Cafe Ole' Flagstaff, AZ (menu)

Cafe Ole' has one of Flagstaff's best patios! The food is great too. Bonus: kids under 12 eat free on Wednesdays! Here's their menu:

Where to find great enchiladas in Flagstaff, Arizona

Cafe Daily Fare's gourmet chicken enchiladas

You’ve probably been enjoying these tasty staples at Mexican restaurants for years, but did you know the word “enchiladas” means "filled with chili.” The word enchilada first appeared in print at the end of the 19th century.  The original version of enchiladas were more like the stacked enchiladas you may have eaten at a Mexican restaurant in New Mexico - stacked in layers with a fried egg on top. Modern enchiladas are a hearty meal and perennial Mexican restaurant favorite. Here’s a look at some of Flagstaff’s most noteworthy…

Las Gorditas Mexican Restaurant
2900 N West St, Flagstaff AZ (just south of Cedar in a small shopping center)
Las Gorditas has some of the very best enchiladas in town. They serve Jalisco-style food, all recipes of Mom Santana or recipes passed down for generations in her family. The red sauce is flavorful but not spicy. They're a super bargain at $4.99 for two cheese enchiladas with rice and beans both at lunch and dinnertime. And they're mouthwatering, as are the pork. Be warned, you may become addicted at one bite and be coming back here all of the time.

MartAnne's Burrito Palace
10 N San Francisco
“The House That Chilaquiles Built" also serves a mean enchilada. Traditional, super filling and spicy describes everything at MartAnne's and the enchiladas are no different. You can even get one for breakfast if you want with a big ol fried egg on top (like the Jerry with pork and green chile). And of course everything here is made with love by the hands of owner-chef Anne Martinez, who you'll find working in the kitchen whenever they're open. Give her a wave, a big thanks and a good tip for your delicious enchiladas, if you can break yourself away from the chilaquiles, that is.

Cafe Daily Fare
408 E. Route 66 (behind the Babbitt used car lot, 1/2 block east of Elden St)
www.simplydeliciousflagstaff.com
The eclectic Café Daily Fare serves gourmet enchiladas as part of the "Chef's Playground" part of the menu, which means they make a showing occasionally, though you can always buy them by the pan to serve at a dinner or office party. You’ll find spinach, achiote chicken or ancho pork on the menu. The chicken enchiladas are delightfully different from any other enchiladas in town. These smoky, sweet and spicy bad boys are bursting with flavor, topped with a little cotija cheese and seeds along with a house-made roasted red pepper salsa. They leave your mouth warm and wanting more.

Salsa Brava
2220 E Route 66 (at Santa Fe)
Salsabravaflagstaff.com
The beloved Salsa Brava has quite a selection of enchiladas on the menu. Sour Creme and Chicken, spinach or Enchiladas de Cameron (shrimp) are all topped with a yummy cilantro cream sauce. They also have unique Portobello and Spinach enchiladas with grilled portobellos mixed with spinach and cheeses topped with a red chili sauce. Or you can go traditional with cheese, pork, beef and chicken enchiladas. You can’t go wrong with Salsa Brava’s classic cheese enchiladas with a little homemade salsa on top.

La Fonda
1900 N 2nd St (Just north of Route 66)
Lafondaflg.com
One of the best lunch specials in town revolves around the enchiladas at this locals favorite restaurant: two cheese enchiladas, rice, beans, a soda and a sopapilla al for $7.50. They’re simple and delish. La Fonda also has several other enchiladas any time of day to choose from including chicken, shredded or gowned beef in red or green sauce as well as carnitas enchiladas.

Casa Bonita
1551 S Milton (across from Target)
Casabonitaaz.com
Try Casa Bonita’s Camaron (shrimp) enchiladas with tomatoes, onions and cilantro or Enchiladas de Espinacas (spinach) with fresh sautéed spinach, tomatoes and onions, both smothered with a creamy sauce. They also serve up what they call Enchiladas Deluxe which are your choice of enchilada topped with green salsa, lettuce, guac, sour creme, tomatoes and onions. I love these extra toppings! Other house specialties include Enchiladas de Jaiba which have crab meat topped with a special tomatillo sauce and sour creme and Enchiladas Suizas, which are traditional enchiladas with a tomatillo sauce and sour creme on top.

Tacos Los Altos de Jalisco
3650 E Route 66 (off of Fanning Dr)
This little drive-thru (or small sit-down) restaurant serves up a mean cheese enchilada. It is smothered in a red chili gravy and topped with a bit of lettuce and tomato. These aren't spicy, just a mouthful of flavor. Tacos Los Altos also has shrimp, beef and chicken enchiladas.

Los Altenos Restaurant
1481 S Milton (Near Cheba Hut)
Grab a bunch of napkins before you bite into Los Altenos' enchiladas. These are served up in an almost soupy state smothered in a ton of chili sauce and melted cheese. They don't skimp on the meat either. You can order two or three cheese, chicken or beef enchiladas with rice and beans for $6 to $7.

