Best Mole 2008 | Los Sombreros | La Vida | Phoenix
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Best Mole

Los Sombreros

Courtesy of Los Sombreros

We don't use the word "dreamy" too often, but that's the first description that comes to mind when we think of the mole poblano at Los Sombreros. The first bite makes us feel like we're floating on a cloud, and the last bite gives us a twinge of melancholy, as if we're a little heartbroken to see our meal come to an end. Here, the chocolate-tinged sauce is velvety smooth, with a masterful touch of spice, and it's served over a filling portion of moist, shredded chicken. We're also fond of the mole verde, served with juicy simmered pork. Whereas the mole poblano is seductive, this mole is sassy as all get out, made with pumpkin seeds and tomatillo. Either way, it's mole so good we almost catch ourselves shouting, "Olé!" — although admittedly that's after a couple margaritas.

Best Mariscos (Mexican Seafood)

Mariscos Sinaloa

Jackie Mercandetti

We have no illusions. Mariscos Sinaloa's blue vinyl booths and colorful, whimsical mural of sea creatures are not enough to fool us into thinking we're anywhere near the ocean. The seafood dishes, however, are beyond convincing. Not only do they look freshly caught — whole cooked snapper seems as though it was just plucked from the deep, and you half expect the pair of shrimp garnishing the seafood cocktail to wriggle their shiny tails — they taste that way, too. Camarones aguachile (raw shrimp bathed in chile-spiked lime juice) are tender and sweet, while the filete especial del chef (tilapia slathered in cream sauce with bacon, banana pepper, and shrimp) is moist and perfectly cooked. Sure, a trip to the shore would be nice, but in the meantime, eating at Mariscos Sinaloa is a beach vacation for our taste buds.

Best Tortas

Tortas El Güero

Chris Malloy

Ever since we discovered the joys of eating at Tortas El Güero, we can hardly bring ourselves to eat at fast-food joints anymore. What, you've never had a torta? Friend, let us introduce you to the glory of the Mexican sandwich: It's a ginormous, filling thing, stuffed with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, mayo, and thick slices of avocado, served on a soft, lightly toasted telera roll. Really, it's enough food for two people, but it's so tasty that we usually end up snarfing down the whole torta ourselves. There are 20-some choices on the menu here, so we could practically eat a different one every day for weeks on end, although we do have a few favorites. The oversized Cubana is a carnivore's dream, layered with ham, cheese, breaded beef, and sliced pork, and the Pastor is a total eye-opener, with tender chunks of pork in a fiery red chile sauce. And the Hawaiiana, jazzed up with queso fresco and pineapple, is a refreshing take on a ham sandwich. With an ice-cold Mexican Coke or a big cup of horchata, these tortas make for a cheap and tasty feast that beats a Big Mac any day. 

Best Tacos

El Nopalito

It's probably a cliché, but it's true: Some of the best tacos we've ever had were at a ramshackle roadside stand in Mexico, cooked right up in front of us and served with halved limes the size of large gumdrops. We thought we'd have to swing a return trip to eat tacos that good again, but thankfully, we've found a delicious substitute — and amazingly, it's in central Phoenix. Like so many local finds, El Nopalito resides in an inconspicuous strip mall and is easy to zoom past unless you're seeking it out. In other words, don't expect to stumble on this place. But hey, if you're craving tacos the way we were, you'll head straight to it. No bigger than two or three bites, El Nopalito's tiny tacos are easy to love, served on fresh corn tortillas and topped with diced onion and fresh cilantro. They even serve them with those miniature limes. You'll want to try them all, from al pastor (spicy pork) to carne asada. And considering that they're only 99 cents apiece, trying them all really isn't out of the question.

Best Machaca

Los Dos Molinos

Lauren Saria

Do you ever find yourself ordering one particular thing whenever you see it on a menu? We're that way with machaca. And ever since we discovered the outrageously good machaca at Los Dos Molinos — where there's a whole menu full of memorable dishes — we've had to keep returning just to satisfy our cravings. Here, the classic shredded beef dish is impressively tender, with a rich, meaty flavor that stands up to Los Dos' signature spices. This is kicky stuff, for sure, but it's heat we can handle. Better yet, there are three different machaca dishes. You can get it wrapped in a burro slathered in enchilada sauce, tucked into a crisp, golden chimichanga, or spooned onto the machaca pizza, a huge, crispy tortilla topped with tomatoes, red chili, and gooey melted cheese. That last one is our favorite, an entrée-sized appetizer that we'd be happy to devour alone. Sorry, but if you want to eat machaca this good, you're on your own.

