Best Mexican Imports 2009 | Mexican Arts — Imports | La Vida | Phoenix
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Best Mexican Imports

Mexican Arts — Imports

At one end of this cavernous, winding mishmash of spaces is a room packed with all kinds of crosses — metal, tin, wooden. At the other end, there's a room full of hand-tooled gun holsters. In between is just about any Mexican tchotchke you can dream of: small wooden guitars, leather wallets, ceramic pots, embroidered dresses. We felt like we'd died and gone to Nogales. Beware: The neighborhood, across the street from the Arizona State Hospital, is in a rough part of town near Van Buren Street. Obviously the owners are aware of their surroundings. The place opens at 9 on weekdays, but whatever the time of day, you'll need to ring the bell before they'll let you in.

Best March Leader

Zack de la Rocha

Let's be honest: Too much that goes on in Sand Land stays in Sand Land. That's to say, if a saguaro falls in Cactus Country, unless news of it reaches beyond the borders of the state, it sometimes seems as though it never happened — no matter how great the injustice involved. So when a rock star like Zack de la Rocha champions the fight for civil rights in Arizona, it's a big deal. De la Rocha, formerly of the incendiary L.A. band Rage Against the Machine and currently of the duo One Day As a Lion, has infused the struggle against Sheriff Joe Arpaio with energy and passion, drawing a whole new crowd to the pro-immigrant marches demonstrating against Arpaio's racial-profiling sweeps and the federal 287(g) agreement with ICE that empowers them.

On February 28, a march de la Rocha participated in, from Steele Indian School Park to downtown Phoenix, drew nearly 5,000 demonstrators. Then, on May 2, he led 2,000 in a seven-mile walk from downtown Phoenix to Arpaio's Tent City. During both stays in Phoenix, he signed hundreds of autographs to raise money por la causa, and he gave speeches and impromptu concerts. De la Rocha's participation in Arizona activism appears truly selfless and guided by the memory of de la Rocha's own immigrant forebears from Mexico. More important, his efforts here have garnered press for this struggle far beyond Maricopa County, where folks know too little of the truth about Arpaio's reign.

Best Videographer

Dennis Gilman

Scottsdale resident Dennis Gilman is used to being threatened by nativists. They've called his house. Posted his address on the Internet. And whenever he shows up at, say, the Macehualli Day Labor Center in north Phoenix, where vicious nativist groups such as United for a Sovereign America keep vigil with their guns, he attracts them like a magnet, and the verbal abuse often seems close to spilling over into violence.

Being that he's as Irish as a pint of Guinness, Gilman doesn't like to back down. Also, as he'll tell you if you ask, you'd get better footage when you're up in their faces. See, Gilman is the Michael Moore of the local pro-immigration movement. His weapon is a video camera, and he uses it to expose the hate and prejudice in Arizona that seem as plentiful as scorpions. The footage he edits ends up on his YouTube channel HumanLeague002. Because of his efforts, thousands have seen the raw ugliness of the immigration debate at ground zero. Activists from around the world now seek out his mini-documentaries. And he often scores footage that the local and national news media pick up after the fact. He's what more journalists used to be: scrappy, defiant, and beholden to no one.

Best Bilingual Web Site

lafronteratimes.com

We have to give it up to former state Senator Alfredo Gutierrez for creating this bilingual Web site, one representing the future of Arizona and the Southwest. La frontera refers to the border, and Gutierrez stretches the meaning to encompass the exchange of culture, news, and language that occurs in states like ours — where America meets Mexico, English meets Spanish, and Anglo meets Hispanic. There's immigration, Sheriff Joe, and Arizona politics from a Latino perspective, but there are also pieces on art, literature, popular music, and food. Much of the site is in English, but there's plenty in Spanish as well. The result is a Web site that brings people together — in a cool, non-schmaltzy way — rather than pushing them apart. And if we gabachos pick up a word or two of español in the process, that can't be a bad thing, now, can it?

