Azlin at the Clarendon offers tasty and eclectic menu

• The restaurant was opened by chef Pierce Azlin, formerly the culinary director at The Maggiore Group, the company behind Hash Kitchen, the Sicilian Butcher and other local eateries.

Catch up quick: Azlin's spot was previously occupied by Fuego Bistro, which closed its doors last December after four years at the hotel.

• Before that, the Clarendon was home to Gallo Blanco, which relocated to the Historic Garfield District in 2017.

Zoom in: Azlin's menu is eclectic, running the gamut from hamachi crudo and "tandoor chicken wings" to smash burgers, pesto pasta and chicken fried rice.

Best bites: I ordered the short rib barbacoa, with stewed beef piled on top of poblano grits, and crispy shallots, manchego cheese and pickled Fresno chilis.

• The beef was tender and flavorful and paired great with the creamy grits.
• The crispiness of the shallots added some texture, while the peppers offered occasional bursts of spice.

• Phoenix magazine called Azlin its "pleasant surprise of the year" and said the barbacoa was "everything I hoped it would be," though it noted the chicken fried rice was even better. I look forward to trying it next time!

Flashback: The Clarendon is a part of Arizona history. It's famous as the site of the fatal car bombing of Arizona Republic reporter Don Bolles on June 2, 1976.

• A bust of Bolles still stands in the lobby.