172 sandwich into a sizzling hot marriage of toasted bread, seared meats and blistered, charred vegetables. It’s all in the technique. 22222 B EST B I R R I A Hola Cabrito 4835 S. 16th St. 602-513-8384 holacabrito.com As the quesabirria fever dream crests and subsides, freshly minted acolytes in the cult of birria are slowly waking up to discover the place that’s been the GOAT all along … liter- ally. Hola Cabrito now offers beef quesab- irria to keep up with the Instagram craze, and you could order it if you like, but you’d be making a huge mistake. The specialty here is old-school birria — fresh, whole goat rubbed with a chile- and herb-infused adobo, roasted and steamed until tender and served alongside a bold and flavorful consommé with tortillas and all the trimmings. Choose a fatty or leaner cut (you might even be able to specify your favorite part if you ask nicely), go for stewed and supple or seared to a sizzled crisp on the flat top, and let them know whether or not you’d like chickpeas in your soup. But however you take it, birria at Hola Cabrito isn’t about the cheese and the grease. It’s about the natural flavor of the meat, coaxed out, amplified and intensified with pitch-perfect seasoning and technique. 22222 B E ST C H I M I C H A N G AS Rosita’s Place 2310 E. McDowell Road 602-244-9779 rositasplace.com Sometimes, you just need to eat a deep-fried burrito the size of a brick. The chimichangas at Rosita’s Place are perfect for the self-indul- gent or the very hungry, a giant meal that satisfies the body and the soul. Your options include green or red chile, chicken and machaca, and there’s really no wrong move here. What you’ll get is an impressively large burrito with a perfectly crispy and flaky exte- rior, topped with guacamole, sour cream and cheese. It’s a feast that can stretch to two meals or even three if you add sides of rice and beans for a modest upcharge. On the rare days that we’re not in the mood for a chimi, we still stop at Rosita’s to enjoy the rest of their extensive menu, which runs the gamut from breakfast to dessert. 22222 B E ST S O N O R A N H OT D O G Emilio’s Tacos & Hotdogs 13803 N. 19th Ave. 602-810-1468 instagram.com/emilios_tacosaz From the outside, Emilio’s looks like a party. This little eatery is painted bubblegum pink with sky blue trim and a yellow roof. At night, colorful lights dance in the windows, letting customers know that the fun continues inside. Take a spin through the drive-thru or pull up a seat in the tiny dining room to enjoy a menu of food and drinks as colorful as the space. Start with a bright pink strawberry horchata and then dig into a decked-out Sonoran hot dog. These souped- up sausages put ballpark dogs to shame. The bun is fluffy, the hot dog gets wrapped in bacon, and the whole thing is topped with beans, tomatoes, mayo, onions, salsa and cheese. Anyone who’s spent time in Sonora or become a fan of this style of loaded dogs in Tucson or beyond will be thrilled to find such an excellent rendition in Phoenix. 22222 B E ST M O L E Las 15 Salsas 722 W. Hatcher Road 602-870-2056 las15salsas.com Few restaurants in the Valley offer the vari- eties of mole found at Las 15 Salsas in Sunny- slope. There’s red, green, yellow, black and mole estofado, a chunky stewlike version. All of the moles unfold with layers of flavor as you enjoy them drizzled over tortilla chips, poured on top of enchiladas or in a trio, allowing you to get a taste of three types at once. The little Oaxacan restaurant serves the deep, layered flavors of its owner’s origins in the Mexican state’s central valleys. Find a seat in the cozy dining room or under the string lights on the patio, and pair your mole with a smoky mezcal cocktail or some creamy horchata to calm the spice. The flavors here will take you far beyond Phoenix.
