By Susie Timm, Head Cheese
Behold! The power of social media. Last week a friend of mine was having dinner at Taberna Mexicana and she tweeted a photo of the steak she was eating.
It was a mouth-watering piece of meat that instantly made me hungry. I asked her if we could change our lunch location to Taberna (we had a date scheduled for this week already).
She agreed (thank goodness!), which is how I found myself having an epic Mexican feast yesterday for lunch.
I arrived a little before my friend so I had time to take in my surroundings. The interior is furnished with soft tones and they have multiple antique doors separating the dining room from the patio area. It is very sleek and stylish.
I also had time to sample their house made chip assortment that included white corn tortilla chips and plantain chips. Both were crispy and the tomatillo salsa was one of the tastiest I’ve had. Its secret ingredient is mango that keeps the heat at bay.
We were seated in a corner booth and settled in for a couple of margaritas. Taberna squeezes all their juices 3-4 times/day and I could taste the freshness in my “Taberna Margarita.”
We sampled some appetizers: Tuna Ceviche, Albondigas Soup and Asado de Queso (fried cheese).
It’s hard to pick a favorite between the three. The tuna ceviche was served in a banana leaf cone with jalapenos and pepper puffs. I enjoyed the texture and taste of the ceviche.
The asado de queso reminds me of the infamous Greek dish “Flaming Saganaki” without the flames. It was a salty block of cheese topped with Anaheim peppers and wrapped in a banana leaf. It’s meant to be eaten in small tortillas like a taco. I would go back to Taberna to have this dish and a margarita any night of the week.
If I had to play favorites however, I would choose the albondigas soup. A simple broth filled with chicken meatballs, tomatillos and jalapenos, BUT this soup warmed my soul to the core. There are also bits of cheese that combine with the meatballs for a gigantic win. This soup will live in my memory as the very best albondigas I’ve had.
At this point, I was already mentally scheduling my nap. However, I had ordered the filet mignon enchiladas for an entree, so I pressed on like a good meat soldier.
The enchiladas did not disappoint! There were large chunks of filet mignon in each enchilada and the tortillas did not disappear into a mass of sauce and cheese. I like when I can taste each element in a dish.
Props to Executive Chef Alex Padilla for a stellar lunch!
This new restaurant has not had much critical acclaim yet, as it is so new to the market. However, I implore my fellow food friends–try it out. I would guess its acclaim will follow very shortly.
In the meantime, I’ll add it to my list of favorites in the Valley of the Sun. Not quite as exciting as 4 or 5 stars from Seiftel, but it’ll do.
