La Vida

Ah, the bowling alley snack bar — a place that’s never, ever as good as you want it to be. Especially at those corporate houses that dominate the kegling landscape. The pizza is always prefab junk, and the deep-fried goodies rarely are any better. That’s why this family-run eatery at Sunnyslope’s independently owned Let It Roll Bowl is a breath of fresh air. Reasonably priced standards such as tacos, burritos, and enchiladas are available, as are regional specialties like molotes (deep-fried fritters stuffed with potato and chorizo) and tlayuda (think: Mexican pizza). Menu entrees include black or (very good) red mole, stuffed chiles, gorditas, and green or red ribs. None of it costs more than $8 and all of it tastes pretty darn good. And if you feel your bowling experience simply isn’t complete without a pizza or hot dog, well, they’ve got that American stuff, too.

We're not sure exactly how the idea for fast Mexican/Chinese food came about ("Hey, you put your chimichanga in my sweet and sour sauce!") but we're glad it happened — and it's a Valley original. With two locations, you can indulge in a Chino Bandido fix whether you're in the East Valley or on the west side. Either way, you'd better not skip the jade chicken, a deep-fried, bright-red treat that feels like dessert for dinner. Pair it with carnitas or carne asada burros and jerk rice with pork. Just be sure to leave room for (we know this sounds odd, but bear with us) a fresh-baked Snickerdoodle cookie for dessert. Fusion at its finest.

Chef Matt Carter's sophisticated, intimate spot serving modern Latin cuisine in Scottsdale might mean shaking the piggy bank for some extra coin, but the culinary journey is worth it. Mixing French cooking techniques with influences from Spain, Mexico, Central and South America, Carter's dishes are intensely flavorful and expertly prepared. Start with a stellar smoked pork pozole, or shared plates of duck carnitas empanada and smoked pork shoulder tacos in hand-pressed corn tortillas, then move on to exceptional grilled entrees like the chimichurri hanger steak and Chilean salmon. The tequila, cocktail, and wine lists are as impressive as the cuisine — especially when sipped by a flickering outdoor fire or inside amid chandeliers, ornate mirrors, and the restaurant's glowing wall of Himalayan salt blocks.

To those in the know (and that's more and more all the time), this award probably comes as little surprise, because this is one of downtown's true gems. There's no signage to speak of, there's no place to sit inside, the menu is tiny, it's open for only a couple of hours a day, and it takes only cash. Sounds like a real pain in the ass, huh? Well, maybe, but the line out the door at lunchtime indicates that it's worth it. Serving only red or green chili burritos (and their deep-fried counterparts, chimichangas), this hole-in-the-wall does basically just one thing and does it better than almost anybody else. The green chili, with its tender chunks of pork and wonderfully deep flavor, is our favorite in town, even though it can be kind of a mess (seriously, it takes some practice eating these things, but that's part of the fun). And the red chili, spicy and bold with bites of beef, is a winner, too. Of course, they're both wrapped in fresh tortillas, and you can have cheese and/or beans added to the mix, as well. Next time you're downtown during lunchtime, do yourself a favor and pop in.

This is the kind of place you could drive by every day on your way to work and never notice. In fact, we'd passed it by numerous times without giving it a second thought, until one day, the light bulb went off over our head. And are we ever glad we popped in to this Sunnyslope outpost, just south of Let It Roll bowling alley (a Best of Phoenix favorite). It's cash-only, it's no-frills, it's dirt-cheap, and, if you're lucky, you may see an employee rend a cooked goat as you chow down on awesome Mexico City street food such as tacos, burritos, tortas, and huaraches. It's that authentic. In addition to the standard asada, jamon, chorizo, carnitas, and pastor, you can get pierna (pork leg), pata (pork feet), cabeza (cow's head), and suadero (rose meat). What's rose meat, you ask? It's the fatty top part of the beef, just below the skin — served up chopped and grilled on top of a huge huarache ($7 and big enough for two people). And it is delicious. Well, we guess the secret's out on El Rinconcito now. You can thank us later.

Normally, when we hear the words "Guy Fieri," we wanna stick a hot relish fork in our eye — twice. Still, for whatever reason, the Fieri seal of approval does seem to help some deserving Valley eateries. Case in point: this small, strip-mall storefront in Ahwatukee. Save for the Lalo Cota Day of the Dead mural on the wall, this place does little to distinguish itself from any other suburban taquería, except for long lines waiting for the always-fresh Mexican vittles coming out of the kitchen. The pozole and menudo (served every day) are excellent, as are the specialty Bombero (notable for its delicious sweet and spicy sauce) and Arizona (smoky carne asada and diced potato) burritos. Throw in deliciously spicy red and green salsas, and you've got a winning combination.

