Many Americans, struggling with the double whammy of high prices and job worries, are skipping their usual Labor Day trips, according to the American Automobile Association.

But just because you’re not leaving town doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a few hours of “vacation.” Here are seven East Valley restaurants that will take you on a culinary trip — and have you back home by bed time:

Bavarian Point: Zwiebelrostbraten (a beef filet with deep-fried onions) and huhnerbrust punijab (boneless chicken in a curry sauce) are among the authentic German offerings at this strip-mall restaurant, whose  pub serves up Bavarian beers like Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse and Spaten lager. 4815 E. Main St., Mesa, (480) 830-0999.

D’Arcy McGee’s: Irish and English specialities — such as Irish breakfast, Yorkshire pudding, leek and salmon pie and steak and mushroom boxty — abound at this Tempe Marketplace eatery (pictured at left). Beers on tap include Harp, Strongbow, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny, Erdinger and Hoegaarden. 2000 E. Rio Salado Parkway, (480) 557-9087, primepubs.com.

Drift Lounge: Decorated like a South Pacific beach hut, this Polynesian restaurant and tiki lounge offers entrees such as luau slow-roasted pork loin and shaved coconut chicken with pineapple sweet and sour sauce. Wash them down with a mai tai or Kona Longboard Lager. 4341 N. 75th Street, Scottsdale, (480) 949-8454, driftlounge.com.

Geisha a Go Go: This Drift sibling is an ode to Japanese pop culture, from the flashing Pachinko machines to the private karaoke rooms to the computerized toilets. Sip Geisha’s signature Hello Kitty cocktail while enjoying wok-seared albacore over Japanese noodles or stir-fried Kurobuta pork in lobster sauce. 7150 E. Sixth Ave., Scottsdale, (480) 699-0055.

Andreoli Italian Grocer: This family-run restaurant and shop (pictured at right), crammed with a mish-mash of antique furniture, makes it own Italian bread, sausage, mozzarella, desserts and chocolate, as well as offering a deli case of imported meats and cheeses. Beverages include limonata and chinotto soft drinks. 8880 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale, (480) 614-1980, andreoli-grocer.com.

Caribbean Fusion: Jamaican dishes such as oxtail with butter beans and “spinners” (dumplings) and curry goat with bammy bread highlight the menu of  this recent addition to the East Valley. Add a tart element to meals with a glass of tropical lemonade made with mango and strawberry puree. 2515 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, (480) 990-1599.

Dragonfly: Phos (soups), spring rolls, noodle stir-fries and rice dishes showcase the full range of intense Vietnamese flavors at this family-run restaurant, which recently opened a second location on Mill Avenue. 1116 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, (480) 464-1455; 414 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, (480) 921-0131; azdragonfly.com

Posted in: Mesa • Scottsdale • Tempe |

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