Poliberto's
221 E Cedar Ave
Simple, fast, cheap and gigantic describes Poliberto's enchiladas. Here I'd go for the green chicken enchiladas. They are overstuffed with shredded chicken (but no melted cheese anywhere in sight), lightly topped with a thick green sauce that is spicy with a great aftertaste. The order of two comes in at $4. Poliberto's also has cheese, beef and chicken enchiladas topped with a milder red sauce.

(This was originally written by me for Flagstaff Live!)

Las Gorditas in Flagstaff, Arizona

Las Gorditas Mexican Restaurant
2900 N West St, Flagstaff AZ (Just south of Cedar in a small shopping center)
Las Gorditas is a true Flagstaff find. This mom and pop shop has been open four years. They serve Jalisco-style Mexican, all recipes of Mom Santana or recipes passed down for generations in her family.
They've done a nice job with decorating the little space in a small shopping center with traditional Mexican art and tchotchkes.
At the heart of Las Gorditas is a fresh salsa bar with six salsas all made by "mom" with  recipes she keeps so secret she won't even tell her daughter.
Guacamole salsa is an avocado infused delight. Nothing like your typical guac yet it beckons you to take another bite. Its a touch creamy but more like a typical salsa than guacamole in every way. The salsa verde is drinkable. It has a peppery taste that I swear hints to star of anise. I asked but the recipe is top secret. Only mom knows what's in there. It is sure to cure sinus congestion.

The enchiladas here are so good. The red sauce is flavorful but not spicy and they're a super bargain at $4.99 for 2 cheese with rice and beans both at lunch and dinner time. And they're mouthwatering.

The gorditas are also a treat. Fresh with nice thick masa. I like the bean and cheese one, though it's hard to go wrong with carnitas gorditas too.
Another fav of mine, the chicken tacos. Nice fresh, well seasoned and tender chicken breast diced with a little lettuce, tomato and cheese. Add some of that guaca salsa and you have a home run.

I've yet to try anything at Las Gorditas that isn't fresh and tasty. This is the place to go for top notch but low cost Mexican food in Flagstaff

Salsa de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Celebrate with a fiesta in your mouth courtesy of salsa.
Salsa is the number one condiment in the US. It overtook catsup a few years back and for good reason. It’s so versatile and can bounce the taste of even boring food up a notch. The best salsas are in themselves a feast of flavor. The perfect combination of tomatoes, onions, peppers and other fresh ingredients create a fiesta in your mouth worthy of celebrating this Cinco de Mayo or any other day really. Here’s a look at some of the most noteworthy salsas in Flagstaff.

Salsa Brava
2220 East Route 66
How could a story about salsa not begin with this famous Route 66 restaurant. The salsa bar is the best in town with flavors that spin your taste buds through a savorlicious journey.
Habanero pineapple, pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa verde. They have them all here and they are all done right. My fav is to combine the pico with the regular then alternate chip dips between that and the tanginess of the verde and sweet punch of the pineapple.
All are good and none give more fire than a trained mouth can handle. A must visit for every salsa connoisseur.

Las Gorditas Mexican Restaurant
2900 N. West St, Suite 4 (near Cedar)
This hidden gem family run restaurant has been open four years. It’s home to six salsas, all made by "mom" Santana. Some recipes are her own. Others have been passed down for generations from family in Jalisco.
The guacamole salsa is an avocado infused delight. Nothing like your typical guac yet it beckons you to take another bite. It’s a touch creamy with a bold flavor, much more like a typical salsa than guacamole. The salsa verde is drinkable. It has a peppery taste that I swear hints to star of anise. I asked but the recipe is top secret. Only mom knows what's in there. It is sure to cure sinus congestion. There are also three types of red sauces to boot.

Cafe Ole
121 S San Francisco
The salsa at café ole has a different edge then others in town. There’s a fire-roasted zing that drives the uniqueness. It comes off spicy but goes down so smoothly. It’s one to savor. You’ll want to add it to anything and everything on the menu. But never fear, it’ll satisfy with just chips along side a nice marg or mojito.

Criollo Latin Kitchen
16 N San Francisco
Criollo’s Latin-inspired salsas take chips and dips to a whole new level. The veggies in all three of the salsas here are all Arizona grown organically and sustainably. An order comes with all three of their handcrafted, made fresh daily salsas: pico de gallo, a tangy, tart tomatillo salsa verde (perfect to compliment fish tacos) and mesquite smoked chili with the triple threat of serranos, jalapeños and habaneros.
The mesquite smoked is surprisingly sweet at first taste but goes on to light up in the back of your mouth with spiced up smoky rich fire essence. A standout in the hot “hot sauces” of the city.

