BEST Mexican restaurant in Phoenix area?? Other restaurant recommendations? (Scottsdale: food, property)

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

During the past 10 days I ate at Comedor Guadalajara and Carolina's Mexican Food. These two are the Mexican joints I've heard the most about since I've been here. I was happy to finally have the opportunity to check 'em both out. Carolina's didn't live up to the hype. The food was good but not better than anything I can get here in Tempe. I left Comedor very impressed. Might be my current Phoenix favorite for Mexican. I need to try more places, though.

Carolina's food may not be stellar, but their homemade tortillas are to die for - tissue thin, fragrant, soooo delicate, delicious...bliss.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by asufan

Espo's is the best in Chandler, followed by El Palacio.

Those places are mediocre too. El Palacio has really good chicken fajitas but that's the only thing they make good there. Espos is a better version of Filbertos.

Anyway, if anyone is from the San Antonio area and can recommend a restaurant here that resembles anything back home, let me know.

[SluggoF16]

I'll throw my 2 cents worth into this "food fight". Los Dos Molinos has authentic Sonoran-style Mexican. Los Olivos in Scottsdale can be generic, I was going there as a kid in the 60s, but reasonably priced, with some uniquely Sonoran dishes, one's located at Loop 101 and Frank Lloyd Wright. Went to Carolina's in November when visiting for bulk machaca, was disppointed. Garcia's is still among the best, excellent fundidos; most franchises ended up part of a chain that was owned by a holding company in Edmond, OK and went downhill, but the original still rules. Julio's in Scottsdale (Miller and Ind. School) is alright, but I found it to be uninspired, green corn tamales rather sweet. National chains are to be avoided.

After spending 11 years in Tucson, I found that the closer to the border, the better the Mexican food. Lots of great places in the Old Pueblo. Most restauarnts' moles and carne seca (which is like machaca in Phoenix) are beyond comparison. Whether in PHX or TUS, smaller, locally-owned generally results in more authentic, if that's what you're looking for.

I currently live 30 miles north of the TX border, and travel monthly to the MetroPlex. TexMex is the rule, flavors are all the same, smothered in chili. Mi Tierra in San Antonio was, in my opinion, overrated (was there in March, and the locals hosting our conference did not recommend it) and on the Riverwalk, well, it's on the Riverwalk, touristy and watered-down (exception: Casa Rio, but as is everything in this thread, opinion only and clearly subjective).

Asking who has the best Mexican in Phoenix or Tucson is sort of like asking who has the best Creole in Nawlins, the best cheese steak in Philly, the best fish taco in San Diego, or the best pizza in New York. Lots of opinions, lots of answers, the occasional riot will break out, but in the end extremely subjective.

[LocoAZnative]

Originally Posted by Bondurant

During the past 10 days I ate at Comedor Guadalajara and Carolina's Mexican Food. These two are the Mexican joints I've heard the most about since I've been here. I was happy to finally have the opportunity to check 'em both out. Carolina's didn't live up to the hype. The food was good but not better than anything I can get here in Tempe. I left Comedor very impressed. Might be my current Phoenix favorite for Mexican. I need to try more places, though.

Comedor Guadalajara I recommended this place is the numerous other threads on the subject. Carloinas is good mexican fast food and know for their tortillas

[SluggoF16]

Originally Posted by LocoAZnative

Comedor Guadalajara I recommended this place is the numerous other threads on the subject. Carloinas is good mexican fast food and know for their tortillas

A look at their menu and I see why... is their mole' dark red? Will have to try next time I'm in the Valley. Same for the carnitas.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by SluggoF16

After spending 11 years in Tucson, I found that the closer to the border, the better the Mexican food. Lots of great places in the Old Pueblo. Most restauarnts' moles and carne seca (which is like machaca in Phoenix) are beyond comparison. Whether in PHX or TUS, smaller, locally-owned generally results in more authentic, if that's what you're looking for.

