Sip ‘N Savor Local Flavor @ Epazote Kitchen + Cocktails

It has been a while since I sign-​up elite event due to my crazy working hours for the last 2 months. It was one of these night that I can sneak out of work earlier and took a little drive to a place that I golf and shooting weddings for quite a few times… and now Unilocal elite event? Totally EPIC!
El conquistador definitely put up this amazing presentation of their hospitality to showcase what resort type venue are very personable. Note I am not said that just because of the event but form my being a vendor (photographer) and guest (big group of golfers). Whoever that I came across always willing to help and accommodating.
If I like their wedding food. Can you imagine their regular menu?

Hilton has done it! They really did an excellent job of capitalizing on the chefs talents and abilities. My favorites were the green chili pork stew which I could not get enough of and the BBQ short ribs. Although, all of it was amazing those were my two favorites of the night. The staff was really great and one of my favorites that this location has had for a long time is the brittle. I absolutely love it. I cannot wait to go back and try it again.

How do you know your event is BOSS? When other events stop what they are doing to see what on earth is going on at your event… and that is exactly the night that the beautiful Bella and Stunning Epazote Kitchen created for us Elite Unilocalers! Greeted by soaring beauties on stilts, the Unilocal logo illuminated on the floor, the beauty of the Hilton… I was the first chica in that door!!!
As soon as I passed check in, I was instantly handed a tasty glass of red sangria on the patio. (FYI the patio is surrounded by adorb baby pepper plants) The night was a perfectly breezy temp, the live music was just perfect to set the mood. Plenty of tables to nosh at, bonus and center pieces filled with candy corn!
Plenty of the staff and management spoke to us and made us feel very welcomed. The manager even fetched me a glass of white sangria, what more can a girl ask for.
The food was GREAT! I loved the spiciness of the greens in the goat cheese salad and I am always a sucker for wedge salads. The braised ribs were little flavor bombs! Actually, I should not say little as I got a second serving and it must have been 8oz. of meat (bonus for using Le Creuset)!
I loved that they add heat/​peppers to their deserts. The truffles were GREAT!!! But for me, my favorite was the BRITTLE. I loved the rosemary, spicy brittle so much I hoarded a few pieces in my purse, my jaw ached the next day from chowing too much brittle, and my heart aches for more brittle…
I loved the mask competition, I was DYING to win a stay there! It was fun to be coated in glitter, I think I would like to roll out in glitter daily, however as a professional, I am sure my coworkers would not concur.
The fire show/​led hoop show was mesmerizing!!! I was really liking the dub sounds. I so wish that after their performance they could try to show us some moves, though I am fairly certain, I could not get the hoop even one time around my bod. I am hoping for a future Unilocal event that involves hooping… there is no way I won’t win funniest that day.

Another great (albeit my second) Unilocal event. I want to start off by thanking Bella for organizing such an excellent event.
I knew as we drove up that the property was going to be amazing and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the outdoor areas at the conquistador. The food was great. As others have mentioned the short ribs were AMAZING as was the mashed potatoes they were on. Overall I really enjoyed the food but those short ribs stood out. Another thing that stood out was the attentive and friendly service by the Epazote/​Conquistador servers throughout the night. I hope to return and order some of those short ribs (yum yum yum).

Oh my goodness, this was another fabulous event put on by Bella. She’s on a roll.
First off, the ambiance was absolutely fantastic. I’d never been up to the Hilton before, but the patio area overlooking the pool was beautiful. I wished I had been able to see it while the sun was shining, as I’m sure there were some breathtaking views of the mountain.
Next, the food and drinks! The staff at Epazote was so quick, I had a glass of sangria in my hand the second after I stepped onto the patio, not that I’m complaining. The staff was very accommodating to the fact that I’m a vegetarian, making a wedge salad without bacon, giving me an order of just mashed potatoes, and cooking up some grilled veggies and quinoa. The food was amazing, and when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I tried dessert. I really appreciated that they were all tiny, so that I could sample each one without feeling guilty. My favorite was probably the caramel cheesecake thing they had, but all of them were awesome.
Finally, the entertainment. Orbital evolution had me mesmerized and it made me quite sad that I can barely hula hoop with one. The mask station was a blast, and my creation even won third place!
As always, these events make me so glad to be an active part of the Unilocal community.

