James Beard's "Best Chef" semifinalist knows burritos

There's an abundance of Arizona chefs and restaurants on the James Beard Foundation award semifinalist list. Since I haven't tried most of them, I decided to grab lunch Friday at Testal Mexican Kitchen, home to "Best Chef" semifinalist Fernando Hernández.

Where: 1325 Grand Ave.

What I ordered: I asked what they recommended and was directed to the birria burrito.

• It was no-frills, filled with seasoned shredded beef, chopped onions and cilantro.

My thought bubble: It was outstanding.

• For a drink I grabbed a Sangría Señorial — a non-alcoholic, sangria-flavored soda made in Mexico. It was unusual but kind of tasty.

1 boozy thing: They have a stacked menu of drinks made with sotol, a liquor from northern Mexico that's similar to tequila but a bit smoother.

• There aren't a lot of places around here that serve sotol. I'd heard of it only because I randomly picked up a bottle during a trip to Ojinaga, Mexico, nearly 20 years ago.

Yes, and: Stop by for karaoke on Friday nights!