Archive for the 'BY LOCATION' Category
October 26th, 2009, 3:56 pm by Jess Harter
 Alcohol and sharp tools usually aren’t a smart combination, but I’ll make an exception for the second annual Pinot and Pumpkins Carve Off, which begins Tuesday at Pearl Sushi Lounge in Scottsdale.
For $15, you get a pumpkin, carving tools and two glasses of Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir from 4 p.m. to close every day through Halloween.
Pumpkins will be judged during Thursday night’s ArtWalk at Pangea Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale, with the winner receiving a $750 Stuart Anthony Black limited print.
A second round of judging will be held Halloween night at Pearl for more prizes. All proceeds from the Carve Off will go to children with leukemia.
Posted in: Scottsdale • Pearl Sushi | Post a Comment »
October 26th, 2009, 12:05 pm by Jess Harter
 As a PBS special earlier this year pointed out, craft beer is the new wine. So it hasn’t been surprising to see Valley restaurants jump on the bandwagon by hosting special multi-course meals with beer pairings.
The latest is Flancer’s, which will pair four courses with Santa Fe Brewing ales at its Mesa location on Nov. 11. Check out the menu. The cost is $40, and reservation are filling up fast.
Meanwhile, SanTan Brewing in downtown Chandler will host its monthly Tuesday Night Tasting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3. Cost is $25 for five courses with ales, including SanTan’s new seasonal Awesome Amber.
Posted in: Chandler • Mesa • Beer Dinners • Flancer's. SanTan Brewing | Post a Comment »
October 26th, 2009, 9:09 am by Jess Harter
After spending the weekend in a foie gras- and pork belly-induced haze, my usual bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios this morning seems a little mundane. I’m referring, of course, to the Arizona Grand Tasting, the finale of the three-day Crave Arizona culinary festival in Old Town Scottsdale.
I didn’t get to every single dish Saturday, but I tried most of them. While many were impressive, here are the ones I’ll most remember:
 • Estate House hit the sweet spot with foie-stuffed figs rolled in gianduja chocolate and hazelnuts with a sour cherry gastrique (pictured at left on top).
• Petite Maison shared one of its popular late-night treats: roasted bone marrow with a red wine gastrique (second from top).
• Metro Brasserie did a nice double-take on pork with charcuterie topped with pork rind (third from top).
• Talavera also brought lollipops, in this case slightly tart mango cheesecake ones coated with crushed almonds (bottom).
Not all dishes were complex. BLT Steak kept things simple yet delicious with slices of American wagyu hanger steak. Recently opened Crudo did the same with rich butterfish.
Sweet Republic literally trucked in a pair of its artisan ice creams (blue cheese and Medjool date, bacon) as well as a couple sorbets (Cabernet pear, cantaloupe).
Short ribs were popular, from Kazimierz’s tacos to Cafe ZuZu’s on cheesy grits. So was pork belly, whose proponents included Cowboy Ciao and Deseo.
Sassi served up the day’s most-filling samples: Italian sausages on a roll topped with “Roman slaw” and housemade brown mustard, freshly fried Yukon Gold potato chips and seasoned beans.
The wineries represented alone were worth the price of the event’s $75 ticket. I was surprised I never saw a line at the Dunn’s Vineyard table, where they were pouring from $125 bottles of 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon.
In fact, many of the more notable wines — from Justin’s Isosceles to Quintessa’s Faust — seemed to draw the least interest from festivalgoers. I’m not sure what that says about the Valley’s wine palate.
Did you go to the Grand Tasting? If so, what were your favorite dishes?
Posted in: Scottsdale • Culinary Festivals | Post a Comment »
October 23rd, 2009, 11:56 am by Jess Harter
Every day seems to be some sort of holiday in the food world, from National Popcorn Day (Jan. 19) to Beans ’n’ Franks Day (July 13) to National Pfeffernüsse Day (Dec. 23). Here are some food holidays coming up in the next five days, as well as a suggestion of where to celebrate each:
Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill: Saturday is National Bologna Day, and the fried bologna sandwich ($9.99, pictured below) is one of the signature menu items at the country singer’s restaurant at Mesa Riverview. The thick-cut bologna is topped with onions, American cheese and Miracle Whip and served on grilled garlic toast. 1065 N. Dobson Road, Mesa, (480) 844-8629.
 Heart Attack Grill: Sunday is National Greasy Foods Day, and no one revels in dietary fat and cholesterol more than this Chandler burger joint (pictured above) with “naughty nurse” servers. The Quadruple Bypass cheeseburger is made with four half-pound beef patties and 12 strips of bacon, and the Flatliner fries are deep-fried in pure lard. 6185 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, (480) 205-7777.