Don't be put off by the location (in a crummy strip mall a couple of miles west of considerably tidier historic downtown Glendale) because inside this very good Mexican eatery is a cheery little dining room with a friendly. The menu focuses on the cuisine of the southern Mexican state of Michoacan and features several menu items you'd otherwise have to search far and wide to find, including bírria seca (barbecued goat), pipian con nopales marquesita (pork and cactus in a brown, nutty sauce), and Michoacan-style enchiladas (folded tortillas doused in tangy guajillo red sauce). The tortillas here are hechas a mana and the salsa is fresh and plenty fiery. There's a full breakfast menu and numerous seafood dishes, including ostiones en su concha (oysters on the half-shell). Prices are beyond reasonable, but even if they weren't, finding an authentic Michoacan-style dinner in good old Glendale would be worth it.

From the outside (well, from the inside, too), this unassuming eatery could be just another no-frills, hole-in-the-wall taquería in a past-its-prime suburban strip mall. However, the food is excellent. Let's start with the bírria de chivo (a specialty of the southern Mexican state of Jalisco): This goat dish may be the best of its kind in the Valley, with luscious chopped meat in a mouthwatering thick stew flavored with roasted peppers. We also enjoy the pozole rojo, a boldly flavored soup with hominy and tender chunks of beef served with add-as-you-like garnishes of cilantro, onions, shredded cabbage, and lime. Beyond that, you can find all standards — tacos, burritos, tostadas — with very good carne asada, lengua, al pastor, and the like. Prices are about as cheap as they come for flavors this outstanding.

Find this hidden, casual eatery in Tempe and you'll discover a selection of unique and authentic eats from the eastern Mexican state of Hidalgo, located north of Mexico City. For starters, don't miss the restaurant's namesake, the tlacoyos, oval-shaped fried masa cakes topped with a delectable green sauce, cheese, and feather-light shredded chicken. There's also a larger version of the tlacoyo called the huarache and a selection of stellar cheese crisps folded and filled with delights like huitlachoche (corn smut) and pumpkin flower. Weekends bring added deliciousness in the forms of lamb soup, barbecued lamb tacos, and the popular Hidalgo snack called tulancingueñas (think of it as a spicy Mexican version of a ham and cheese sandwich). Add a little Chuck Berry mixed in with the Mexican music coming out of the restaurant's speakers, and you've got yourself some lively goodness from both sides of the border.

Just a mile north of this dilapidated '60s-era strip mall, in Old Town Scottsdale, there's no shortage of higher-end Mexican restaurants. And many of them are quite good. But for dyed-in-the-wool, dirt-cheap Mex eats, this is our go-to. A carne asada platter for just $6.45? Yes, please. The chopped beef is tender and lightly seasoned, served with homemade tortillas, diced onions, and fresh cilantro. For a couple of dollars more, there's mojarra frita (fried talapia) or camarones rancheros (shrimp served in a spicy tomato sauce). Where this mom-and-pop joint especially comes in handy is when you're hoisting beers a couple of doors down at one of Scottsdale's best dive bars, the Closing Soon Saloon. After a couple of pops, you can duck into this taquería for a couple of spicy al pastor tacos or a nice pollo burro, and then retreat back to your barstool 15 minutes later. Repeat as necessary.

Mexican breakfast or American breakfast? You can get both at this small, unassuming neighborhood restaurant in Central Phoenix. Originally from La Barca, in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, chef and owner Jose Garcia cooks up Mexican breakfast favorites like chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and eggs alongside nopales or machaca or scrambled with serrano chile, tomato, and onion. A fork is fine, but we like to pile the a.m. eats into warm homemade tortillas. There are a few good ol' American classics as well; like bacon and eggs, omelets, and Garcia's signature light and fluffy pancakes made from scratch. Wash your breakfast down with a good ol' cup o' joe, or better yet, a cold bottle of Sidral Mundet, the apple-flavored soft drink from Mexico.

