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"I will tell you exactly why this place is so great. This place will blow your mind. Not only is the service good, but the food is amazing.…" read more »
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so, i finally had my experience. the best food, i have eaten, thus far in my life.
i literally couldnt even handle the amazingness of the cochinita. it was, well, amazing.
while eating the elote i kept saying shut up. but no one was talking? thats how good it was. my friend asked if it was for real. both of our faces were covered in corn juice and our teeth full of corn bits. oh, yes, it is for real.
the service was awesome too. our waiter was so great. he let me 'taste' the agua frescas. ummm YUM!
we ordered the chips and salsa too- the bomb dot com for sure.
i need to go like everyday. and i will. jk i wont but i'll think about it daily.
Two words. Naco Torta.
O.M.G.
Gallo Blanco, is plain and simply my favorite restaurant in town. the combination of AMAZING food for breakfast, lunch. dinner or late night nosh, organic modern decor, attentive service and laid back vibe.
The elote callajero (cob of grilled corn topped with paprika & cotija cheese) is close to gastronomic perfection as I've tasted in a long while. The chicharron de queso, (basically a lattice of fried cheese) if further proof of perfection in simplicity.
Their tacos are amazing as well.. basically two bite morsels of deliciousness. While small, they are also cheap at $2-3 a piece. 3 or 4 of them make a great meal, especially when paired with the elote.
To me however, where Gall Blanco shines is the tortas. Don't be surprised by their rather plain presentation. The Naco Torta (roast beef and fried egg), is my favorite, although the Conchinita (braised pork) is a close second.
Breakfast/brunch is also amazing. The huevo rancheros is the best I've ever had, and their Chilaqules verde is divinity on a plate according to my wife. I haven't tried their entrees/house specials or desserts yet, but if the rest of their menu is any indication, you won't be disappointed
I would be remiss if I didn't mention their bar as well, as this is a great place to hang out. The inside bar is adjacent to the restaurant and shares that same organic modern decor.
Where Gallo Blanco (and the Clarendon)really shines, however, is their pool and rooftop area. Sitting poolside, you are transported to another world, with soothing waterfalls surrounding a pool decked out in modern multicolored tile mosaics. The rooftop brings you back to midtown Phoenix in a hurry, as it is nested behind the mid tower high rise corridor, but offers great views of the city skyline with the mountains in the background. if you time it right, it is a great place place to watch a sunset, or during monsoon season, the storms that ring the valley.
Whether you are sitting by the pool, or taking in the sunsets on the rooftop, be sure to order a Michalada, a refreshing combination of Tecate beer, fresh lime juice with a spiced salted rim. If wine is more you style, the sangrias (both white and red) are among the best in the valley.
In addition to the food and drinks, Gallo Blanco offers live music a few times a week, as well as an amazing modern take on mariachi/flamenco music and dancing every second Wednesday evening. They also have a pretty amazing Halloween party and a great New Years bash..
all in all, Gallo Blanco has taken the Claredon's cool midtown vibe from a fun place to visit once in a while, to a weekly haunt -- no mean feat in an area with it's share of funky restaurants and cool places to hang out.
Yum!! Fresh flavors, great service, moderate price.
Can't wait to bring my mom here when she visits Phoenix next time!
It was great at our first meeting....fish tacos while lounging by the pool, but even better when we experienced the restaraunt full service. Last night I finally made it to the Gallo Blanco for a sit down dinner with bri; it has since become my favorite american-mexican restaraunt. The food has an american twist on the old favorites like the fish taco, guacamole and then adds a salad with a citrus vinegarette and pumpkin seeds, hicama, tortilla strips; which was delicious! I wanted to order another one. The savory taste of the roasted pumpkin seeds left my mouth singing with joy. I can't wait to eat it again.....soon.
The tacos are served on a taco party tray...its a fiesta in itself. I had the fish tacos, which for this day was Ahi tuna-lucky for me, porque es mi favorita; but on a sour note-when the server announced the fish in the fish taco, not the noted menu item, she never announced the price increase. I didn't mind paying the extra $2.00 but she should have disclosed the price increase too. The tacos are on soft shell, last time they tasted like the tortillas were homemade, but i couldn't tell ya so this time. The red cabbage is an american twist gone great! I normally don't enjoy the white sauce on fish tacos, but i think this one might have had a citrus twist and i didn't mind it at all. The ahi tuna was lighty seared to perfection! It was bright red and melted in my mouth like straight BUTTAH! Bri ordered the pork tacos and beef tacos, but i stuck with the Ahi.
The sides are served ala carte here, which is very amerrican. The beans were great with the tortilla strips, which tasted like they were made in house. I also liked the roasted tomato salsa. It was so spicy and flavorful, not much tomato, just how i like it! One thing i definitely didn't enjoy, but get the joke (green tomatoes in stead of red tomatoes are definitely american) was the rice. It was a cross between soft, fluffy and hard sticky rice (that from the bottom of the pan when you leave the pot on the stove, then scrap it) served mixed with a tomatillo salsa made with too much onion.....very weird! That was one rice, where once is enough, next time i'll just have to order two salads and more tacos lol!
Guacamole ala americano served with their thick tortilla chips. It came with big hunked halfs of avocado, which i cut up into cubes, and a citrus salsa, which weirdly enough had grapefruit slices in whole slivers. A little too much onion and fruit for me, but it was still tasty. I'll definitely order this again.