YES.
If the other reviews have not made this sufficiently clear by now, this was a pretty ballertastic Unilocal event. Before the evening began, we were warned that food would be served only in tasting portions, so we should come expecting not to replace our dinners with the meal. After an endless stream of small plates of goat cheese salad, ceviche, short rib, and green chile stew, however, I wasn’t sure how exactly I was supposed to eat dinner later, but I was definitely impressed by the culinary prowess of the Epazote crew: pretty much every dish was delicious, and the short rib in particular was some of the best meat I’ve had in a long time. Alongside the endless stream of food was an endless stream of «sangria» drinks that were a bit removed from the classic item but nevertheless delicious and refreshing. As far as meals go, this was pretty flippin’ excellent.
But beyond the food was the setting! I just want to emphasize that if you’ve never heard of the Hilton El Conquistador, you should probably put it on your list of potential stay-​cation spots immediately. The gorgeous multi-​tiered terrace area by a similarly-​gorgeous pool could very easily serve as my place of residence for the rest of my life, especially given how absolutely incredible the staff is, and especially if the classical guitar-​players are a regular installation. Apparently this is a golf hotel, but suffice it to say that the 19^th hole on this course will upstage the first 18 pretty much no matter how nice the links turn out to be. Combined with the high quality of Epazote’s cooking, this would be a pretty amazing place to spend a weekend.
As if what I’ve said so far doesn’t quite lead you to believe that Bella scored a total coup with this event, I should add that we were greeted by costumed girls on stilts (who clearly made the hostess in the indoor restaurant adorably nervous as they teetered about); we were treated to free Tequila all night by a trio of awesome ladies; we got to see a hula hoop and fire dancing performance from the apparently multi-​talented stilt-​walking girls; and we got to decorate silly plastic masks with glitter and feathers and stuff.* Yeah: be jealous.
* Disclaimer: when I say that I «decorated» a plastic mask, the sense of «decorate» should be interpreted broadly enough to include things like «hideously ruined through artistic ineptitude.»
Anyway, thanks to Bella, the awesome dancers, the Tequila crew, and the incredible Epazote staff for an AMAZING evening!

What an event!
Great atmosphere, wonderful weather, women on stilts, lights, sangria, shots of tequila, and amazing food.
I have actually never been to the Hilton El Conquistador so it was nice experiencing it for the first time. The hotel is really nice, the staff friendly, and the outdoor area we were in was wonderful.
The event had a very elite and upscale feel, the food presentation was fun, clever, and great for sampling.
Apps included ceviche, goat cheese salad, and a mini wedge salad.
Ceviche was good but was a little bland
The Goat cheese was delicious and full of great flavor, the greens and candied walnuts were a great compliment.
Entrees included BBQ Short Ribs, Green Chile Pork Stew, Mountain Trout, and a Grilled Veggies
The short ribs were mind blowing, delicious, meaty, and full of great flavor. My wife I think went for thirds on those.
The Green chile stew was my favorite it was perfect, not too thick, not too spicy, tender meat, great depth of flavor, and really fun to eat.
The fish was tasty and really good but the quinoa wasn’t my thing.
The veggies were really tasty as well and although there for the vegetarians I wanted to try them.
Dessert was a bounty of cool little treats that were presented in fun little vessels.
Cheesecake was great and really creamy and tasty, it had this really complex brittle that was sweet, spicy, and savory at the same time.
The chocolate cake was good and topped with ice cream but the jalapenos were just too much for me I ate around them and really like the cake.
The apple tart was just the greatest I really really liked it and though it was the best dessert up there.
Oh and they had these great little truffles that were really really really good.
Oh and there was candy corn center pieces which I liberally snacked on throughout the event.
The music was great and the entertainment was really good too… I don’t like dub step at all but the performers did a really great job and were really entertaining to watch.

