Don't be surprised if the hot pink habanero salsa at Plaza Grill gives you deja vu. This unpretentious little restaurant belongs to Luis Mata, who worked for many years with Moises Treves -- the chef who brought regional Mexican cuisine (and that hot pink habanero salsa) to the Valley in the early 90s. Like the menus Treves created at Such Is Life and Coyoacan, Mata's menu features tortilla soup, chilaquiles, chicken mole and cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork rubbed with achiote paste) as well as daily specials such as grilled lamb chops with pasilla sauce or bacon-wrapped shrimp with chipotle aioli. Save a little room for Treves's famous Napolitano, an elegant cheesecake-flan. It's delish. Although the dreary strip mall location may not reflect it, Plaza Grill is a wee bit upscale, so expect slightly higher prices and white tablecloths. Oh, but don't worry. Mata and crew will be glad to see you in your shorts and flipflops. Lunch and dinner, M-Sa. $$
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