It's noon and your corporate overlords already hate you for even stepping away from your desk at all, let alone for lunch. (Yeah, we feel your pain: more work for less pay.) Time for a break that's fast, cheap, good, and legendary, courtesy of this always-hopping Mexican joint just south of downtown. Boasting crazy-good tortillas, green corn tamales, machaca, and a show-stopping signature hot sauce/salsa especially drool-worthy when poured over the Oaxaca special (a burrito featuring Carolina's excellent chorizo, beans, potatoes, and cheese), you'll be in, out, and satisfied in 30 minutes (maybe less) and with only about $7 less in your wallet. Is it lunchtime yet?

It would be enough to feast on unlimited chorizo con huevos, red menudo, chiles rellenos, and other Mexican staples at Rio Mirage's brunch — all served with a glass of sparkling champagne. But what makes this Sunday treat especially worthy of a nod are the fresh-off-the-grill, piping-hot tortillas delivered in a woven basket right to your table.

You simply can’t go wrong with the classics — rice, beans, chips, and salsa — added to the build-your-own taco station, and the menudo, light on hominy but packed with beef stomach and a slightly thickened red sauce, defies the version of the dish you’d find in most Mexican restaurants. Satisfy your sweet tooth with pan dulce, a sugar-coated sopaipilla, or a churro stuffed with an apple-flavored filling. There’s a mix of chopped watermelon, cantaloupe, and strawberry for a less indulgent end to your all-you-can-eat experience.

The tacos and burritos at this small and stylish Central Phoenix eatery certainly are good, but let's face it: It's the salsa bar that put this place on the map. There usually are 12 different salsas on hand, consistently well prepared and wonderfully flavorful — from sweet to spicy to fruity to tangy. There's a cool cilantro cream with a refreshing, light taste, a zesty tomatillo, and more unique selections like strawberry and pecan salsa. Spread them out on your table for a sensory explosion, not just for your taste buds, but a colorful feast for you eyes, as well. A basket of chips never had it so good.

We didn't think things could get any better than sitting on Rita's elegant and spacious patio with a cinnamon-spiked glass of their red sangria — and then we tried a bowl of the luscious guacamole. Holy avocado! Made tableside with fresh avocados, spicy jalapeños, and tart lime juice, the dip is customized to your liking and served with an overflowing bowl of their delicious tortilla chips. We like ours salty and spicy with a hearty helping of jalapeños and a nice dose of sea salt. It's a pricey appetizer, but it's worth it for guac this good.

El Porvenir Tortilla Factory isn't much to look at — from either the outside or inside. But don't let the dusty shelves in the dimly lit store turn you off, because this family business has been churning out the best flour and corn tortillas in Arizona since 1954. Delivered daily to stores across the state, you’ve probably seen the packages, stamped with a red eagle, at your local grocer. If you want to cut out the middle man, however, go directly to the Tortilla Factory for a package of warm, preservative-free tortillas that are the next best thing to homemade. Red Eagle has a variety of sizes to accommodate everything from soft tacos to good-size burritos. Unlike most tortillas, you’ve got to keep these flavorful treats in the refrigerator (or eat ’em fast) because they don’t contain the preservatives that give their competitors’ products a longer shelf life — and a rubbery texture.

Lots of Mexican joints in the Valley solve the Mexican-soup puzzle, but many of these serve it only on the weekends. This West Phoenix hole-in-the-wall serves the stuff every single day, and it serves not one but three varieties — one for each color of the Mexican flag. The deep-flavored pozole rojo is filled with pork chunks, hominy, and red chiles. The pozole blanco uses chicken and is not quite as spicy but no less flavorful. And the pozole verde (also featuring chicken) is slightly tangier than its brethren, thanks to the use of tomatillos. Each variety is served in large, steaming bowls along with warm tortillas and a plate of add-ins such as cilantro, lime, shredded cabbage, and radish. Our recommendation: Dump it all in the stew, stir, and let the flavors mingle to create one of the best-tasting, most soul-satisfying dishes found in Mexican cuisine. Our other recommendation: As hard as it may be to resist, don't finish the entire bowl in one sitting, because your pozole — no matter what color — will taste even better the next day.

Neither La Carreta de Lily nor its specialty offering is much to look at. The small mostly ice cream shop is packed into a nondescript storefront, and the specialty — elote en vaso — will leave you holding plump kernels of corn floating in a styrofoam cup filled with a hot, gooey mayo, lime juice and salsa mixture, smothered with crumbled bits of cotija cheese and dusted with red chili powder. The unique explosion of flavors is unexpectedly addictive.

What makes this doubly tasty is that the corn is fresh off the cob — no canned corn here — evidenced by the toasted silk tassel or two that might slip into your cup. If the thought of spooning that entire combination into your mouth at once is overwhelming, you can start slow and tailor your elote in a cup — hold the mayo or the aged cheese. Or spice it up with extra salsa or chili sauce. Whatever your pleasure, the ladies working the counter at this elote y nevería (corn and ice cream) shop will scoop up a small or large serving of this popular Mexican street food.

Silvana Salcido Esparza's new restaurant in Scottsdale's SouthBridge complex may not be what the Valley chef originally had intended (the menu and space have been combined with Esparza's quickly shuttered Silvana Bistro next door), but her gourmet street-size taco concept has remained intact — and that's what we love most. Ranging from the familiar to the exotic, there are 30 varieties to choose from in categories of chicken, seafood, pork, beef, and vegetarian. We like the al pastor with slices of sweet pineapple, beer-battered fish with a spicy cream salsa, the cactus and egg with queso fresco, and a roasted pepper mix with sautéed onions and cilantro. Pop in for happy hour, where two selected tacos are just three bucks, and find a favorite.

Of the roughly five gazillion places in the Valley that serve a chicken burrito, this humble little orange building on 16th Street just north of Washington is the one we keep coming back to time and again. How could it be that good? First, the chicken is from a rotisserie bird, chopped up with the skin for that much more flavor. Then, the chopped chicken is rolled up in a fresh, warm tortilla along with shredded cabbage, wonderfully rich frijoles, and creamy guacamole. It's heaven, especially when you factor in the garnishes (spicy, tomatoey salsa, cuke slices, Mexican lime, radishes, and one big ol' grilled jalapeño). This joint delivers the goods on carne asada, pastor, and lengua, too. You really can't go wrong with any of these burritos. And did we mention the price? Five bucks. Exactly.

For 30 years, this Sunnyslope restaurant serving Arizona-style Mexican food has been one popular joint. And with good reason: This is where you take the family for inexpensive renditions of the staples, especially the tamales. What makes them so good? Well, for starters, there's the key ingredient: masa. Here, it's a little sweet, moist, fresh-tasting, and light — none of that super-dense dry stuff. Then, there's the meat, tender shredded beef or juicy chicken. Finally, there are the sauces — including a very good red that covers the beef tamale. It's smooth, rich, colorful, and mild, but also deeply flavorful, as if it had been cooking for hours. But the green sauce is where it's at. Covering the chicken green corn tamale, this tomatillo-based gravy has a nice, peppery kick. And true to form for old-school Arizona-style places like this, everything is covered in melted cheddar cheese. Better give us a dozen of those tamales to go.

If an omelet arrives on your table at this cute and quirky family-owned Phoenix lunch spot, do not send it back. And, by all means, avoid any temptation to pick up a fork. That's your chile relleno, dude. How to enjoy it best? Simply lift and place the soft yellow mass, topped with splotches of melted cheddar cheese and bright red salsa, onto the accompanying platter-size tortilla, wrap it up burrito-style, and take a generous bite. The reward comes almost immediately: the rich flavor of roasted Hatch chile, along with egg and cheese, and the sting of the tomatoey salsa. It might be the best chile relleno breakfast burrito you've had — and probably the only one.

Forget burritos and tacos — it's all about the pupusas. There are a few places in town that make these Salvadoran specialties, but time and time again, Restaurante Salvadoreño #3 serves the very best. A pillowy, soft outer tortilla sandwiches your choice of filling for just $2.15 apiece. For a unique taste from El Salvador, try the loroco pupusa, which features edible flowers that have a mild flavor similar to artichoke. The carne asada, pollo, and revueltas varieties are meaty and filling without being greasy. All the ingredients that Restaurante Salvadoreño #3 uses are high-quality and have rich, fresh flavor, making these pupusas good enough to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner — all on the same day.

At this no-frills eatery on 16th Street (part of a family-owned mini-chain) you can choose from around 20 varieties of the popular, monster-size Mexican sandwich, each for about five or six bucks. Stuffed with meat, thick slices of avocado, pickled jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, and mayo on soft, round telera bread, we like the milanesa de pollo (breaded chicken), Cubana (piled with ham, pork, and cheese), and the packs-a-punch cochinita featuring slow-cooked pulled pork simmered with achiote, orange juice, and spices. Delicious.

The patio floor is painted bright yellow, and the entire restaurant — inside and out — is covered in fantastic blue murals with sea creatures, lighthouses, and mermaids. It's the perfect over-the-top ambiance for a seafood restaurant that serves delicious dishes, such as an octopus tostada and ceviche with raw shrimp that's been "cooked" in pure lemon juice.