Excellent Epazote! It is a lovely lovely place to enjoy an evening. I enjoyed the patio setting and the food was truly delicious. My favorite was the short ribs and I am vying to go back and have my own plate! They were knock your socks off GOOD! The other food was great too and I would have no problem recommending the roasted veggies, green chili pork stew, and wedge salad. All were fantastic!
The sangria was so nice that I had two glasses. I would love to head back to Epazote for a night on the patio for a glass of the red sangria.
The service was impressive!
I left Epazote one happy Unilocaler. Fun night with awesome music, people and yummy food! Thank you Epazote staff!

This event was on my actual birthday, and wow, this sure was an amazing way to celebrate! The drive up to the Hilton El Conquistador was definitely worth it, with the beautiful views of the Catalinas and the city lights below. Ezapote Kitchen + Cocktails has a gorgeous patio overlooking the pool at the resort. I attended as a guest and we were greeted with people on stilts followed by the lovely Bella at the event check-​in table. Live music and a range of delicious aromas filled the evening air. There was an assortment of food to taste, and my favorite dish was the mesquite short rib with goat milk mashed potatoes. The ribs were so tender and flavorful and melted in my mouth. I was surprised that my tiny sample-​sized fork could cut into the meat, but that just proves how tender it was. The green chili pork stew was definitely a unique dish packed with flavor. The pecan cheesecake completed my sampling and I think I fell in love! Throughout the evening, I enjoyed some white sangria which was light, fruity, and refreshing.
El Rumbo provided live music and added a sense of elegance and romance to the evening. There was a surprise show with performers from Orbital Evolution dancing with fire and hula hoops and walking on stilts. The DJ played chill music in the background and the performances were mesmerizing.
It was nice to mingle with fellow Unilocalers and rave about the delectable food. Besides drooling in utter bliss, we got to design masks at the craft table where we could enter a contest for cool giveaways. I’m jealous of the winners of the one night stay at the resort, free dinner, and tickets to the Tequila Festival! What awesome prizes!
Thank you to Bella, Ezapote, El Rumbo, Orbital Evolution and to all the staff that made this one fun and memorable evening! You guys were all amazing! :)

What a great event and location! The outdoor patio area was perfect for the evening. Food stations as far as the eye could see… unless you looked at the pool. I was pretty taken aback, didn’t quite know where to start.
Eventually, after a glass of sangria, made my way to grab some of the braised rib on mashed potatoes. Accidentally grabbed a spoon instead of a fork to eat it, but hadn’t really noticed till the end, which says 2 things: 1. I am not a smart person, and 2. The braised rib was really tender.
After that deliciousness, I grabbed some green chili pork stew. I wouldn’t mind filling up the hotel pool with that and jumping right in, amazing! Tender pork, and just the right spice to make it delicious without being too hot (like there is such thing).
Also had a chance to sample a couple of salads. Was really impressed with the goat cheese arugula with what appeared to citrus slices and candied pecans, working amazingly together. There was also a wedge salad with bacon (not sure what else was on there, all I remember hearing was bacon, then all I could think about was bacon, so the minor details were a blur).
For dessert I tried a mini apple pie type thing over a heavy sweet cream, tasty. Also had ice cream over jalapeño chocolate baked goodness. That was a trip, I love jalapeño, I love chocolate, why has this never occurred to me before?!
Had some surprise entertainment from a group called Orbital Evolution. Featuring chicks on stilts, fire, LED infused hula-​hooping, and dubstep… well I like 75% of those things, so not too bad.
All and all, it was a pretty fantastic evening, and kudos to Bella, once again, for knowing how to party.

