Contributor Shannon Severson was introduced to Chico Malo at a recent media event. Here’s her tasty recap.

I was invited to enjoy brunch at Chico Malo in downtown Phoenix on a glorious fall morning. The name may translate to “Bad Boy,” but my experience was all good! The restaurant’s offerings skew towards Mexican street food (with a very chic and fresh interpretation), but also takes inspiration from other South American cuisines.

The outdoor patio overlooks the lawn and fountains of CityScape. The windows of the indoor-outdoor bar were open, so we could peek at the creative drinks being made. The tables were set with crisp gray linen napkins, small bunches of colorful flowers, and a trio of dips –– hominy hummus, salsa raja and guacamole –– interspersed with thin, crispy tortilla chips. I immediately knew we were in for a fantastic experience and I was not wrong.

Along with the dips, we were served a Gran Jefe Margarita with a twist - the gorgeous pressed patterned glass was rimmed with house smoked salt and garnished was a bright wheel of dried orange. That smoked salt was a fantastic accent to the sweet and sour flavors of the drink.

The first course continued with a platter of Elote - poached corn with tangy Tajin butter and aji mayonnaise (my first time tasting this Peruvian pepper) topped with cotija cheese, crushed corn nuts for a nice crunch, chili oil and lime - and a hot mini-skillet filled with Queso Fundido accompanied by fresh tortillas.

We still weren’t done! Chef Teja Lujan brought out a beautifully arrayed bar cart with all the ingredients for Pork Verde Tacos. She carefully shredded tender Niman Ranch pork shanks drenched in verde sauce and made each taco to order on blue corn tortillas topped with tomatillo, pickled red onions, cilantro and crema.

Adding to the experience was a mezcal tutorial from Ivan Carreño, one of the partners behind Mezcal Carreño. Ivan explained that mezcal is the oldest spirit in the Americas, and has its origins as a sacred and celebratory libation.

Ivan was born in the central valley of Oaxaca on his family’s land, Hacienda Carreño, where his family has been farming for generations and grows organic agave for the artisanal product. Ivan attended high school and Phoenix and decided it was time to bring this family tradition to Arizona. He poured three of the company’s four smoky, double-distilled varietals, encouraging us to sip slowly as he explained the flavor profiles of each.

At the next course, we tasted the brand’s “Ensamble 7,” named in honor of the seven women in the Carreño family, in a delicious Mango Y Chile cocktail with Ancho Reyes Verde, house mango syrup and fresh squeezed lemon. The drink was rimmed with Sal de Gusano, a traditional accompaniment to mezcal made from salt, Oaxacan chili spices and… crushed agave larvae. Yep - it’s also known as “worm salt” - and it’s made from the worms that are naturally attracted to agave plants. Barring the thought of eating crushed worms, the spicy salt was the perfect balance to the sweet and smoky cocktail.

It was also a nice foil for the Duck Breast Al Pastor, which was really the show-stopper of the morning.

It was served sizzling on a hot stone atop little carved wooden chests (complete with a drawer full of freshly-made, warm habanero tortillas). With a base of sweet, thinly sliced pineapple to soak up its juices, this tender duck was smoked with guajillo and mesquite, topped with Fresno and Jalapeño chiles, onion, raw salsa verde and cotija cheese. Even with the knowledge that more(!) courses were on their way, it was tough to stop eating these tender morsels.

I’m something of an Al Pastor aficionado and I rarely find a version that’s up to snuff, but this one absolutely was. The balance of flavors was so well-executed, and using rich duck meat just sent it over the top.

The sun was really heating things up by now, so we moved into the restaurant’s industrial-meets-organic interior when it was time for us to choose our main dish. Yes. We were just getting to the main event.

Our options included a Chico Chopped Salad with baby kale, grains, smoked Marcona almonds, roasted corn, watermelon quest fresco and other veggies topped with guanabana vinaigrette made from a tropical Latin American fruit. We could also choose from Frida (the Chico Malo version of avocado toast), a Spanish Soufflé, or Blue Corn Masa Pancakes with mezcal, berry compote and queso fresco. I chose the Frida on multigrain “hipster bread,” grarnished with a salad of micro greens and thin batons of red radish, and topped with eggs cooked to order. I really loved the unexpected addition of the radishes. This was an entree I would definitely order again.

This course was accompanied by yet another cocktail: the Loma Bonita, made with Milagro reposado, house-made grapefruit soda, Lillet Rouge and fresh-squeezed lime. It was as refreshing as it was beautiful.

The talented culinary and beverage teams wowed us once again with platters of crispy churros sprinkled with dried strawberry slices and served with tres leches almendrado for dipping. The interior of the churros was almost creamy, with pronounced cinnamon and caramel flavors. The perfect accompaniment? Another cocktail! The Córdoba Café was made with Fernet, coffee liqueur, Cartel cold brew, and tequila, and then topped with Coca-Cola crema and a mint leaf. The balance of strong coffee with a touch of sweetness paired well with the churros. I think it could work as a warm drink, as well.

The verdict? Go to Chico Malo! The setting, the friendly service, the innovative and delicious food and drinks are a winning combination. In addition to weekend brunch service beginning at 10 am, the restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. Downtown for another event? They’re open until 12 am for late night sips and bites on Fridays and Saturdays.

Chico Malo is located in downtown Phoenix at 50 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85003