoop-ass for a potential new TV series.​Payton Curry, step it up. Bernie Kantak, I'm callin' you out. Silvana Salcido Esparza, time to kick some ass. Seems as if the producers of the Emmy award-winning Top Chef are putting together a potent ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's Barrio Tequileria Not Happening in Gilbert

​Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner and chef of Barrio Cafe, the longt-time favorite Phoenix restaurant featuring modern versions of traditional Mexican cuisine, made the announcement today that Barrio Tequileria, her concept for the city of Gilbert, will not be happening. The news comes after s ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza's Barrio Tequileria: "Not What We Signed Up For" Says Gilbert Landlord

Blueprint for Barrio Gilbert. ​Today, Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner and chef of Barrio Cafe, announced that Barrio Tequileria, her concept for Gilbert, would not be happening due to ongoing disagreements with the landlord, one that included the name sounding too much like a bar. The bar thi ... More >>

Barrio Cafe's Silvana Salcido Esparza to Be Featured on Cooking Channel's Food(ography)

Silvana Salcido Esparza​Folks, the TV love just keeps on comin' for Valley tastemakers. Air time for Sweet Republic and Paletas Betty happened over the last couple of weeks, Urban Cookies (OllieCake) announced they'll be on Food Network's Cupcake Wars, and now, Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner a ... More >>

See Barrio Cafe's Silvana Salcido Esparza's Home On the Evans Churchill Interesting Interiors Tour This Saturday

Silvana Salcido Esparza​Looking for a way to walk off all those eats from the Phoenix Food Truck Festival? Why not peek into some cool spaces nearby courtesy of the First Annual Evans Churchill Interesting Interiors Tour -- after all, the home of Valley legend and Barrio Cafe chef and owner Si ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza to Open Barrio Queen Tequileria Before Year's End: Here's a Sneak Peek

Barrio Queen's decor (still being completed) comes courtesy of Esparza herself.​Since she announced her two new restaurant concepts in June -- the "Euro-Mexican" restaurant called Silvana and the more casual Barrio Queen Tequileria -- the chef and owner of Barrio Café, Silvana Salcido Esparza ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza Announces Opening Dates for New Restaurants -- Plus, a Sneak Peek at Barrio Queen Menu

​Earlier this month, I reported that Valley legend, chef, and owner of Barrio Café, Silvana Salcido Esparza, was planning on opening the first of her two new restaurant concepts, the casual Barrio Queen Tequileria, by the end of the year -- just in time for its New Year's Eve party complete w ... More >>

Laura Hahnefeld Looks at the Year of the Food Truck

​Earlier this month, I reported that Valley legend, chef, and owner of Barrio Café, Silvana Salcido Esparza, was planning on opening the first of her two new restaurant concepts, the casual Barrio Queen Tequileria, by the end of the year -- just in time for its New Year's Eve party complete w ... More >>

Laura Hahnefeld's Year in Food: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Beckett's Table joined in the pie craze of 2011.​In addition to food trucks making the scene in a big way in 2011 (see the article here), the year in food for the Valley was chock-full of other newsworthy goodies as well -- even chef Payton Curry managed to slip in a last-minute announcement.  ... More >>

Silvana Bistro to Open This Friday

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza​On the heels of opening Barrio Queen, the casual Mexican eatery, tequileria, and bakery on December 26, Barrio Cafe owner and chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has announced she'll open her latest restaurant, Silvana Bistro, this Friday, January 6, in the SouthBridge sp ... More >>

The Valley's Dining Scene Has Plenty to Love

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza​On the heels of opening Barrio Queen, the casual Mexican eatery, tequileria, and bakery on December 26, Barrio Cafe owner and chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has announced she'll open her latest restaurant, Silvana Bistro, this Friday, January 6, in the SouthBridge sp ... More >>

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza Closes Silvana Bistro, Devotes Efforts (and Space) to Barrio Queen

Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza at Silvana Bistro.​In what may be the Valley's quickest opening and closing of a new restaurant by a legendary tastemaker, Barrio Cafe owner and chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has decided to close the second of her two concepts, Silvana Bistro, and devote all her ene ... More >>