174 Best of phoenix 2023 | WWW.bestofphoenix2023.c0m | septemBer 28, 2023 Best Chiles Rellenos COCINA CHIWAS 2001 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe 480-916-3690 cocinachiwasaz.com At Cocina Chiwas, their newest restaurant, Armando Hernandez and Nadia Holguin aren’t afraid of a little creativity and refinement, which makes for one helluva plate of chiles rellenos. The duo’s take on the classic dish is built on an Anaheim chile that’s stuffed with melty queso Menonita and run through an egg-white batter before it’s fried to a deep golden brown. The stuffed chile is then paired with a silky- smooth tomato sauce that explodes with intense, pure flavor, drizzled with cool crema and topped with queso requesón, a creamy whey cheese that plays a little like ricotta. Rather than a rustic chile bomb, it’s a cool and refined take that might be simple, but it absolutely sings with clarity, focus and flavor. Best Burritos RITO’S MEXICAN FOOD 5813 N. Seventh St. 602-368-6726 907 N. 14th St. 602-262-9842 And other Valley locations ritosmexicanfood.com When you order a burrito for the first time at Rito’s, do yourself a favor: Splurge on a side of sour cream. Your taste buds — soon to be scorched with either the green or red chile burrito — will thank you for the soothing balm of a thick dollop. Burritos have been Rito’s passion since 1977, with a menu offering nine versions served in four styles — standard, enchilada, chimichanga and chimi enchilada. First-time diners are encouraged to go standard with the less spicy green, though — see above — you’ll still need the sour cream to temper the heat. But that’s all you’ll need. The green chile burrito is filled with chunks of beef slowly cooked with green chile, jalapeño, tomato and onion. Juices ooze out when you bite into it, so beware if you dive in with both hands instead of a fork and knife. The restaurant now has four locations: Mesa and uptown Phoenix offer full service, while the original location in the Garfield neighborhood is to-go only, and Surprise offers just counter service. The full-service spots provide chips and salsa, so you can munch while consid- ering a burrito with beef, chicken, beans or rice and beans. You can’t go wrong. Best Chimichangas EL BRAVO MEXICAN FOOD 8338 N. Seventh St. 602-943-9753 facebook.com/elbravoaz With the myriad of excellent options in the Valley, Best Chimichangas can be a moving target that’s as much a matter of timing as it is technique. But it’s tough to argue against the superlative specimen offered at El Bravo, one of the decades-old mainstays of family-run AZ-Mex. This Sunnyslope insti- tution will fill their chimis with any of the burro fillings you request, but the default option is a choice of chicken, ground beef or shredded beef. It’s simply presented — topped with sour cream and excellent guac, a handful of yellow cheese and a smattering of cool vegetables — to better keep the focus on a gorgeously blistered, crisp shell. El Bravo’s tortillas are atypically thick and tender, producing a more typical crunch in the center, while the folded ends play almost like crisped frybread, steamy and resilient with a little give. And the fillings at El Bravo are far better than most, tender and flavorful and perfectly seasoned. Best Tamales THE TAMALE STORE 15842 N. Cave Creek Road 602-435-2604 thetamalestore.com If you’re serious about tamales, there’s an entire space dedicated to the Latino food item in North Phoenix. Martha Castillo has run the family-owned Tamale Store for several decades, and it’s fair to say there’s a cult following for her tamales in metro Phoenix. What makes The Tamale Store unique is its special attention to the customer base. The red and green pork chiles are a favorite among tamale connois- seurs, but that doesn’t mean Castillo ignores the vegetarian and gluten-free tamale lovers. Sometimes there are seasonal tamales like piña colada in the summer and yes, of course, pumpkin tamales in the fall. Let’s be clear: All of these tamales are handmade and encased in a real corn husk to make certain the taste is authentic. Castillo admits that she omits
