Given his widely-accepted status as the originator of Nuevo Latino cuisine, James Beard Award-winning Chef Douglas Rodriguez was almost certain to make an appearance in the American Southwest – and Rodriguez’s imprint at deseo (Spanish for “desire”) beautifully epitomizes his masterful blending of Latin and American cuisines.
Working with Chef Roberto Madrid, Rodriguez has created a menu at deseo that highlights ceviches in their many mouth-watering incarnations – and all of them burst with flavor and freshness. If you’re seated along “the Rail,” in front of the open kitchen, you’ll be able to witness the chef creating your meal – and few things are as enticing and appetizing as watching someone cook specifically for you.
Suffused with a red glow in the evenings, the two-story room is atmospheric and romantic, somewhat evocative of Havana’s heyday as an idyllic playground. The vibrant and colorful work of Cuban artist, Nelson Garcia-Miranda, a Phoenix local, hangs on the walls, bringing Cuba’s charms that much closer.
If, at meal’s end, after “smoking” Rodriguez’s signature dessert chocolate cigar, you find yourself unable to leave, then return to the restaurant’s Muddle Bar next door where patrons create their own mojitos and caipirinhas from a selection of fresh fruits, herbs, and spirits. Sink back into a chair and toast to the glories of Latin American cuisine.
LINK: deseo
