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CHICO MALO<br />

By Sloane Burwell<br />

Chico Malo is a quasi-Mexican/South American restaurant that aims to bring<br />

tacos and other funky fare to downtown. I’ll confess, I wasn’t exactly enamored<br />

when I heard the backstory. Evidently, the restaurant was created by a billionaire<br />

playboy and left to his son when the billionaire died, and we’re supposed to eat<br />

the end results.<br />

I’m all for creative backstories because they can give context and wings to a fully<br />

fleshed-out idea. And while I like plenty of things about Chico Malo (yes, that<br />

does translate loosely to “bad boy”), almost nothing ties in to their origin story.<br />

But let’s start with what Chico Malo gets (mostly) right.<br />

Housed in a choice corner spot at CityScape, underneath Copper Blues, Chico<br />

Malo makes ample use of the billionaire tie-in with the obvious coin they<br />

dropped on the interior. Near the hostess station, you’ll find an elbow-high bar<br />

that looks like it was lifted off the set of “Westworld”—an Old West leanin’<br />

station that separates the bar and restaurant from the waiting area, loaded with<br />

couches and chairs, isolated enough from the rest of the bar so that any wait will<br />

fly by. This section is no mere afterthought and it makes me wish other potentially<br />

crowded spots had this much consideration for waiting guests.<br />

From here, interested guests can peek into the quasi-open kitchen. Although it’s<br />

clearly not a center point, the kitchen isn’t viewable by at least 75% of the restaurant.<br />

Tucked in nearby is the Casa de Tortilla, where house-made tortillas are<br />

created. Unfortunately, this little spot is even less viewable than the kitchen, and<br />

unless you literally walk by en route to the bathrooms, you’ll miss watching the<br />

tortillas being created.<br />

Great artwork abounds, like the newly enclosed back windows that once peered<br />

into downtown, providing one of the few truly urban views in the city. In its place<br />

you’ll see a giant Frida Kahlo mural painted over books stacked like a library. Unfortunately,<br />

none of our staff was able to relate any of the names of the artists to us.<br />

Fans of happy hour will find a curated menu of drinks and food. Fair warning—<br />

the deals extend only to drinks and not food. My favorites were the Chicharrones<br />

($5). House-made and popping when they come to the table, they benefit from a<br />

side of salsa. Pick the verde ($1.50), my favorite of their three salsas. The Ceviche<br />

Tostada ($9) comes atop three freshly made silver dollar–sized corn tostadas.<br />

Kicky, fresh and refreshing—this was probably one of my favorite menu items,<br />

and it’s only available during happy hour.<br />

Fans of tacos will love them all, but this is where it got controversial for my<br />

guests and me. You won’t find a taco for under $5, and some of the fancier<br />

options are $6—for a single taco. That means Chico Malo has just about the<br />

most expensive tacos in town. I loved the Al Pastor ($5): marinated pork and tiny<br />

cubes of fermented pineapple create the sweet and savory mix that you’d expect.<br />

The Duck Carnitas ($6) comes with an almost imperceptible pecan cherry mole,<br />

candied pecans, perfect pickled red onions and black garlic crema to create a<br />

couple of bites that will turn duck haters into fans. Gone is the near-gamey taste,<br />

and the slightly crispy edges give a nod to carnitas. My guests all loved the Pollo<br />

Tinga ($5), a kicky and crispy chicken treat with cola braised onions and chorizo. Not<br />

quite as kicky as I would like, but a well-made and tasty taco.<br />

Interestingly, the favorite taco on every visit was the Crispy Avocado ($5). This<br />

deep-fried wedge of avocado is so crazy good you almost forget it’s vegetarian. Corn<br />

fondue and curry sultanas (golden raisins) feel like gilding the lily, almost. Seriously,<br />

whoever figured out that fried avocado tastes this great should get a medal.<br />

Side dishes are truly sides here. Order their fantastic Puerco Beans ($5), a bowl of<br />

beans with pork belly, bacon and smattering of fresh cheese on top, and there are<br />

more than enough to share, as with the aforementioned Chicharrones ($5).<br />

On the appetizer side of things, I absolutely loved the flavor of the Anticuchos ($8),<br />

skewered skirt steak with a delectable salsa criolla and chimichurri. Perfectly cooked<br />

nuggets of steak were swooped up in no time. Sadly, this happened partly because<br />

you only get a single skewer, and not the shareable appetizer we were hoping for.<br />

While every guest on every visit loved the flavor of the food, it was never without<br />

comment (“a $6 TACO?”). It took a while for one of us to order an entrée and we<br />

debated what the portion might be like. We were pleasantly surprised with the Pork<br />

Verde ($23). Two giant hunks of well-cooked braised pork shoulder came alongside<br />

a well-seasoned herb salad and an excellent green chile tomatillo sauce. This is the<br />

kind of succulent, perfectly cooked pork verde you dream about. And thankfully, it’s<br />

large enough for potential leftovers.<br />

Chico Malo has been open less than a month. For the short amount of time they’ve<br />

been around, they’re doing a lot of things right. Service is friendly and affable. If<br />

there’s a question, they’ll try to answer it for you. In fact, one very helpful server<br />

gave me a rundown of what was required to create her perfect eyebrows. The food<br />

is well prepared, and the place is gorgeous.<br />

My concerns with Chico Malo are the cheesy backstory (ditch it) and the pricing model.<br />

I’ll be back; I don’t doubt that. That Pork Verde is a legend in the making. But for<br />

the tacos, I’m going to have to think about it. They are good; don’t get me wrong. But<br />

are they $6-taco good? Since this is the type of question that can only be answered<br />

after eating more tacos, I’m committed to more research.<br />

Chico Malo<br />

CityScape<br />

50 W. Jefferson, Phoenix<br />

Monday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.<br />

Friday and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.<br />

Sunday, 4:00 – 10:00 p.m.<br />

chicomalo.com<br />

JAVA<br />

MAGAZINE<br />

21

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