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Q & A with Carlos Arriaga, Executive Chef, Quivira Steakhouse
With its indoor / outdoor seating areas situated within earshot of the breaking surf, the beachfront eatery at Quivira Golf Club’s thatched roof clubhouse has always had a special appeal.
Executive Chef Carlos Arriaga is at the helm and under his talents, the restaurant has steadily diversified its offerings and improved its cuisine. Quivira Steakhouse now ranks among the very best restaurants in all of Los Cabos—especially for meat lovers.
Chef Carlos is a seasoned professional who’s passionate about his cooking techniques. Prior to joining Quivira Steakhouse in 2017, he earned a diploma in pre-Hispanic and contemporary Mexican cuisine and was certified as a food and beverage technician by the Corbuse Gastronomic Institute in Mexico City.
His credits are impeccable. He was the executive chef at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse on the marina in Cabo San Lucas from 2015 – 17, benefitting from corporate training in the U.S. Previously, he worked at The Ritz-Carlton Cancun, among other hotels in Riviera Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
We sat down with Chef Carlos to learn more about his methods—and what makes his steaks so delicious.
Q. How would you describe the Quivira Steakhouse / Clubhouse and their menus?
A. The restaurant is located at Quivira Golf Club and we offer free transportation to guests of Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts. During the day it functions as Quivira Clubhouse, serving breakfast and lunch. At night it becomes Quivira Steakhouse, a concept focused on CAB (Certified Angus Beef) Prime quality cuts. We focus on the technique and handling of these cuts. In the morning, we rely on practices such as smoking or long cooking to make meat-based dishes such as brisket and picanha, a cut from the rump of the cowknown to American butchers as the sirloin cap. It’s delicious.
Q. What do you think sets the Steakhouse / Clubhouse apart?
A .Our concept has an urban touch that gives way to greater creativity in the different dishes and concepts for all three meals. The Steakhouse and the Clubhouse combine to make a place to enjoy a good dish at any time based on the quality of meats.
Q. What dishes are your favorites and why?
A. I have a couple of favorite dishes that I never tire of making:
Clubhouse – Jalapeño Peppers stuffed with smoked brisket wrapped in bacon. This is my favorites due to the combination of flavors, textures and sauce. And, they make a perfect accompaniment to an ice-cold beer and an ocean view.
Steakhouse – Ribeye, because it’s a soft cut and at the same time has great flavor due to the internal marbling of the meat. A good accompaniment to ribeye is macaroni and cheese. We use a homemade recipe with unique products. I love this dish with a red wine that complements and does not overpower the flavor of the cut.
Q. What is your favorite cuisine and why?
A. I love cooking over charcoal, as the deep and intense flavors can be conveyed to proteins through the smoke created by wood or charcoal. Whether it’s a good cut of red or white meat or vegetables, charcoal always helps to enhance the taste of food.
Q. What can you tell us about the drinks?
A. Regarding the signature cocktails, our expert bar staff is constantly creating new combinations. They’re ingenious at combining fruits, liqueurs, and distillates. In our restaurant, we always give our team the freedom to propose and create new things.
Q. Can you make some recommendations of your favorite dishes to be served with a drink?
A. It is difficult to recommend just one dish from our menus, since many of them have excellent flavor and wide acceptance by diners, but I will share two of my favorites:
Ribeye with a glass of red wine, a Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon. In this combination, the aging process of our cuts and the wine help to cleanse the fat on the palate without being tannic. The wine respects the quality of the cut.
Boogie Sandwich, a sandwich made with a croissant plus the typical ingredients of egg, ham and refried beans for a complete breakfast. The most interesting thing about this sandwich is the preparation of the croissant, which provides a soft, buttery flavor, allowing diners to taste the different layers of the dough in each bite. I like to combine this dish with a good long double espresso.
Q. Why do you recommend guests visit the Steakhouse / Clubhouse?
A. The service offered in the restaurant will make you feel like a VIP, due to the gracious staff and the quality of our products in both cuts and techniques used. We can assure that with each visit guests will be able to try something different and always new. Both the Steakhouse and the Clubhouse are great options to visit during a stay at Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts.