First Taste: Bar Tepo is impressive and - brace yourself - in Mesa
April 18th, 2008, 9:42 pm · 2 Comments · posted by Jess Harter
It’s been a rewarding three weeks for south East Valley diners who have been waiting for worthwhile new restaurants.
First, chef Roberto Santibañez introduced his sophisticated Mexican cuisine at Maria Maria in Tempe. Then Robert and Danielle Morris opened their ambitious small-plates restaurant Cork in Chandler.
Now, Valley restauranteur Steve Short (Basis, Atlasta Catering) has unveiled Bar Tepo, a stylish yet casual New American eatery at Dana Park in Mesa.
Bar Tepo’s mostly gray, cream and red interior is eye-catching, from the wavy textured wall in the entryway to the array of light fixtures hanging from the high ceiling.
Hits from the ‘90s — The Black Crowes, TLC, The Verve — play on overhead speakers. From booths and banquettes you can watch the action in the open kitchen.
Through a window in the glass storefront, a 12-seat bar also serves the patio, where tables share space with a large, comfy sectional.
And if the vibe doesn’t remind you of a “Scottsdale-type restaurant,” as one of my dining companions calls Bar Tepo, the food (see menu pdf) certainly will.
Herb-infused flat bread with sweet chile and basil butters is a prelude to two of the tastiest appetizers I’ve had in a long time.
The first is a pair of roasted artichoke and Boursin cheese puffs with a bacon fondue ($5). The golf-ball-sized pastries almost melt in my mouth; the fondue is creamy and smoky.
I almost regret having to move on to other dishes — until I try sweet corn cakes topped with braised duck ($10, pictured above). Habañero barbecue sauce gives it some bite, which is quickly soothed by chunks of mango.
The flavors are still dancing in my mouth when entrees arrive.
A sweet-spicy counterpunch again delights in three mouth-watering brown suger Hoisin chicken tacos ($10, pictured above) with mango salsa and red chiles.
Southwest chicken cordon bleu ($18) is stuffed with a poblano pepper and topped with a green chile relish. Tenderloin medallions ($25), seared au poivre, are tender and flavorful.
A Tepo BLT ($10, pictured above) features thick, crispy strips of pancetta with burrata cheese and micro greens — no tomato — on brioche, while a savory prime rib sandwich ($12) with carmelized onions comes on a soft potato roll.
Only a couple of dishes fail to wow me: a surprisingly bland burger topped with lobster ($16, pictured above), spinach ravioili in a so-so pesto sauce ($15) and pizza-like flatbread with andouille sausage and smoked gouda ($9).
And a pair of desserts — an ancho chile brownie with cinnamon ice cream ($8) and a coconut-macadamia tart with macadamia peanut brittle ($8, pictured above) — are good, but not great.
Overall, though, Bar Tepo looks to be another impressive addition to the south East Valley dining scene, the type of restaurant that’s still all too rare for the area — especially Mesa.
BAR TEPO
Where: 1652 S. Val Vista Drive, Mesa (northwest corner of Val Vista and Baseline Road)
Open: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Prices: Appetizers $5-$10, salads $10, burgers/sandwiches $8-$16, entrees $15-$38.
Info: (480) 633-0155 or bartepo.com
First Taste reviews are based on initial visits to new East Valley restaurants. Full reviews are written after multiple visits, usually over a period of several weeks, after the restaurant has been open at least a couple months.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
This is a great review for the restaurant, but could you please leave out your personal opinions? ” In Mesa? ” was totally uncalled for. This may have been true 10 years ago, but today, the restaurants in East Mesa are thriving.. Try: D’Vine Wine Bar, Pacific Bay, Tia Rosa’s, Red,White and Brew, Ra, Sautee, to name a few that are not chains.
May 14th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Linda — Thanks for your comment. But I certainly would not say the east Mesa restaurant scene is “thriving.” Of the places you mention, Sautee closed its Mesa location months ago, and Pacific Bay also closed recently.