The sangria was a little cup of heaven. It was perfect. Not too sweet, not too much liquor, not too bitter and laden with diced fruit. Our service was great as well! There was always a server around; asking about the food, knowing when not to interupt. That is superb service, they are around and available, but not hoovering. The decor is very fun. I loved the strips on my chair. We sat in the window at a tall table with a perfect view of the uptown highrise buidlings. We sat with a beautiful backdrop, spanish music enveloping the room and a delicious twist on the food i grew up with, making it exactly the way i wanted it, just wish the spanish rice brought me home....oh well ya can't win them all. I'll definitely be back much more and soon.
I had been hearing about this place for quite some time now so I had to see what all the hype was about. Oh what a time I had! This restaurant located on the bottom floor of the hippest hotel in Central/ Midtown Phoenix sure doesn't feel like a typical boring hotel eatery.
Upon walking in I noticed the exposed beams and concrete flooring which added a sense of urbanity. Definitely had the laid back, cool vibe I really wasn't expecting. I really just thought this was just some Mexican restaurant that I had to try.
And as far as the food...oh wow...I had the Carne Asada Beef Torta and chips & salsa. The torta(aka sandwich) oozed with local and fresh flavors that were well put together. Chips were crisp, warm, and delightful. The different choices of salsa were not typical of other Mexican restaurants and all were flavorful making me to want to eat every chip.
Great food, concept and location. This place will do well and I will be back many times to try other items to see if they are as great as what I have already had.
Great food and cool ambiance but it fails in the realm of "bang for the buck". I can get a really good and substantially bigger taco at the right street vendor in town or I can get a better, albeit three times pricier at a 1/3rd the size, taco here. It's a question of economic utility here. By the way, I like your bathroom.
Hands down, this place has the best fish tacos to ever cross my lips when I was not within spitting distance of the ocean. Grilled, fresh fish, with a really tasteful guacamole, sauce, and just the right amount of cabbage.
Tortas are pretty good, too - their vegetarian torta is actually good - stuffed to the brim with a variety of veggies, instead of the usual lechuga-aguacate-tomate nightmare.
GB's french fries, surprisingly, are incredible. You get a big plate of fresh fries, with a delectable garlic aioli. Aioli seems to be one of those things these days - like the panini a few years ago - where people try to pretend they are classy by throwing some garlic in some mayo and calling it aioli, but this aioli actually kicks.
Ditto for the quesadillas. Perfection!
Horchata here is housemade (I believe), and isn't the sugar-water that so many of us love from Rancho or Filly B's - it's good, but if you want something sweet to swig, go for one of their smoothies, instead, which are fresh and delicious.
Visiting from Boston, I was excited to try some Southwestern food out in the Southwest. This place did not disappoint!
Located in the Clarendon Hotel, the restaurant has the same loud, hip vibe. Drinks are fantastic and reasonably priced. I had each of the tacos in the taqueria menu- fish, pork, carne asada and veggie. Mmmm mmmm good! The fish was fresh and light, the pork melted in my mouth, the carne asada had a heavenly marinade, and the veggies were so fresh!
This place was so fantastic I've come back two more time in a 36 hour span! The second time around, I tried the guacamole- truly the best I've ever had. The last time I went, I had the salad. You should know that you can ask for any meat on the salad, even though it's not listed that way on the menu. Phenomenal salad- one of the best I've had (I know I've said that a lot but for this place it's not hyperbole).
Already looking forward to my fourth visit tomorrow!
A personal favorite. Now that I no longer live in Phoenix, I make it a point to come here every time I visit. I always spend too much money, but it's worth it. Not to say that this place is terribly expensive; you just want to keep eating and drinking until you fall over. Their elote is almost too good to describe. Lots of '"Oh my Gods" can be heard around the table when eating this. Don't leave here without eating this corn. Two tacos, corn, and an order of chips and guacamole is my typical meal here. That way my stomach has a good amount of room left in it for drinks. Their michelada (Lime juice, Tecate, spicy salt) is my go-to. They make them different than the ones I used to drink in Texas; in this case, different is much better. If you ever get the chance to hang out by the pool in the summertime, I couldn't recommend a better drink. Their sangria is also wonderful. If you want something a bit stronger, try the Picoso. Tequila, crushed pineapple, and a little bit of a habanero. Yes, a sweet and spicy cocktail. Delicious. As for dessert, I'm a fan of the crepes, but occasionally they make a special orange cake that is my favorite. This place also has a really nice ambiance that's well suited to any kind of dining experience.
I really enjoy Gallo Blanco, whether it's for brunch or lunch/dinner.
Is it a perfect experience? No way... not by any means. But it is a much better effort than what we all had to endure with C4 , Clarendon Kitchen, etc... Nothing seemed to stick.
I will say I did not enjoy being dropped on by condensation from an AC unit a few weeks ago, but that is neither here nor there, because of our large party, and because I did not formally complain to the server/management.
Every other experience has been how I like it. Servers seem a little new and lacking confidence so far. But overall, I like it. The food is decent. Not excellent, but done pretty well -- everything from the elotes to the guacamole.
I especially enjoy the brunch and the value of it. Are you really serious? $5 brunch with chorizo egg and refried beans, done just right?! Breakfast and dinner tortas served on soft bolillos are done decently here, although the crust could be a little more tough.
Tacos are priced just right, cooked well and are worth the $2.50 each! Can't decide if I like the fish or the carnitas better. Anyhow, decide for yourself.
Here are a list of things I have tried and loved since my first visit here:
~White Sangria - loaded with tons of fruit, just like I like it.