Black Bean Burrito Bar and Salsa Co.
12 E Route 66 (In the square across from Flagstaff Brewing Company)
The Black Bean is known for burritos and hand crafted salsas. The sauces here have the coolest names and range on the heat scale from mild to hotter.
The chili de arbol Red Hotty tops the scale along side Habanero Heaven (pineapple with habaneros). Next down the scale is the three star hot Garlipeno which adds fresh garlic's uniqueness. Then comes my Black Bean favorite - the tropical Mango Pineapple with fire roasted tomatoes and chipotle chilis. Rounding out the scale at the mild end are the traditional Casa Roja and Pico de Gallo plus Smoked Sweet Tomato, which feels more Italian than Mexican and is a nice change of pace for a salsa.

Also worth a mention…
Burritos Fiesta (1530 S Riordan Ranch St # 405C, next door to Bookmans) This place is always packed and has a lot of people sitting at their tables with satisfied grins on their faces. The salsa options here are just hot or mild. Both are winning choices.
Tacos Locos (2 S. Beaver St. Suite 170 on the Phoenix Ave. side of the building). Tacos Locos has several special-crafted homemade salsas, which include a salsa verde, traditional salsa and a spicy “chile de arbol” sauce.

*This article was originally written for Flagstaff Live's April 29, 2010 issue*

La Fonda - A Flagstaff local favorite for traditional Mexican food

La Fonda
1900 N 2nd St
menu at: lafondaflg.com

A restaurant for locals in the know is LaFonda. This always busy at luinch Mexican food gem has been around since the 50s. The family later also started several other Arizona Mexican restaurants.
LaFonda has one of the best lunch specials in town. For 7.50 you get a 2 item combo plus rice, beans and a sopapilla.
The food is traditional Mexican. Nothing TexMex about the food here.
My fav here: Lunch special A- a cheese enchilada and chicken picaro. Always fresh and served piping hot rolled up to the table on an old fashioned cart.
The salsa is self serve on the table, as is honey. The salsa is "cure your sinus issues" hot. Mmmm. It's thin and not too chunky.
My kids love that honey is on the table. They put it on their chips and love it.
To finish the meal: a sopapilla. This light, fluffy puffed up tortilla-like dessert is delish with honey drizzled across the top.
All in all, LaFonda is a classic no-frills restaurant with good food and a down-home atmosphere. It's where I go when I want Mexican for lunch in Flagstaff.

Best Mexican restaurants in Flagstaff

Best Mexican
By Angele Sionna

From chips and salsa to tacos and enchiladas, Mexican food satisfies. It’s more than putting ingredients into tortillas. It’s about the sauce, the spices and tasting the love cooked right in, no matter how simple or deluxe the restaurant. We’ve got quite a few great spots to fill those cravings for Mexican food in town. Here’s a look at some of the best…

¡Ay Caray! (next to Picazzos)
1300 S Milton Rd

¡Ay Caray! is a surprising little find in a strip mall along Flagstaff's main drag. The restaurant is nothing fancy, but has friendly service and fab food.
The menu's pretty simple - tacos, enchiladas, tamales, tortas plus some salads and soups - all of which are freshly made, as are the chips and salsa. From the first bite of their chips, you know you’re going to have a good meal.
The enchilada platter is the thing to get here. It comes with sour cream and guac on top plus rice and beans on the side. A filling meal for sure. Be sure to try ¡Ay Caray!'s smooth and flavorful flan for a sweet and rich topper to your meal.

Salsa Brava
2220 East Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ
salsabravaflagstaff.com

This is the place to go in town if salsa is your thing. Salsa Brava has a salsa bar with lots of great choices from the mild but flavorful pico de gallo to a hot salsa plus a tangy tomatillo salsa verde and the sweet, spicy 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. The wide array of seafood dishes combine Arizonan and Baja for a nice twist. There's definitely something for everyone here. It’s no wonder that they were featured earlier this year on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

La Fonda
1900 N. Second St
lafondaflg.com

La Fonda has been in business in Flag for over fifty years. This locals’ favorite is in the Sunnyside neighborhood, tucked away from tourists but not away from the crowds.
Classic Mexican best describes the food flavorings of La Fonda. The menu features dozens of traditional combinations from fajitas to tacos and everything in between. Lunch specials are a good deal too and a great way to sample the flavor of La Fonda.
Just because they’re half a century old doesn’t mean they aren’t hip to new things. You can find out about specials and discounts by following them on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Good way to save some money on good food.

Burritos Fiesta
1530 S Riordan Ranch St # 405C (next to Bookmans)

Burritos Fiesta is a laidback kind of joint where you order at the counter and wait for your food. It always seems to be packed with satisfied customers who don’t even need to look at the menu board before ordering… always a good sign.
On the menu here – nine types of burritos (of course) and you can get them served up traditionally, deep fried or enchilada-style with red or green sauce. The ‘Fiesta Burrito’ is number one on the menu for a reason. It’s the best –with charbroiled chicken or steak plus jack cheese, guac and pico de gallo. Other featured items include tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and salads.

Taco Tour of Flagstaff

Make a run for the border: A taco tour of Flagstaff
By Angele Sionna

Flagstaff is filled with little nook and crannies that are in turned filled with little Mexican dives. Some of these joints are definitely worth stopping in for a satisfying bite with some south of the border flavor. So, join me on a taco tour of Flagstaff’s best, in honor of Cinco De Mayo.