Tuesdays are our favorite days at this bright and welcoming North Phoenix restaurant serving Jalisco-style Mexican fare. That's when Maria and Mark Altmaier serve up their luscious chicken mole. Simmered for hours and with a list of ingredients that could fill a page or more, the Altmaier's rich, thick, chocolate-tinged sauce can be had over tender pieces of chicken or as chicken mole enchiladas, which also are available on weekends.

Psst, want some crazy-good carne asada cooked over an open flame right in front of you? Step right up — to the counter — and order one of three vehicles for its delivery: tacos, a burrito, or a plate. A guy takes your name and hands you a 5-by-7-inch styrofoam tray. Take the tray over to the condiment bar, and pile it high with diced onions and cilantro, Mexican limes, sliced marinated carrots, shredded cabbage, sliced cucumbers, sliced marinated red onion, and any one of the five or six salsas available. You're gonna need this stuff because when your name is called, all you'll get is that delicious asada and its tortilla. It's up to you to do the rest. Not that this medium-rare skirt steak isn't delicious on its own — pleasantly salty, tender, and lightly marinated. The $6 plate of asada makes four decent-size tacos, which should fill you up without breaking the bank.

Sure, there are plenty of New Mexican joints we love in the Valley, but when it comes to carne adovada, Los Dos Molinos is one place we keep coming back to. With four locations in the Valley, this family-owned chain from founder Victoria Chavez serves up carne adovada as large chunks of slow-cooked marinated pork, perfectly prepared, tender and moist, and swimming in a red chile stew whose flavor is instantly memorable. The consistency is reminiscent of good mole, and the flavor is nearly as complex. But then there's the spiciness that makes it so excellent — not jolting or tongue-searing, exactly, but deep and kicky enough to remind us why we like spicy food in the first place.

Don't go looking for Nogales Hot Dog during the day — it doesn't exist. Operating only at night in a makeshift setup in a parking lot on the southwest corner of Indian School Road and 20th Street, owner Pablo Perez and wife Monica set up every evening around dusk and sell dogs until around the time the bars close. With a tent, a few picnic tables, and a TV, dog biters can get their bacon-wrapped wiener con todo (with everything) or belly up to the condiment stand where shredded cheddar, crumbly cotija, a considerably spicy salsa verde, and even some sliced mushrooms await. It's a delicious mess, especially after a few beers at one of Indian School's numerous watering holes, where ordering up more than one just goes with the late-night groove.

This Mexican restaurant pours one of the most authentic-tasting glasses of horchata (a blended rice water) we've had in a long time. Unlike most of the horchata you find — dispensed from a machine and almost too sweet to drink without adding extra water — this refreshing beverage has an earthy rice and cinnamon flavor and is scooped out of a giant water jug.

If you think a paleta is just another Popsicle, then you need to try one of Betty Alatorre de Hong's paletas. It's anything but your average pop. Betty uses only the finest of ingredients — fresh fruits, fresh cream, and even fresh ground spices — and combines them with a little bit of magic and a lot of love to create a truly unique paleta. We love Betty's take on Mexican hot chocolate, the Sandia with fresh watermelon and basil, and the seasonal Datil made with fresh Medjool dates from Gilbert's Agritopia and sprinkled with toasted almonds. A real treat any time of year.

Minerva Orduño's day (more night, in this case) job is nothing to scoff at — she's a line cook at FnB, one of our favorite restaurants. Perhaps the best part of the job: Her bosses let her use the restaurant's kitchen to pursue her dream. Muñeca Mexicana is a little business that's making our own dreams of authentic, artisan-crafted Mexican sweets come true. Orduño whips up piloncillo-stuffed pastries known as coyotas, killer caramel sauce made of goat's milk (cayeta del celaya) and these delectable little almond cookies she calls polvorones and we call the best reason we've ever tasted to indulge in a treat made with lard. You can buy her goods at FnB's little sister, the Bodega market in Scottsdale, and learn more about Orduño and her future plans for more items on her Facebook page. Not long ago, we spotted chorizo on the shelf at Bodega; bring on the savory, Minerva!

