Cinco de Mayo is Monday, but many Mexican restaurants are kicking off their celebrations Saturday. Here are five of the hottest parties in the East Valley this weekend:
 Archive for April, 2008Documentary ‘King Corn’ exposes America’s scary dietApril 29th, 2008, 5:24 pm by Jess Harter
When a marketing flack offered to send me a review copy of “King Corn,” which comes out on DVD today, I promised “to take a look at it.” I never thought I’d enjoy it. After all, it’s a documentary about corn. Boy, was I wrong. Part “Supersize Me” and part “Fast Food Nation,” “King Corn” is a fascinating and eye-opening look at our nation’s increasing reliance on corn — and its effect on our health. Review: Pasta Brioni is a little bit tamer but still enjoyableApril 29th, 2008, 12:33 pm by Jess Harter
I look at the pizza smothered in mushrooms. “Are there supposed to be mushrooms on this?” I ask. “Yes, of course,” the server says. “Are you sure?” I ask again. “I thought the menu said it comes with just sausage, peppers and onions.” “No, it definitely comes with mushrooms,” he says. Get 31-cent scoop of ice cream Wednesday at Baskin-RobbinsApril 29th, 2008, 11:42 am by Jess HarterBaskin-Robbins stores hold their second annual 31-cent Scoop Night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. The promotion supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Participating restaurants in the East Valley: 4970 S. Alma School Road, Chandler; 1229 S. Power Road, Mesa; 4406 E. Main St, Suite 101, Mesa; 3108 S. McClintock Drive, Tempe; 1715 E. Guadalupe Road, Tempe; 5035 E. Elliot Road, Ahwatukee; 6501 E. Greenway Parkway, Scottsdale; and 20567 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. Get free ice cream Tuesday at Scottsdale Ben & Jerry’sApril 28th, 2008, 6:21 pm by Jess HarterThe good news: Tuesday (April 29) is Ben & Jerry’s annual Free Cone Day! The bad news: The Ben & Jerry’s at 92nd Street and Shea Boulevard in Scottsdale is the only East Valley location participating in the nationwide promotion. The other Ben & Jerry’s, at el Pedregal in north Scottsdale, will not be participating. Pacific Bay Company seafood restaurant closes in NE MesaApril 28th, 2008, 5:38 pm by Jess Harter
Pacific Bay Company, the first high-end seafood restaurant to open in northeast Mesa, has closed. Chris and Andrea Blazier opened Pacific Bay in July 2006 in the Villages at Las Sendas shopping center on the northeast corner of McDowell and Power roads. A message on the restaurant’s answering machine explains, “We’ve had a really fun couple of years serving Mesa, but Mesa just didn’t embrace and support us like we anticipated they would.” Grand champion successfully defends crown at Salsa ChallengeApril 27th, 2008, 1:37 pm by Jess Harter
“Hot” is the best word to describe My Nana’s Salsa Challenge, which drew close to 25,000 people to Tempe Beach Park on Saturday. With 90-degree temperatures, no breeze and not a cloud in the sky, I saw a lot of sunburned attendees (including yours truly) sampling salsas from nearly 100 competitors. Some salsas were hot, some were mild. Many competitors offered both. I tried about 20 and almost all were delicious. It would have been very difficult to pick a winner. (I declined an invitation to be one of the judges this year because I wanted to walk the grounds and just enjoy the day.) Drift launches free happy hour buffet of Polynesian appetizersApril 26th, 2008, 8:51 pm by Jess Harter
Drift Polynesian Restaurant and Tiki Bar in downtown Scottsdale is offering a cool summer happy hour special from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Besides two-for-one deals on wine, well and drafts, the same applies to specialty drinks like Blue Hawaiians, Sex on the Beach, Long Island Iced Teas, Scorpions, Mai Tais, Zombies and Hurricanes. A buffet of Polynesian appetizers, which will change daily, is complimentary with drink purchase. Info: (480) 949-8454. Fusion owners working on 2 new projects for fallApril 26th, 2008, 7:00 pm by Jess Harter
I stopped by one of my favorite Scottsdale restaurants, Fusion, the other day to reacquaint myself with their fabulous Gladiator Burger (pictured above). I learned from JenLyn Long, who owns the restaurant with her husband/chef Matt, the couple has a pair of exciting projects in the works. And I’m not talking about the almost-completed W Hotel, whose construction mess has been snarling traffic in front of the restaurant for what seems like 10 years. No, the first piece of news is the Longs are opening a second restaurant, which will be called Daily Dose, not too far away at Scottsdale Road and First Avenue. Eddie Matney to prepare Schnepf Farms orchard dinner May 10April 25th, 2008, 11:22 am by Jess Harter
