Does anyone cook anymore?

I’m not just talking about Americans’ ever-growing proclivity for eating at restaurants. I’m also referring to food eaten at home. Need to bring a dish to the neighbors’ potluck? Swing by the ready-to-eat counter at the local grocery store. Need decorated cupcakes for a birthday party? Grocery store. Need a fully cooked Thanksgiving dinner for the in-laws? Grocery store.

We’re a nation of hungry consumers, and the item we’re most starved for is time. So it’s not surprising that places like Scottsdale’s Dish Market & Wine Bistro — part gourmet market, part sit-down restaurant — represent the next step in the evolution of the East Valley supermarket.

The retail half (shown at left) of this two-month-old business at the Shops at Gainey Village sells a dizzying array of take-home foods: wine and cheese, salads and sandwiches, pastas and pizzas, barbecue and seafood — even sushi.

Or, if you prefer, you can eat there. During the day, you can carry your ready-to-eat food to a table in the bistro area (below right), although there’s no service available. In the evenings, however, the bistro becomes a full-service restaurant.

I stopped by Dish last week for lunch with a friend. We ordered a chopped beef sandwich and the fish of the day, which was grilled salmon, at one of the food-prep stations in the retail area. We browsed through the shelves until our food was ready — five minutes for the sandwich, eight for the salmon — then grabbed a couple of bottles of soda from the beverage case.

The food was quite good. The chopped beef sandwich ($8) had big hunks of meat dressed with barbecue sauce, coleslaw and sharp cheddar. The thick, perfectly grilled piece of salmon ($8) came with choice of two sides: in our case, green beans with almonds and macaroni and cheese.

The next day, however, we returned in the evening and the experience was as different as, well, day and night. The bistro, which had been filled with sunlight and busy business people at lunch, now sported a different vibe: dark and cozy, dimly lit by colorful pendant lights. Relaxed diners sipped glasses of wine as servers bustled about.

But be warned, dinner prices can be considerably higher — $14 for lemon herb rotisserie chicken with rice and vegetables, and a whopping $25 for a beef filet (left) with asparagus and whipped potatoes. Neither entrée was impressive — not bad, but not much better than my local grocery store offerings.

In the future, I’d definitely stop by Dish for lunch if I were in the area. For a sit-down dinner, though, it’s a little too pricey for me. Maybe if they started a “triple coupons” day …

>> Dish Market & Wine Bistro, 8977 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; bistro hours 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (480) 584-6190.

I’ve never been to the Land of the Rising Sun, but Taneko Japanese Tavern is pretty much what this gaijin would expect a traditional Japanese pub to look like.

Located in Scottsdale’s upscale Borgata shopping center, the year-old restaurant — from the people behind P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Pei Wei Asian Diner — is a barnlike structure built with large wood beams and exposed rafters. Red padded booths and chairs surround dark wood tables. Hanging paper lanterns dimly illuminate the stylishly decorated space, which is divided by a long, one-sided bar.

Inspired by izakayas, the taverns where Japanese workers stop for food or a drink on the way home from work, Taneko offers the predictable sushi and sashimi, but its menu also features grilled meats, seafood and even some non-Japanese dishes.

Two friends and I start with one of the restaurant’s popular hot rock appetizers (left): thin slices of marinated Kobe beef ($14) that we cook on a flat ceramic stone brought to our table from Taneko’s 600-degree oven. Just 10 or so sizzling seconds per side produces a medium-well piece of tasty meat, at least for the first couple. By the time we get to the last of our eight or nine pieces, the rock has lost much of its heat.

We also try an appetizer plate of gyoza ($6), small dumplings filled with seasoned ground pork, that are just average.

Taneko’s entrees, our server explains, are divided into two categories. On the menu’s left side is a column of more or less authentic Japanese dishes. On the right, more American-like dishes “with a Japanese twist,” such as a Kobe beef burger with fingerling potatoes.

We decide to try three of the authentic dishes.

The grilled Korubuta pork sirloin ($17) — Korubuta is the porcine equivalent of Kobe beef — has a bold-flavored dry rub of Japanese spices that has a nice kick. But the carved pieces are a little dry, and those without the rub are fairly bland. A side of chili-citrus sauce (basically a dish of applesauce with some bits of chili) doesn’t add much.

The Alaskan salmon ($26) has a nice wood-grilled flavor, but comes with so-so sushi rice and “wok’d” greens. For the price, I expect better sides. Our most enjoyable entree is the bacon-wrapped lamb sirloin ($26, shown at right) — a new menu item — which comes with a ginger-chive dip and more “wok’d” greens.

