Phoenix: Salty Senorita
16-Mar-2006
Well, here it is – baseball Spring Training season again! I’m back in the Phoenix area planning to see a few games, drink a beer or two and sample some of the local food. And I hope to be able to spend plenty of time enjoying the Arizona sun, too. Although the current forecast doesn’t seem to be supporting that: showers are predicted for Saturday and thunderstorms for Sunday. :-( Oh well, I’m here now and it’s about 75º F at the moment so I can’t complain.
M will be joining me later today but I got a bit of a jump on the trip and came down early this morning. After getting checked into my room (a lucky break for me), I spent a little time wandering around Scottsdale and then settled in for a lunch (that was also breakfast, actually).
Although we’ve spent quite a bit of time in Scottsdale the last couple years it’s been a long time since I just wandered with no real purpose other than to wander. I came across a beautiful park that may have been there for some time but I’d never seen it before. Surrounding the park are local government offices, a few bars and restaurants and a few retail shops. The park is full of fountains and art – it’s really quite beautiful.
On my way back to the hotel I decided to stop for lunch at the Salty Senorita. I’m sure I’ve been in here for a cocktail or beer in the past but I’ve never really eaten here. It has always just looked too touristy for my tastes. But today I was craving something Mexican/Southwestern and I wanted to be outside. Their outdoor area was packed – pretty much the only place that was – and I thought that might be a good sign.
I picked out a table and in no time had a diet coke, basket of homemade tortilla chips and a roasted red pepper salsa in front of me. I tried to hold back from the chips and salsa as I wanted a proper lunch but the chips were so light and crispy and the salsa so earthy yet sweet it was hard to keep my hand from going back time and time again.
I did manage to order a plate of chicken tacos though. What a great dish! The handmade tortillas were fresh off the grill, they each had slices of grilled chicken Sinaloa style, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo and a bit of cheese. On the plate was fresh guacamole – more like sliced and slightly mashed avocado, crema agria (basically sour cream) and a pile of rice full of diced vegetables. The tacos were muy bueno! The rice was okay but it was light and felt healthy with all the veggies in it.
I lingered for a bit, enjoying being outdoors and just relaxing. Life is good.
The Salty Senorita
3636 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale
(480) 946-7258
3636 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale
(480) 946-7258
Culinary Fool 
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