Rene At Tlaquepaque has been around for a while and I think because of that it is often overlooked for some of the newer addition to the outstanding restaurant climate that resides in Sedona. The night we were there the atmosphere was calm and a bit on the slow side. The food, however, was anything but laid back. It was fine dining at its best. Everything was made and presented with care and attention. The fish and seafood were extremely fresh.
The Staff:
Let’s start with the staff. It is after all the staff that gives you your first impression of a restaurant. The staff was very friendly, approachable, and even entertaining. The hostess had us laughing all the way to our table. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and proud of the dishes he was serving. Then we met the chef though his food and there were no words. Literally. Just a lot of mmmmm. ohhhh, and OMGs all around the table. Hats off, chef, because it really was an outstanding night.
The Food:
There were four of us at the table and we all choose to order something different so we could share and compare. Together we ordered the Seafood Risotto, Berkshire Pork Shank, and Chilean Sea Bass (pictured).
When I placed my fork in the pork shank it just fell apart it was that tender. Served over Catalan spinach and in an onion agrodolce it was delicious. The seafood Risotto was filled with shrimp, octopus, mussels, and clams and served in a tomato saffron brodetto broth. The seafood was fresh and tender. Not always easy with octopus. We were told the secret is to sous vide the octopus before giving it a slight sear. Then we tried the Chilean Sea Bass and totally fell in love with the chef. Just go! Try it!