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| - I'll admit I was pretty bummed when Bragg's Diner closed at this location awhile back. But I was equally intrigued when I heard Chef Silvana of Barrio Cafe took over the building with plans to deliver another of her unique Mexican inspired experiences. My friend wanted to take me out for my birthday so it was with great enthusiasm that I chose this place as my birthday dinner of choice. Make sure you make a reservation in advance on OpenTable by the way as this place is small and gets busy during the dinner hour. We got here right after 5 on a Friday when the crowds started to roll in.
The building has gotten quite the upgrade from the Bragg's days. The interior has the quintessential feel of a fine dining establishment (even moreso than Barrio Cafe's flagship on 16th Street). Various Mexican inspired artworks line the walls, but overall the feel is that of a formal dining experience. The place seats no more than 15-16 with great views out into the neighborhood and a truly intimate setting. Some of Gran Reserva's menu mirrors what you'll find at Barrio's flagship including their famous Cochinita Pibil, their Chiles en Nogada, and of course their out of this world Mole. But unique to this location is their tasting menu. For about $40/person you get a six course meal with small helpings of whatever the chef feels like making that week. For an additional $25, you can pair your dishes with drinks also chosen by the chef. Its my birthday, so I went all out with the tasting menu and drink pairings.
The presentation, service, and taste of the dishes was similar to how I would describe my various experiences at Kevin Binkley's restaurants. Absolutely phenomenal flavors, innovative techniques, incorporating ingredients native to Mexico (some of which I'd never even heard of until tonight), and a deep attention to great service and making sure I understood the full depth of each creation. I especially loved the drink pairings. The white wine that came with my first course and the beer that was paired with my fourth course were especially awesome. And again, many of the ingredients and I believe all of the drinks I had were from Mexico. Really opened my eyes to all of the treasures of Mexico's culinary scene that until now I thought Phoenix had largely figured out. The Mexican wines and beers alone had me craving more.
So in summary, if you're coming to Gran Reserva, get the tasting menu. Pretty much everything else they serve you can get at Barrio Cafe's flagship location on 16th Street and Thomas (which I highly recommend trying if you've never been). But the tasting menu experience I had is specific to this location. The staff is excellent and the building is a beautiful example of the potential the Grand Avenue corridor holds for the future. Chef Silvana Esparza is already a legend in the valley culinary scene. She hit a home run with Barrio Cafe and she's hit a grand slam with Gran Reserva. Silvana felicitaciones por un trabajo bien hecho
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