Salsa Brava Fresh Mexican Grill

By Angele Sionna

• 2220 East Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ
  


• menu online at: salsabravaflagstaff.com

The Food (taste/flavor/quality of food & drinks)
>>>= good, but not great

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
xxxx= comfortable

Price (what to generally expect to pay per person per entree)
$$                 $10

Value (what you get for your money)
*** = fair -you get what you pay for, not in a bad way

If you're not careful, you may pass by Salsa Brava without even noticing. (I do this accidentally almost every time we go there). In a nondescript orangey colored building built right on top of the sidewalk on Route 66, sits Salsa Brava. (Find out about Salsa Brava being featured on The Food Network HERE.)

This is the place to go in town if salsa is your thing. They have a salsa bar with lots of great choices from the mild but flavorful pico de gallo plus a hot salsa (which is like many regular salsas) plus a tangy tomatillo salsa verde, and the sweet with a spicy backlash pineapple habanero salsa. All are good and none give more fire than a trained mouth can handle. You really could just eat salsa and chips here with a margarita and go home happy.

The menu features everything from quesadillas and fajitas to more unique offerings like a lobster/shrimp enchiladas, Maui Tacos, and stuffed sopapillas. They have lots of seafood items which is a nice twist combining some of the Arizona style Mexican flavors with Baja style. There's definitely something for everyone. Even the kiddos - with a $4.95 kids menu, including a drink, with items like a cheese enchilada or a build your own burrito.

I got the chicken stuffed sopapilla on my visit tonight topped with the green chile enchilada sauce. The menu says spicy but it's not really. It's gigantic and best described as a Navajo taco meets smothered burrito. All in all pretty good and very carby and filling. Something you need to be in the mood for for sure cause this one's gonna stay with you all day or night.

On this trip, my husband got the steak fajitas. Not a generous portion, so they definitely aren't for splitting, and they only come with two tortillas. You can get two extras for 50 more cents). The meat is tender. Though I would say it needs a bit more saltiness if you eat it on its own but tastes pretty good with all the fajitas fixings.

One weird thing about the menu - they have what they call signature black beans, but they're not served with any of the entrees. You have to add them for 50 cents extra. Kind of a weird thing when it's their signature item I think.

Salsa Brava is worth a visit for sure and among Flagstaff's best Mexican restaurants.