Our two desserts — chocolate cake drenched in warm chocolate sauce ($6) and green tea cheesecake ($6) — are tasty, but not special enough to be memorable.

Which pretty much sums up my experience at Taneko Tavern. I don’t have any major complaints, but nothing really to rave about, either.

>> Taneko Japanese Tavern, 6166 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale (at The Borgata), is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (480) 308-9950.

Has it really been three years since Romeo’s Euro Café moved to downtown Gilbert?

For more than a decade, I regularly stopped by its former strip mall location just north of Mesa’s Fiesta Mall to gorge myself on chef Romeo Taus’ (pictured below) pita sandwiches. When it closed to move, though, it somehow dropped off my radar.

Maybe the new location is too close to Joe’s Real BBQ, which tends to suck me in whenever I’m in the neighborhood. Or The Farmhouse, just across the street. Or the nearby Oregano’s.

Whatever the reason, I’ve never gotten around to checking out its new digs at Heritage Court, so last week I decided to remedy this and reintroduce myself to Euro Café’s eclectic, Mediterranean-influenced menu.

My first surprise is that the new ground-floor space appears to be about half the size of the former, with only a dozen tables. But historic Heritage Court has far more charm than a strip mall, and Taus and his wife, Janice, have created a warm, inviting space. Exposed brick is covered with local artwork for sale. Shelves are stocked with bottled wine.

The menu, I’m happy to see, still includes more than two dozen of Euro Café’s signature pitas made with large, spongy flatbread. My favorite is the Alamo ($6.50), stuffed with grilled roast beef and onions, tossed in barbecue sauce and covered with cheddar cheese.

To start, though, I get my favorite Euro Café appetizer, deep-fried spanaki balls ($7) filled with spinach, rice, mozzarella and provolone and served with a chilled tomato sauce. Delicious.

Another highlight of the extensive appetizer menu is the greka platter ($10, pictured above), baked feta cheese with green and kalamata olives, red peppers and scallions. It’s seasoned with rosemary and lemon, and comes with whole wheat pita chips.

There are a lot more entrees than I remember. A server recommends the pork Molise ($22, pictured at left with spanaki balls), a pair of grilled tenderloins wrapped in bacon, which gives them a delicious, smoky taste and makes them very moist.

The pork is covered with honey-caramelized onions and a dark cherry sauce with whole cherries, and comes with a side of garlic-horseradish mashed potatoes. I definitely have a new favorite dish at Euro Café.

Of course, no visit would be complete without sampling from pastry chef Debbie Harvey’s decadent dessert case, one of the East Valley’s finest. Fun monikers include The Morning After ($6) — white sponge cake soaked in sangria with blackberries, white chocolate mousse and rose petal chutney — and Dark Desire ($6), a cake made with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa and chocolate ganache.

I kick myself for not getting to Euro Café’s Gilbert location sooner. You can bet it won’t take another three years for me to return.

>> Romeo’s Euro Café, 207 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert, is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. (480) 962-4224.

Union Wine Bar & Grill, the much-anticipated tapas restaurant that opened this summer in Old Town Scottsdale, is changing its menu — scaling back on its “small plates” offerings and adding full-size entrees — and closing on Sundays and Mondays.

Why? One reason might be a lack of customers. Just two weeks ago, I stopped in and was surprised to find a nearly empty restaurant at 7 p.m. on a Thursday. I’ve heard from other diners who’ve experienced the same thing, even on a Saturday night.

Another reason might be a rather uneven menu. I found some dishes, such as the pork-and-ricotta meatballs ($8.50) and crispy penne ($6.50), delicious. Others, such as slow-roasted pork ($8.50) and flat-iron steak ($12.50), were disappointments.

It’s certainly not what I expected when Chrysa Robertson and Tom Kaufman, the people behind Scottsdale’s fabulous Rancho Pinot Grill, opened the more relaxed Union Bar & Grill (“Wine” was added to the name later) on July 30.

Now, the Union staff is sifting through 12 weeks of receipts. The most popular small plates will be retained, according to manager Tim Valencia. Others will be jettisoned.

A selection of entrees — new dishes, not entrée-size versions of existing dishes — is being added to the menu and should be available this week.

The closure on Sundays and Mondays, according to Valencia, will allow the restaurant to do construction work on a new patio without bothering diners.

Info: 3815 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale, (480) 686-9966.