Starting off on the Southwest side of town, working our way North and East… we begin our adventure at …Burritos Fiesta (1530 S Riordan Ranch St # 405C, next door to Bookmans). This place is always packed and has a lot of people sitting at their tables with satisfied grins on their faces. The tacos here are served on corn or flour tortillas and much larger than your average taco dive’s taco. And they serve up a small side of chips on your plate at no extra charge. Taco choices include: shredded beef, steak, fish, shrimp and chicken ranging from $2.50-$3.75 per taco.

Basically across the street, we move into a much smaller little taco joint… Los Altenos Restaurant (1481 S Milton, behind Strombolli’s). Los Altenos is open every day from 8a-9p serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Their taco list is pretty expansive from your standard tacos de pollo (yum) to tacos de tripas – which is intestine with cilanto and onions in a corn tortilla (eew, unless that’s your thing). They also have several types of pork and beef choices, all at $1.99 each.

Moving up Milton, we find ourselves at… Ay Caray! Mexican Grill (1300 S Milton Rd, next to Picazzos) Ay Caray! upgrades their dive status by serving you at your table with fresh, extremely tasty homemade chips and salsa. I really love their chicken taco here. The meat is all white meat and marinated – mmm. They’ve got nine other taco choices too… all are served with salsa or guacamole included for $2.50 each (fish tacos cost $3.25). If you get their to-go menu, there’s a little coupon on the front for 15% off for NAU students or a free ice cream cone for the kids. Nice bonus.

As we head towards downtown on our taco tour, we stop next at… Tacos Locos (2 S. Beaver St. Suite 170 on the Phoenix Ave. side of the building). This taco shop is a little more, okay a lot more, high tech with free wireless internet. They have a unique menu and style- much more “Californian” than others. Their tacos start at $2.29 for a potato taco and go up to $3.49 for a grilled ahi taco. They’ve even got a weird one called a California Taco that has carne asada, guacamole, lettuce and, yes, french fries. It’s pretty good, actually. Extra bonus: they play cool music and serve beer and margaritas. Menu online at: tacoslocos.com

These next two stops are on the East side, are accessible without leaving the comfort of your car and have lots more than just tacos… Poliberto’s Taco Shop (221 E Cedar Ave.). This quickie stop seems to always have a line, which is what drew me in the first time. They’ve got beef or chicken tacos for $1.99 each or 3 rolled tacos with guac or sour crème for the same price. Fish tacos move up to $2.10 each and specialty ones are $2.45 each. Poliberto’s also has combos that include a drink.

And last but in no way least, our final stop is at… Tacos Los Altos De Jalisco (3650 E. Route 66, off of Fanning Dr.). This joint has drive-thru or sit down options. Los Altos serves hard shelled beef or chicken tacos for $2 each or specialty tacos for $2.25-$2.75. You can also get rolled tacos for 99 cents a pop and mini tacos starting at $1.25. They also have lots of combos, including for breakfast.

If you wanna upgrade…
•To a full-service restaurant: Check out the ever-popular “local’s secret” La Fonda. It’s been in business in Flag since 1958 and has good tacos and everything else. The original La Fonda is at 1900 N. Second St in the Sunnyside neighborhood.
•To a fancy pants taco: I love the pecan-encrusted fish tacos at Josephine’s Modern American Bistro. They’re not always on the menu, but when they are – yum! Great spring and summer lunch choice on their fantastic patio! Josephine’s is at 503 N. Humphrey's Street, just north of downtown.

Note: THis article was firt published in Flagstaff Live! - written by me too!

Ay Caray! Mexican Grill

By Angele Sionna

• 1300 S Milton Rd (next to Picazzos), Flagstaff, AZ


• No menu online, but they have to go menus with coupons on their counter (run in and check it out before sitting down to order!)

The Food (taste/flavor/quality of food & drinks)
>>>>= a favorite, can count on it being good every time

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
xxx= good but could be improved

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

Value (what you get for your money)
**** = worth it – you won’t be disappointed with what you get for your money

Ay Caray!, formerly known as Ay Carrumba! (they had to change their name the owner tells me because Ay Carumba was trademarked and they had to change it), is a surpring little find in a strip mall along Flagstaff's man drag. Next to Picazzos and August Moon, sits this little gem with super friendly service and fantastic food. Don't mistake this little joint for some of the other taqueria-type places in town. It has several tables and the owner waits on you himself. He's great at check on you ad your satisfaction and about making sure your drinks are filled up. It's nothing fancy, but feels relaxing.

The menu's pretty simple - tacos, enchiladas, tamales, tortas plus some salads and soups - all of which is freshly made, including the chips nad salsa. I knew it was going to be a great meal as soon as I took my first bite into their chips. So good and so fresh. These could quite possibly be the best in town. The salsa is spicy and flavorful but doesn't burn the tongue.

