17 Dec 28th, 2023–Jan 3rD, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Critic’s Picks Dining critic Dominic Armato’s 10 favorite bites of 2023. BY DOMINIC ARMATO I t feels good to be back in the saddle again. Not that one needs a formal title and a printed byline to ruminate on all things delicious, but this year feels a little extra special. It’s been nearly a year since I joined Phoenix New Times as their dining critic, and this is the first time I’ve written a year- end summary of my favorite dishes within these pages. For me, this is a tradition that stretches back nearly two decades. Through blogs, professional publications and personal journals, this is now the nine- teenth time I’ve sat down to take stock of the year in food. I don’t like to think of this as a list of the “best” things I ate this year. I prefer to think of them as the bites that made an indelible mark on my brain for one reason or another. Perhaps they were brilliantly conceived. Perhaps they were stunningly executed. Perhaps they were novel and exciting. Or perhaps they were just stupid good. For whatever reason, these are the dishes I remember most fondly when I think back on what the Phoenix restaurant scene has shown us in 2023. Here they are, in random order: Quesabirria Tacos at Tacos Veganos 3301 E. Indian School Road I’m as surprised as you. Not because this dish is vegan. Whatever, good food is good food. Let’s just say that jackfruit birria tacos were not on my bingo card. But these tacos from Tacos Veganos give quesabirria a new lease on life. Not gonna lie, the over- the-top, bucket of oil, eight pounds of cheese quesabirria craze is starting to wear a little thin for me, and then these fellas come prancing in. They hit a lot of the same notes — there’s plenty of spicy oil, it’s still a satisfying umami bomb and man, do these tortillas have a gorgeous, shattering crisp. But the jackfruit is so delightfully nimble and light. It’s like all of the flavor without the weight. To be clear, this isn’t a 1:1 replacement for beefy quesabirria. It’s entirely its own thing. But it’s stinkin’ delicious. Chopped Salad at Source 3150 E. Ray Road, Gilbert Few dishes stopped me dead in my tracks this year like chef Claudio Urciuoli’s chopped salad at Source. Part of the appeal is that a simple little chopped salad has no business being this good. And there are plenty of sexier dishes at Source that I enjoy just as much. But you couldn’t ask for stronger evidence that Urciuoli is some kind of kitchen warlock with the power to transform ordinary foods into something special. There’s nothing mystical about the ingredient list — some greens and diced vegetables, fregola and chickpeas, minced ham and Manchego cheese and some toasted pistachios and breadcrumbs for texture. And it’s dressed with a plain ol’ red wine vinaigrette. But oh, how this salad sings! The magic is in selecting simple ingredients of the very best quality, how precisely everything is chopped and how carefully the flavors are balanced. As with any great magic trick, I understand how the trick works. But that doesn’t make it any less impressive. Fully Loaded Wings at CC’s on Central 2800 N. Central Ave. Here, on the other hand, is a trick that I can’t deconstruct. To be blunt, I have abso- lutely no idea what’s going on in Devan Cunningham’s fully loaded wings at CC’s on Central. They start with some perfect fried chicken — gorgeous crisp, still tender and juicy with plenty of meat and a nice skin-to-meat ratio. And then those beau- tiful specimens go into a seasoning blend that’s largely a mystery. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot of vinegar powder and a healthy dose of cayenne, but once you get past that, I’m stymied. They’re so wild and explosive and there are so many flavors coming at once that I can’t separate them, and honestly, I’m not sure I care to. I’d rather just enjoy them. Apollo Fish at City of Spice 2945 E. Bell Road Ask me tomorrow and I’ll name another dish from City of Spice. But today, if I force myself to pick one favorite, I’m going with the Apollo fish. This is another big flavor dish, though it’s seafood-focused, mixing crispy fried strips of fish with a sauce that’s slick and buttery, heavy with spice and incendiary without melting your face. That rich, intense sauce is contrasted with slivers of sweet onion and the bright, citrusy flavor of fresh curry leaves. And underneath it all, that fish — piping hot, sizzling and crisp with little bits of chew here and there, is just delightful. That texture doesn’t last for long. Eat this dish quickly. Hand Carved Hot Pastrami on Rye at Little Pickle Closed, reopening soon What a tease. Rick Phillips swoops in, serves up world-class pastrami in a town where that’s impossible to find, then closes his doors and says he’ll reopen... eventually. So now we’re left hanging, waiting for that pastrami — silky smooth, dripping with succulent beef fat, warm and tender and crusted with an intense, heady blend of spices. Yeah, Little Pickle’s Reuben was great, too, but a slice of rye bread and a smear of mustard was the best way to show off that killer pastrami — no fuss, no muss. I can confirm that Little Pickle v2.0 is, indeed, in the works and that we’ll all be able to wrap our faces around that beau- tiful pastrami sandwich again soon. But however “soon” that is, it isn’t soon enough. Hurry back, please. Smoked Oxtail at Bacanora 1301 Grand Ave. Bacanora is all about smoke and fire, and you expect dishes like pollo asado and thick meaty steaks layered with char. But part of the beauty of the restaurant is the variety of ways chef Rene Andrade works the grill. In this case, the result is almost more of a stew. Smoked oxtails are broken down into an intense, succulent, meaty morass loaded with chunks of sweet potato roasted right in the coals, perked up with toasted hazelnuts and a nutty salsa macha Top: Jackfruit quesabirria at Tacos Veganos has the lusty spice and umami of meaty quesabirria, but it plays much lighter. Bottom: The house-made pastrami at Little Pickle is a revelation, and owner Rick Phillips plans to reopen the restaurant soon. (Photos by Dominic Armato) ▼ Food & Drink >> p 18