I stopped by Cien Agaves Tacos & Tequila, a new restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale, for lunch the other day. The super-casual restaurant has the look and feel of Old Mexico, with a stained concrete bar, dark wood furniture and colorful paintings on the wall.

The highlights of the menu are delicious tacos ($3-$6) filled with carne asada, marinated chicken or pork, chorizo, tilapia, salmon, shrimp, lobster or potatoes.

Sides include grilled ears of “street” corn sprinkled with cotijo cheese crumbles and chili powder ($3) and jicama “fruit salad” ($3) with tomatoes, pineapple, corn and onions.

The restaurant, open for lunch and dinner daily, also features another large bar area on the second floor.

Info: 7228 E. First Ave., Scottsdale, (480) 970-9002.

Sub-Culture Café, the hip little sandwich shop, coffee bar and live music venue on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Baseline Road in Tempe, is closing Oct. 31.

Owner Jeff Berlinsky’s funky strip-mall gathering space, which celebrated its three-year anniversary with a special event last week, also was known for hosting events ranging from art exhibits to Scrabble nights.

No word yet on Berlinsky’s future plans. Info: 227 E. Baseline Road, Tempe, (480) 481-7827.

Bravi, a slightly upscale Italian restaurant, has opened in the Harkins Crossroads complex on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Germann roads in Chandler.

Decorated in earthy tones of red and yellow, the large, airy space features lots of dark wood tables and a few booths. Big band and Dean Martin tunes play over the speakers.

The menu features 12-inch stone-oven pizzas ($9-$12), pastas ($8-$11), paninis ($7.50) and entrees ($9-$12). I really liked the pizza with slightly sweet sausage and carmelized onions (pictured).

Info: 2990 E. Germann Road, Chandler, (480) 726-7500.

Chef Aaron May (Sol y Sombra) narrowly edged chef Matt McLinn (Methode Bistro) to win the Gourmet Sessions Food Fight at the Sub-Zero / Wolf showroom in north Scottsdale.

Both East Valley chefs had an hour to prepare at least three dishes — they both ended up doing five — from a mystery basket of ingredients, which included halibut and duck.

Each chef was allowed to bring three ingredients: May (on left) brought spiny lobster, sea urchin and vanilla bean, McLinn chose lavender, chorizo and saffron.

May’s winning dishes were roasted halibut with lobster salpicon, pan-seared halibut with sea urchin and garlic veloute, mushroom fricassee with garlic herbs and halibut fillet, Mar y Montana (halibut with shallot, duck and red wine jus), crispy duck breast with citrus confit.

Celebrity judges — who gave May a winning margin of just 0.56 point — were Robin Miller of the Food Network’s “Quick Fix Meals,” Barbra Fenzl of Les Gourmettes, KEZ’s Marty Manning and a guest judge from the audience, Jennifer Dioguardi.

On my first visit, before I even get a menu, the bartender comes over, sticks out his hand and introduces himself. He asks my name, runs through the menu and makes some suggestions.

Although he’s busy with other customers, he frequently checks on me during the meal, always addressing me by name.

On my next visit, there’s a different bartender. Once again, though, the first thing he does is introduce himself and ask my name. Once again, service is friendly and personal.

In neither instance does the behavior strike me as a restaurant policy or gimmick. Judging by the interactions I witness between customers and staff, CK Tavern & Grill is just one of those “Cheers”-type places where everyone feels at home.

The Ahwatukee Foothills restaurant, which replaced Bar Nun in January 2005, is part sports bar — jerseys hang on the walls, and there are lots of TVs to watch games — and part neighborhood tavern — with pool tables, comfortable booths and two dozen beers on tap.

There’s even live music Thursdays through Sundays from well-known local performers such as Shirley’s Temple, Chuck E. Baby and Shelby James.

If all this isn’t enough, there’s some pretty good food, too.

The menu has all the sports bar staples — burgers, sandwiches and wings — but dinner entrees include spicy meatloaf, honey hot-roasted chicken, center-cut sirloin steak and Kansas City-style barbecue pork ribs.

Raspberry chipotle boneless wings ($4.50 for six, $6.99 a dozen) are a must-have appetizer. Lightly breaded and cooked to a crisp, they’re covered in a gooey, delicious glaze that’s sweet and spicy.

Carne adovada, pork braised in a dark red chili sauce, is another CK specialty and available in several forms, ranging from an appetizer pizza ($7.99) to a dinner platter
($9.99).

On one of my visits, the daily special is a huge burro filled with the savory meat and accompanied by rice and black beans ($7.95).