(begin heavy eclectic sounds)
wub wub wub wub wub wub wub
wooomp psh wooomp psh
epazote epazote
wooomp psh wooomp psh
wub wub wub wub
comp valet
wub wub wub wub
gentlemen
wooomp psh wooomp psh
smoked beef *yes* *yes*
short ribs *yes*
on potatoes *yes* *yes*
with goat milk *yes*
wub wub wub wub wub wub wub
deeelish deeelish
epazote epazote
deeelish
wub wub wub wub wub wub wub GREEEENCHILIIIIPOOOORKSTEW *nom* *nom* *nom*
wooooooooomp
masketition masketition
wub wub wub wub wub wub wub
glitter glitter glitter GLITTER!
wooomp psh
sticky fingers sticky fingers
wooomp psh wooomp psh
didn’t win but it’s okay
someone got a one night stay
another got din-​ner for two
margarita tickets woooooo
wub wub wub wub wub wub wub ARIZONAPECANCHEEEESECAKE *yes* *yes* *yes* IBARRACHOCOLATETOOOORTE *oh* *my* *god*
wub wub wub wub wub wub wub
epazote epazote
wooomp psh wooomp psh
epazote epazote
deeelish deeelish
**Inspired by the surprise and surreal performance given by Orbital Evolution Hoop Troupe at Sip ‘N Savor Local Flavor

Great event!!! Epazote’s dishes were delish — my favorites included the smoked beef short ribs over top the goat milk mashed potatoes, the wedge salad with the goat cheese nuggets, and the pecan cheesecake (serious yum!). And the evening’s surprise entertainment was fabulous! Orbital Evolution rocked the party with their major hooping and stilting skills! Their DJ rocked the house too — it was all I could do to stay in my seat and not steal a hoop to jam with them! ;) Also, it was way cool to see Pedro of Pedrograph’s taking photos — he took great family pics for me last spring, so I’m sure he got some great shots last night.
Thanks Bella, Epazote Kitchen + Cocktails, Orbital Evolution and my new Unilocaling friends for a great night of fun!

Stilt walkers, fire dancers, hula girls put us in a carnaval mood against a slow rumba rhythm. The smoky aroma of sweet short ribs filled the air, and the bites, including a rich, hearty pork stew and gorgonzola mashed taters, couldn’t have been more succulent. Epalote’s pastry chef, Fawn, greeted us at the dessert tower — a glass tree with gorgeous little sparkling cubes of pecan cheesecake, apple tartlets and sinful chocolate Ibarra mousse. What delicious gems! And yes, I woke up with glitter in my hair from mask-​making, but a smile on my face from Bella and the crew at Epazote who pampered us to delicious excess!

If there was another star I would add it. What an evening… Hats off to Bela and the staff at Epazote (or should I say Masks off to Bela). We also had the opportunity to design and create our own masks as part of the event. So much fun. The patio area where the party was held was picture perfect. Great music. Great Entertainment. These very talented ladies performed dancing with hula hoops which were lit up. The stations of food were pumping out the dishes with so much joy behind it. The Ceviche was divine. The green salad with pecans, goat cheese from local suppliers was simply the best. Then there was the other station with Smokey Beef Short Ribs. It was pure «melt in your mouth» delight. Pan Seared Mountain Trout was also tastefully presented. I loved the Green Pork Stew. And not to forget was the Tequila shots which were wonderful. Several different desserts stood out. Especially liked the ice cream with the peanut brittle on top. They even had a coffee like Tequila. I had never had Pedron Tequila and it was a surprise. I’ve had the cheapo Tequila before and didn’t like it a bit. Pedron was smooth and went down the hatch easily. Peter, one of the managers spoke with us and he described his love and excitement for this restaurant. Hopefully, it will be the «go to» place for Tucsonans and visitors as well. The white and red sangrias were also just perfect. Looking forward to going back again and enjoying some other dishes Epazote has to offer. They really have something different here than the ordinary hotel food.

What a party! My guest and I had a delicious blast at the latest Elite event in Tucson.
The food was delicious.
Everyone I talked to had one of two things on their minds: those tangy prickly pear short ribs or that deliciously green chili savory pork stew. And who could blame them. Both dishes were out of this world.
The drinks were tasty too.
The Tequila tastings were phenomenal too! Who would have thought that coffee flavored Patron would be so good? (I wish I had gotten second on that one before they ran out!)
The music was delightful.
The live music all night was lovely and made an excellent background for the evening. But when the night winded down, Bella kicked things up a notch with the awesome auditory and visual combinations of Orbital Evolution.
All in all it was a wonderful evening. Thank you so much to Bella for doing an amazing job organizing everything. A really BIG thank you to everyone at Epazote! I think everyone had a great time last night and I will definitely be back for seconds on some of your delicious food offerings.