For my lunch today I ordered up a chicken and guacamole taco ($2.50) and a green chile chicken tamale ($2). Both were good but the taco was outstanding. The chicken isn't dry and stringy like at a lot of other joints in town. And its flavored well. It's served in a double corn tortillas. Yum. The tamale is a different type than I've had before. The masa is much more fluffy than most, but the taste was decent and fresh. Though after eating the fantastic taco, I wish I'd just ordered two of those. My husband has the asada enchiladas. Unlike most enchiladas, there was barely any cheese inside (if any) and were stuffed with grilled beef and cheese on top. His came with sour cream, guac, rice and beans, all of which were quite tasty and plentiful. I always like it when places don't go crazy on their upcharge of guac. It's not *that* expensive to make fresh, so the fact that it just comes with the tacos and enchiladas was a great surprise and on top of that it tasted fab to boot!

Mexican joints are not a place I think of when I think great deserts, but Ay Caray's flan is excellent. If you ask, they'll let you sample the differnt flans of the day. Today I tried the plain and the coffee. The coffee I must recommend. It was smooth and flavorful, and let's not forget sweet and rich. The presentation was nice too - served on a plate with chocolate drizled across it and a cherry sliced into a flower on top. I'll be getting that again.
All the food here tastes like the chef back in the kitchen really cares. That is the sign of a fabulous restaurant, no matter how simple and small. I think I've found my new favorite Mexican food in Flagstaff!

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.

Best Breakfasts in Flagstaff

Best Breakfast Joints in Flagstaff
By Angele Sionna

(*Note: This article originally appeared in Flagstaff Live! Written by me, of course.)

Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, pancakes, cereal, bagels, cinnamon rolls, danish, kolaches… the list of breakfast foods is expansive and varies culture to culture. But wherever you go breakfast means the same thing - to break one’s fast. The fast being the longest period that most of us don’t eat, which is overnight. No wonder it’s traditionally a carby-starchy meal that can take you through the day, if need be. Here’s a look at Flagstaff’s best breakfast joints. All places that make getting up in the morning something to look forward to.

La Bellavia, 18 S. Beaver St.
La Bellavia is arguably the best all around spot for breakfast. The atmosphere is homey and the food fantastic. The Swedish Oat Cakes are the perfect choice for those feeling the need for some morning sweets without going into sugar shock. These huge buttermilk and oat pancakes are served with a hot cinnamon apple topping. They’re so big that if you eat a whole stack of three oat cakes, they’ll take your photo and hang it on the wall… plus if it’s a weekday the sign on the wall says they’ll give you a free coffee mug too. Another tasty great option – La Bellavia’s omelets. They’re filled with the ingredients of your choosing then smothered with hollandaise sauce. Delish.

Brandy’s Restaurant & Bakery, 1500 E Cedar Ave
Brandy’s used to be owned by the same people as La Bellavilla. (The owners of Brandy’s being the ones who founded La Bell.) Their breakfast menus do have some feeling of Déjà vu to them. But Brandy’s chef makes the breakfast potatoes much better than their downtown cousin. In fact, I think they have the best breakfast potatoes in town. Their menu includes daily specials from quiches to homemade bagels. Brandy’s also serves up sugary yummies like cinnamon rolls and muffins. While the coffee is good, Brandy’s hot cocoas are not to be missed, piled high with whip cream, to the delight of kids of all ages.

Mike and Ronda’s The Place, 21 S Milton Rd
Mike and Ronda’s The Place is by far the best deal on breakfast. It’s simple and simply great. I recommend their two eggs scrambled with hash browns and a pancake all for the nice price of $4. Add a cup of Joe for an extra $1.50. And the service is always good there too. Added bonus: Thursdays through Saturdays they’re open 24 hours a day. When you just want a good meal at a good price in an old-fashioned diner style, this is the place.

MartAnne’s Burrito Palace, 10 N San Francisco St
MartAnne’s is a hot little hole in the wall spot downtown for Mexican breakfast. In fact it’s got the trifecta of hotness going on… Hot because it is very popular amongst those in the know. Hot because the food is really spicy. And hot because it can get pretty warm in there with all the people packed in. The quarters are tight but friendly. The food is traditional but not to imply boring by any means. It’s plentiful and filling, which is good because you’re going to be really hungry by the time it gets to you. Expect a line here every weekend plus a wait for your food, but it’s worth it.

Cafe Ole

By Angele Sionna

119 S San Francisco, Flagstaff, AZ

(no menu online)

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

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
xxxxx= you’ll love it

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

The relaxing atmosphere is everything at Cafe Ole. The outside patio is more of a courtyard and is the best in town. You feel comfortable from the moment you walk in. There's a giant fountain at the back and plants all around with Mexican pottery scattered about. On the weekends, you'll often catch a live music performance to set the mood as well.

The food and drinks at Cafe Ole are creative. The special drinks of the night have included blueberry mojitos and pomegranate margaritas. Both were good, though there seems to always be too much ice in the mojitos and margaritas here and they only serve them on the rocks. They're a little watered down tasting as a result.