~ Huevos Rancheros - despite the fact that the first one they brought out had runny egg whites, they took it back and prepared my meal correctly, and I was pleased.
~Chilaquiles Verdes - I liked this best of all the dishes I tried at #smunch.
~Elote Callejero- ie: smothered corn.. You cant not love it.. its just too good.
~Margaritas - one of the best i've had in town! They are strong!
Here are a list of things that I hated:
~Pineapple Picoso - it had muddled red pepper in it too, which was a disgusting combo that I hated and do not recommend to anyone.
~Cantaloupe Spiked Water thing... Chad S. loved it, I think it's not so good.
~ $7 guacamole.. my plate of breakfast was cheaper than that!
Anyway, I dig this place, for the most part.
Open, bright and clean are what come to mind first.. extremely friendly staff and plenty of parking… Read more »
Gallo Blanco doesn't serve a bad breakfast, but I'm not sure I'd rush back. Just not really my style. My rating was a 3.5 but I'm rounding up to 4 because of how awesome the staff was with out table of 20+ on Saturday morning. We were able to get separate checks and no one's orders or bills were screwed up at the end. Everything was also pretty much delivered on time and as wanted.
The mimosa was delightful and the Chilaquiles Verdes was delicious. It had just the right amount of heat and was the perfect amount of food to keep me full for awhile without being full in a sick to my stomach way.
I do wish they'd offer black beans as well as the standard refried. Then I may have not had such a hard time figuring out what I wanted. There was almost nothing left by the time I eliminated refried beans.
On another note, Gallo Blanco also runs the rooftop bar and last night the bartender made a great suggestion on mango vodka, sprite, and simple syrup. It was a total win and one of my new favorite drinks.
I've been to Gallo Blanco twice and had great experiences both times. The first time was for dinner and I tried the elote and tacos. The elote callejero was fantastic and a departure from usual Mexican fare. I loved the cojita cheese on it. The tacos are not the standard large tacos, but are smaller and are more like street tacos. They're also very reasonably priced, so two or three can make for a great main course.
The second time I ate at Gallo Blanco was for brunch with a large group (20+ people) and the food and service was excellent once again. Our server was very patient and accommodating, splitting checks in various ways and dealing with late arrivals. The food was also great; I had huevos rancheros with over-medium eggs and I was pleased. The eggs were cooked just right and I loved the thicker tortillas. Combined with a flavorful chili sauce, the huevos rancheros made for a great start to my day.
Finally, I'm really thrilled with Gallo Blanco's focus on using local vendors, especially Cartel Coffee Lab's coffee. I'm a big fan of Cartel, and I'm happy that I can get a great cup of coffee with my breakfast.
Today was my first time here. Yes, I know, I am a Big AL(big-ass loser. You'd know this if you've ever taught middle/high school). Anyway, I was meeting up with Tony, aka Lightrailblog for a late lunch. I knew I wanted the elote. I've been hearing everyone scream about the damn elote for months. I started out with an iced tea (I am an iced tea FREAK!) that was flavored - I think mango. Then I got an Arnold Palmer. This was the BEST AP I've EVER had! (Sorry, FEZ!) It was made with freshly-squeezed lemonade and was plenty tart. I also had huevos ranchers. I like that they asked how I wanted my eggs cooked. I HATE fully-cooked yolks. Unless it's a hard-boiled egg, then it kinda has to be that way. Came with a side of refried beans. The salsa on top was awesome and not store-bought.
Server, Steven ("Esteban") was awesome...as soon as he figured out that everything I said was a joke. I mean, come on, am I *really* gonna put my ice cubes on your nipples? Well, not in public, and not until you buy me dinner. HA!
Downfall: THE FLIES!!!! There were at least 4 flying around our table. *shudder*
Gallo Blanco Café has the best brunch for your money in Phoenix. Sure, it isn't the relentless pursuit of truth, but it is delicious. Our table started out with the fantastic fresh guacamole, which at $7 is as expensive as any of the main courses that I have ever had on the Gallo Blanco menu. I enjoyed the huevos rancheros ($6), which feature well-seasoned beans, perfectly textured tortillas and a delicious chili sauce. They also serve an amazing veggie torta ($7) that I could argue is the best vegetarian sandwich in Phoenix. To drink, you must try the carmely delicious cafe con leche ($3.75) made with Cartel coffee beans.
The only misfire on the menu is the Chicharrón de Queso ($7) which is an over-crisp disaster. If anyone knows where in Phoenix one can find an LA-quality chicharrón de queso, let me know -- please! The Gallo Blanco wait staff is efficient, if indifferent, and the atmosphere is what I call "Clarendon cool." Like the rest of the property, Gallo Blanco's dining room has the sense that someone finished about 90% of the construction, then just decided to quit. The flooring has ragged edges, the wall transitions are sloppy, and the decor is an odd mish-mash that isn't quite eclectic. I am pretty sure that they save the attention to detail for the food, and there they score big time.
This was my first visit to Gallo Blanco and I must say I was beyond impressed.
Servcie was incredible, especially when you consider the party I was with. It was 20+ people that all wanted split checks (this does not happen anywhere I know of), arrived at different times and why were all chatting it up with everybody. Generally this leads to horrible service. But the crew at Gallo Blanco was stellar. We even got a stop by visit from Doug Robson who is the owner, he seen we were having a tweetup and just wanted to make sure we were ok.