SanTan Brewing Company: Monday is National Pretzel Day, and some of the best soft pretzels you’ll find outside a ballpark are served at this downtown Chandler brew pub. A pair of large pretzels ($6.50, or just $5 during happy hour) with or without salt come with spicy beer mustard and beer cheese for dipping. 8 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, (480) 917-8700.
Murphy’s Law Irish Pub: Tuesday is National Potato Day, and who knows the starchy tubers better than the Irish? House-fried potatoes take the place of chips in the Irish nachos ($8.95), and eight varieties of spud sides include bacon blue mash, green chili cheddar mash, beer cheese mash and parmesan-herb mash. 58 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, (480) 812-1588.
Romeo’s Euro Cafe: Wednesday is National Chocolate Day, and this Gilbert eatery has the most decadent dessert case in the East Valley. Specialty cakes include the Intoxicated Love, made with dark, milk and white chocolates, and Dark Desire, hazelnut-chocolate cake with dark chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache (both $6 per slice). 207 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert, (480) 962-4224.
Posted in: Chandler • Gilbert • Mesa • 5 to Try • Heart Attack Grill • Murphy's Law • Romeo's Euro Cafe • SanTan Brewing Co. • Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill | Post a Comment »
October 21st, 2009, 7:05 am by Jess Harter
No segment of the restaurant industry has been hit as hard as fine dining during the past year, so it’s not surprising the second annual Crave Arizona culinary festival — a showcase for many of Scottsdale’s poshest eateries — has scaled back a little this year.
The three-day festival, which was called Eats3 in its inaugural year, begins Thursday and includes a kickoff party and bartending competition (combined into one event this year), a free ArtWalk, an art gallery dinner (down from six last year), three wine tastings (down from four) and an upscale barbecue.
The centerpiece event, though, is the Arizona Grand Tasting, which takes place Saturday on the canal bridge between Old Town Scottsdale’s SouthBridge and Scottsdale Fashion Square.
Nearly 40 of Arizona’s top chefs will prepare food, and more than 200 wineries will offer samples. Admission to the Grand Tasting, which organizers say is being enlarged this year, is $75 — $10 less than last year — and covers all food, drink, demonstrations and seminars.
 Participating Valley restaurants will include T. Cook’s, Cowboy Ciao, Atlas Bistro, Elements, Zinc Bistro, Posh, Petite Maison, Metro Brasserie, Prado, Sassi, House of Tricks, Lon’s, Talavera and True Food Kitchen.
This year’s roster of celebrity chefs doesn’t have quite the star power of last year’s lineup headed by the legendary Jacques Pepin, but will include Michael Mina, Douglas Rodriguez and “Top Chef” TV show winner Stephanie Izard.
Rodriguez and Izard, who also appeared last year, will be among four chefs giving free cooking demos (vs. five last year) during the Grand Tasting. There also will be a pair of wine seminars (down from four).
Arizona Grand Tasting
When: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Bridge at the Scottsdale Waterfront, 7135 E. Camelback Road
How much: $75
Info: (888) 946-3277 or cravearizona.com
Other Crave Arizona events leading up to the Grand Tasting:
• Top Bar Chef Competition & Kickoff Party: Bartenders compete for the title of National Top Bar Chef at The Bridge at the Scottsdale Waterfront. The club-like atmosphere will include the spins of DJ Peabody and dessert bites from local chefs. Admission to the party, which starts at 9 p.m. Thursday, is $25 (includes two cocktails).
 • “Taste of Art” ArtWalk: Old Town Scottsdale’s weekly ArtWalk will feature food samples prepared by students at the Arizona Culinary Institute and wines from Washington state. The ArtWalk, which begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, is free.
• “Taste of Art” Gallery Dinner: The Marshall-LeKAE Gallery will host a five-course dinner with award-winning winemaker Fritz Maytag and Deseo chef Rodriguez at 8 p.m. Thursday. Cost is $150 per person.
• Wine Luncheons: Three-course meals with wine pairings will be offered at noon Friday at Atlas Bistro (Miner Family Vineyards), Bourbon Steak (Palmina Winery) and Café Forte (TBD). Luncheons are $50 apiece.
• Library Wine Tastings: Taste and purchase rare wines during hosted tastings Friday at Olive & Ivy (Marc De Grazia Vineyard, 3 p.m.), Calvin Charles Gallery (Juston Vineyard, 4 p.m.) and The Estate House (York Creek Vineyards, 4 p.m.). Tastings are $50 apiece.
