New Mexican restaurant Cielo Rojo brings more delicious fare to 16th Street
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Cochinita pibil from Cielo Rojo. Photo: Jessica Boehm/Axios
Cielo Rojo — a new addition to 16th Street's collection of Mexican restaurants — stands out with fancy fare, creative cocktails and an upscale aesthetic.
The big picture: Cielo Rojo is the sister restaurant of Mariscos Playa Hermosa, which has been in the Valley for more than two decades.
- The new restaurant features dishes from the central Mexican state of Guanajuato, where owners Jose and Maria Maldonado are from, Mouth by Southwest reported.
What we ordered:
- Elote entero: Classic Mexican street corn smothered with mayonnaise and chili powder.
- Sopes de chorizo y papas: A thick potato-like tortilla topped with chorizo, beans, lettuce, tomato and cream.
- Cochinita pibil: Sour orange pork, served with beans, rice, veggies and tortillas.
The verdict: My concern that the food wouldn't taste as good as it looked was unfounded — the pork was tender and well marinated, the elote was zesty and delightful and the sopes were hearty without being heavy.
1 boozy thing: Don't miss the impressive cocktail menu, which includes many tequila options and some creative gin and whiskey concoctions.
