From downtown Phoenix to South Mountain, Central Avenue extends over five miles, passing through diverse terrain that includes the Warehouse District, the Grant Park and Harmon Park neighborhoods, the Rio Salado riparian area, and, of course, South Phoenix. As long as that urban corridor might be, it's only a tenth of the length of the Novillero beach on Mexico's Pacific coast. That long, wide, and sandy expanse found roughly halfway down the country's western shoreline is the inspiration for the South Phoenix seafood restaurant Playas de Novillero.
mojarra frita
This particular playa doesn't immediately look like a beach from the outside. The restaurant is in a modest building located about a third of a mile north of the Baseline/Central light rail station currently under construction. Blue and white paint suggests an oceanic theme, and a single palm adds a slightly tropical look. There is no bike rack, although a sort of metal cage around the entrance might work as an alternative. Around that cage and the restaurant's front door, hand-written signs in Spanish tout describe some of the restaurant's specials and features.
pescado veracruz
On the other side of the door lies a larger dining room than expected, for the restaurant's space extends far back from the narrow facade along Central Avenue. Much of the decor is beach-themed and involves beer schwag. Decidedly non-tropical mock icicles hang from the ceiling in the center of the space. An open kitchen is on one side, and a bar is found at the back of the room. During the week, the restaurant can be quiet, but on weekends, it's not unusual to encounter a strolling mariachi trio who will play requested songs tableside for a few dollars.
camerones rancheros
The menu seems nearly as long as the beach the restaurant is named for. It's just a few pages, but its dense type is packed with fish, shrimp, octopus, crab, and other marine species in seemingly endless variations. There is no separate appetizer section per se, but the word botana scattered throughout the menu suggests those dishes designed for sharing. All meals begin with a bowl of complimentary chips and a chunky green salsa with moderate heat. Sometimes, especially on weekends, cups of shrimp soup are also provided to each customer.
tacos gobenador
Although there are a few land-based choices like carne asada tacos and chicken fajitas, the vast majority of what comes next is seafood prepared via all sorts of methods with a variety of sauces. Camarones rancheros is one of those dishes that can be found at every Mexican seafood restaurant, but no two places make it exactly the same way. The version here relies on a sauce of diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers, along with some kernels of corn, green beans, and diced carrots sprinkled on top of the shrimp and mixed into the accompanying rice.
albondigas de camaron
If those small-scale vegetables sound sort of like a typical frozen assortment from a supermarket, they might very well be, and they're used heavily here to accentuate dishes. Occasionally that goes a little too far as with the pescado Veracruz, where they outnumber the tomatoes and olives more often associated with this dish. At other times, they provide a welcome bit of color and nutrition to a rich dish like tacos gobernador, a Matzatlan specialty involving shrimp, cheese, onions, and peppers that melt into one another inside folded tortillas.
caldo de chipacole
Likewise, shrimp enchiladas goes heavy on the cheese with three tortillas rolled tightly around minced crustaceans with a choice of red or green sauce on top. A dish that focuses solely on seafood with minimal presence of dairy or sauce is the mojarra frita, a whole fish fried and served with rice, beans, salad, and tortillas. Yes, it takes some work to get around the bones, but it's worthwhile for the tender white flesh within. It's featured at a reduced price on Thursday, one of several day-of-the-week specials featured on a whiteboard near the restaurant's kitchen.
shrimp enchiladas
Not every entree at Playas de Novillero comes on a plate. Bowls of hearty soup in both regular and large sizes offer the bounty of the Pacific with plenty of tortillas on the side to soak up the flavors. If one orders the albondigas de camaron, what follows is the reassuring "chop, chop" sound as the shrimp are prepared with a cleaver and shaped into coarse meatballs that float in a tomato broth with plenty of carrots and onions. The caldo de chipachole, which features crab claws and unpeeled shrimp, is designed to be eaten as much with the hands as a spoon.
mango margarita
As with most Mexican seafood restaurants, uncooked fish and shrimp are also available either as tostada toppings or in cocktail glasses in regular or large sizes. Tomato, lime, cilantro, and onions are predominant flavors in enhancing the assortment of raw seafood found at Playas de Novillero. There is one just one dessert, which is not listed on the menu but available on request: a generous slice of cheesecake with a graham cracker crust. Served frozen, it's welcome relief from either the Phoenix summer heat or the fire of an a la diabla spicy entree.
cheesecake
The bar serves Mexican beers, micheladas, and a variety of margaritas, sometimes featured for only five dollars. On weekends, a special mango margarita with Tajin, chamoy, and a tamarind straw is large enough for two people to share. In fact, dual drinking is almost a necessity given its considerable kick and the presence of two straws in the wide glass. South Central Avenue isn't nearly as long as the actual Novillero beach, but places like Playas de Novillero make it a place that can be explored repeatedly with new seafood secrets revealed upon each visit.
6845 S. Central Ave., Phoenix AZ 85042
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