To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.

The late great comic Mitch Hedberg used to joke about someone needing to make a fajita cologne because of good they smell – and he could have been on to something. They’re one of those menu items that when they go from kitchen to table, sizzling in all their splendor up the nostrils of drooling patrons, it’s an undeniable food experience. This week’s feature explores the idea of taking all that is legendary about the dish and simply presenting in in bowl fashion.

Placed at the bottom of the bowl is a combination of their house rice and black beans. You then have your option of protein (chicken, carnitas pork or seasoned sweet potatoes) – or upgrade to steak or shrimp – that gets slathered (along with onions and peppers) in their citrus soy glaze and then garnished with fresh cilantro.

As soon as it was set on the table it looked like a volcano of happiness waiting to erupt. The veggies still had a crispness to them and the steak (yes, I got the upgrade) was tender and juicy, but the thing that really sets everything off is the citrus soy glaze. Bathe in it, chug it, put it in a pond out back – whatever tickles the fancy – but it packs so much flavor into each bite that I couldn’t get enough.

There’s plenty of each component to go around so you can explore bites with the rice and beans to mix and match to your palette’s pleasure. And, if you need something cool to wash it down with, their cocktail options are some of the most creative and freshest in the south shore.

Even if it’s not cologne, experiencing the flavors of this dish will certainly hang around long after the application – and likely bring a craving for seconds.

Azul Latin Kitchen is located at 1001 Heavenly Village Way in South Lake Tahoe. For food and drink information visit them online at azullatinkitchen.com or reach them via phone at 530-541-2985.