Best Meal in a Parking Lot

Nogales Hot Dogs #2, Sonoran-Style Hot Dogs

There's nothing quite like dining al fresco. The fresh air, the stars, and a killer view are all part of the deal. At Nogales Hot Dogs #2, the view may consist of cars whizzing by, but, hey, that's all part of the charm. For seven years, Pablo Perez has been dishing up a little slice of heaven known as the Sonoran-style hot dog. Tucked into a fresh bun and wrapped in bacon, these babies come smothered in beans, mayonnaise, and chopped tomatoes. Feel free to load up with guacamole, salsa, two kinds of cheese, and more. Meaty, messy, and marvelous, these pockets of perfection are a measly $2.75 a pop. Pablo's even got a TV tuned to the latest telenovela, so take a load off and stay a while. We never said dining in a parking lot would be fancy, but these dogs sure make it worthwhile.

Best Place to Get Drive-Thru on a Bicycle

Antonio's Mexican Food

Fast-food joints like to get their dictator on whenever a non-automobile attempts to order at the drive-thru. Not so at Antonio's, which won't discriminate against folks who roll up on two wheels. Basically a Filiberto's clone, this spot on 16th and Roosevelt streets serves bicycle-riding or walk-up customers 24 hours a day as they look to satisfy their cravings without a car.

  • 1545 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, 85006 Map

Best Tamales to Go

The Tamale Store

We're not saying you shouldn't keep buying a couple dozen tamales from your grandma's friend's neighbor at Christmastime. It's just that you might want to branch out a bit. Year-round, along with its location on Cave Creek Road north of Cactus, The Tamale Store operates stands at several Valley farmers markets (check their Web site for where and when). Sample a short list of flavors, buy a warm tamal or two for a strolling lunch, and stock up on easy-to-prepare frozen tamales in such flavors as chicken mole and blueberry cream cheese. They're the real deal, with corn-husk wrapping and fresh meats, cheeses, produce, and carefully chosen spices. Fluffy masa, no lard, and love and pride in every bite . . . Is there any occasion when a tamal is not the perfect food? No, friends, there is not. And it's not just our little secret, so you might want to call, fax, or e-mail ahead to make sure The Tamale Store can set aside your favorites for you.

Best Tortillas

Carolina's Mexican Food

Sarah Whitmire

Carolina's is legendary. A Phoenix institution. A family-owned business for more than 40 years. And now, it's bigger than ever. While the Mohave location remains ultra-busy, serving the downtown business crowd as well as hungry locals, and Carolina's on Cactus keeps people well fed in the North Valley, this past year has seen the addition of a third Carolina's, in Peoria. The expansion was inevitable, we think, because Carolina's tortillas make everything taste good. They're deceptively thin and fragile-looking but, boy, do they ever make good burros — somehow, they can wrap up a shocking amount of green chile with beans or chorizo with potatoes in one of the hot-off-the-griddle tortillas. Once upon a time, we're sure that Carolina's had a cult following. But these days, it's a full-fledged tortilla army.

Best Panadería

La Tolteca

Jackie Mercandetti

We're not sure which is more fun: walking into La Tolteca to catch a whiff of fresh bread and the mouthwatering selection of baked goods displayed in cases at the front of the restaurant, or walking out with a bag full of fragrant confections that we'll inevitably devour as soon as we hop in the car. We're talking huge cookies, macaroons, rolls, fruit-filled empanadas, tortillas, and irresistible tres leches cakes, available in regular sizes and party-worthy sheets. No matter what kind of sweets we're craving, La Tolteca always has what we're looking for. And when we're lucky, it's still warm.

Best Neighborhood Mexican, Central Phoenix

Los Compadres

Los Compadres

We're never too busy to get our grub on at Los Compadres. That's because this institution makes it easy to grab our favorite Mexican dishes to go. Counter service is quick, and everything's packaged to take home, even if we end up snagging a table to eat on the premises. We love the top-notch beans and rice, 10 different kinds of soul-satisfying burros (machaca's a good pick), and anything with their mouthwatering green chile beef. Better yet, the prices are so cheap that we can come here all the time and still spare a couple bucks for an order of hot, puffy sopaipillas with honey. Reliable, delicious, and cheap? It's really no wonder Los Compadres has been a local fave for more than 50 years.

Best Of Phoenix®

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