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| - This restaurant is owned by the same people that own Frank and Lupe's, which happens to be one of my fave spots for Mexican fare. The enterprising couple's goal was to create a modern concept of a supper lounge. A place where people could dine, gather at the bar, or have private parties in the lounge...without getting in each other's way. I do have to say that the space is beautiful, remnants of the former "BadaBoom" still exist such as the ceiling mural of Adam (Sistine chapel) located on the outside patio. But something is sorely missing. Call it vibe or personality, it is hard to say. Being here at 9:00p on a Friday night, and seeing only a half dozen patrons in this large and welcoming space is very daunting.
But we were curious to try some latin fusion cuisine.
I was happy to find diverse cocktail offerings on the menu, such as Mango or Strawberry Mojitos (made with muddled fruit.), Agave margaritas, as well as about a dozen martinis such as the Chocolate Martini. For a martini bar, I expected more of a selection, though. However, for a Scottsdale bar the price was right at only $8. (During happy hour the price goes down to $5)
Instead of chips and salsa, our table received a plate of fried plantains, served with a delicious remoulade for dipping. We munched on these happily as we decided on a dish.
We started with an order of the Urban Wings, honey bbq. All of us at the table loved them. The bleu cheese dressing came with soft crumbles of bleu cheese, the order of wings was generous, and the taste was flavorful.
Another starter that we sampled was the Mac and Queso, made in the "traditional" way with hatch chilis and chorizo. The portion was so large that it could easily have made an entree. The texture was great, the cheese creamy and flavorful - but too spicy for my sensitive tastebuds. Not overwhelming, but definitely A-Ok for its $9 price.
For the main course we had the Mojito Chimichurri - which was carne asada, caramelized onions and mushrooms, and seasoned fries. For $22, this was a very disappointing selection, despite the generous portion. The meat was extremely dry and chewy, though the garlic (and mojito?) marinade had given it a wonderful flavor. The fries were not seasoned, and were completely lacking in flavor - so they had to be dipped in the remoulade that came with the plantains. Not much to say about the onions and mushrooms. This dish was worth about $8.95. If I had ordred Carne Asada at Chipotle it would have been ten times better and cost a fourth of what this did.
Although the menu offers selections such as "Arroz con Pollo" and the "Tabla Latina" (Ropa Vieja(marinated shredded beef)/ Yuca/ Fried Plantains/ Fresh Avocado/ Aioli Sauce/ Corn on the Cob/ Side of Black Beans & Rice), as well as well as a "Santa Fe Fettucini Alfredo," there was nothing about this menu that made it unique - aside from the plantains. When I saw the name "Latin Fusion" I was expecting something unmatched. You have to set yourself aside from the competition, because it's fierce out here!
The service was A-OK, the food took longer than expected to come out - considering there were few diners in the restaurant.
Essentially our experience was just...A-OK.
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