If ever I were to find an oasis in the desert, I’d be happy to stumble upon the Sierra Bonita Grill. This low-key restaurant is a successful mix of romantic, sports bar and quality Mexican cuisine.
Pulling into the car park, you would be forgiven for having second thoughts. Located at a busy intersection, the shining beacon of Walgreens glows across the road and next door is the unglamourous Lube’n’Tune garage. If restaurants got awards for location, Sierra Bonita would not be a winner. But if you’re looking for good food and an atmosphere different to one of the million chain restaurants in town then this is the place to be.
Before we’d even entered the restaurant we were greeted by the specials board and were immediately drawn by the promise of "Oaxacan Chocolate and Espresso Bean Crusted Pork Tenderloin." Inside, Sierra Bonita makes up for what it lacks on the outside with a low-lit long room and bar dressed with Americana paintings and cactus plants.
A Phoenix Suns basketball game was showing on muted TV screens when we arrived. We were fortunate enough to score an outside table, which was in a semi-enclosed courtyard with a view into the bar and across the way to the garage. Inside it seemed to be better set up for groups with couples dominating the low-lit outdoor patio.
We were served complimentary fresh, warm chips and salsa. There was one green spicy salsa, one mild and deliciously smoky brown salsa and one mild tomato/cilantro salsa. We also ordered the guacamole, which was smooth, not too creamy and enhanced by plenty of chopped cilantro.
For the main course, I ordered the pork special and wasn’t disappointed. The chocolate and espresso bean crust was thin and subtle and the pork was soft and tender. The pork was served on an ingenious bed of roasted fingerling potatoes and apples. Apple sauce with pork is a common occurrence but roasted apples was a first for me with this meat and I immediately wondered why it isn’t more popular as it’s far tastier and was a perfect compliment to the small, buttery potatoes.
Although we had eaten enough, the allure of a small chocolate fudge cake to finish off the evening with a glass of rich Tori Mor Pinot Noir was too great to refuse. This dessert delight is warm and gooey on the inside, outlined by a drizzle of strawberry sauce and a side of vanilla ice cream.
In addition I can recommend their Pomegranate Margarita, which is nice and fruity and doesn’t carry the dry aftertaste of virgin pomegranate juice. It fared better against their Mojito, which was small and unremarkable.
Sierra Bonita is a definitely a great place to come if you’re in search of a relaxed place for great food, drinks and dessert, or any combination of the three.
www.sierrabonitagrill.com