I had the Egg torta which was egg, chorizo, guacamole and some other ingredients on the typical torta bread. This was a perfect choice for my morning. I am not sure the names of what everybody else got but I heard no complaints. The mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ was very delicious.
Great venue, great location, great service ~ A+ in my book.
My new favorite spot! I've been in-search-of a great relaxing CenPho Sunday breakfast spot, ever since Palatte closed (as I may have mentioned in just about every review lately, sorry)... and I think I've finally found it! Oh my gosh the Huevos Rancheros are lovely - just the right balance of egg, cheese and salsa, with perfect little slices of advocado too. Yum. I don't eat meat but the kitchen happily left the chorizo out of the Egg Torta - this is such a yummy egg sammy! Bowl of granola and yogurt - all fresh and chock full of yummyness! They'll serve breakfast items all day if you want; and I haven't done it yet but I'm told I could get just your basic eggs cooked anytime I want, too.
I've also been there quite a few times for other meals. Absolute crave-memory formed immediately for the "eco friendly" fish tacos... at only $2.50 a piece, I was full with only two of them! I've also tried the "Elote Callejero" - $5 - ("street corn", I guess?) it's amazing -perfectly charred corn on the cob, lightly coated with white cotija cheese. Served with a sharp steak knife, carefully slice the kernals off onto the plate and scoop them up - yummy! The flavors immediately sent me to this wonderful camping trip, sitting around the fire, pulling food off the outdoor grill... ahhhh!
Please go ! It's never been very busy when I've been there and this is a gem, we need to keep it in business!
I've been meaning to get to Gallo Blanco for a while now, so finally met a friend of mine for lunch there last Friday afternoon. I really dug the place.
First off, this was a quick lunch (~50 mins), and that includes a couple trips to our table because we were chatting instead of looking at the menu. We ordered the guacamole, a couple salsas, and both got the cochinita torta. Reaaaally loved the guac, probably the best I've had in a very, very long time. It's definitely chunkier than most, but orange supremes and roasted red peppers really make it stand out. The chips were high quality and I equally enjoyed the red salsa. The pork on the torta was really tasty, nicely seasoned and loaded with little charred bits. I wasn't in love with the heft of the bread (I thought it could have been a bit more substantial), but I hardly could complain about that given the pork.
Since it was a leisurely lunch, I thought the service was a bit quick but I totally understand that given it seemed to be a business-lunch crowd. Our server just never seemed to pick up on the cues, I guess. Regardless, a minor complaint. They should probably fix the a/c condensation problem...it was dripping very close to a table next to us.
All in all, great place, friendly owner and I would definitely recommend.
I'm surprised I forgot to updates this review, as much as I love it here. My favorite entree is still the Naco Torta, with an egg lightly fried over beef, with a pico de gallo sauce and thin slices of avocado on their fluffy white bun - messy, but a delicious sandwich. i've not had a single item on the menu let me down - the guac is amazing, the corn to die for, the chips crispy, hearty, and not too salty, and the salsas are almost enough to keep me dipping in their bowls instead of eating the guacamole.
a note - they raised the prices on the beef and fish tacos by fifty cents. still a great place to eat.
Four stars for now, this place will almost certainly earn more as I return. This is now my go-to… Read more »
So at one time my friend, Sara and I used to have a certain gripe that we hadn't found a go to restuarant whenever we found ourselves in an indecisive debacle of where to have dinner... lo and behold we have found our spot and that's Gallo Blanco! *yay* okay and FEZ which is still dear to my heart is on same footing as well *who can beat those yummy cinnamon dusted sweet potato fries?* But I digress... anywho, why am I in love with Gallo Blanco? Well folks it's simply because I love their guacamole with it's mandarin citrus intermingled within the guac, the OMG so delicious tortilla chips that are crunchy and crispy and just YUM, and the chicharron de queso... OH who can pass up fried cheese with their aji aioli... oh dios mio!
Apart from the ridiculously sexy appetizers that alone are just hot, like victoria secret angel hot, the Cochinita (yes, I capitalized it because it deserves it!) is the torta that I want as part of my last meal if ever I find myself on death row or waiting for the impending destruction of the world whichever comes first... meh. Anywho this pork torta had me at first bite... totally in amor with it! why? the pork is soooooooo tender and make sure you get it with fried egg layered with the avocado slices... I haven't had a sandwich that good... ok maybe the FEZ burger or the delux turkey burger. The meat is so good that when it falls out you just have to pick it up and eat it coz you don't want to waste perfectly good meat... DAMN! So yea... the cochinita and the guac are reasons alone to head out to Gallo Blanco, a true gem in the cenpho dining scene!
"It's like a jungle sometimes,
It makes me wonder,
How I keep from going under..."
hopefully Gallo Blanco doesn't go under anytime soon..this spot has been the home of many failstraunts, you know..the places that just can't hang. i really hope more for wee lil' Gallo Blanco.
the menu is straight forward, not overly complicated with too many items to choose from. really easy to fall in love with the simplicity. the 2.00 tacos are really good. and if i ate fish, i could try to settle the long lasting debate on if PHX really has Culture or not...fated by Fish Tacos
but alas, that question still lingers. i can say tho..that if culture was fated on Pork or Beef tacos then i could confidently say that PHX has mad culture. cause the tacos here are awesome. 2 bucks for 3 bites of a fully loaded soft corn tortilla. totally money well spent.
the corn on the cob is freaking amazing. i don't typically order corn on the cob in restaurants because i don't want to be picking corn out of my teeth while having dinner conversation...but these...these right here..these right here are totally worth it. get all that corn up in your chompers and enjoy.
