Filet Mignon, Donovan’s Steak & Chop House

BEST STEAKS

Filet Mignon
Donovan’s Steak & Chop House
3101 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix
602-955-3666
donovanssteakhouse.com

This is filet mignon at its best: a pure, unadulterated slab of aged USDA prime beef, seared at 1,800 degrees to lock in juicy, meaty flavor. Whoever says filet has little flavor has never eaten the cut here. (Price includes potato, vegetable and bread, too, unlike at other steak joints.) $38 (8-ounce cut)

Filet Mignon
Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar
1326 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
602-307-0022

This is not only a great steak, it’s one of the best values out there. They use the same purveyors that the big steakhouses in town use but take the small cuts that many others don’t buy. Its buttery consistency is complemented by a lovely, slightly herbal green peppercorn cream sauce. $20.50 (6-ounce cut)

BEST TACOS

Hard-Shell Beef Taco
El Conquistador
16428 N. 32nd St., Phoenix
602-493-3913

The freshly fried shell manages to be crisp, not greasy or soggy, and the juicy shredded beef filling is the kind that makes you go “num, num, num.” Add grated cheese, lettuce and pico de gallo, and it’s an all-around shining specimen of a simple food that’s often difficult to pull off so well. $7.99 (two, plus rice and beans)

Chicken Taco
Pedro’s
4938 W. Glendale Ave., Glendale
623-937-0807

The popular Pedro’s keeps its hustle-and-bustle thanks to well-executed classics like this. The chicken is moist, not dry, which is a good start, but then it’s smothered in a fabulous mild green chili sauce with onions and tomatoes. It’s topped with white and yellow cheese and lettuce and served in a freshly fried, crispy corn tortilla that has the heft to keep the sauce from seeping through. $4