My favorite thing on the menu is the "make your own combination" platter. They're served in one, two or three item portions with rice and beans. I like to do three item combo with two cheese enchiladas and a guacamole taco. It is the perfect size to share with my toddler. The special enchilada dishes are often intriguing choices and I recommend them as well.

The service is generally slow but very friendly but the atmosphere makes up for any negatives here.

All in all, this is the best Mexican restaurant in town to take out of town friends or go on a date. The food is quality and the surroundings really put you at ease and in a talking mood.

For more photos of Cafe Ole, click HERE.

Tacos Locos

By Angele Sionna

2 S. Beaver St. Suite 170 (on the Phoenix Ave. side of the building)
Menu at : tacoslocos.com

The Food (taste/flavor/quality of food & drinks)
>>>>= a favorite, can count on it being good every time

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

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

Value (what you get for your money)
**** = worth it - you won’t be disappointed with what you get for your money

Looking for a place to kick back on your lunch break or grab some good Mexican grub in between classes or errands? Tacos Locos is a good bet.

They have a simple but unique menu with decent prices and a different style than everyone else in town. Tacos Locos is on the a side entrance of the same building that houses Altitudes Bar and Grill, just south of the railroad tracks downtown.

Everything about this place screams laid back and it’s fabulous. Relaxing yet energetic music plays while you browse the menu at the counter and place your order. Items range from beef or fish tacos ($2.39 each) to rolled potato tacos ($2.19 for 3). There are several vegetarian options – mostly consisting of guacamole or potato based dishes. They also have a serve yourself soda fountain (drinks cost $1.79), beers on tap, and traditional Mexican beverages ($1.99), including Horchata (a cinnamon flavored rice milk), Tamarindo (made from tamarind fruit, a sweet yet distinctively sour fruit), and Jaicama (hibiscus flower tea).

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="368" caption="Rolled potato tacos"][/caption]

After ordering you seat yourself in the small but roomy feeling loft style restaurant, complete with high ceilings, exposed ducts, painted concrete floors and even a stone wall. There are naturally stained pine wood panels and soothing orange painted stucco walls. On display all around – local art, which adds to the hip feel inside. There is also a simple but fun patio with metal tables and rainbow colored umbrellas.

Moms take note – even though Tacos Locos caters to the student and lunch break crowd, they have a high chair for the little ones and menu items fit for kids like a large cheese quesadilla for $2.99, enough for two kids to share (although they have no kids menu per se).

This was my first visit to this casual restaurant, which only opened about four months ago. Their sign says café and market, but there is no market yet, though I’m told to look for it this spring. The market will feature their special homemade salsas, which include a salsa verde, traditional salsa and a spicy “chile de arbol” sauce.

Low prices and high quality best describes the food at Tacos Locos. Everything was fresh, not greasy. Food tastes like its made by someone who cares about each customer. On this visit, we tried several items.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="368" caption="California taco & fish taco"][/caption]

First up, my favorite of all that I tried: the fish taco ($2.39). Served with fried fish and cabbage, I recommend adding some of the homemade salsa verde. It is the perfect compliment to this taco with its sour and tart flavor. In fact, I’d add the salsa verde to anything and everything here because it is really good.

One of the weirder menu items (but I’m told very popular with the student crowd) are the California tacos ($2.69) and burritos ($5.39), consisting of carne asada, guacamole, lettuce and french fries. Yes, that’s right, I said french fries.

From the vegetarian menu, I tried the 3 rolled potato tacos ($2.19). These are essentially taquitos with mashed potato-like filling, topped with an almost non-existant amount of guacamole, lettuce and cheese. Good when dipped or smothered in the salsa verde or other salsa. Otherwise, they’re a little bland. But once that salsa is on there I really like them and for $2.19 for three I would definitely get them again.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="258" caption="Veggie quesadilla"][/caption]

I ordered the veggie quesadilla ($2.99) for my daughters to split. It was a giant burrito sized flour tortilla (by Tortilla Lady, the menu proclaims) filled with cheese, onions and red and green peppers. Not what I think of when I think veggie really (I was imagining corn and zucchini). My girls didn’t like the veggies on there, but once I took them off they gobbled it up. I tried it too and I thought it was decent but not impressive enough to order for myself. If quesadillas are what you want, I’d hop on over across the street to Beaver Street Brewery and order their chicken quesadillas instead, though Beaver Street’s are no where near the bargain price of $2.99. But then Tacos Locos doesn’t serve them with sour crème or guacamole.

You can add rice or beans for $1.19 each to your order, but we did not. We also didn’t try their chips and salsa because unlike most other Mexican restaurants, it is not included. The basket of chips and salsa will set you back and extra $4.39.

A good idea on your first visit to Tacos Locos is to opt for one of their combos, like the taco and salad ($5.89) or two tacos ($5.89).