Best Flan

Sabor Cubano

Jackie Mercandetti

At this family-owned buffet — brimming with home-style Cuban dishes like arroz con pollo, ropa vieja (shredded beef), fricasé de puerco (super-tender pork), and apporeado de pescado (shredded fish with vegetables) — it seems kind of indulgent to order an extra dessert, especially since there are puddings, fresh fruits, and pastries included in the all-you-can-eat spread. But seriously, who can say no to flan this good? Not us, now that we crave this creamy dessert all the time. Sabor Cubano has spoiled us with its superb rendition of a classic. Some places serve flan that's as light and wiggly as a blob of Jell-O (to be fair, we like that stuff too), while this flan is denser and silkier, with a deep golden glaze of delicious caramel sauce. It's sweet, but not cloyingly so, which makes it that much easier to scarf down a whole serving by ourselves. You could argue that this portion is really meant for two, but we prefer to think of it, simply, as more to love.

Best Paletas

Flor de Michoacan

We have plenty of guilty pleasures, but one thing that makes us feel no guilt whatsoever is an ice-cold paleta on a toasty Arizona afternoon. Sure, you could call them Mexican popsicles, but paletas are truly a class unto themselves, so much more fun than their American counterparts. Flor de Michoacan carries around two dozen flavors, including tamarind, pistachio, and coconut, along with classics like strawberry cream, lemon, and pecan. We're always tempted to order one of each, except that they'd all melt by the time we got home. Better to just grab a seat here and indulge, one by one. Besides, the vibe's just so charming, with giant fruit painted on the windows and walls done up in hot pink and blue stripes. It makes us feel like a kid all over again, which has us wondering — is the fountain of youth perhaps frozen into a pop?

Best Aguas Frescas

Los Reyes de la Torta

Tirion Boan

Los Reyes de la Torta (translated, the Sandwich Kings) of Sunnyslope reign supreme in the realm of aguas frescas, those luscious-looking fresh-fruit drinks sold on just about every corner throughout Mexico. They're sort of the Aztec answer to the Sonic Sunrise, but without the diabetes-inducing corn syrup and artificial flavoring. For a mere $3.25 at Los Reyes, you can revel in an obscenely large goblet filled with the natural fruit water of your choice. The flavor list seems endless — pineapple, strawberry, cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, lime, orange, papaya, apple, celery, or more exotic horchata (a cinnamon-y rice drink) and oatmeal (we've yet to try the oatmeal, which sounds intriguing). Let your creative juices flow and create your own combo for just 50 cents more. And plan on sharing one of these puppies; they're so big that you'll have a hard time finishing one by yourself.

Best Mexican Market

Phoenix Ranch Market

Timur Guseynov

Truth be told, we'd like to give Phoenix Ranch Market a whole handful of Best Ofs. What's not to love about this cheerful, sprawling emporium of Mexican food? The in-house panadería greets you right inside the front door, with everything from fruit-filled empanadas to Hello Kitty tres leches birthday cakes. The aguas frescas counter hawks a nice variety of ice-cold drinks, including horchata, jamaica, and pineapple punch, and just beyond that is a bustling food court offering hot à la carte items. Phoenix Ranch Market's busy tortillería is mesmerizing — and mouthwatering — to see, while the pescadería and carnicería feature jaw-dropping displays of glistening seafood and freshly butchered meats. (Note to the squeamish: Brace yourself for the inevitable cow's skull peering out from a refrigerated case, somewhere near the steaks and sausages.) And that's not all — there's an ice cream stand and a coffee counter, too. Somewhere in the middle of all this you'll find regular aisles of Mexican and American staples, a reminder that this is still some folks' neighborhood grocery store. For the rest of us, though, it's one of the Valley's most exciting food destinations.

Best Panadería (Bakery)

La Tolteca

Jackie Mercandetti

Whether we're craving a simple sweet treat or need to order up a festive special-occasion cake, La Tolteca's our go-to spot. It's a given that we stock up on fresh corn and flour tortillas, of course, but there's so much more to tempt us — it's just impossible to walk past the row of illuminated display cases filled with huge Mexican cookies, pan dulce, empanadas, flan, and churros. Something always stops us in our tracks, despite our best attempts to head to the adjacent counter for a burrito. Tres leches cake, in particular, is one of our biggest weaknesses. Soaked with sweetened milk and layered with gooey fruit filling, it's sponge cake with an irresistibly rich, creamy texture. They sell it by the slice, but what the heck — we like the sheet cake version. When we show up at a party bearing one of those tasty treasures, people treat us like rock stars.

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