Written by Gail Collins
Dia de los Muertos, Mexico’s celebration of the dead, sounds a lot like Halloween, but there are no pumpkins or witches—skeletons rule the day. The departed souls of young and old return to eat, drink and be merry, as they had done in life. Falling on the first two days of November –All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days— the annual holiday blends the traditional beliefs of the indigenous peoples with Catholic feasts. Parades and parties shut down cities and feature macabre skulls in arts and treats, like pan de muerto, a rich coffee cake with meringue decorations resembling bones.
Despite the skeletons, Dia de los Muertos focuses more on life than death and its natural continuum. Wealthier people build an altar to their loved ones in their home, but most people decorate gravestones with marigolds and personal items. Families gather in the graveyard in the evening to wait for and pay respect to the deceased. Candles are lit, incense is burned and prayers are intoned. During the vigil, the family hosts a festive picnic, telling stories about the departed and enjoying their favorite foods and drink.
MartAnne’s Burrito Palace has long showcased Day of the Dead themed paintings by Flagstaff resident and artist Emma Gardener. MartAnne’s, previously owned by Anna Martinez, as well as Casa Duarte are now both owned and managed by Anna’s daughter, Tina, and her husband, Gonzalo Duarte. The Mexican café above downtown serves MartAnne’s famous breakfast menu, including chilaquiles—a piled plate of leftover corn tortillas, sauce, eggs and more.
“We’d already created the perfect menu there, so we kept it and added on,” Tina said.
Casa Duarte also features Gardner paintings of saints and Spanish settings. With blue banquettes and wood tables, plus a coffered ceiling and a salsa bar, it projects an eclectic family feel. Coincidentally, Nov. 1 marks the first anniversary of the café’s opening.
Casa Duarte’s menu channels authentic street food items. “Our original concept was a food truck, but we realized quickly, we needed more,” Tina said. Keeping it all in the family, the recipes come straight from casa abuela in Sonora. For instance, the tortillas are imperfect, hand-rolled rounds creating a softer texture. From lunch on, Casa Duarte becomes a taqueria, offering simple, classic Mexican dishes.
Apparently, people everywhere love hotdogs, even south of the border. Casa Duarte’s Sonoran hotdog is loaded within a pocket of sweeter bread. “So all the good stuff stays put,” Tina said and boasted of a secret bakery connection that supplies restaurants throughout Phoenix. The hotdog is bacon-wrapped and topped with beans, grilled onions, diced tomatoes and cucumbers, ketchup and mustard. It’s also ladled with an avocado crema that adds a lively lift.
Begin a classic meal with a mango chile Jose Cuervo margarita on the rocks. Like the suckers sold in Mexico, the signature flavor adds heat to fruit for refreshing, piquant sipping. Or cool things down with horchata, a traditional handmade drink of rice milk, laced with cinnamon and brown sugar, served in a tall Mason jar over ice.
The stacked enchiladas are cooked and served according to tradition. Fried tortillas are dipped and stacked.The deep, red corn layers meld with fresh crumbled queso fresco, tomato and cilantro.
Elote is street corn on the cob. The tender, charred kernels are brushed with butter, then given a generous grating of cotijo, a sprinkle of chili powder and a slather of mayo, with a squeeze of lime for corn extraordinaire. For a side, try the elote dip, cut from the cob and served in a bowl.
The camarones chipotle—bacon-wrapped shrimp—swims in creamy, chile corn sauce, served alongside classic rice and beans with cheese plus avocado for smoky, sweet heat. The accompanying veg is Tina’s creation, pepe de gallo, made with cucumbers for a bright taste.
The house ceviche provides another swim in the sea with crab and shrimp, plus tostados to scoop and the usual sides.
Casa Duarte offers nine tacos for handheld happiness. The asada is real skirt steak from local ranches for the best quality, piled with onion, cilantro, cabbage, queso fresco and pepe de gallo. Three vegetarian tacos provide options.
Save room for the sweet stuff, like choco flan. Tina calls it impossible cake because it inverts during baking. The cocoa cake and custard, in its burnt sugar pool, taste subtly sweet and is adorned with fresh strawberries.
Whether you celebrate the dead or dine only with the living, Casa Duarte’s menu provides a festive meal anytime. NAML
Casa Duarte, 1000 N. Humphreys St. #243 Flagstaff, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. daily. 928-606-1500