Criollo Latin Kitchen

We were in Flagstaff for the weekend and were looking for a new culinary spot for dinner.   After some searching of Yelp and TripAdvisor, we decided to head to Criollo Latin Kitchen in the heart of downtown Flagstaff.

When we first arrived at the restaurant, a handful of the tables were filled.   The walls are painted a warm brick red, and eclectic art decorates the one side of the restaurant.   Handblown pendant lights light the bar, and original rustic wood flooring is underfoot.

We were seated at the rear of the restaurant.   We had already scoped out the menu online so we ordered quickly.  Hazel chose the Paella Criollo and I chose the Mojo Marinated Pork Tenderloin.

As we waited for our food, we noticed that the tables were beginning to fill up.   The clientele was diverse from elderly couples, families, college students, and even dreadlocked hippies.    The waitstaff was attentive, always keeping our drinks filled.

Our meals were brought to our table piping hot, and at first bite we knew we had found a new favorite restaurant.   Hazel ranked her Paella as one of the best, perhaps only behind Sevilla in San Diego.   My pork tenderloin was perfectly tender and served with lentils and some delicious cactus-potato cakes.  The red chili sauce added just the right amount of heat and flavor to the dish.

The portion size was perfect as it allowed just enough room for dessert.   Hazel and I decided to share the Tres Leches with Pineapple ice cream.   This is not currently a normal resident on the Criollo menu, but it should be as it was tasty but not too sweet.

It should be noted that Criollo, and it’s pricier sister restaurant Brix, pride themselves on sourcing most of their ingredients from Arizona providers.

We give them thumbs up for flavorful food, great waitstaff, and reasonable prices.   We will definitely return on a future visit to Flagstaff.