Delicious Highlights from a vacation in Sedona

At the top of the list were Aglio al Forno – Roasted head of garlic with chevre and grilled focaccia bread and also Porcini Polpette – homemade mushroom meatballs in a white truffle cream sauce, courtesy of dining at Dahl & DiLuca. The beautiful chandeliers and lighting and the white tablecloths here made this the nicest place we dined at during our vacation, though fair warning the food here is super rich and heavy.
Aglio al Forno – Roasted head of garlic with chevre, Dahl and Diluca, Sedona Arizona Porcini Polpette – homemade mushroom meatballs in a white truffle cream sauce, Dahl and Diluca, Sedona Arizona

Second Place: Oak Creek Brewery & Grill, which is located in the Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village aka “artsy mall” that is full of various art galleries built into the atmosphere of a really squeaky clean Mexican town.
Brewpub Pretzels with ale infused cheese, Oak Creek Brewery, Sedona, Arizona Citrus Salad- Arugula, mandarin oranges, grapefruit​, shallots, roasted almonds, fresh mint tossed with honey lime reduction, Oak Creek Brewery, Sedona, Arizona Steamboat Rock BLT- Thick sliced apple wood-smoke​d bacon layered with vine ripened tomatoes, mixed garden greens and basil aioli served on whole grain toast, Oak Creek Brewery, Sedona, Arizona
The Seven Dwarves at Oak Creek Brewery and Grill – sampler of, from the end by the coaster and then clockwise, the Microlight​, Forty-Nine​r Gold Lager, a seasonal Orange Blossom with orange and vanilla flavors that temporaril​y displaced their hefeweizen​, Doc’s Pale Ale, Oak Creek Amber Ale, Village Nut Brown Ale, and Pullman Porter.

Also, Brewpub Pretzels- Two large soft pretzels prepared in the Oak Creek Brewery & Grill wood fired oven and served with ale infused cheese fondue; Citrus Salad- Arugula, mandarin oranges, grapefruit​, shallots, roasted almonds, fresh mint tossed with honey lime reduction; and Steamboat Rock BLT- Thick sliced apple wood-smoke​d bacon layered with vine ripened tomatoes, mixed garden greens and basil aioli served on whole grain toast, here also with avocado and with their famous beer battered onion rings and southwest ranch dip.

elote appetizer, Elote Cafe, Sedona, Arizona homemade Dulce de Lech, Elote Cafe, Sedona, Arizona
The highlight of summer at Elote Cafe (which takes no reservations and is at least a 45 minute wait): sweet corn, here in elote appetizer (Fire roasted corn with spicy mayo, lime and Cotija cheese) and dessert form of Pastel de Elote = Veracruz style sweet corn cake served with homemade Dulce de Leche and homemade vanilla bean ice cream.

Two places F picked out made a healthy contribution too: Mago Cafe– Tofu and Kim-Chi, sauteed kim-chi on top of the pan grilled tofu with organic romain heart salad, and ChocolaTree‘s Kale Quinoa, quinoa grain, kale, thai sauce topped with shredded carrots, red onion, and red bell pepper
Tofu and Kim-Chi, sauteed kim-chi on top of the pan grilled tofu with organic romain heart salad. Mago Cafe, Sedona, Arizona ale Quinoa, quinoa grain, kale, thai sauce topped with shredded carrots, red onion, and red bell pepper, ChocolaTree, Sedona, Arizona

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In order to properly give homage to today’s 5/5 celebration, here are some photos of other previously undocumented (in this blog) yummies from Santeria, a little hidden hole in the wall slightly off the main street on Ankeny (across from Baileys, also near Mary’s – and sharing their bathroom… hey hole in the wall remember) but putting out really great Mexican.

Their ridiculously huge chimichanga. A friend coined it best when after finishing it, said she was now pregnant with a “burrito baby” belly. It’s true…

Sometimes instead of a burrito I get a Pastor Taco Salad

But it’s no small salad- look at it in perspective with the sauces and snifter glass of beer… but then again, I always am able to finish it… why is it so good. The only way to keep myself in control is to limit myself to tacos, and I sometimes will wrap the last part of the burrito in the paper it comes in and take home. But these are too messy to take home… but too good to leave behind…

I will also dream fondly of Mexican roasted corn on the cob (which I actually like when they take it off the cob and just put it directly into the cheesy pepper mayo and sometimes also butter mess that you can stir and get on every smoky kernel in a cup). Unhealthy but happy food memories. The last time I had elote was 2009 in Seattle at the Pike Place Market. Yes, I remember when I last had it. I was super excited to see it. (All of these photos are from the Maxwell St Market in Chicago except the one with the kernels being cut from the corn which is from Seattle)

I also miss the duck confit nachos from De Cero in Chicago, another guilty pleasure.

From Adventures of Pech 2007
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