Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
•
El Charro Café
(Tucson, AZ;
&
520/
622-1922;
www.elcharrocafe.com):
Nothing sums up Tucson-style Mexican
food quite like the
carne seca
at this, the
oldest family-run Mexican restaurant in
Tucson.
Carne seca,
which is a bit like
shredded beef jerky in a spicy sauce, is
made from strips of beef that air-dry on
the roof of this restaurant. See p. 366.
•
Janos/J Bar
(Tucson, AZ;
&
520/615-
6100;
www.janos.com): Serving a com-
bination of regional and Southwestern
dishes, Janos for many years has been
one of Tucson's premier restaurants. It's
just outside the front door of the Wes-
tin La Paloma resort, and is as formal a
place as you'll find in this city. J Bar is
Janos's less-formal bar and grill. See
p. 370 and 371.
•
Fry Bread House
(Phoenix, AZ;
&
602/
351-2345
): Unless you've traveled in
the Southwest before, you've probably
never had a fry-bread taco. This stick-
to-your-ribs dish is a staple on Indian
reservations throughout Arizona, but
the fry-bread tacos at this Phoenix res-
taurant are the best I've had anywhere
in the state. See p. 432.
13
expansive wine list completes the expe-
rience. See p. 211.
•
Joseph's Table
(Taos, NM;
&
575/751-
4512;
www.josephstable.com): Located
on Taos Plaza, this font of creativity
serves delightful dishes with plenty of
flair. Try the steak au poivre over mashed
potatoes with a Madeira mushroom
sauce. See p. 212.
•
Diane's Bakery & Cafe
(Silver City,
NM;
&
575/538-8722
): Diane Bar-
rett, once a pastry chef at both La Tra-
viata and Eldorado in Santa Fe, has
brought refined flavors to the little min-
ing town of Silver City. Come here to
feast on sumptuous baked goods and
sophisticated meals such as rack of
lamb. See p. 343.
•
Café Poca Cosa
(Tucson, AZ;
&
520/
622-6400;
http://cafepocacosatucson.
com): Forget the gloppy melted cheese
and flavorless red sauces. This place
treats south-of-the-border ingredients
with the respect they deserve. It's Mexi-
can food the likes of which you'll never
find at your local Mexican joint. See
p. 363.
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