The Cheezy Phil ($7.99) is CK’s twist on the Philly cheesesteak. The onion roll is loaded with sliced beef and topped with provolone cheese, grilled onions, pickled pepperoncinis and mushrooms.

The Bleu Burger ($8.99) is a half-pound patty topped with bacon and just enough blue cheese crumbles to provide a strong flavor but not an overpowering one.

Like the sandwiches, burgers come with a choice of beer-battered fries, seasoned buffalo chips, tater tots, potato salad, jalapeño coleslaw or cottage cheese.

My favorite side? The buffalo chips. They wouldn’t have been my first choice, but they were highly recommended by the bartender.

Turns out, he knows me pretty well.

CK Tavern & Grill
Where: 4142 E. Chandler Blvd., Phoenix
Open: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
Prices: Appetizers $3.99-$10.99, soups/salads $2.95-$8.99, burgers/sandwiches $6.99-$8.99, dinner entrees $9.99-$14.99, desserts $1.99-$4.95
Info: (480) 706-5564 or ckgrill.com

I love spicy food, so I was a little disappointed with myself when I couldn’t finish Carlsbad Tavern’s red-hot Habanero Cheeseburger when I reviewed the Scottsdale restaurant last summer (read review).

After that, though, I began a strict regimen of gastronomical “training,” searching out and subduing 10 other spicy burgers at East Valley restaurants.

You can check out the burgers, and see how I rated them, in this week’s Get Out cover story, which is posted here.

Did any come close to the Habanero Cheeseburger? Not really. The next hottest was Pischke’s Blaster Burger (pictured), which features nasal-clearing Atomic Horseradish.

After I tried the other 10, I took another run at Carlsbad’s burger. Read how that rematch played out.

It’s too early to proclaim the East Valley’s best new restaurant of 2007. After all, several highly anticipated eateries — such as Robert McGrath’s REM, Kevin Binkley’s Café Bink and Aaron May’s Leche — are still scheduled to open before year’s end.

Setting the bar awfully high, however, is Luc’s (pronounced “Luck’s”), an upscale Asian-French fusion restaurant that opened in August at el Pedregal marketplace in north Scottsdale.

Taking over a second-floor space formerly occupied by Shugrue’s, Luc’s owners Cliff Skoglund and Robert Hall have transformed it into a luxurious desert hideaway with stacked-stone walls and pillars, and hardwood floors.

Faux-weathered tables are accompanied by an odd assortment of seating: Most have a curved, two-person booth, a high-back chair and a low-back chair. Wine and champagne buckets are stationed everywhere.

Despite the upscale atmosphere, the restaurant is filled with diners whose attire best can be described as “resort casual,” which I guess even includes the 30-something guy at the next table wearing surf shorts and black flip-flops.

“Would you like to start off the evening with bottled water or Scottsdale water?” asks our server.

Yes, service is that formal, with tables cleared and meticulously re-set between courses. Throughout the evening, our server is extremely attentive and professional, yet somewhat cold. Asked several times for recommendations, she offers none.

But recommendations ultimately prove unnecessary: Everything we try on chef Eric DiStefano’s elegant menu is superb.

Like pan-fried ravioli filled with Wisconsin Gruyere cheese and leeks ($10). The appetizers are drizzled with a sweet corn sauce and topped with spinachlike Swiss chard.

And as a beet lover, I can’t pass up the honey-roasted yellow and red beets ($9), halved and decoratively stacked on edge in a blue cheese sauce. They come with micro greens, baby tomatoes and pine nuts wrapped in soy paper, much like sushi rolls.

Our entrees include an 8-ounce filet mignon with a roasted tomato Gorgonzola cap and red potato torte ($39) and King salmon topped with a flaky almond pastry and baby bok choy ($30).

The highlight, though, is the pork tenderloin ($24), tender medallions ringed with a gooey seven-spice coating made with white and black pepper, cumin, clove, cinnamon, cardamom and paprika. Accented with a hot mustard plum sauce, it’s the best-tasting dish I’ve had this year.

We finish with a dessert combo of roasted banana cream cake and a chocolate-ginger pot de crème ($10).

The only blemish on an otherwise excellent meal is a weakly braced floor that vibrates continuously as servers hustle back and forth. It almost feels like there’s a rock concert going on downstairs.

Still, if that’s the price I have to pay for another visit to Luc’s, I say: Rock on.