Schnepf Farms‘ final orchard dinner of the season takes place Saturday, May 10. Fewer than 40 tickets remain for the 100-person dinner, which will be prepared by chef Eddie Matney, who’s about to open his new restaurant, Eddie’s House, in Scottsdale. The four-times-a-year event, which always has sold out, takes place in the peach orchard of Mark and Carrie Schnepf’s Queen Creek farm (pictured above) and has featured a who’s who of Valley chefs, such as Robert McGrath, Aaron May, Vincent Guerithault and Beau MacMillan. The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., and the price is $70 per person, which includes food, wine, tax and gratuity. (Next fall, the price will go up to $90). Dress is “farm casual,” so think jeans or linen shorts. Info: (480) 987-3100. Luc’s updates menu, replaces tapas bar with sushi barApril 24th, 2008, 8:17 pm by Jess Harter
Luc’s, the upscale restaurant that opened last summer at el Pedregal in north Scottsdale, is making more changes. When I reviewed Luc’s last fall, I raved about its intriguing menu, which featured roughly equal parts French, Asian and Southwestern influences. It made my list of top 10 new restaurants of 2007, as well as that of my counterpart at the Arizona Republic. Late last year, though, owners Cliff Skoglund and Robert Hall decided to add more Asian dishes, bringing in chef German Sega to replace Eric DiStefano. Gossip site posts photos of alleged minors drinking at Majerle’sApril 23rd, 2008, 4:39 pm by Jess Harter
If you read my recent review of Majerle’s (you can read it here), you know I’m not much of a fan of Dan Majerle’s sports bar and restaurant (pictured above) at Chandler Fashion Center. On many nights, the atmosphere is like a college frat party. Now, Scottsdale-based gossip website TheDirty.com has posted photos of what it says are underage girls drinking alcohol and partying with the former Phoenix Suns star at the restaurant. By the way, Majerle isn’t the only athlete getting some “exposure” on the website this week. Former ASU quarterback Sam Keller, who transferred to Nebraska, also makes a less-than-flattering appearance on the website. 10 picture-perfect East Valley patios that also pamper palatesApril 23rd, 2008, 8:51 am by Jess Harter
Ten years ago, readers would regularly call Get Out this time of year looking for East Valley restaurants with good patios. There just weren’t that many. How times have changed. Maybe it’s the since-enacted statewide smoking ban, but it seems like most restaurants nowadays offer an outdoor dining space. Summer is fast approaching, but we still have a few weeks to enjoy restaurant patios. Here, in no particular order, are 10 of my favorites that combine nice ambience with good food: Culver’s makes its Arizona debut Tuesday in MesaApril 21st, 2008, 7:22 pm by Jess Harter
Move over, In-N-Out Burger. There’s another iconic fast-food restaurant making its East Valley debut today. Wisconsin-based Culver’s, famous throughout the Midwest for its signature ButterBurgers and frozen custard desserts, opens its first Arizona restaurant today in Mesa. “It wasn’t even my dream to have two restaurants,” says founder Craig Culver (pictured above), who opened the first Culver’s with his parents in Sauk City, Wis., in 1984. The chain now has 379 restaurants in 17 states. Gilbert artist wins 2nd straight title at Flancer’s pizza-eating contestApril 20th, 2008, 3:15 pm by Jess Harter
Fantasy science-fiction artist Tray Mead usually has a salad when he eats at Flancer’s in Gilbert. On occasion, though, he’ll have pizza — a lot of pizza. Mead devoured 12-and-a-half slices of pizza in just 15 minutes Sunday to successfully defend his title at Flancer’s eighth annual pizza-eating contest. “I don’t think I’m going to have to eat for three or four days,” said the 58-year-old Gilbert resident, who won $500 and was crowned (pictured above) by Miss Arizona Nicole Turner. Country Thunder festival serves up more than just barbecueApril 20th, 2008, 3:00 pm by Jess Harter
I made my annual trek to Country Thunder on Saturday. Not that I was expecting much out of the food scene at the four-day country music extravaganza near Florence. Having attended for several years, I remembered it offers the typical festival fare: barbecue turkey legs, Indian frybread and, of course, plenty of beer. There were a few surprises, though. Hale Lake (pictured above), a Hawaiian native whose Island Noodles booth has been a fixture at Valley festivals and spring-training stadiums this year, made his first trip to Country Thunder. I enjoyed a carton packed with wok-fired soba noodles, carrots, brocolli and other vegetables. First Taste: Bar Tepo is impressive and - brace yourself - in MesaApril 18th, 2008, 9:42 pm by Jess Harter
It’s been a rewarding three weeks for south East Valley diners who have been waiting for worthwhile new restaurants. First, chef Roberto Santibañez introduced his sophisticated Mexican cuisine at Maria Maria in Tempe. Then Robert and Danielle Morris opened their ambitious small-plates restaurant Cork in Chandler. Now, Valley restaurateur Steve Short (Basis, Atlasta Catering) has unveiled Bar Tepo, a stylish yet casual New American eatery at Dana Park in Mesa.
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