In addition to working here, I also work in Tucson as well as Sierra Vista and Douglas. I've found the food closer to the border is NOT better. Been to Bisbee, Douglas, Nogales....nope hasn't been true at all. The meat tends to be cheaper and cooked poorly. Carne Asada is hard as leather and salsas tend to be watery. That is the problem with smaller mom and pop Mexican restaurants. Sure, conventional wisdom and romantic tales tell you otherwise: the old Mexican grandmother cooking everything in the kitchen and produce is picked fresh...reality is far different. It's fun to think you there is some hole in the wall in the middle of nowhere that is the Mexican restaurant version of the Fountain of Youth but the boring reality is the best restaurants are in the cities. Flavors might be more authentic but preparation and product tends to be poorer in these smaller towns near the border. Certain things are made better by the mom and pops like the tortillas and sometimes the salsa but that's about it. And the gross reality is authentic Mexican food meaning the food they eat in Mexico is not very good and most Americans don't like it which is why I laugh when people talk about authentic food. It's similar to people bragging about eating Italian food in Italy, it's not the same type of cuisine that we eat in the United States and is totally different. But because it's in Italy, people will naturally want to brag and say its better even though they probably wouldn't want to admit that eating bananas, sardines and eggs on pizza is not very good.

[azdr0710]

azriverfan makes some good points.....

this latest "best Mexican food in the valley" thread (they appear about once a quarter here in the Phx forum) proves that it's all very subjective.....what is "authentic"?....ten people-ten opinions.....find one you like and stick with it....

[SloCoChef]

In the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess - Is La Hacienda

About Chef Richard Sandoval
Teaming with the restaurant is internationally-renowned Chef Richard Sandoval, who owns more than a dozen restaurants around the world. Mexican-born and trained at the Culinary Institute of America, he is considered the “Father of Modern Mexican Cuisine.”

I tried it on a whim one night - only made it through tableside guac and got full (the chips are thick) - but not to full to do a Tequila 'flight' which was delicious - they even have a Tequila 'sommolier' if you will and a program for Tequila - dinners and tastings etc...

So can't really speak for the food - but I liked the outdoors dining area....

[LocoAZnative]

Originally Posted by SloCoChef

In the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess - Is La Hacienda

About Chef Richard Sandoval
Teaming with the restaurant is internationally-renowned Chef Richard Sandoval, who owns more than a dozen restaurants around the world. Mexican-born and trained at the Culinary Institute of America, he is considered the “Father of Modern Mexican Cuisine.”

I tried it on a whim one night - only made it through tableside guac and got full (the chips are thick) - but not to full to do a Tequila 'flight' which was delicious - they even have a Tequila 'sommolier' if you will and a program for Tequila - dinners and tastings etc...

So can't really speak for the food - but I liked the outdoors dining area....

I brought the inlaws there last month and I'm really not into the trendy, fancy places. The food though was some of the best food I have had in the valley. You definitely don't go there looking for tacos and chimis.

[asufan]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Those places are mediocre too. El Palacio has really good chicken fajitas but that's the only thing they make good there. Espos is a better version of Filbertos.

Anyway, if anyone is from the San Antonio area and can recommend a restaurant here that resembles anything back home, let me know.

Sounds like you simply prefer tex-mex to sonoran style mexican food. I love sonoran style but just the thought of tex-mex makes me want to vomit.

When I would go to Espo's, I usually got the same thing: Tamale plate with no red sauce, and it comes with rice, beans and a beef taco. Espo's tamales were/are some of the best in the valley, no way Filiberto's could compare. Not to mention the great beans and fluffy Mexican rice. Filiberto's is great for college kids at 3 am though. Kind of the "Jack in the Box" of Mexican joints.

I sort of agree with the better Mexican food in So Cal. When I grew up in South OC, I remember some favorite places to go to, and they have a good mix of Sonoran Style and Baja Style, especially in San Diego. But Phoenix is great for Sonoran style Mexican food, certainly better than San Antonio's version with red gravy over everything. Just one mans opinion.