New Mexican restaurants haven’t proven all that successful around metro Phoenix of late. Several attempts to move prominent restaurants from our neighbors to the east into the region have ended prematurely, with restaurants closing down not long after launch. However, that has not stopped other restaurateurs from trying to make the jump from Albequerque to the Valley and other pockets of Arizona. One particular restaurant, which has been successful in New Mexico, has officially opened a new location, this time in the culinary hotbed of Scottsdale.
El Patron New Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, located inside The Shops Gainey Village at 8977 North Scottsdale Road (Suite 500) has opened. The restaurant took over the space of the former Mexican restaurant Bandolero de Cocina Mexico. El Patron New Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, as the name might suggest, first opened in Albuquerque, but as the owners moved west and eventually settled down into the Valley, they brought their brand with them.
We wrote about the original announcement of the restaurant and its plans to open in the Valley, but the restaurant is now open for business, so you can stop by and take in both the atmosphere and the food offerings. The decor and setup are some of the best New Mexican designs found anywhere in metro Phoenix, so if you enjoy the look and vibe, it’s worth stopping by and giving the restaurant a try.
When stopping by the restaurant, appetizers include nachos (corn chips topped off with chile con queso, cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, black beans, jalapenos, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, guacamole, sour cream, and your choice of braised chicken seasoned beef, chicharrones, or chorizo), shrimp tostadas, red chile BBQ ribs, and chips and guacamole.
Favorite dishes of the restaurant include Ribeye & Enchiladas (14-ounce chile rubbed Prime grade Ribeye paired with cheese enchiladas topped with red or green chile and served with pinto beans and rice), Huevos Rancheros (two eggs served your way topped over flour or corn tortillas with cheese, pinto beans, papitas, and your choice of chile), Enchilada Casserole, Green Chile Chicken Lasagna, Carne Adovada Plate, and Wyoming Blvd (El Patron taco with cheese enchilada, chile relleno and your choice of chile, served with pinto beans and rice).
There is also an additional seafood menu with options like shrimp Veracruz and Corvina Sea Bass.
El Patron New Mexican Restaurant and Cantina is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 AM until 9 PM, and on Friday and Saturday from 11 AM until 10 PM.