Tia Carmen is a high quality contemporary South-West style restaurant located in North Phoenix Arizona in the JW Desert Ridge Marriott. The restaurant is led by Michelin Star chef, Restauranteur, Bravo Top Chef, and Cookbook author Angelo Sosa. They use Arizona purveyors for local ingredients with an authentic Arizona taste and wood fired grills.
You can be seated on the patio when the weather is nice.
Or maybe a seat inside…
The one MUST-GET-DISH is the Tuna Crudo – tuna in corn coconut broth, smoked chili oil, dill.
I PROMISE you that it is mind blowing (…but on the flavorful spicy side)
If you want something less powerfully flavored then you must get the avocado aguachile.
Milder heat and more delicate flavors. date sesame crumble, Persian cucumber, serrano chile.
The current (September 2022) tri-tip kababs – sesame leaf, pickled onions, serrano chile, Thai basil are pictured below.
Good but not the same as the Wagyu kababs from the opening (May 2022).
They look the same but the texture and flavor is different. (they were also the same price) Both are good but we preferred the opening kababs even if they were $28. for a couple bites.
The native grain fried rice consist of lingica sausage, bacon. serrano chile, garlic, ginger, sunny side up egg, and soy sauce. This might be soy sauce forward to some people.
The tomato salad is a mix of textures and flavors. A base of corn puree like no other supports farm fresh tasting tomatoes, burnt corn dust, basil, pickled onions, and fancy greenery.
This is another one of the plates with a lot of layers of flavors – Mesquite noodles, pork, heirloom carrots, Sichuan peppercorns.
It might be the most expensive tostada in Phoenix but it also might be the most delicious tostada in Phoenix. It’s a toastada with beef, bone marrow, guacamole, pickled onions, fancy micro greens.
A very surprising delicious vegetarian dish is the mushroom menudo.
Very unusual mushrooms with amazing textures are used – cordyceps and cauliflower mushrooms in a very developed broth filled with flavors and textures.
Two different fish are on the menu that are completely different.
One is the wood grilled whole trout with parsley and oregano sauce.
The flavors go down into the skin and penetrate the flesh. I think it also is a larger portion than the the other fish. I was told that they will filet the fish for you if you ask. When it’s served whole you do have to be careful to avoid the bones.
The crusted Baja Striped Bass is served with Thai Basil and mole verde. Both fish are very good and can’t really be compared to each other since they are so different. For me this one just pops a little more.
Next is Tia Carmen’s Chicken Guisado.
It’s really just a humble well made stewed chicken dish with rice. Chicken thighs, olives, chimayo chile (they are hard to find), garlic, turmeric rice.
This next vegetarian entree is also extra delicious……but for us it is more of a starter or side dish……But it really is delicious.
See it really is a very small portion. It’s purple yams in a queso sauce with THIRTY WEEK aged tepary beans and mole negro.
The only side dish we tried so far was the yucca brûlée.
under a crispy layer is really creamy, really rich mashed or whipped yucca…..It’s almost like extra rich mashed potatoes with a crispy top.
The one cake that we’ve tried was the coriander tart.
It’s well made and tasty and laced with a small amount of orange.
Maybe my favorite dessert so far might be the blood orange sorbet.
It seems very light and has a very natural strong blood orange flavor and also is refreshing.
These were some of the FORKING Amazing foods from Tia Carmen.
Worth a Fork!
Tia Carmen at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa Phoenix Arizona
5350 E Marriott Dr PHX AZ
480-293-3636
www.TiaCarmenDesertRidge.com
Everything is subject to change.
