Carol w/ Deseo Manager Jim Hansen and PR Coordinator Nancy Flores

Deseo Restaurant ~The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa ~ Scottsdale, Arizona – It is a great joy when your expectations are completely blown away in a positive manner.

The restaurant Deseo accomplished exactly that.

Deseo’s innovative concept and menu development is the brainchild of the James Beard Award-winning Chef Douglas Rodriquez, widely regarded as the inventor of Nuevo Latino Cuisine.

Chef Rodriquez is one of America’s most honored chefs and recently appeared on Bravo’s top-rated show, Top Chef Masters.

Leading the culinary team in the kitchen is Mexican-born Chef Roberto Madrid who has also garnered a prized local reputation for his southwestern cuisine focused on locally-grown produce and his own indigenous recipes.

As you walk into Deseo, the first person that will likely come to your attention is the celebrated resident Cuban artist Nelson Garcia-Miranda.  Garcia-Miranda carries a Masters degree in painting and engraving and perfected his craft while working with Wilfredo Lam, a former apprentice for Pablo Picasso.

Garcia-Miranda was able to immigrate to the United States in 1999.  He eventually made his way to working for The Westin Kierland as a dishwasher, and thanks to Chef Madrid now enjoys a bit of local celebrity as an Afro-Cuban artist.  Garcia-Miranda’s paintings are now a significant part of Deseo’s interior design.

After admiring Garcia-Miranda’s eye-candy artwork, we were invited to the Muddle Bar and Wine Cellar to sample one of The Westin Kierland’s famous Muddle Drinks.

At Deseo, Muddle Drinks go far beyond the average Mojito.  They are created by smashing together the freshest fruits and herbs to release their intense flavors with a wooden mallet called a “muddle”.

Carol enjoyed a Nector Grande (fresh mint, lime, moet nector imperial), while I was gobsmacked by the Berry-Jito (cruzan raspberry, lime).  Major YUM!

Just for a little fun, I put a little comic book spin on this photograph.

OK!  Now, let’s get down to business!

We were hungry and looking forward to sampling Nuevo Latino Cuisine.

First at bat were Millionaire Tacos (yuca taco, lobster, ahi tuna, Japanese hamachi) Holy Major Yum Batman! Even as I’m typing this, I’m thinking, “hmmm, perhaps we should visit the Muddle Bar and scarf down about a dozen of these babies!”

As if this weren’t already enough stimulation for our olfactory systems, out comes Lobster Escabeche (avocado, chives, sweet aji, garlic chips).

Wow!  I’m generally not a man prone to kissing another man, but I entertained serious thoughts of giving the chef a little peck on the ole cheek-a-roo.  Man!  This was good!

Look at this!

Are you salivating yet?

Next up was simply the best shrimp to enter this man’s mouth.  Check out this Shrimp Chicharron (aji amarillo, endive, pickled jalapenos).

That does it.  We’re going back to Deseo tonight!  I can’t take it anymore.

Believe it or not we also sampled two more appetizers:  Ahi Tuna Tiradito (king crab, ponzu, lemon oil, panca pepper paint), and Kobe Beef Tenderloin on Casabe Flatbread (truffle aioli, micro arugula, pickled onions).

Absolutely unbelievable.  The best appetizers ever!

Listen, want to impress your loved one?  Take them to Deseo and sample every single appetizer after you enjoy one of their famous Muddle Drinks.   There is a very cool bar called  “The Rail”  right in the restaurant that would be just perfect for such a thing.

But alas, it was time to sample the main course.

Before we got started on our main course, however, out popped Chef Roberto Madrid.  I resisted kissing him on the cheek, but I was most profuse with my praise of his cuisine.

For our main courses, Carol and I shared Merluza Sea Bass and Fideo (white sea bass, toasted pasta, vegetable estofado)…

and Beef Tenderloin “Churrasco Style” (crab jojo, peruvian potato, oven-dried tomato).

Most Excellent!

Now, it’s time to sample some dessert!

First up was Deseo’s famous Chocolate Cigar (chocolate espuma, cappuccino gelato).

Check this out.  Edible matches!

Next dessert sampler was Crema Catalana (sherry-glazed berries, coconut tapioca)  UMMM!

and last, but certainly not least was Dulce de Leche Cake Roll (almonds, dulce de leche, mango).

Just look at that!

Where’s my espresso?

What an incredible evening of epic dining!  We sampled items that will certainly remain as gastronomical treasures for the rest of our lives.

Furthermore, Deseo has instantly become a go-to destination for us when we want to show off our town.

We highly recommend it!

Note:  this dining experience was provided by the kind folks at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.  Thanks!