MEALS THAT MATTER
Ceviche de Atun Fresh tuna, lime juice, mango, habanero, red onion and sliced avocado $14
Filete Cuchos 8-oz Prime Filet Mignon covered with melted Manchego cheese, served on a corn tortilla with potatoes, fresh vegetables and house chipotle sauce $34
BY RAEANNE MARSH
Agave del Scottsdale Celebrates Southern Mexican Mexico boasts a variety of cuisines that go farther “south of the border” than cheese-drenched enchiladas and fried street tacos. Delivering that broader culinary experience is the mission of the restaurateurs behind Agave del Scottsdale, where the dishes reflect flavor traditions of areas from Mexico City south. Several ceviche dishes offer many flavors “del mar” such as octopus, shrimp and fresh tuna. Appetizers range from the familiar (guacamole and queso fundido) to the more exotic Tlacoyos de Huitlacoche — a blended mix of yellow corn kernels, huitlacoche “kernels,” cheese, cilantro and chives mounded on a hand-patted, pancake-thick blue corn flour tortilla and drizzled with queso fresco. Among the assorted tacos is Gobernador — made with shrimp that’s been coarsely chopped and sautéed so that it’s thoroughly coated in a mildly spicy sauce. Atun is one of Agave del Scottsdale’s gourmet burritos — thick chunks of seared yellowfin tuna wrapped with plentiful salad greens in a jalapeno tortilla and served with a cilantro, tomatillo and serrano chile aioli for dipping or pouring. Vegetarians will find several flavorful menu choices from salads to entrées — such as vegetarian enchiladas made with
carrots, mushrooms, squash and potatoes in a potosino sauce; and steak lovers will be tempted with Filete Mestizo — steak that’s been pounded to thinness to be stuffed with pork chicharrón and topped with manchego cheese, caramelized shallots and epazote frito. Tequila is not just an ingredient for Agave del Scottsdale’s varied margaritas and other drinks but is an eye-catching design element, with crystal clear bottles standing in stately array on open wooden étagères that serve to define dining areas within the restaurant. The muted décor eschews frenetically vivid color schemes to offer a relaxing atmosphere of neutral shades and airy spaciousness. Its patio exemplifies the design aesthetic of bringing the outside in, with a wall of glass panels that fold completely to the side to open the restaurant to the covered patio overlooking a fountain courtyard. Agave del Scottsdale
8390 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale (480) 248-6901 agavedelscottsdale.com
Local Restaurateurs Put Meatballs on Top Tortillas filled with shredded pork, with anchiote sauce, wrapped in a banana leaf, with a red-onion relish $13
DEC 2019
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Two of our Valley’s favorite restaurateurs have taken what used to be just an add-on to a spaghetti dish and made meatballs a culinary category of their own.Here are three in Metro Phoenix that rated a visit from traveling gourmand Guy Fieri.
The Sicilian Butcher From The Maggiore Group – which opened its first restaurant, Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant, in Phoenix in 1977 – is this build-your-own meal experience that puts an emphasis on craft meatballs. Eggplant, lamb, crab and shrimp, and steak are only a few of the choices that diners can smother with any of 10 varied sauces, served on a bed of … well, of course there’s more than just pasta choices for this part of the entrée. 15530 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix (602) 775-5140 thesicilianbutcher.com
Tomaso's Sicilian Meatballs on Paccheri Pasta with Marinara Sauce
Meat the Ball From Stefano Fabbri of Pomo Restaurant Group’s Pomo Pizzeria, is recently opened Meat the Ball. Notable dishes include The Flower, a vegan and gluten-free roasted cauliflower ball dish with spiced tomato and curry sauce over curried broccoli rice, and The Flanker, a short-rib ball plate with grass-fed beef braised overnight with gravy over creamy polenta, as well as Pomo’s signature Spaghetti & Meatballs, with grass-fed beef and pork balls and secret tomato sauce. 16211 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale (480) 687-9117 meattheball.com
Meatball flight
Huitlacoche are also called “Mexican truffles”; similarly revered in cooking and harvested as a delicacy, they grow as a fungus on corn.
INBUSINESSPHX.COM
Craft Meatballs
Photos courtesy of Agave del Scottsdale (top and far left), The Sicilian Butcher and Meat the Ball (bottom)
Tacos de Cochinita