You've got your pork carnitas, green chile pork and all manner of crunchy, meaty and slurpyΒ chicharron. But myΒ new obsession is a saucier style from the Mayan heartlandΒ of the YucatΓ‘n: cochinita pibil. HitΒ with tangy citrus, rubbed inΒ earthy red achiote seedΒ powder and slow roastedΒ in banana leaves, it's aΒ powerhouse of pig.
And here it is, over atΒ La Hacienda restaurant onΒ Fort Lowell and Swan. They stewΒ theirΒ cochinita in the leaves with pineappleΒ and orange juices, leaving the meatΒ inΒ plump chunks with spoonfuls of rich maroon sauce.Β Pickled red onions add an extra acidic punch, which is rounded out byΒ aΒ fat slab of buttery avocado.Β The tacos come three a bunchΒ in aΒ diagonal line, withΒ rice and tostada cup filled withΒ whole black beans on each side. Artful.
Weird fact: The restaurant's real specialtyΒ is theΒ piΓ±a rellena, a pineapple split in half lengthwise and then stuffed with creamyΒ shrimps and other seafoods.
Location: 3225 N. Swan Road, but they also have an Oro Valley location at 11931 N. First Ave., Suite 101
Phone: 520-327-1097
Hours:Β 11 a.m. to 9:30Β p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays
Payment: accepts debit and creditΒ