4 stars for great food, comfortable atmosphere.
i took a star from the bland horchata and semi remote location.
This isn't your typical Mexican restaurant that puts cheese and sour cream on everything. The food here is light, simple, and fresh. We started out with the guacamole which was amazing. My sister doesn't even like mandarin oranges but it tasted so good in the guacamole she was eating it like it was going out of style. The salsa that came with it was the bomb. One was a spicy red salsa and the other one was a tomatillo salsa. The green one was so good I wanted to drink it. I ordered the chorizo and eggs and my sister ordered a couple of tacos with rice and beans. Everything tasted great and I even had room for dessert after my meal. We had some kind of carmel, banana, crepe thing. It doesn't look like much but it was one of the best desserts I've ever had. Gallo Blanco is my new obsession.
The heat was intense against the back of my neck. I could feel the sweat running down into the collar of my shirt and racing to the center of my back. As I looked at my friends across the table from me, their eyes were closed in fear of certain blindness, the sun was the enemy. All seemed okay once their sunglasses were positioned and the drinks arrived, though the heat from the north side of the restaurant was still there. Gallons of sangria could only temper the heat yet never conquers; we leave that for the soon coming night.
I know I know, it sounds like a horrible start to a horrible experience, it wasn't really, I swear. Only a quirk in the new breakfast, lunch and dinner eatery located inside of the Clarendon Hotel. To be fair they were pretty busy and there weren't too many seating options available to us at the time, so we took what we were offered. The space is lined both the east and north sides with large windows that allow for great light and heat. So if you're fair skinned like myself or you're Vampire, ask to be sat somewhere away from the windows or you might not have an unpleasant experience. Okay, moving on now.
Like at many Mexican food restaurants you'll be served chips and salsa but GB does it so much better. Not only are the chips thick and crispy but also there are 4 different salsas to dip from including a smooth and creamy green salsa, which was a hit at the table. Be warned though, both red salsas are on the spicy side and while I love spicy be warned. If you'd like to have more fun dipping those deliciously crunchy chips, order the Guacamole ($7). This dip is far chunkier and interesting with nice large cubes of avocado and chili that'll give your chips reason and purpose. The taste is superb and fresh, it should be since each bowl is made when the order is placed, good stuff!
Have you ever heard of Chicharrón? In Latin American Chicharrón has many recipes but in its simplest, it's fried pork skin a.k.a. pork cracklin's or pork rinds. Hope I haven't lost you here because GB does a cool thing with this idea. Instead of fatty pork skin they use cheese and instead of fry they griddle the cheese till it's nice and crunchy then they shape it into a cone while it's still hot. The Chicharrón de Queso ($7) is then served with an aji aioli. What better to have cheese with than mayo, right? The deeply flavored cheese is also great with salsa and the guacamole.
I can honestly say from a foodie perspective, tacos are as perfect as pizza. There's a balance of flavors and textures that really get me growling for more and GB don't disappoint. At $2 each you have a choice of pork, steak, and veggie. All are served on a fresh made corn tortilla and each with their very own adornments. The fish tacos are made with eco friendly fish, I guess they drive hybrid vehicles, and are market priced. Shaved lettuce, pico de gallo and guacamole shored this tasty taco. The carne asada is made with grilled ribeye and has a covering of charred tomato salsa. Since these are only $2 each, why not try them all?
All the taco flavors can be also ordered as a torta for $7. Hot grilled telera bread piled high with tender ribeye and avocado was a sheer pleasure to eat. Well balanced bread to meat ratio and with just enough toppings to make the sandwich hold together perfectly. The tortas are ala carte so you might want to go ahead and order a side of French Fries ($2), which are house cut and well seasoned and are a wonderful compliment. Of course they have one American favorite and they do it really well and that's the Cheeseburger ($7). This is after all a breakfast, lunch and dinner hotel restaurant so I think it's a given to have this on this menu. Perfectly cooked in all its great beefiness, this is an outstanding cheeseburger and even comes with French fries.
GB can't all be spicy and savory; they also make some wonderful desserts that are worth saving room for. Take the tender Crepas con Cajeta ($4) which takes crepes, sliced bananas and peanuts then stacks them up for a nice sharable dessert. Though the peanuts were a bit chewy, I think crunchy peanuts would have made a better contrast, it's a personal taste though. My to die for favorite was the Postre de Chocolate ($5) which is a glass filled with creamy smooth house made chocolate pudding, then tops it with graham cracker pieces and marshmallow fluff. Seriously fantastic, all you need is a campfire, oh wait, the heat on the back of my neck will do.
Gallo Blanco is working on the sun issue and will soon have shades as well as an outdoor patio. A new place is always a work in progress and Gallo Blanco is certainly worth using a little bit of sunscreen in the meantime.
I'm a little stingy with the five star rating, but three words describe how I feel about Gallo Blanco: "F*ck yeah, Jesus!" I eat at Gallo Blanco at least twice a week, and I think they serve the best tacos and tortas in Phoenix. Hands down. On this past Monday night, I went on a taco bender and ate nine tacos in a row - three cochinita pibil and six carne asada. I really couldn't get enough of them. And they have Negra Modelo on tap; I don't know why I ever eat anywhere else.
Gallo Blanco is a Mexico City style taqueria, and based on my visits to the D.F., it succeeds in its authenticity. But Gallo Blanco is also a pretty cool place to eat in good ole Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A. Good food transcends ethnic boundaries.