Yummy EATS, mesmerizing ENTERTAINMENT, fun CRAFTS, and OMG Patrón XO Café! all made for a WONDERFUL evening out with the Hubby and Elite Unilocalers.
At the TOP of my list for Epazote’s scrumptious samples were the Short Ribs coated in that ridiculously good barbecue sauce, infused with prickly pear syrup, atop the creamy yummy goat milk mashed potatoes. Then, there was that Yumolicious Pork Stew, (loved the strong cilantro flavor) OH and did I mention the. OMG Patrón XO Café? That’s right, I’m changing the name, adding OMG.
That stuff kept the slight-​night-​chill at a distance, went down smooth, and left no evidence of its presence in my system this morning. SCORE! The woman serving up the dark stuff was also very knowledgeable, a pleasure to talk with, and most importantly, kept my little cup filled. hehehe I also loved the cheese cake dessert on the spoon… and so did my kiddos… because of course I took a couple home! :-)
All in all I enjoyed the food and atmosphere enough to actually make the 30 minute trip and visit again sometime in the near future. Also the bartender inside was friendly, and passionate about the overall menu served at Epazote. She pointed out the fact that while some menu items showcase rich ingredients, they also use lots of fresh, local and organic ingredients! That’s always a good thing! So I’m IN!
Awesome job Bella, and BIG thank you to the folks at Epazote Kitchen & Cocktails! We had a blast!

Yikes! How to compete with Ana T.‘s dubstep riff…
I’ll just dish the dirty details! Well, it was a bit of a haul up to the Hilton El Conquitador, a resort nestled into the north side of the Catalina mountains where towers of red and gold loom over the hotel. So, already, beautiful setting. Add to that the spacious patio of Epazote edged with mini pepper plants overlooking a delightfully inviting pool, and I think I’ve found my secret hideaway. Somehow, just going 12 miles up Oracle makes the gorgeous Catalinas look totally different. The magic of our desert…
Sangria was poured. The red tasted vaguely of Kool-​Aid (hey, in a good way!) It was fruit-​punchy and delicious. But, I was drawn to the Tequila tasting bar where I got to sample some fantastic anejo and a coffee flavored Patron (for the record, also delicious). The flamenco guitar had me wanting to sashay across the open patio. Hey, would that be weird?
Then, there was no time to waste as the tasting stations beckoned me with cool crisp salads and a warming green chile pork stew. A rich, decadent short rib perched on goat milk mashed potatoes gave new meaning to comfort food. The chefs manning the tables were gregarious and generous. Yes, both of those G words. They made us feel very welcome… even if we stopped by for a second short rib.
The entertainment started and transported us away to Mardi Gras… or was it Burning Man. No, matter. It was someplace magical.

WHat a FUN night!!! I can’t begin to tell you how much I had enjoyed everything! From the ladies on stilts to the WONDERFUL food! The staff and waitstaff were very friendly and were eager to help out with anything we needed. It might sound snobby, but that’s the kind of service you should expect when you are visiting and top notch resort. (Maybe I am just a resort Trixie)
My favorite part of the night were the short ribs. So juicy and tasty! I can’t wait to go eat the the restaurant as a guest and order them. Some of the deserts had a real spicy kick to them and it made my eyes open up a little but none the less it was very good!
Thanks Bella and all of the staff and performers GREAT NIGHT!

Another awesome evening — thanks for all your hard work Bella! Lem and I really enjoyed it.
The food was very good and they were very accomodating. One of the salads had bacon on it and Lem doesn’t eat bacon; however, the staff said no problem and made a salad just for him with no bacon!
The setting was wonderful, the band was good, servers were on top of everything and the staff were so nice and friendly! We could not have asked for a better evening!
We are looking forward to trying Epazote in the very near future!!!