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This year we’re marking the hundred-day countdown to Best of Phoenix 2015 by sharing some of our favorite dishes at restaurants all over the Valley. Have a suggestion for a dish you’d like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email lauren.saria@newtimes.com.
99. Pacific White Fish Taco at La Santisima
You’re a lucky diner if you can snag a table at La Santisima during the lunch rush because this 16th Street restaurant isn’t all that big. But if you do get a seat at one of the handful of tables — or can go during off-peak hours — then you’ll be rewarded with excellent Mexican cuisine and the best selection of salsas in the Valley.
The restaurant, formerly called La Condesa Taco Shop, features a salsa bar that’s nothing short of legendary. There are about a dozen different varieties to choose from — everything from a smoky, spicy chile de arbol salsa to the slightly unexpected but rather popular strawberry variety. I personally can’t get enough of the creamy cilantro salsa, it’s a mild salsa that’s excellent on chips but would also make a very good salad dressing. (If only the restaurant sold it by the bottle!)
It’s also featured on La Santisima’s fish taco. It’s a real thing of beauty, this taco, with flaky white fish surrounded by a thin layer of crisp beer batter. Served on a corn tortilla with cabbage and that addicting cilantro salsa, this fish taco is one of the best I’ve had in town. For a heartier option you can try the Sonora Arrachera Taco, which features marinated strips of steak, or the well-loved Oaxaca Black Mole Taco — here’s an even better idea, get a two taco plate and try one of each, though doing so will cost you a little more.
Oh, and while you’re there, don’t forget to try the guacamole and the horchata.
The 100 Favorite Dishes so far…
100. Waffle at Matt’s Big Breakfast
