Best of the Valley Trio: 3 Great Things about Tia Carmen

TÍa Carmen
5350 E Marriott Dr., Phoenix
480-293-3636, tiacarmendesertridge.com

1. Best Southwestern Fusion
   Celebrity chef Angelo Sosa (Top Chef) dusts off the Southwestern cuisine of the ’80s by blending European and Latin American traditions with global ingredients in surprising and satisfying ways.
2. Best Resort Restaurant
   There are a lot of great resort restaurants in this town, but this one is drop-dead gorgeous (post up on the patio and pretend you’re in Oaxaca) and dishes out scintillating creations like tuna crudo with coconut-corn broth.
3. Most Inventive Mushroom Dish
   Don’t worry, plant lovers – Sosa’s “mushroom menudo” is but a clever misnomer. The cordyceps mushrooms he favors weirdly resemble tripe, hence the name. Steeped in a chile-spiked and smoked-paprika-laced broth mingled with garlic, onions and epazote, it’s also exquisite.