Los Dos Molinos

Weapons of mass destruction were never found in Iraq, but they've long been on the menu at Los Dos Molinos, a small, locally-based chain of New Mexican restaurants. The "weapons" in question are chilis from Arizona's eastern neighbor, and the intense heat present in much of the food seems as powerful as plutonium, although ultimately far less harmful. The restaurant's motto says it all: "Some like it hot."

This Arizona institution's latest site is the fifth, adding to existing sites in Mesa, South Phoenix, Springerville (eastern Arizona), and New York City. Despite its multiple locations, Los Dos Molinos is still very much a family business, and the family presence shows in the friendly service at the new location. In fact, the new Downtown location is noticeably more welcoming than the South Phoenix location, which has a hard-to-find entrance and sometimes requires long waits for a table during peak hours.

The Downtown location of Los Dos Molinos occupies the restaurant space in Azteca Plaza, a shopping center on Washington Street dominated by wedding-oriented businesses. This site has seen its share of turnover. For many years, it was home to the popular Menudo Pot. After a long period of vacancy, it briefly housed Suenos New Mexican Cafe during the summer of 2007. After Suenos' unfortunately brief run, Los Dos Molinos moved into the facility, which is just a block west of the 12th St. / Washington (westbound) and 12th St. / Jefferson (eastbound) stations.

Meals at Los Dos Molinos begin with fresh chips and both red and green salsas, both of them quite hot and more on the salty side than the sweeter salsas that many Phoenicians may be used to. Botanas, or appetizers, include cheese crisps, Mexican pizzas, and an excellent chunky guacamole. Entrees include many of the standard Mexican-American favorites such as burros and tostadas (center photo below), but what makes Los Dos Molinos different from numerous other restaurants nearby is its New Mexican specialties such as carne adovada, marinated pork. Many of the New Mexican items feature a choice of red or green chile, and most are spicy.

Milder alternatives include several types of tamales and enchiladas, which are available in both the familiar rolled style (right photo below) and the distinctly New Mexican stacked style with a fried egg on top. Seafood enthusiasts will enjoy the shrimp dishes, which feature plump crustaceans on a bed of rice. Beans, tortillas, and rice are available to accompany the dishes. The beans are studded with whole pintos rather than being one undifferentiated mass, and the tortillas are thick without the rubbery texture sometimes encountered in lesser versions of the popular carbohydrate. The rice, on the other hand, often seems dry and brittle at first taste. It seems to be prepared for soaking up sauce rather than straight eating. With that in mind, the rice should be mixed in with the red or green chile, or even the beans, in order to moisten and soften the grains.

For dessert, sopapillas are probably the most popular choice since honey-topped pastry extinguishes any lingering heat from the fiery entrees. To wash away heat during the meal, Los Dos Molinos provides a pitcher of water at each table. Other beverages include a fresh and tangy homemade lemonade, beers like Blue Moon and Dos Equis Lager and Amber on tap, buckets of Coronas, and several types or margaritas.

Los Dos Molinos can be pricy compared to other southwestern and Mexican restaurants, especially if items are ordered a la carte. The daily specials, announced on a Corona surf board outside the front entrance, and the combination plates are usually a better value. Not only do the specials and combos showcase the restaurant's strongest cooking, but they also include rice, beans, and other extras that might otherwise add up to a a hefty meal cost.

Currently, the Washington Street location of Los Dos Molinos serves lunch from 11 AM until 2 PM and dinner from 5 PM until 9 PM. The restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday. High chairs area available, and the casual atmosphere is fine for kids, although caution may be in order in deciding which dishes to order for young customers. Most kids love rice, beans, and burritos, but not all will be ready for the weapons-grade spice of some of the restaurant's more fiery dishes.

1010 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ, 85034
(602) 528-3535
http://www.losdosmolinosaz.com/

Reviews from Other Sites:


Chow
Phoenix New Times (review of South Phoenix location)
Yelp