| rev:text
| - It was my absolute pleasure to be invited as a guest to a client's holiday party at La Hacienda by Richard Sandoval, which is a AAA Four-Diamond-winning restaurant located on the property of the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort. Everything was just lovely including the location, the service and most of all - the food!
The building itself is built and decorated in a rustic Spanish Mission style, and they've spared no expense with the décor. You enter through large wooden & glass doors flanked by outdoor seating areas with beautiful gas lamp & glass pebbled fire pits and many free-standing, modern brushed metal gas heaters with dramatic flames shooting up the center glass tubes. Impressive to say the least until you pass through the doors into the foyer directly in front of a very modern and visually compelling backlit bar stocked with an impressive collection of high-end tequilas and spirits. La Hacienda is renowned for its tequila offerings and knowledgeable staff which can recommend any number of fine distilled spirits based on your tastes. The foyer is bedecked with a massive wrought iron chandelier and flanked by dining areas to the left and the right.
Our party was hosted in a cozy private dining area featuring beautiful French doors and a working fireplace crackling with fragrant, seasoned wood that set the scene for a sophisticated, yet fun dinner with about 30 + people. The servers were prompt in taking our drink orders and several people at my table got delicious prickly pear margaritas that looked (and apparently tasted - I did not sample them), phenomenal. Once all the guests arrived we were treated to a magnificent buffet-style dinner that absolutely blew my socks off! The buffet line itself consisted of over three tables of the best authentic Mexican foods I've ever had. One table alone was stocked to the gills with homemade salsas tomato and tomatillo of every imaginable kind, pickled onions, vegetable escabeche, shredded Cotija cheese and REAL crema.
The buffet featured authentic quesadillas, enchilada casserole, Mexican rice, epazote-scented black beans, encrusted beef tenderloin, grilled fish, baked clams Veracruzana and my three favorite things that I've been craving for days since the party; an unparalleled mole poblano, a savory shrimp in chipotle-chili sauce exploding with plump, fresh king-sized prawns and an honest-to-God, roast suckling pig!
The mole was the best I've ever had in my life with large pieces of white meat chicken breast, grilled plantains and topped with sesame seeds. The shrimp chipotle-chili sauce dish was outstanding; the prawns were HUGE and fresh in a light, creamy broth with fresh herbs and spices. Much to-do was made of the presentation of, and subsequent carving and consumption of the roast suckling pig. It was carried through the dining room, past the guests, fresh from the kitchen by two chefs proudly holding either end of the huge roasting platter upon which the tasty piggy laid. Not for the faint of heart, vegetarians or those who prefer not to know where their food comes from - the piglet was roasted whole, about 3 feet long feet to snout, and its roasted crackling skin was sliced open to offer up its delicious, perfectly-seasoned flesh for the eating. I sampled just about everything on buffet but seriously had no room for seconds. I saved the last ounce of stomach space for a serving for fresh, hot cinnamon churros accompanied by dishes of fresh caramel and cream. Sheer delight!
All in all it was a wonderful evening that I'm certain was thoroughly enjoyed by all. My only regret is that I had to say goodbye to that delicious buffet line lovingly prepared and served by La Hacienda staff. Next time I'm invited to "La Ha" I'm lining my purse with aluminum foil and bringing ziplock baggies to abscond with leftovers!
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)