Secreto Iberico at Jaleo
I didn’t know pigs had skirt steak on them. Leave it to the innovative mind of José Andrés to re-invent pork. This luscious cut from the famous black-footed Iberico pigs of Spain, served with toasted tomato bread and a zesty salsa verde, boasts the most incredible texture you’ll find in swine. It chews like a lean tenderloin, but the fatty flavor and juiciness will throw you off; like much of the experimental cuisine at Jaleo, it’s perplexingly delicious. — Brock Radke
Jaleo in The Cosmopolitan, 698-7950
Green Curry at Thai Food to Go
Third time’s the charm for this east-side eatery, which has seen three different owners in about as many years. Thankfully, the new regime hasn’t changed too many things. The food was always good, now it’s exceptional. Some dishes, such as the green curry (lunch $4.99, dinner $6.99), are simply transcendent. They top your choice of beef, chicken, pork or tofu with market-fresh vegetables and herbs, then stew it all in a mix of traditional Thai curry made from fresh green chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass and coconut milk. The result is savory, creamy, spicy, not-too-sweet and phenomenal when poured over rice. Spice levels range from one to 10; the main ingredient is fresh chili, so one means “mild tingle” and 10 means “mind-altering trip into the heart of a live volcano.” Order wisely. — John Hardin
Thai Food To Go 3242 E. Desert Inn Road #9, 778-8898