April 2012
I occasionally post reviews by others I know well and trust their judgement in such matters. Scott Reed and his wife Sheryl are friends who visit us from Wisconsin in the fall or spring.
This past April, they resided in our casita and enjoyed our fine weather by hiking, exploring, and sightseeing. They also dined at several of our finest restaurants. As so many of our guests do, on their first visit they asked my suggestion for the best Mexican restaurants in Tucson.
As I have done so many times, I gave them my choices for the top three and told them to come back and tell me which they thought was best. The results of this little contest are in the Dining Review Section on this website.
Here’s Scott’s review of Chef Suzana Davila’s Café Poca Cosa. Scott has also reviews Vivace (Italian) Restaurant.
If you think of rice and beans and something wrapped in a tortilla when someone mentions Mexican food, you are ready for a new experience. We had that experience when we recently visited Café Poca Cosa on Pennington.
Upon entering, your first impression is of an atmosphere that is a bit more polished and cosmopolitan than Mexican restaurants you might be more familiar with. The décor doesn’t scream “south of the border”, but the food definitely does.
We started with a margarita each, and they were beautifully made. While my wife usually finds the drink too sweet, this margarita had just the right level of tartness to complement the tequila. I had another.
Our server was very attentive, and presented the evening’s menu on a chalkboard that outlined the offerings. There was one vegetarian dish, a few chicken dishes, seafood, beef, and the most intriguing, the Plato. All the dishes were described in turn, except for the Plato, which is the chef’s selection and not revealed until served. Sheryl chose the chicken poblano. I decided to try what the chef had chosen for me in the Plato.
When the food was brought to the table, the presentation was impressive. Greens made the centerpiece of every plate, and served as the salad component of your meal. Also fresh fruit was a refreshing addition as well. Rice and beans were available as side dishes, instead of dominating the plate. Sheryl’s poblano was delicious. It had just the right amount of heat, which means she added a generous additional complement of hot sauce. My mystery dish turned out to be two chicken portions, one poblano, and a fantastic beef selection. Everything was wonderful.
We weren’t able to partake of the desserts, but if the main courses are a guide, we will need to save room on our next visit. Café Poca Cosa is the best Mexican restaurant we have had the pleasure of experiencing, and we can’t wait for the next opportunity.
Scott Reed
For our review of Cafe Poca Cosa and other Mexican Restaurants Best Mexican Restaurant page.
For Dining reviews of the Best Dining in Southern Arizona visit us here.
