Chateau Lafite Rothschild - 1994 (I drank it)

This week’s topics include the Wannabe Foodie’s favorite Mexican food (anywhere),  décor that’s so cheesy it’s cool, hurts so good spiciness, a once in a lifetime Oenophile experience, and “Is this chicken or fish I’m eating?”

The Wannabe Foodie’s Favorite Mexican Food (anywhere).  Los Dos Molinos, South Phoenix, Arizona.  Los Dos Molinos  Not the location in Mesa, downtown Phoenix, or any other location.  This is the original in South Phoenix.  It is most definitely in the ‘hood’.

So, why is Los Dos Molinos all that and a bag of chips?  First, how about some ambience.  Not only is Los Dos in the hood, it used to be a mortuary.  Seriously.  A mortuary.  Check out the exterior.    

Now check out the interior.  You just can’t replicate this.  It’s cheese in the coolest way possible.  Bright colors and corona chandeliers  If you tried to duplicate this off at home, it would be garish at best. 

The food.  First, it’s hot.  Crazy hot.  By the time you finish all of your food, the water is hot.  I know that sounds impossible, but it’s true.  Here’s the salsa they serve to everyone. 

Think that will fight back in the morning?  I bet it will. 

All of their food is truly special.  However, I almost always get the ribs adovada, one of their spicy specialties.  A side note.  Los Dos is a lot like a Thai restaurant.  If they say it’s spicy, be wary. 

Adovada Ribs are slow braised with lots of herbs and spices.  I wish I could begin to duplicate this dish at home.  The ribs are served with spicy beans, rice, a homemade flour tortilla and, in my case, a great margarita  

The review?  Absolutely fabulous.  The meat is moist and succulent and easily pulls apart with a fork.  Great flavors inside the meat that surprisingly aren't lost in the ‘hurts so good’ spiciness.  Ok, that may not be entirely accurate.  They weren't lost in the spiciness for me.  I know there are a lot people, including the Red, who simply couldn’t handle this level of heat.  All they would taste would be the fiery chiles.  But, if you like hot stuff, this is your dish.

Plus, the cost for three dinners, a pitcher of margaritas, and two extra margaritas was about as much as my meal at Tamayo, my food nemesis.  All Mexican food should aspire to be Los Dos Molinos.  

The next time you’re in Phoenix, drive south on Central Avenue from downtown to Los Dos Molinos.  If you end up in one of the more suspect neighborhoods you’ve been to in quite some time, you’re going the right direction.  Take your Pepcid if you think you’ll need it and enjoy great Mexican food.

A once in a lifetime Oenophile experience.  So, my friend D has some great wines that he has moved around the country.  I think he assumed they were probably bad, because one day he says something to the effect of “I’m looking for an excuse to open a couple bottles.  Are you interested?”  Uhh… yes?  Is this a trick question?

So the Red and I come over for dinner and he opens a bottle of 1994 Chateau Lafite Rothschild.  If you don’t know if that’s a good wine, Google it.  This wine is usually regarded as the best wine in the world, depending on the vintage.  It’s certainly one of the most expensive.  Check it out:  

This wine was by far the most unique wine I’ve ever drank.  It smelled musty, though not bad, when it poured from the decanter into the class.  It tasted great at that time, though I drank it slowly and let it open up for 20-30 minutes.  Every time I tried it, the flavor had changed.  Often dramatically.   As it opened up, new flavors would appear in the wine.  Awesome.

D then opened a bottle of 1986 Silver Oak Alexander Valley.  Another truly special bottle of wine.  When first decanted, it had a slightly tart aftertaste in the back of the palate.  Frankly, it wasn’t enjoyable when first poured.  However, it opened up beautifully.  Imagine your favorite cab.  Now imagine the rough edges knocked off of it and all of the good flavors accentuated. 

Drinking these wines was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Would I spend the money necessary to buy these wines on my own?  No.  Did I absolutely enjoy drinking them and recognize that they were truly special wines?  Yes.  

I owe D big time.  Not sure how I’m going to repay the favor. 

A server that perhaps needs to learn more about food.  So, recently I’m at dinner with my friends B&D at a cool pub in Tempe, Arizona.  Your first beer is $5 minus the average price of gas, which was $1.22 for us. 

We’re chatting with the waitress about various items on the menu and she mentions the fish and chips.  Here’s the conversation verbatim:

Wannabe Foodie:  “What kind of fish is in the fish and chips?”

Waitress:  “Well, it’s fish that they batter and then fry.”

Perhaps she didn’t understand the question or simply didn’t understand that there is more than one kind of fish out there.  I could see my friend B out of the corner of my eye.  He was clearly thinking something to the effect of “Oh lord.  He’s gonna swing for the fences on this one.”

I decided to take the higher ground and simply said “Ok.  Thank you.”  Clearly her future is not in the food industry.  Perhaps in the recording industry.  I may have just met the next Jessica Simpson!  “Is this chicken or fish I’m eating?”

(And yes, she was tipped well.) 

WF