If Willy Wonka had a Mexican cousin, Pico Rico Dulceria is where Guillermo Wonka would peddle his candied confections. The store stocks something for every sweet tooth, so whether you're after a fruity, spicy, or just plain sugary treat, you'll be satisfied by the selection. Aisles are stacked with bags upon bags of candies. There's cajeta, candied guava, dulce duro de coco, and countless varieties of tamarind and chile sweets, ranging from lollipops and hard candies to fruit leather and the liquid crack that is Lucas Muecas. And you can't leave without getting a few kisses — Ricos Besos chocolate flavored toffees, that is. They and all of the other small candies are the perfect stuffing for a piñata, and you'll find plenty of them to fill hanging from the ceilings.

Like a beacon of baked goodness, this giant blue building in Glendale is sure to catch your attention, if the aromas coming from its fragrant pastries and breads don't get to you first. There's usually a line, but the friendly gals behind the counter make sure it goes quickly. Plus, you'll want to spend some time peeking into the glass cases filled with treats first. Will it be one of several varieties of pan dulce, a savory bread — how about an apple dipped in chocolate chamoy sauce or a molasses-flavored puerquito, the giant animal cookie shaped like a pig? There's also a custom cake-making station, masa for tamales, and a machine you can watch pop out fresh-made flour tortillas, one of the bakery's more popular items.

We must recognize this carnicería in downtown Peoria for its super-fresh cuts of carne ranchera and carne preparada (soaking in a marinade).Unlike other carnicerías — where you might find the meat with tinges of brown or with edges of thick fat — this one always has a bright red freshness, is sliced thin, but thick enough not to fall apart when you toss it on the grill over blue propane flames or good old-fashioned charcoal. To get the most flavor out of your meat, ask for it preparada, and they'll pour marinade into the bag they package it in. Even when you toss it on the grill without letting it soak for hours in their orange and onion marinade, the meat still has a sweet hint of the flavorful juice. Fire up the grill!

There are a lot of great Mexican markets in this town, and there's no doubt everyone has a neighborhood favorite. Among them all, La Tolteca is a real standout, not only for its restaurant, panadería, and carnicería, but also for its central location and ability to bring together a wide variety of people. Stop by on a busy weekend afternoon for some succulent mahi mahi tacos with queso fresco or red chile chilaquiles smothered with avocado, cotija, and crema. You'll spot families taking advantage of the affordable prices alongside 20-somethings waiting for a bowl of menudo to cure their wicked hangovers. La Tolteca also is the place to go to stock up on groceries for family taco night, a traditional tamale dinner, or a breakfast spread of empanadas, pan dulce, and churros. And if you're in need of a tortilla press or piñata, they've got that, too.

It seems the traditional outdoor swap meet is giving way to indoor swap marts — and, sure, hunting indoors for bargains makes sense, especially during our brutal Valley summers. But if you're old-school, one of the remaining outdoor venues for weekend hawking of new and used wares is the Glendale Public Market, which doubles at night as a double-feature drive-in for newly released flicks.

It isn't billed as a Mexican swap meet per se, but from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., pay your 75 cents at the gate on Saturday — or $1.25 on Sunday — enter a giant parking lot, and peruse the goods of hundreds of Latino vendors as Mexican tunes blast in the air. On a recent Saturday morning, we went in search of a bargain on a foot-long pan large enough to fry a whole fish, plates to match, a set of small audio speakers, turtle food, and a hard plastic kennel for a three-pound Yorkie. It was an amazingly successful trip. Among the construction materials (including nearly every tool imaginable, baseboards, and paint) there were beautiful booths, with shorty-shorts and tight Ts, skimpy bras, and MAC blushes and mascara, as well as other name-brand makeup items. And produce vendors, selling watermelons and other seasonal fruits and vegetables, were there, too, their booths looking like mini-yard sales with used household items. This place is a gold mine, where old-fashioned haggling still has a place.

Dia de los Muertos has been celebrated in Phoenix for more than 30 years; just ask veteran Chicano artists Zarco Guerrero and Marco Albarran.The holiday's festivities — including the creation and decoration of altars that honor family members and friends who have died as well as processions, prayers, celebrations and gatherings — take place annually in November in family homes and in public gathering spaces. Our must-see: the celebration at the Desert Botanical Garden, where local artists show their ofrendas (or offerings), created to honor and remember friends and family members, to the tune of live music, the annual Procesión, stories and presentations from the artists, and plenty of celebrating. Best of all: There are crafts and authentic food and drink for sale.