Luc’s
Where: 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale (in el Pedregal marketplace, just south of Carefree Highway)
Open: 4:30 p.m. (tapas bar) and 5:30 p.m. (dining room), with seating until 9:30 p.m. daily
Prices: Appetizers $9-$22, lobsters $30-$42, steaks $39-$49, chef selections $22-$34, desserts $10
Information: (480) 488-3811 or www.lucs.biz

The uber-trendy Mondrian Scottsdale has kicked off Havana Tuesdays, featuring Cuban food, Latin music and mojito specials.

Menu specials include chipotle-and-honey-glazed chicken lollipops, barbecue pork papas rellenas, chicken-stuffed coconut, shrimp-and-chorizo empanadas, Caribbean seafood cakes and charred tropical fruit pico de gallo.

Cocktails include a fresh caipirinha and caiproska bar.

The action starts at 6 p.m. in the hotel’s Asia De Cuba restaurant, then continues until 10 p.m. in its hip Skybar.

Info: 7353 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale, (480) 308-1131.

Canal, a fashion-centic eatery featuring an S-shaped runway flanked by large projection screens, opens 5 p.m. today at Scottsdale’s SouthBridge, just southwest of Camelback and Scottsdale roads.

Chef Justin Beckett’s light-fare menu, which includes a much-hyped $30 lobster tail sandwich, features such entrees as anchiote-citrus mahi tacos ($21), macadamia-crusted ocean prawns ($27) and Muscovy duck breast ($25).

Canal is the second of seven restaurants to open at SouthBridge, a five-acre boutique shopping complex on the south bank of the Arizona Canal. The first, the Foodbar, opened last summer.

Info: 7144 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, (480) 949-9000.

GameWorks at Tempe’s Arizona Mills has introduced a new family dinner deal, pairing 15 quick-delivered menu items ($3.99-$10.99) with the opportunity to add a 30-minute game card for $5 or 60-minute game card for $10.

The promotion, which is available 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, is similar to food-and-card deals offered by Dave & Buster’s, which opened last month at Tempe Marketplace.

Info: 5000 Arizona Mills Circle, Tempe, (480) 839-4263.

Two of the East Valley�s top chefs — Matt McLinn from Methode Bistro (left) and Aaron May from Sol y Sombra — square off at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in a “Food Fight” at Sub-Zero/Wolf Showroom, 15570 N. 83rd Way, Scottsdale.

Chefs will be presented a mystery basket of ingredients, all of which must be used to produce dishes in just 60 minutes.

The event will include culinary samplings and wine stations. Tickets are $85 and benefit public radio stations KJZZ (91.5 FM), KBAQ (89.5 FM) and Sun Sounds.

Info: (480) 774-8466 or firstpressarizona.com.

Firehouse Subs, a national sandwich chain started by a pair of firefighting brothers from Jacksonville, Fla., has opened its first Arizona restaurant on the southwest corner of the Loop 101 and Ray Road in Chandler.

The restaurant is decorated primarly in red, employees wear firefighter-style blue T-shirts, and sandwiches sport monikers like the Hook & Ladder or the Engine Company Sub.

Subs, available in 8- and 12-inch sizes, feature top-quality meats and cheeses that are steamed — which, unlike microwaving, adds moisture — and toasted buns.

I stopped by last week and tried the 8-inch Hook & Ladder sub (with turkey, ham and Monterey Jack cheese) and meatball sub (pictured, with large meatballs smothered in well-seasoned marinara), both $5.49.

They were delicious — so much so that I can�t see myself ever going to a Subway, Blimpie or Quiznos if there’s a Firehouse nearby.

And there soon might be. The fast-growing chain, which launched in 2004 and already has nearly 300 locations, is aggressively expanding into the western U.S.

Info: 3245 W. Ray Road, Chandler, (480) 726-8200.

Even when dining writers take a night off, we still occasionally end up going out to a restaurant. Especially when a Mexican food-loving brother and his wife are visiting from Michigan.

So Saturday night, eight of us headed to La Casa Blanca, my first visit to the south Chandler restaurant.

Our previous dining critic reviewed this place last year (read her review), and I think she was right on point: The atmosphere is more impressive than the slightly better than average food.

I did enjoy the Pollo Fundido (pictured). Unlike the versions popular at Someburros and Serrano’s, LCB’s dish has the spicy cream cheese on the INSIDE. And, as is obvious from the photo, a LOT of cheddar cheese melted on top.

Plus, you get both free salsa and bean dip with your chips.

Info: 24605 S. McQueen Road, Chandler, (480) 802-5780.