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| - For our last night in Arizona and family obligations over I figured it would be a good opportunity to take my wife to an outstanding restaurant.
I made reservations three days in advance on OpenTable.com and they actually called me the day before to confirm and check whether we wanted indoor or outdoor seating. Since it had been so cold the last few days we were there we opted for indoor dining.
A little history about El Chorro. The main building was an old grammar school. They added on the courtyard, dining area and gardens when it became a restaurant. It includes their own garden for herbs, produce for the chef. It also includes several outdoor fireplaces and a bocce court.
For an appetizer, we started out with a small cheese plate which consisted of parmesan, provolone, bleu cheese & brie with cranberries, dried apricots and candied walnuts.
While we were working on our appetizer out came the famous sticky buns. They are delicious, not too sweet and definitely worth trying.
For entrees, we ordered the Niman Ranch Pork Tenderloin and the Pan Roasted Duck Breast. The pork tenderloin came with green chili risotto and butternut squash. The Duck came with celery root mashed potatoes, pearl onions, brussel sprouts with a pomegranate reduction. Both were tender and delicious. Even though having tried Duck previously and not really being a big fan I have to say the duck here was done perfectly and not as fatty as my previous tries.
For dessert, we split a piece of their vanilla cake with carmel sauce garnished with a blackberry and cappuccinos (they were very strong but not bitter as some can be).
This was a perfect way to end our stay in Arizona. You cannot beat the views. Next time maybe we will be able to do a weekend brunch and sit outside to enjoy the fabulous views.
On a side note, they even called me the next day to thank me for patronizing their restaurant. I was very impressed.
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