While the tacos are delicious, Gallo Blanco is more than just tacos - a standout on their menu is the elote - a cotija cheese and paprika spiced cob of corn. And the guac; where to start with the guac . . . whoever came up with the recipe was a culinary genius.
Did I mention that Gallo Blanco is a great value, too? Their chorizo and egg breakfast weighs in at an easy-on-the-wallet $5.00. The tacos hover in the $2.00 price range depending on the ingredient. Dinner for two, with drinks, can be had for a very reasonable price tag. Even the drinks are kick ass: I had the opportunity to sample Gallo Blanco's margarita ($7.00) one Thursday evening, and then Barrio Café's "Cadillac" margarita ($12.00) the next day. Edge: Gallo Blanco.
Here's a tip: try Gallo Blanco's chilaquiles for breakfast. Chilaquiles are best described as "breakfast nachos;" they are basically corn tortilla pieces cooked in salsa, and sprinkled with cheese, served for breakfast with eggs. They're very popular as a breakfast in Mexico, and I think there's a good reason for that: they're damn tasty.
Our menu:
Chilaquiles
Egg torte
Fresh squeezed orange juice
Soda
Everything was amazing, and we spent less than $25. Friendly waitstaff, quick service, fun ambiance.
The salsa verde on the chilaquiles is the best I've had in Phoenix. I subbed egg whites for the poached egg, and they were fluffy and perfect.
The fresh squeezed OJ is so fresh that it's like sucking an orange. At $6, the large is more expensive than some meals, but it was totally worth it.
Gallo Blanco buys meat from The Meat Shop, and that means spicy, fresh chorizo and other pork straight from the hog. I will eat here every chance I get.
Hotel-restaurant relations can be tough to navigate. Traditionally, there have been a lot of dull, dreary dining rooms in middle-of-the-road hotel chains, punctuated with occasional exceptions for signature restaurants at major resorts. Lately, though, the thinking has changed to favor more distinctive restaurants; these are restaurants that locals frequent and that have identities apart from the hotels that house them. Kimpton hotels are probably best known for this approach. For the independent Clarendon Hotel in Midtown, located half a mile from the Indian School / Central light rail station, it has been a struggle over the past few years to define a workable restaurant identity. Both approaches tried -- the indie restaurant within a hotel and the hotel-operated restaurant -- have had their share of problems.
After years under various brand identities, the historic Clarendon Hotel rebooted in its current cosmopolitan version in late 2004. Its initial restaurant partner, Camus, followed in 2005. The partnership sounded great and seemed to work for a while, but in 2007, in a divorce as public as that of reality TV uber-breeders Jon and Kate, Camus and the Clarendon went their separate ways. After the Camus debacle, the hotel tried two home-grown concepts. The first, C4, was an attempt at a Japanese-influenced menu that failed after a few months. The second was the Clarendon Kitchen, which combined slightly Southwestern cuisine with Gothic lettering in an unexpected mix not seen since John Carpenter's 1998 "Vampires" movie. Finally, in 2009, the Clarendon seems to have found the right approach by returning creative control to an independent restaurateur. The result is Gallo Blanco Cafe.
Gallo Blanco is another attempt at Mexican and Southwestern food, but more focused and inspired than the previous Clarendon Kitchen concept. The food isn't corporate Southwestern lite with a chipotle here and a poblano there. At the same time, it's not the heavy Sonoran food popular in so many local Mexican restaurants. Instead, it's a more interior Mexican approach with a lighter feel and a strong influence from street food. The space at Gallo Blanco is sparse with stained concrete on the floors and exposed ducts in the ceiling. During the day, abundant natural light enters through the windows that wrap around most of the room. At night, the restaurant is dark -- maybe a little too dark -- due to the minimalist fixtures in the rough-hewn ceiling.
Because this isn't a typical Phoenix Mexican restaurant, don't expect chips and salsa to arrive automatically at the table. Instead, order a serving of the chunky, freshly made guacamole with chips. Want something to grip rather than dip? In that case, the elote callajero is a good choice. It's an ear of grilled corn topped with paprika and crumbly cotija cheese. For those looking to start with greenery, two salads are regulars on the menu with a market salad sometimes available as a special. The salads are especially welcome since vegetables are abundant in Mexican cooking but often scarce in Mexican restaurants in the United States.The most offbeat starter is the chicharron de queso, essentially a fried sheet of cheese with aioli on the side. As the menu warns, "...this is not a quesadilla." With apologies to all readers from Wisconsin, it's for serious cheeseheads.
The entree selection is small and focused with an emphasis on simple preparations and local ingredients when feasible. Pork, beef, fish, and vegetables are available in both soft-shell tacos and tortas. The tacos, which feature house-made corn tortillas, are a bargain at two dollars each, and it's fine to mix and match different types in an assortment to be shared. Paired with optional sides like refried beans or jasmine rice, a few tacos add up to a reasonably priced meal. The tortas are much heftier with a slab of telera enclosing the chosen filling. In an unusual move, chicken appears only as a grilled half-bird and not as a taco or torta filling. The fish varies depending on what is available. Most recently, it has been halibut.