Santiago Gonzalez's tequila will make you rethink your margarita. The local entrepreneur and his brothers started G Farms on the west side of Phoenix in the '80s, where, among other produce, they grow top-grade blue agaves that never see an ounce of pesticide. It's at the farm and nearby — at the family distillery in the Mexican state of Jalisco — that these agaves thrive, are harvested, and are then pressed, transformed, and bottled into handcrafted 3 Amigos Tequila. Gonzalez is a true advocate of hard work, honesty, and great tequila. And though it's tempting to pop open a bottle and pour it straight into the blender, we swear it's worth the challenge (and fewer ice cubes) to sip it straight from the glass without the other flavors. You'll thank him later.

If you can make it past the throngs of ASU students on Mill Avenue feeling the effects of 21st-birthday shots and chanting what sounds like a mix between the school fight song and a fraternity anthem, head straight through the doors of Canteen Modern Tequila Bar. The server will know exactly what you need to drown out the noise and won't assume you want whatever's cheap alongside a heap of salt and a slice of lime. At Canteen, tequila is sacred and comes in more than 100 types, and it's all 100 percent pure agave. Sip it, mix it, or, yeah, even shoot it — all the tequilas here go down pretty well with a few tacos and a great view of the streetside shenanigans.

A rough day, a hot afternoon, a leisurely brunch — we'd be hard-pressed not to come up with an excuse to suck down a margarita. But in any and all of the above cases, it'd better be good.

The doors at Sky Lounge typically open around 9 p.m. on any given Friday, which might be the ideal time to arrive if you're seeking a primo spot before the rest of the masses flood the place. It's the most popular night of the week at the two-story dance hall, which fills up quicker than the beat in a feisty merengue number. Within an hour, it becomes difficult to move about downstairs without having to maneuver past las chicas bonitas dominating the dance floor and wiggling their nalgas in time to all the salsa and bachata being spun. Ditto for the second level, where the musical menu consists of a potent pastiche of reggaeton superstars like Pitbull, Latin Top 40 favorites, and hip-hop heavy hitters. Oh, and you might want to get your drink on early, since Don Julio tequila and other top-shelf shots are on special until 11 p.m., and wading through a sea of señoritas to get to any of Sky Lounge's three bars can prove impossible.

Downtown Phoenix's Latin dance circuit is more than just a little competitive, as rivaling clubs do anything and everything to get as many hombres y mujeres inside and onto their dance floor as possible. To wit: The proprietors of DWNTWN opened a third room in the back, started allowing the 18-and-over crowd in after last call, and began booking such major bachata and cumbia artists as Henry Santos and Chris Jay for monthly performances. Hence, the musical selection has gotten even more diverse and the weekend crowds have gotten even bigger. They also keep the beats flowing until 5 a.m. — which is later than any other nearby joint, Latin or otherwise — which permits patrons to baile to the sounds of DJs Big Latin, Rubas, and Alfredo until the sun peeks over the sky and begins to glow.

It's a good thing that Miguel Morales owns a fairly sturdy automobile, considering the amount of mileage that the 29-year-old DJ (better known by Kyko) racks up every week getting to his various Latino club events across the Valley. On most Tuesdays, you can find him dropping it like it's hot at La Cabana in Glendale as a frequent guest DJ at Nocha de Banda. Every Thursday, however, Morales is a resident at Bar Smith's Double Vision night, when he serves up Latin hip-hop tracks and reggaeton hits for a packed house. Once the weekends dawn, however, he really shows off his skills as a selecta. As one of the headliners of Oceans Seven's Privileged Fridays party, Morales works the record decks with aplomb, effortlessly and energetically mixing cumbias, Latin Top 40 hits, and electro for four straight hours. And he does it without breaking a sweat (after all, that might stain one of his signature fitted ball caps). Then it's off to the top floor of Sky Lounge, where he keeps the party going until 3 a.m. Saturdays with masterful mash-ups of club hits en español and urban jams. And when he isn't working the local Latin circuit, Morales makes major bank south of the border by performing at various beachside bars in Rocky Point. Not bad for a kid who got his start making cassette tape mixes as a teenager.

One of the best songs to put Senate Bill 1070 and the whole police state mentality that reigns in Arizona on blast is "Papers," by Phoenix hip-hop duo Shining Soul. Shining Soul's lyrical depiction of a Sand Land on lockdown for the brown is especially relevant. And the video's footage of a landscape infested with Border Patrol vehicles and a desert patrolled by vigilantes illustrates the situation all non-whites in Arizona find themselves in. The group comprises Alex Soto and Franco Habre, both border activists who have engaged in defiant acts of civil disobedience, showing that Shining Soul not only can spit rhymes, but walk the rap, as well.