Tacos Locos is particularly great for lunch breaks because they have free high speed internet so you can easily take a working lunch. They have happy hour and serve up several flavors of margaritas, pina coladas, on tap beers and bottled beers. There are no waitresses but the guy at the counter is about the friendliest you’ll come across. He’s happy to explain every item on the menu with a smile. Food is served up fast and hot in plastic baskets, which you’re asked to kindly put up yourself as you toss your trash or recycle your bottles.

Tacos Locos is going to become a part of my regular dining rotation. I left there full, satisfied and relaxed. I recommend it for tourists and locals alike.

Javelina Cantina - $ Saving UPDATE

by Angele Sionna


I just went to Javelina Cantina last night for dinner and it was great again! I still hold that it's the best Mexican in Arizona. For my full Javelina Cantina Review with details on their fantastic food - click HERE.

I wanted to be sure to write a quick update to share some new info the waitress shared with me that could save you money!

**Here are a few new money saving TIPS:

• If you tell any waiter/waitress that you are a local (ie, from Flagstaff, Sedona, etc.) they will automatically take 10% off your bill, no coupon needed!


• She also told me that right now there is a coupon for 20% off your bill in one of the free local magazines that are available at most tourist info spots.


• Another money saving tidbit I found out about - their frequent diner card. Every time you purchase a meal of $10 or more, you get one stamp on your card (max of two stamps per card per visit, but they will stamp multiple cards). Once you get to 12 stamps, you get up to $12 off your bill.

Warning though - there is some MAJOR construction going on right now on Sedona's main streets. It took us over an hour to get the last mile or so into the city coming down 89A from Flagstaff. When we were discussing this with our helpful waitress she told us that it has taken as long as two hours for drivers to get from I-17 into Sedona via Highway 179. So your best bet into the city seems to be via 89A northbound coming form Cottonwood.

Javelina Cantina

by Angele Sionna

671 Hwy 179, Sedona, AZ
Hillside Shopping Center
Menu at: javelinacantina.com

The Food (taste/flavor/quality of food & drinks)
>>>>>= always great, unique, and flavorful no matter where you're from

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
xxxxx= you'll love it

Price (what to generally expect to pay per person per entree)
$$$= $15

Value (what you get for your money)
**** = worth it - you won’t be disappointed with what you get for your money

The best Mexican food I’ve had in Arizona... that about sums up Sedona’s Javelina Cantina in one sentence. Located south of the “Y” on Highway 179 in the upscale Hillside Shopping Center, this restaurant is welcoming as soon as you walk in the door. The décor is modern southwest with stone and metal used heavily throughout. It really reflects the city’s chic artsy atmosphere. Large windows let patrons enjoy the famous Sedona scenery without the heat. But the best spot to sit is on the patio, which features a relaxing red rock waterfall and a great view of the city.

This was our first visit to Javelina Cantina. We heard it was the best in town and had won several awards so we were anxious to try it. That kind of reputation can get just about anyone in the door – but would it live up to the hype? I’m glad to report – YES!

Javelina Cantina serves Sonoran-style Mexican food. The prices are above average for Mexican dishes, but about in line with most places in Sedona, averaging about $15 per entrée. There are 15 different combo meals, which are perfect for sampling some of everything. I really liked the variety of combos. They’re not just your typical taco and enchilada choices, though those were options. And as you would expect in Sedona, they have a vegetarian combo as well. The menu also includes several types of salads, fajitas, and Javelina Chef Specials, featuring three signature dishes: Rocky Point Fish Tacos ($15.50), Salmon Tostada ($17.95), and Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Burrito ($14.95). For the junior javelinas, there’s a kids menu with eight different child-sized entrees with a soda and dessert for $6.50.

We met up with family for our Javelina Cantina debut, so we got to try several different things in this one visit. First things first - we ordered chile con queso ($7.95) and guacamole ($7.50) for appetizers. The queso was chunkier than most places with lots of green chiles, but very creamy and good. The menu says the guacamole is made fresh daily and it tastes like it. It was tangy and rich, almost creamy… full of flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. You can tell a lot about a Mexican restaurant by their guac, so I knew we were in for a treat when the entrees came. And boy was I right!

For the main course, I had the South of the Border Combo Uno ($14.95), one of Javelina Cantina’s signature meals. It comes with one cheese enchilada, one green corn tamale, and one taco plus rice and beans. The enchiladas were, simply said, awesome. A tortilla filled with hot cheeses topped with a flavorful tomato-based sauce with just enough kick but not spicy. Also, thankfully, they weren’t greasy like too many other Mexican restaurants. The tamale was about twice the side of typical tamales. It was covered with melted cheese and served without a husk. It was nice to have a vegetarian tamale. Too often you don’t get much variety in this dish. The masa was thick with a corn, cheese and green chile center. Again, full of flavor but not spicy. I’m thinking that must be a trait of Sonoran-style Mexican food, which I’ve honestly never heard of before eating here. The chicken taco was my least favorite part of my combo but still decent. It was filled with super-thinly shredded chicken but a little dry and bland in comparison to the other items. I added some of the guac we had for an appetizer and it really improved it. My dad opted for beef tacos on his combo and thought they were much better than the chicken ones.

