Chef Antonio Padilla, best known as the formidable sous chef of Bacanora and Huarachis, feels nostalgic as he puts a hand torch to a stack of mesquite. It’s a mild, overcast Saturday at Goldwater Brewery in Old Town Scottsdale, where Padilla’s new pop-up, Alita, is just setting up for the brewery’s Beer Fest. As the wood catches and the scent of campfire carries through the crowd, things start to heat up.
Two dozen whole chicken wings are lined up over the open flames, crisping up and waiting for sauce while Padilla, armed with a long set of tongs and his signature neckerchief, observes and flips when necessary. The scent of the smoke immediately changes as chicken fat sizzles and drips onto the coals, causing more than a few onlookers to trek over and check out the menu. It’s a straightforward line-up: three types of wings, a salad and a dessert.
But for Padilla, the offerings are anything but simple…