• BBQ and Bubbles: This event, which starts at 7 p.m. Friday, includes grilled foods from national and Valley chefs, beer and wine, live music and silent auctions at The Bridge at the Scottsdale Waterfront. Admission is $100.
Posted in: Scottsdale • Crave Arizona • Culinary Festivals | Post a Comment »
October 19th, 2009, 9:23 pm by Jess Harter
Week-old cooked food, food not protected from contamination and poor handwashing procedures were among the eight major violations at Amando’s, the worst offender in this week’s Maricopa County restaurant inspections.
The Tempe restaurant, 2602 W. Southern Ave., was cited for having week-old diced potatoes in the walk-in cooler. The inspector also noted cooked shrimp, salsa and other foods were stored uncovered, and buckets of horchata dry mix were stored on the floor.
Other East Valley restaurants that had unfavorable inspections included 5 & Diner at Arizona Mills in Tempe, Bella Vino in Chandler (which closed this weekend) and the restaurant at the Safeway at Val Vista Drive and Southern Avenue in Mesa. Each had six major violations.
Cibo, the acclaimed wine café and pizzeria in downtown Phoenix, had five major violations.
For more details on these restaurants’ inspections, or to check any other restaurant, go to maricopa.gov and click on “Restaurant Ratings.”
Posted in: Chandler • Mesa • Phoenix • Tempe • 5 & Diner • Amando's • Bella Vino • Cibo • Safeway | Post a Comment »
October 19th, 2009, 2:32 pm by Jess Harter
My Monday morning ritual of the past few months has included figuring out which East Valley restaurants closed over the previous weekend. Maybe this is a sign the economy is turning around: Today, there are a couple weekend closures of note, but both restaurants — Bella Vino in Chandler and Digestif in Scottsdale — are promising to reopen by the end of the year.
 Workers were removing fixtures and equipment Monday from Bella Vino, the upscale Italian restaurant on the southeast corner of Alma School and Chandler Heights roads. But a sign on the door indicated Bella Vino (pictured) plans to reopen in November at Gilbert Road and the Santan Freeway. No word on whether it would offer an Italian menu (its original concept), a Mexican menu (which it recently added) or keep both.
(If memory serves, there are a couple of Italian options, Olive Garden and Streets of New York, already at Gilbert and the Loop 202, but I can’t think of a Mexican restaurant there. Plus, owner-chef Anthony Serrano’s family operates several Mexican eateries in western Arizona.)
Meanwhile, Digestif continues to experience a whirlwind of change since opening last year. The Cal-Ital restaurant left its indie-cool, beatnik-basement digs in July and moved across Stetson Drive to a much smaller, stripped-down space vacated by one of owner Peter Kasperski’s other eateries, Sea Saw. Then, chef Payton Curry announced earlier this month he was leaving to take over the kitchen at Tempe’s Caffe Boa.
Marianne Markogianis, marketing guru for Kasperski’s restaurant group (which also includes Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz World Wine Bar), says Kasperski hopes to reopen Digestif by December. Although the restaurant will get a new name, a new look and a new chef, Markogianis says it likely will retain its recently converted gastropub menu, albeit shortened, of globally inspired dishes.
Posted in: Chandler • Scottsdale • Bella Vino • Digestif | 1 Comment »
October 14th, 2009, 8:52 am by Jess Harter
Sometimes I crave an Italian restaurant fine-dining experience: the white tablecloths, immaculate service, a nice wine list and a menu of expertly prepared entrees.
Sometimes I want a simpler, less expensive Italian meal: Maybe just a bowl of perfectly cooked pasta — penne, ravioli or whatever — with a tasty red or white sauce.
Sometimes I want dirt-cheap Italian: a pizza for two and a couple of beers for $10 or less.
Fortunately, I’ve discovered I can get all three of these at La Stalla Cucina Rustica in downtown Chandler.
Located across the street from the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, La Stalla exudes an earnest charm.
 Sure, the space in filled with plastic orange trees strung with white holiday lights, a faux-stone fountain plugged into a electrical outlet and stacked-stone walls with inset shelves reminiscent of the ‘70s-era “Brady Bunch” living room.
But there’s really no kitsch factor here — just an honest attempt by owner and New Jersey transplant Paolo Vetrati to make his dining room, filled with rustic wood tables and chairs, look as inviting as possible.
Appetizers, such as fried calamari ($6 at lunch, $10 at dinner) and Caprese salad ($7/$10), aren’t particularly noteworthy, but if the Prosciutto di Parma and creamy burrata is available, it’s a must-have. Apply both meat and cheese liberally to a slice of ciabatta, courtesy of Simply Bread, for a memorable taste experience.
