In northern Mexico, “almuerzo” means breakfast; in the south, it means lunch. So when Santos Nogales was brainstorming a name for his breakfast and lunch restaurant, Almuerzo was the perfect fit. “My family is from Sonora, in the north of Mexico, but our menu is not just about a place, it’s about good food,” says Nogales. Many of the recipes have heritage – like the slow-cooked, barbacoa-style beef, which takes 10 hours to cook, or the carnitas, which is prepared in a traditional cazo, or large wok. These traditions come from Santos’ father. But Almuerzo gives these dishes a modern twist, like the red beef Benedict, which places that slow-cooked beef on a corn cake, which Santos describes “like a sope of corn masa,” and gets topped with a poached egg and house-made Hollandaise sauce. “We make Hollandaise multiple times a day, from scratch,” he says. “I think of our food as farm fresh – everything is made from scratch with the best ingredients.” Even Almuerzo’s cocktail menu blends traditional with modern. “Everybody loves a Screwdriver, so we created a Screwdriver section of the menu,” says Nogales. There’s the Spicy Screw, which has chili powder and a Tajin rim, the Tropical Screw with its coconut vibes, and the Peachy Screw, with Peach Schnapps. The Carajillo (a cocktail of espresso and Licor 43) is served under a cherry wood-smoked dome, which takes this classic drink to another level. Still, Almuerzo serves theirs with a touch of Baileys. “It’s like adding creamer to your coffee,” jokes Nogales. Don’t miss the weekends, which feature limited-time specials, like prime rib, quiche, and a steak and lobster with eggs. Almuerzo 6115 S. 51ST AvE., LAvEEN fACEBook.CoM/ALMuErzorESTAurANT 602.237.7665 WAkE uP To fArM-frESH fArE EAT 2023 | phoenix new tiMes | May 18th - May 24th 9
