The stereotype of Mexican beer is often reduced to a handful of brews ubiquitous in the United States. A bottle of Corona or a can of Tecate is seen as the natural accompaniment to tacos or a torta. Schwag from those brands and others dominates the decor of innumerable restaurants throughout the country. What is less appreciated is the proliferation of craft beer by regional breweries throughout Mexico. Some distribute their products only within Mexico, but Buqui Bichi, which is based in the city of Hermosillo, has established a presence north of the border.
Banquetera
For Buqui Bichi, it's not only about selling its products in the United States, but also about following the trend of setting up brewpubs where a full lineup of beers is offered along with a selection of complementary food. Buqui Bichi is fulfilling that mission in the ground floor of a utilitarian parking garage right in the heart of downtown Phoenix. The location is directly across the street from the light platforms at Van Buren Street. Bike racks are found a block to the south along Monroe and far more will be in the Greg Stanton Transit Center when it opens in 2025.
taco flight
The restaurant's space has windows addressing both First Avenue and Van Buren with a shaded patio facing the latter. There are none of the usual decorations evoking the beach or other Mexican cliches. Instead, there's a mural illustrating the harvesting of hops and brewing of beer with a Sonoran landscape of saguaros in the background. Otherwise, it's a well-lit room full of high-top tables and a bar with rows of tap handles that dispense not only Buqui Bichi's full spectrum of brews, but also selected craft beers and ciders from other producers.
quesadillas
An exploration of Buqui Bichi's spectrum of beers is probably best started with Banquetera, a clean, crisp kolsch that goes well with just about any food. Ultra Bichi is not a description of someone's annoying behavior, but instead a light lager. A strength in the array of brews here is multiple hazy IPAs with varying alcohol levels and flavor profiles. Princecitra benefits from the addition of citrus hops while Cascade is approachable as a session beer with a lower alcohol content and bitterness level. The realm of dark beers is represented by Talega, a coffee stout.
La Valiente burger
The food menu is mostly Mexican but with some American and Asian touches and an orientation in favor of approachable pub grub. Appetizers include not only chips with guacamole, but also pork gyoza, for example. The most popular items on the menu appear to be tacos and burgers. Trios of tacos are offered with two classic fillings of carne asada and al pastor pork on flour tortillas. Chicarron tacos are fashioned with crispy pork belly, and the Volteados tacos involve shrimp in a crisp layer of melted cheese similar to the tacos gobernador of Mazatlan.
carne asada pizza
A vegetarian option is the portobello taco, made of earthy mushrooms. If undecided, a taco flight is available with all four of the meat tacos and a bonus bean taco on the side. The same small flour tortillas used for the taco are also griddled with cheese to produce quesadillas that can be enhanced with either the carne asada or the al pastor. The tacos and quesadillas generally come with a red salsa of medium intensity; however, a more incendiary mango habanero salsa is available on request and recommended in particular with the al pastor filling.
wings
The burgers are available in a traditional version known as La Sencilla and a more Mexican-influenced variant, La Valiente, with toppings of asadero cheese, bacon, roasted tomato, charred jalapeños, and cilantro. The burgers, along with a spicy chicken sandwich, are paired with thin fries. Wings, a quintessential beer accompaniment, are available two ways: A traditional slightly hot Buffalo sauce with sprigs of cilantro and Chucata style, which replaces the western New York tang with a sweet and spicy sauce and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
aguachile tostadas
As with the burgers and wings, Buqui Bichi has offered a pair of pizzas, one with carne asada and the other with al pastor pork, although recent conversations with staff have suggested these are on the way to retirement as part of a menu update. Those same toppings, along with plenty of melted cheese, can instead be found on various loaded fries in which potatoes replace crust as a base layer. In perhaps its greatest departure from the traditional bar menu, ceviche and similar marinated seafood dishes offer an alternative to the usual fare of meat and starch.
chocolate cheesecake
Trios of mini-tostadas can be topped with the usual mixture of diced shrimp in lime juice, as well an aguachile tatemado, which forgoes tomato in favor of avocado. Marinated tuna is also served, both as a tostada topping and in a tiradito presented on a small platter. For those with any room remaining after a hearty meal of beer and bar food, the sole dessert on the menu is a chocolate cheesecake. It seems like an unbalanced afterthought outsourced to another kitchen, relying too much on sweetness without any discernible tart notes from the actual cheese.
Autumn cocktail
Buqui Bichi's bar does offer a few cocktails in addition to its extensive beer offerings. There are the expected margaritas, palomas, and micheladas, as well as a monthly cocktail. A recent Autumn drink has featured a blend of tequila and Gran Ponche, a dark tamarind liquor. At this point, Buqui Bichi still seems to be adjusting its menu and defining its niche. Nevertheless, with so many brewpubs and beer bars now operating in Downtown and beyond, the Sonoran style of Buqui Bichi offers an interesting alternative for those seeking a slightly different experience.
21 W. Van Buren St. #61, Phoenix AZ 85003
https://buquibichiarizona.com
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