Back in December, Speedway got a little more colorful.
A house popped up with bright pink trim, complete with Y2K-esque airbrushed art on the wall that reads:聽.
It鈥檚 hard not to stare at the vibrant building as you make your way through traffic, curious about what the little pink house has to offer.
As you enter through the bubblegum pink door, you鈥檙e instantly transported to your grandmother鈥檚 house. The charming, homey interior makes you feel like you're 8 years old again, visiting your grandmother鈥檚 house to enjoy a warm, home-cooked meal.
Gigantic plates of Spanish rice, refried beans and quesabirria tacos cover the tables. Bowls of steaming red pozole are brought out of the kitchen for hungry customers and glasses of homemade horchata are sipped on.
If you look closer, you notice there鈥檚 only one woman in the kitchen whipping up the delicious meals all by herself. Not only is the woman, Maria Delgado, responsible for all the food, she is also the owner of Girl鈥檚 Kitchen, running it with her daughter.
One bite of Delgado鈥檚 food and you鈥檒l be agreeing with Beyonce: girls really do run the world.
Girl鈥檚 Kitchen, located at , is the newest Mexican spot to open in midtown, serving all the classic dishes that鈥檒l make you feel like you鈥檙e enjoying comfort food at a loved one鈥檚 house.
Before making her way to Tucson, Delgado grew up in Durango, Mexico, learning how to cook from her mother.
When she eventually moved to Tucson, she put her cooking skills to good use, working for her sister's local restaurant and food truck, Angela鈥檚 Mexican Food. After spending years working in the kitchen, her sister announced she was retiring and wanted Delgado to take over the food truck.
Unfortunately, the food truck ended up breaking down and couldn鈥檛 be fixed for several months. That鈥檚 when Delgado decided she was going to look for a location to start her own restaurant.
In her pursuit of a place, the former building was up for sale. The endearing feel of the historic house captured Delgado鈥檚 heart and before she knew it, Girl鈥檚 Kitchen had officially found their home.
After months of hard work and a fresh coat of pink paint, Girl鈥檚 Kitchen opened for business last month, making it Delgado鈥檚 first restaurant she鈥檚 ever opened by herself.
For the menu, Delgado uses recipes that have been passed down in her family.
Here, the portions are no joke: expect giant plates of chimichangas, tortas, tacos and burritos. Just like at your grandparents鈥 house, you鈥檒l leave here with a full stomach, lots of leftovers and ready to take a nap.
While many love their burro special, which comes with carne asada, rice, cheese and cabbage, the hidden gem on the menu is the cheese enchilada with red sauce.
These enchiladas aren鈥檛 your average red chile ones you see at many other restaurants. These have a sweet surprise to them 鈥 chocolate.
Delgado鈥檚 enchiladas are similar to the ones seen in Durango, aka enchiladas dulces. The sauce on top is made with chiles along with chocolate, giving them a flavor similar to mole.
To make them, Delgado first stuffs corn tortillas with cheese, then smothers them in the coveted 鈥渟weet鈥 sauce and tops them off with even more shredded cheese. Don鈥檛 let the chocolate throw you off, these enchiladas are the real deal.
The red sauce has a rich flavor with a subtle sweetness that creeps up on you. It鈥檚 a great balance of spicy and sweet, combining the deliciousness of mole and your classic enchilada. Pair the unique sauce with warm corn tortillas and gooey cheese and you're left with an explosion of flavors in your mouth.
As I scarfed down my enchiladas, I felt like I had a warm blanket wrapped around me. The homey atmosphere mixed with the delicious homestyle cooking made me feel like I was running around my grandmother鈥檚 house with my cousins as she prepared enchiladas for the family.
From the d茅cor all the way down to the homemade salsas, Girl鈥檚 Kitchen is the perfect place to get an authentic plate of Mexican food, sure to satisfy any craving. I mean, who can resist a cute pink building with good Mexican food?