Sweet potato ravioli with a gorgonzola cream sauce ($9/$16) are both delicate and decadent at the same time. It’s my favorite pasta dish at La Stalla, although the asiago-stuffed gnocchi (bite-sized dumplings) in a sweet tomato and basil sauce are a close second.
Some pastas, such as a cavatelli with sweet Italian sausage and tender broccoli ($9/$15), are plated. Others, such as cheese-stuffed manicotti in a tomato sauce ($8, lunch only), are delivered in earthenware still radiating the heat of La Stalla’s brick oven.
 Non-pasta entrées range from chicken Marsala ($10/$17) to prosciutto-wrapped veal ($21) to grilled pork chops ($23).
Twelve-inch pizzas also cater to all tastes. The simple Margherita, for example, is available two ways: one made with an even layer of store-bought mozzarella ($8/$10); the other a more “artisan” version with splotches of freshly pulled mozzarella ($9/$11).
For more variety, try the Quattro Stagioni, divided into quarters of artichoke, sausage, prosciutto and mushroom ($10/$12). All pizzas have a thin, cracker-like crust.
One of the best-kept secrets in town has to be La Stalla’s happy hour, which runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Not only are all appetizers just $5, but all pizzas are half-price.
That means you can get, say, a pepperoni pizza for $5.50. Add a couple $2 draft beers — eight handles include local craft ales like Four Peaks’ Kiltlifter and San Tan’s Sunspot, as well as Italian standards like Peroni and Moretti — and two people can enjoy a light supper for less than $10.
At that price, it truly is a happy hour (or two) at La Stalla.
La Stalla Cucina Rustica
Where: 68 W. Buffalo St., Chandler (south of Chandler Boulevard and west of Arizona Avenue)
Open: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays except Tuesday, noon to 10 p.m. weekends.
Prices: Appetizers $5-$12, salads $5-$7, pastas $15-$17, pizzas $10-$14, entrees $17-$23, desserts $6-$10
Info: (480) 855-9990 or lastallacr.com
Posted in: Chandler • La Stalla | 5 Comments »
October 12th, 2009, 9:26 am by Jess Harter
Pat and Dustin Christofolo from The Farm at South Mountain will launch the schedule of fall cooking classes Monday at downtown Tempe’s historical Hackett House.
The red-brick building, built in 1898, was Tempe’s first bakery. After stints as a private home and boarding school, the house was bought by Tempe in 1974.
 Restored to its 1912 appearance, Hayden Square structure now sells fresh-baked pastries, hosts weddings and private parties, houses a museum and gift shop and, since 1985, offers cooking classes.
Fall classes will be held Mondays on the Hackett House’s patio, which can seat up to 25 people (as opposed to the kitchen, which seated 10 to 12 for classes in past years).
Classes wlll run 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and cost $45, which includes lots of food sampling. The Nov. 9 class will include a full dinner and cost $65.
This fall’s schedule:
• Monday: Pat Christofolo, owner of Santa Barbara Catering and food operations at The Farm at South Mountain, and her son, Dustin, chef at The Farm Kitchen, present a pasta dinner.
• Oct. 19: Arizona Culinary Institute graduates Teresa Hawgood and Lynn Norton prepare “The Ultimate Chicken Dinner.”
• Oct. 26: Louis Basille, CEO and president of the Wildflower Bread Company, shares ideas for an Italian holiday dinner.
• Nov. 9: Chef Jacky Lelu and general manager Danka Schulz from Les Agaves in one of Tempe’s sister cities, Beaulieu-sur-Mer in southern France, showcase selections from the restaurant.
• Nov. 16: Kathy Andrews, a former engineer with the U.S. Secret Service and Boeing, recreates dishes from famous restaurants.
• Dec. 7: Michael O’Dowd (pictured above), executive chef from Kai at the Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, creates a series of dishes.
Pre-paid reservations are required for classes and can be made by calling (480) 350-8181.
Hackett House, 95 W. Fourth St., Tempe, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Info: hacketthouse.org.
Posted in: Tempe • Hackett House | Post a Comment »
October 12th, 2009, 8:57 am by Jess Harter
The good news: Digestif chef Payton Curry and manager Shantal Abdo got married Sunday. The bad news: The couple is leaving the Old Town Scottsdale restaurant.
Marianne Markogianis, marketing maven for Spaghetti Western Productions (which also includes Cowboy Ciao and Kazimierz World Wine Bar), reports the Currys will work at Digestif through the Crave Arizona culinary festival Oct. 22-24.
The Arizona Republic is reporting Curry is heading to Tempe’s Caffe Boa, which is expanding by adding a Mesa location as reported first on this blog last month.