Be thankful for the moderate portions at Gallo Blanco when the time comes for dessert. The postre de chocolate is sinful in all the best ways. The crepes, on the other hand, are nicely restrained in their sweetness. They're fine as a closer after dinner, but they also work well as a breakfast entree. Drinks at Gallo Blanco are generally light and refreshing in keeping with the food. On a hot summer day, a watermelon fresca or a michelada, essentially a spiced beer, breaks the heat. Despite the Clarendon's hip image, Gallo Blanco is accommodating of families with children.There are plenty of high chairs available, and kids are not an unusual sight in the dining room. With both business and leisure travel down, the Clarendon may still be challenged to fill all its rooms, but at least the hotel can now boast a worthwhile restaurant in Gallo Blanco.
EDGY MEXICAN CON SAVOR. Chicharron of grilled cheese, "green" rice, Grilled Chicken, Sangria. Cock a doodle DOO! White Rooster is a jewel.
--revamped spot has finally found the right groove. Sealed concrete and faux Herman Miller with unique modern touches.
--"chicharron" of grilled cheese is a must have. No flaky pig skin here, and you'll want to order another on righ away.
--fresh ingredients throughout, down to the authentic flavorings of the real Mexican queso fresco atop the beans.
--asado of the chicken asado preserves delightful juicyness of the meat troughout each delectable crispy bite
--"green" rice topped with wonderful limed greens
--New York steak was not filet mignon, but hard to find fault with the flavor packed in those grilled veggies.
--cheeseburger fresh and greasy good covered with more of that delicious cheese mix
--banana crepes were simple and elegant dolloped with creme fresh
--fresh fruit is more of the garnish from the sangria cocktails. How'd he know I wanted more of exactly that?!
--menu somewhat small, but that kitchen is tiny. Quality over quantity any day.
--exposed surfaces make for a noisy atmosphere, not the quiet candlelight spot
--server Daniel is always on top of it
--chef often visits the dining room making sure every chair and every fork is in place
I can't wait to go back.
Ok let me start off by saying I have eaten at the clarendon kitchen before it was thankfully demolished. My gf got such bad food poisoning she was barfing in a Harkins Loyelty cup on the freeway, because she couldnt make it to pull over. After emtying it several times out the window to refill it, she had a cold sweat for the rest of the night.
I think she lost like 4 lbs and she is super tiny to begin with so by the next day she was skeletor... So naturally I was jealous, not really, but kinda.. no I kid, but seriously...
So enough background on the horror this spot was.
At first we were leary but when we arrived it was completely open and gutted, you could see the kitchen which for a germy like me that is a beautiful thing.
The menu is small and slightly hard to read at first.
We ordered the guacamole before I realized it was 7 bucks. When we got it it looked like the chunks would be too big for my gf liking (because I micro manage how she eats) after one bite this shit was definatly the best guac Ive had, for real. I heard about the mandarines which I actually hate, so I was a skeptic.. no it was delicious.
I got beef tacos which were melt in your mouth.
the veggie was pretty good but had mushrooms, I fucking hate mushrooms. Those sick ass little horse pissed on poop bi products.
Aside from the mushrooms it was very tasty, i would get them again minus the poopy shrooms.
Oh the best part is they serve the coke in a can and its a buck... finally someone gets that its a joke to charge 2.50 for a fucking soda.
Awesome job, Ill be coming back to try some breakfast or hang out and try that beer you doctor up.
If you ever ate at clarendon kitchen , dont be scared its nothing like that nightmare !!!!
I loved the vegetable tacos here. Just the perfect amount of cilantro. Above all though, I must recommend the deep-fried cheese that comes out shaped like a sombrero. Heaven for those of us who love the fried bits of cheese that end up around a good grilled cheese sandwich. I didn't try any of the mixed drinks, as I opted for a Pacifico. A nice, chill place to hang out with friends and unwind after a long week at work.
Why am I trying to hide my love...
I'm at Gallo Blanco Cafe at least three times a week. Yes, it's totally convenient. But then again, so is that Rice Stick in a Bowl place around the corner and I'm never there!
I'm trading in my four stars for five stars. I never get tired of the food (which is totally delish), the drinks, the jolt in the coffee, the servers...and THE HOTEL!!
You guys always treat me well, and I can see you treat everyone else like a rock star too.
Thanks for being a great 'light rail convenient' local business!
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Gallo Blanco is the sh*t ladies & gentlemen!
Let me tell you what you must try, after that, you are on your own to experiment.
1. First and foremost get the elote every time you go there, no matter what. It is corn on the cob done in the most delicious way possible. They bring you a knife to cut if off the cob, so don't worry about the whole corn in your teeth on a date thing. BTW, don't try to share it. Get your own, or you will regret it.
2. Have the margaritas! They are made with real lime juice & not that vile sweet & sour crap most places pawn off on you. They are a delicious & refreshing way to get your tequila food group. Yes friends, tequila is a food group.
3. Try the different types of tacos. They are street taco style & are only $2 each! I've tried all but the veggie ones, since I figure eating a whole ear of corn is plenty in the vegetable food group. The tacos are delicious & my favorite are the fish & carne asada.
I also recommend sitting at a table in the bar area because the people watching is amazing. That alone might be worth going there. One time one lady was actually on the community computer in the lobby looking at pictures of naked women. There were people with a couple of kids there too. That and the parade of people that come through there make for free entertainment while you eat.
Go for the awesome food & drinks & enjoy the show.
P.S. If you have too many of those margaritas just jump in their awesome pool & pass out in a room. I hear they have great deals going on right now.
