Popped into de la Cruz after opening night of Othello at the Mesa Arts Center. It was after 10:30 and their kitchen had already closed but our server and the manager could tell that we were famished. They offered to put together a few of the appetizers or a cut of prime rib, which they now feature on Friday nights.
We ended up getting their signature De La Cruz shrimp cocktail - yummmm - and the prime rib. Because their regular cut is so thick, my foodie friend and I asked to split it and we were grateful when we saw the size of the half portion (still 8-10 ounces). I was happily surprised by the quality, tenderness and flavor of the meat.
The manager was telling us that, in addition to the prime rib, they plan to keep the menu simple and feature a lot of different specials. They usually have some interesting wines, too, and we managed to suck down two bottles of the Twenty Bench Cabernet. That's a wine that I will have to look for at AJ's next time I'm there.
They now have live music on the weekends. The band was a bit loud but didn't seem to mind turning down the volume when asked.
That area of Mesa has sooooo much potential to be a great dining, retail and culture center. De La Cruz is pretty much the flag ship restaurant right now but I hope they succeed because it will be a huge windfall for the community.