Food

Barrio Café's Mexican Barbacoa Combines Ancient Traditions with Modern Techniques

Chris Malloy

Amid battles between Texas, North Carolina, and Memphis barbecue, Silvana Salcido Esparza adds Mexican barbacoa to the mix. Her version, at Barrio Café in Phoenix, combines ancient Mexican traditions with modern techniques. It was while backpacking through Mexico decades ago that she began mastering the smoky art under the guidance of a Mayan family. “We prepared everything at night and...