These mariachi performers poetically pluck, blow, and strum their vihuelas, trumpets, and guitars, astonishing audiences who gather to hear them perform on Sundays at Fiesta Mall in Mesa, as well as private parties and receptions.

Daryl Williams is just about the coolest Mormon in the Valley, and that's saying a lot considering how many adherents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there are in this neck of the cacti. Williams is a renowned commercial trial lawyer, a pilot with his own Cessna, a classical pianist, and a wood shop devotee who knows how to whip up a handsome end table lickety-split. But what we find even cooler about Williams is his pro-immigration stance, despite being, as he puts it, just to the right politically of Genghis Khan. A conservative Republican he may be, but he's no nativist. He long has opposed the immigration policies of former state Senator Russell Pearce, and he takes a libertarian, open-market view of the issue in his frequent lectures and his influential "Illegal Immigration: An Essay," which has opened more than a few minds on the subject. Sometimes, LDS members get a bad rap locally, because of people like Pearce, but Williams' humanity and unapologetic championing of new arrivals shows up Pearce as the odd man out.

Without state Representative Steve Montenegro, brown-bashers and notorious Sand Land nativists might not have a Hispanic willing to stand next to them in pictures, sing their praises on the stump, or cosponsor their mean-spirited anti-immigrant legislation. But Montenegro is good like that. Himself an immigrant from El Salvador whose family reportedly received a mysterious grant of asylum in the 1980s when the Reagan administration was denying most amnesty appeals from those fleeing the civil war in that small Latin American country, Montenegro has zero sympathy for any and all arrivals newer than he. Photogenic and well-spoken, Montenegro is a constant reminder that right-wing extremists come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. No wonder GOP political operative Constantin Querard recruited the guy. He's the perfect vendido ("sellout"). If you don't believe us, Google "vendido" and "Arizona" and see whose photo pops up.

These are the best of times to be a Spanish-speaking journalist in Arizona — what with Jan Brewer, Russell Pearce, Joe Arpaio, and the rest of the pro-SB 1070 crew still hanging around. Felix has uncovered so many good yarns that she practically swept the Arizona Press Club's contest for Spanish-language newspaper reporting at this year's awards banquet. Her piece on so-called "anchor babies" was a beauty, as was her sage commentary on the terrible truth that simply being an undocumented immigrant has been a death sentence in Arizona for so many. Her work on the Gabby Giffords shooting also was admirable. Felix is so good that some of us gringos just might take a night class and bone up on español so that we won't need a translation.

Even a year ago, we didn't think there'd be any way we'd be bestowing this award to President Obama, who was solidifying his reputation in the Latino community as a do-nothing president despite his promises that national immigration reform would be among his priorities.

Yeah, yeah, Steve Nash left the Phoenix Suns. But we're not fazed, because a group of kids at Carl Hayden High School built a fully functional layup-shooting robot in six weeks. The robot is named for Angelica Hernandez, an undocumented Carl Hayden alum (and robotics team member) who went on to be the valedictorian of Arizona State University. Check out our conversation with Faridodin Lajvardi, the team's lead mentor, at www.phoenixnewtimes.com/bestof2012

This gripping documentary film by Dan De Vivo and Valeria Fernández follows the story of two Americans at the center of Arizona's fierce battle over illegal immigration — 9-year-old Katherine Figueroa and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

Joe Arpaio's Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has become imfamous for its stance on illegal immigration. Some call it racial profiling; some think it's just simple law enforcement. Whatever it is, it's controversial. From the state border north to Maricopa County, police officers and border patrol agents are hunting for illegal immigrants.

Ah, Mexican jumping beans. And we're not talking about what happens when you overeat at Taco Bell. This variety tends to take the form of Southwest souvenirs, the kind that come in a teeny tiny clear plastic box. Place them on a table and they could be any sort of brown bean or nut. But as soon as you get these little suckers in the palm of your hand, they come to life.

All over the world, humans eat some strange stuff, and the Southwest is no exception. Huitacoche, or corn smut, looks a great deal like a piece of corn that's gone bad. But corn smut is a delicacy south of the border and, lately, people have been trying to bring wider recognition to this ancient delicacy.

There are young geniuses among us, and you'll find several of them have been roosting at the Aguila (eagle) nest in Central Phoenix.

Arizona's recent laws concerning immigration certainly have made some people think twice about visiting our state. And now we have finally reached the stage where we can automate the process of scaring visitors away.