The 5 most delicious bites and sips we tasted in November

While we enjoyed plenty of food and drinks around the holiday table with family in November (and then subsequent days and days of Thanksgiving leftovers), the Phoenix New Times dining team made it to multiple Valley restaurants last month. From those visits, a few dishes and drinks stood out among the rest.

One martini made us wish for another, a unique dish at a new Mexican spot left us pleasantly surprised and a plate of fish and rice blew us away. Here are the best bites and sips we tasted in November.

Diamond Eyes at Liquor Pig

7217 E. Fourth Ave., Scottsdale
Liquor Pig won us over earlier this year with its eclectic yet heavy-hitting menu of globally inspired small plates and pastas. That menu continues to impress, as does the playful bar program. There are plenty of tropical, spirited and over-the-top tipples to choose from in the leather-bound menu that features illustrations of each drink. Dirty martinis aren’t for everyone, but Liquor Pig’s Diamond Eyes converted us. First, the bar team fat-washes the drink’s potato vodka with olive oil. That gives the drink a smooth, round taste. Housemade olive and caper saline adds the right hit of brininess without becoming abrasive. It’s the perfect sipper to cut through and complement your meal, or enjoy as its own treat. The crystal coupe is finished with three blue cheese-stuffed olives skewered by a metal pick. If that wasn’t garnish enough, Liquor Pig adds a dose of decadent luxury in the form of a cracker topped with creme fraiche and caviar.

Chile de Pueblo at Funky Frida’s

4910 E. Indian School Road
When we visited Funky Frida’s on Indian School Road, we expected what owner Jon Lane had previously told us would be “traditional gringo Mexican food.” And our giant margaritas and chips and queso fit the bill. But one dish that leaned much more into regional Mexican cuisine, and surprised and delighted us, was the Chile de Pueblo. In this dish, a roasted poblano is stuffed with marinated chicken, pico de gallo and shredded cheese. The mixture then gets an unusual boost from dried apricots and spicy walnuts. The fruit adds pops of sweetness, and the nuts bring crunch. Red and green salsas are poured over top to complete this unique dish, full of flavors and textures.

Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle at Local Bistro

20581 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale
We recently tucked into a high-top table at the north Scottsdale staple, Local Bistro, in search of comforting Italian fare. The entire meal offered what we were after, but the dish we’ll come back for is the Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle. The restaurant’s handmade, squiggly, chewy noodles are bathed in a wine-and-truffle cream sauce and topped with a nest of thin tendrils of grana padano cheese. Slices of portobello and shitake mushrooms double down on the earthy notes of the sauce, which is punctuated by thin slices of garlic. This is the kind of warm hug of a dish that you want to eat swaddled in a blanket by a roaring fire, but Local Bistro’s stylish, modern space is just as cozy.

Herb-Roasted Branzino at Catch

7014 E. Camelback Road, #612, Scottsdale
Catch is one of the latest luxury restaurants to join Scottsdale Fashion Square, and its pricetag matches the clientele. And while there’s nothing worse than expensive food that doesn’t live up to the hype, Catch flips that notion on its head. Yes, it’s expensive. But it’s also exceptional. During our recent visit, one dish truly stood out: A filet of herb-roasted branzino draped over a bed of creamy vegetable basmati rice. The dish appears simple, but the flavors are so complex they develop with every bite. Taste each element individually, and you’ll get herbaceous, flaky, tender fish and a buttery, lemony scoop of rice. Fork up a bite of everything together, and the dish may just blow you away.

Creme Fraiche Mousse and Tom & Jerry at Sottise

1025 N. Second St.
Sottise has launched a holiday pop-up that’s different from the average Christmas-themed takeover. Instead of a cocktails-only fete, the downtown French restaurant has put together a three-course pairing of bites and sips crafted by Sottise chef and owner TJ Culp, beverage director Mike Warrington and pastry chef Crystal Kass. The acclaimed chef, who is engaged to Culp, has launched their professional partnership with this pop-up. The results are delicious. Each course is whimsical and tasty in its own right, but we oohed and aahed over the pairing of a Santa hat-shaped mousse and a spinoff of a hot buttered rum. The drink arrived in a crystal teacup. A star anise garnish perfumed the table with its warm aroma. The drink has a head of spiced meringue; underneath is a mix of warm oleo rum and Pineau des Charentes. The first sip was a play in temperatures, with the cool, creamy meringue giving way to the warm, nutty booze below. This cozy drink is a great foil to Kass’ mousse. Cutting into this little hat, whose trim is made of marshmallow, revealed a cherry enveloped in the creamy mousse, which sat atop a buttery, crisp sable cookie. This two-bite dessert features notes of vanilla and citrus, creating a light, bright contrast. This pairing looks good and tastes even better.