A sandwich the size of a football and another the size of a quarter ended up being some of the tastiest things we tried over the last month.
The Phoenix New Times food team is constantly eating our way around the Valley. Along with the mini and monster sandwiches, other standout bites and sips of late included a uniquely named cocktail, an intense salad and a saucy appetizer.
Here are the five best things we tasted in February.
Samosa Chaat at Peacock Indian Bar & Grill
17025 N. Scottsdale Road, ScottsdaleNew Scottsdale restaurant Peacock Indian Bar & Grill is getting off to a very delicious start. And a recent meal, likewise, started exceptionally well. We began our meal with the Samosa Chaat, a bowl of half a dozen crispy, fried samosas filled with potato. These triangular parcels are then drenched in sauces and toppings. The range of colors hints at the flavors, with a green mint sauce, a creamy yogurt sauce, a brown tamarind sauce and bright red pops of pomegranate seeds. Get a scoop of the full rainbow for a vibrant bite that will leave you spooning up the rest.
Yam Mamuang Boran at Lom Wong
218 E. Portland St. The Yam Mamuang Boran isn't new at downtown Phoenix's regional Thai restaurant Lom Wong. But we were recently reminded of just how delicious this fresh mango salad really is. Shaved green mango strands mingle with hand-torn shrimp and are bathed in a sauce made with coconut cream, lime and fish sauce that explodes with flavor in each bite. It's sweet, sour, tangy and intensely flavorful. Peanuts on top add a creamy, earthy note that grounds the bright flavors of this refreshing salad.
The Phoenix New Times food team is constantly eating our way around the Valley. Along with the mini and monster sandwiches, other standout bites and sips of late included a uniquely named cocktail, an intense salad and a saucy appetizer.
Here are the five best things we tasted in February.
Samosa Chaat at Peacock Indian Bar & Grill
17025 N. Scottsdale Road, ScottsdaleNew Scottsdale restaurant Peacock Indian Bar & Grill is getting off to a very delicious start. And a recent meal, likewise, started exceptionally well. We began our meal with the Samosa Chaat, a bowl of half a dozen crispy, fried samosas filled with potato. These triangular parcels are then drenched in sauces and toppings. The range of colors hints at the flavors, with a green mint sauce, a creamy yogurt sauce, a brown tamarind sauce and bright red pops of pomegranate seeds. Get a scoop of the full rainbow for a vibrant bite that will leave you spooning up the rest. 
Yam Mamuang Boran at Lom Wong
218 E. Portland St. The Yam Mamuang Boran isn't new at downtown Phoenix's regional Thai restaurant Lom Wong. But we were recently reminded of just how delicious this fresh mango salad really is. Shaved green mango strands mingle with hand-torn shrimp and are bathed in a sauce made with coconut cream, lime and fish sauce that explodes with flavor in each bite. It's sweet, sour, tangy and intensely flavorful. Peanuts on top add a creamy, earthy note that grounds the bright flavors of this refreshing salad. 
Latha served a mini version of its oxtail grilled cheese at the 2025 Devour Culinary Classic.
Sara Crocker
Oxtail Grilled Cheese at Latha
628 E. Adams St.We tried a mini version of Latha’s oxtail grilled cheese at the 2025 Devour Culinary Classic and were thrilled to learn that it’s part of the downtown Phoenix restaurant’s menu. This decadent rendition of the comforting sandwich brings together meltingly tender oxtail barbacoa, pimento cheese and pineapple chutney, which are sandwiched between toasted milk bread. At Devour, the sandwich came topped with queso and a dash of berbere, though it comes on the side for dipping at the restaurant. We’ll be heading downtown to dunk a full-sized version soon.
Eat the Rich is the latest bar from the team behind fellow cheekily-named Roosevelt Row bars, Killer Whale Sex Club and F.Y.P.M. It opened quietly in January in the former space of Pretty Penny. The spot on Roosevelt and Fifth streets has been home to several short-lived bars. With exceptionally made, technique-driven cocktails being poured on draft for just $12 a pop, we’re really crossing our fingers that this one sticks. The concept and drink names lean into the chaotic political moment we’re in by poking fun and raising some eyebrows. This meme-referencing cocktail is made with Calvados apple brandy, Cocchi Americano, and clarified guava and green apple juices. The drink is carbonated, arriving with a small head of bubbles. The apple and effervescence took us back to a childhood place of Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Juice, in a delightful, slightly tropical, boozier way.