My husband ordered the Steak Fajitas ($17.95). They were perfect for one, but probably not enough to share like at other places. The steak was marinated and grilled with onions, tomatoes, and red peppers. The juices all ran together making a savory sauce. The meat itself was very tender and far above your average fajita meat. The fajitas come with warm flour tortillas, guacamole, and a special spicy sour crème sauce that they call crème fraiche. Javelina Cantina also serves chicken ($17.95), shrimp ($18.95), Tilapia white fish ($17.95), or garden vegetable ($14.95) fajitas.

Not to be overlooked are Javelina Cantina’s margaritas. What Mexican restaurant meal would be complete with one of these! This cantina is not messing around with their margarita menu. It has at least ten different varieties… from a standard frozen concoction ($6.50) to a Green Monster ($8.00), which is a standard margarita with a Midori float, to a Fiesta Titanic ($12.75), which has a mixture of mango and prickly pear margaritas with Midori and Blue Curacao added.

Service at Javelina Cantina is as good as the food. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. We never felt rushed even though we ate and lingered for about two hours. Speaking of friendly, other members of the wait staff doted on my daughter who was enjoying looking behind the curtain at the bus boy station. They offered her some M&Ms, which she loved. Another thing she loved, Jave and Lina the javelinas mounted on the wall near the bar and the Arizona gift shop at the front of the restaurant. They have all kinds of souvenirs from Arizona wild animal hand puppets to books on Sedona’s famous vortex sites.

Javelina Cantina is definitely my new favorite place to eat in Sedona. (There's another one in Lake Hacasu City too if you're in that part of Arizona.) It is certainly a contender for the top spot in all of northern Arizona, but I may seem to lean slightly towards Flagstaff’s Beaver Street Brewery for that honor. Either way, the Javelina is the best place for Mexican in this whole area. You do pay more for the food here, but everyone in our party today agreed – it is worth it!

**TIP: For 10% off your total bill at Javelina Cantina and other Sedona restaurants, stop by the tourist information center in the Dairy Queen parking lot just north of town on Highway 89 in Oak Creek Canyon. You can find all sorts of coupons and other info about the area.

More Javelina Cantina photos HERE.

El Charro

By Angele Sionna


[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="409 S. San Francisco, Flagstaff, AZ"][/caption]

409 S. San Francisco St., Flagstaff
(no menu on line)

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

The Atmosphere (environment, wait staff, comfortableness)
xxx= good but could be improved

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

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

With El Charro, what you see is what you get. It’s a simple, family owned Mexican restaurant without any bells and whistles, but good service and food by people who care about making it. Inside a converted home in the midst of a Flagstaff Neighborhood, this isn’t the place you’re going to see many tourists. What you’ll find instead on most weekday afternoons are NAU employees who took a short walk from their office to grab lunch. That’s when I recommend going to El Charro because their great lunch special makes this place definitely worth trying.



[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="One of El Charro's lunch special combos"][/caption]

For $6.25 plus tax, you get any two items from the A La Carte menu, rice, beans, a tortilla or sopapilla, and soda or iced tea. Hard to find a deal like that in this town. The A La Carte menu includes tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, and burros. My personal recommendation is the guacamole tostada and a cheese enchilada with the sopapilla for dessert. My husband always gets one beef enchilada and one cheese enchilada. To note here, the beef enchiladas have not been Americanized. They are a cheese enchilada with cubes of beef and red sauce on top. It was a little surprising the first time my husband ordered it, as he’s used to ground beef mixed with cheese inside the enchilada. But he likes it enough to order it every time we come.

If you’re on a diet, you’ll want to skip El Charro. There’s probably nothing for you on the menu. It is very meat and cheese driven and loaded with carbs.

El Charro is also not the place to go if you’re looking for spicy or interesting flavor combinations. Instead the flavors are mild, bordering on boring. Growing up in Texas I’m accustomed to Tex-Mex style cooking that brings much more zing and spice in every bite, not to mention more vegetables in the entrée selections. You’re not going to get anything like that here. But I’ve yet to find any place like that anywhere in this town.

This is a Mexican restaurant in every sense of the word. The tone of the dishes are much more basic, yet solid and reliable. Every time I’ve come to El Charro the food tastes exactly the same. Also dependable is the service. The owners and their family run the restaurant hands-on. They greet you, serve the food, and make sure you’re drink glass is always full. I often see the owner’s family eating lunch here when they’re not working.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="180" caption="El Charro's sopapillas"][/caption]

The atmosphere is kid-friendly with colorful murals hand painted on the walls and piñatas hanging on the ceiling. My daughter particularly likes the animals depicted in the landscape, which she promptly begins naming as soon as we sit down. Also good to note, if you’re little ones don’t go for Mexican food, the menu has picky-kid friendly items like burgers and fries. Hands down my daughter’s favorite part about coming here are the sopapillas with honey that come with the lunch special. Truth be told, they’re my favorite part about coming here too.

See more photos of El Charro HERE.