Cheers ;)
Wow, I can't believe our complete delight at finding this wonderful little bar/restaurant. The food was fabulous and the drinks were amazing! We had the chicken, the small homemade tacos, the corn on the cob (outstanding and unbelievalbe) and again- the CREATIVE, yummy drinks! For desert I got the french fries so I could indulge on more of the sauce. So terrific and so relaxing.
The only downside was the price and the service. It's swamped on a Friday and the service was outstandingly kind, eager to please, warm and inviting...just busy. And the prices were great for the food, but a tad on the high side for drinks. Of course, we had the house specialties! :-)
So this place was recommended to me by Dallas G which carries with it a special distinction all its own. The first time I was forced to get the elote callejero which is a gigantic corn on the cob with seasonings and cotija cheese all over it. Fucking delightful.
However, the watermelony water that I was forced to get was not good. It's some drink that they have that I would not recommend to anyone.
So the next time we went I had the corn again and a torta, which is basically a sandwich with this unbelievably savory bread. Like I've been to five or so different spanish speaking countries now and a torta pretty much means something different in each one, but this was ridiculously good.
So on the merits of the two food items I've gotten I give five glorious stars, brought back to earth by the crappy drink. Four stars. Go there, get the food, skip the watermelon goo and you will have a truly delightful meal.
I dig this place, I really do, but the portions are small. They do make up for it by packing a straight kick to your man or woman pleaser with zesty flavors. I didn't dig the guacamole-too much salt, but loved, loved, loved the chips that came with it. The place is quite spacious and modern with featured art on the walls. I went for dinner so the lighting was minimal giving the place a sexy, urban feel to it. The kind of lighting that makes you wonder if the people are really this good looking? Or is the lighting really just this good???
The carne asada beef tacos were divine. Really moist and succulent with just enough spice to make your taste buds tingle. Two is hardly enough, so we also tried the fish tacos and well, I could smell the fishiness from across the table which makes me a little uncomfortable. I did try it, though and it was okay. Not too fond of anything that tastes or smells too fishy. Reminds me of unsanitized, dirty, dirty girls. (Haha, had to throw in a visual for you all!)
My favorite plate was the ensalada cortada. I loved all the ingredients mixed in together, especially the corn nuts. Genius idea!
For drinks, I had the la sangria. Fruity, refreshing, and light tasting. It was really good, but I passed it on to my date in hopes of taking advantage of him later on. Almost worked, but when we got to the normally secluded rooftop @ the Clarendon hotel, they were hosting a social gathering of some sort with lots of people. Damn. Should've drank my sangria. Oh well...another day since I will most definitely be back for some more Gallo Blanco. I can't wait to try their breakfast menu!
I have been to Gallo Blanco a few times now and have always been please with both the food and the service.
Some of my favorites included the Elote Callejero wich is grilled corn covered in cotija cheese and then heavily sprinkled with smoked paprika. $2 tacos (they're small and delicious). I've tried them all but I must say the Cochinitas (pork marinated with achiote, orange, garlic and guajillo) were the best.
I also had a white sangria (I usually prefer red but this was light and refreshing) it had lemons, grapes, mangoes, oranges, apples - delicious! They don't make it too sweet with is a big win every time.
For breakfast I tried the Huevos Rancheros and was very pleased with the spicy tomato sauce that came with it. I also ordered the Fruta con crema fresca (mixed fruit w/ whipped Crema Fresca) very fresh and nice variety of fruit.
The menu is pretty limited, but what they do - they do well. The prices are excellent and the dining area open and airy. I can see myself frequenting this place a lot this summer.
I hear about restaurants in town that every one loves and I make a mental note to try it. But then I go and love it. SO I come back to my computer and sit down to write a review and realize... they've already covered everything.
So instead of repeating how delicious the corn is, or how good the tacos are (and guacamole) I'm going to talk about the pool outside Gallo Blanco.
Standing room only?... Really?
And since when did dude-bros take over the Clarendon pool?
I can't believe I found this place a month before I move to the other side of the world. Lame. I'll have to visit again before I get on the plane. The cochinitas sandwich... it is the pork to end all pork, my friends. So sweet and succulent with little crunchy bits.... mmmmm! And the chocolate pudding thing... mwah *kissy fingers*
P.S. I hate eating in the dark, but this was worth it.
Carne asada torta+over easy egg=redemption.
I now get why there are so many Gallo Blanco lovers out there. Thanks for making me one of them. It was too big for me to eat in one sitting and filled the to-go container almost to capacity, and I actually devoured half of it.
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First visit last night. Very happy to see something great go into the Clarendon. Cool to see that little burst of red popping out the front with the glass hinting at people and activity inside. There will be more visits!
FOOD
Dig the simple menu. More places should try this: find a few things to make very well, and execute on them. Keep it simple. Add more only as you can do so without lessening the consistency and quality of your core menu.
So far, only had the tacos. They were fresh-tasting, well-seasoned and overall, delicious. A little on the sweet side, but the balance was there. Only critique is to echo that maybe the little metal radiators, while effective at display and containment of tacos, might be dissipating the heat of the food too quickly. Some other more insular, less conductive material might be a better (more expensive?) approach.
Definitely trying the tortas with egg next time.
DRINK
Small, but interesting selection. Started with the Madre cocktail. Very fresh grapefruit/citrus flavor. No extra sweetener detected. Also, no vodka detected; but that could be my Irish liver or the power of fresh-squeezed juice. Next a glass of Lo Brujo - bright, minerally refreshing Spanish white. Enough citrus to balance out the mineral and the body.
Both beverages were excellent summer fare.
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