The best neighborhood restaurants earn loyal regulars one plate at a time, but new guests are won on a screen. For a Valley favorite, photography is how that first-bite feeling reaches the people who haven't found you yet.
Once known as Urban Margarita, Urban Agave has long been one of our own go-to spots. We were first drawn in by Chef/Owner David Borrego's cooking, and we're always eager to see what's next there.
For this shoot we styled a trio of seared salmon tacos lined up in a sleek metal stand, each crowned with bright mango salsa, crisp shredded cabbage, and a zigzag of chipotle crema, with a chili-rimmed mango margarita glowing just out of focus behind. We worked the light to catch the blackened edges of the fish, the juicy color of the mango, and the cool drip of the crema. Appetite, served on a plate. Every garnish was placed with intent so the dish looks effortless rather than arranged, and we shot from a low angle so the tacos stand tall and the stand leads the eye straight down the row, letting the margarita's citrus color add a pop without pulling focus.
The work on a plate like this happens before the camera comes out. Which taco faces the light, how high the stand sits, whether the crema goes on now or after the first frame. By the time we shoot, most of the decisions have already been made.
Send us the dishes you want people to order. Those are the ones we build the shoot around.