Digestif was launched in February 2008 with a California-Italian menu. It moved across Stetson Drive into much smaller digs and converted to a farm-to-table gastropub menu this summer.
Curry is the latest high-profile chef to exit from Peter Kasperski’s Spaghetti Western Productions. This year’s departures also have included Bernie Kantak (Cowboy Ciao), Nobuo Fukuda (recently closed Sea Saw) and dessert chef Tracy Dempsey.
Posted in: Scottsdale • Digestif | Post a Comment »
October 9th, 2009, 7:29 am by Jess Harter
Thanks to the wonder that is modern air freight, we desert dwellers can enjoy something previous generations of Arizonans never imagined: fresh seafood from every corner of the world. Since October is National Seafood Month, here are five restaurants that offer some of the best seafood dishes in the Southeast Valley:
Latitude Eight Thai Grill: This downtown Chandler eatery makes a wonderful seafood green curry with King crab, mussels, fish, shrimp, scallops and squid ($18), but my favorite seafood entrée is the simply grilled halibut in a sweet-sour-spicy reduction. The halibut, a fish that literally can melt in your mouth when fresh, comes with grilled asparagus and jasmine rice ($19, pictured above). 11 W. Boston St., Chandler, (480) 722-0560.
Cork: It’s hard to find good oysters in the Southeast Valley, but this Chandler restaurant serves seasonal varieties — usually the lusted-after Kumamoto — raw on the half shell (five for $12) with a horseradish puree, a spicy cocktail sauce and three different salts. Tip: Get the oysters for half-price during happy hour 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. 4991 S. Alma School Road, Chandler, (480) 883-3773.
 Kai: Are scallops the culinary world’s most tired appetizer? Not at the Wild Horse Pass Resort’s signature restaurant — arguably the state’s finest — where Baja-born bivalves ($22, pictured at right) are seared and perched on a pillow of sea urchin, separated by wilted Swiss chard and accompanied by a piquillo pepper and smoked pepper fondue and porcini mushrooms. 5594 W. Wild Horse Pass Blvd., Chandler, (602) 385-5726.
Liberty Market: Did you know this popular Gilbert eatery recently added mussels to its dinner menu? They’re only available on Fridays and Saturdays, when they’re served by the bowl ($10) in a “chef’s broth of the day.” The mussels come with a side of grilled Sicilian bread to soak up all the sauce. For a classic pairing, wash ‘em down with a pint of Guinness stout. 230 N. Gilbert Road, Gilbert, (480) 892-1900.
Talk of the Town Asian Diner: This fast-casual eatery, simply referred to by the acronym “Tott’s” by its regulars, specializes in inexpensive stir-fry dishes, the richest-tasting of which is the walnut shrimp ($9.50), Lightly breaded shrimp and whole walnuts are smothered in a thick, creamy white sauce and served on a bed of crispy rice noodles. 1817 E. Guadalupe Road, Tempe, (480) 897-7928.
Posted in: Chandler • Gilbert • Tempe • 5 to Try • Cork • Kai • Latitude Eight • Liberty Market • Tott's | Post a Comment »
October 7th, 2009, 10:53 am by Jess Harter
Ten restaurants from SanTan Village will provide food samples for the second annual Taste of SanTan festival, which takes place 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at the Gilbert shopping center.
Participating restaurants include Blue Wasabi, Brio Tuscan Grille, Cantina Laredo, Gordon Biersch, The Keg, Kona Grill and Grimaldi’s.
The $35 admission, which benefits Save the Family, also covers three drink tokens, unlimited non-alcoholic drinks, live entertainment, raffle prizes and gift bags.
Reservations are required and can be made at savethefamily.org.
Posted in: Gilbert • Culinary Festivals | Post a Comment »
October 7th, 2009, 8:58 am by Jess Harter
The culinary bar tends to be set pretty low for sports-themed restaurants and bars, but that’s been slowly changing over the years.
Back in the 1980s, Harry & Steve’s in Mesa helped pioneer the idea southeast Valley sports bars actually could serve good-tasting burgers, sandwiches and even full-blown entrees.
But while there have been others that have followed suit — most recently, Blue 32 in Gilbert — too many sports bars still field rosters of sub-par menu items.
That’s why I had high hopes when Tailgaters Grill opened earlier this year on the northeast corner of Higley and Queen Creek roads. Southeast Gilbert residents could use a good sports bar — actually, a good restaurant of any kind.
Sadly, they won’t find one in Tailgaters.
 The building’s warehouse-like interior is pleasant enough — two walls of concrete block and two of windows, including a roll-up that opens the U-shaped bar to the side patio. There are plenty of requisite flat-panel TVs for watching games.
So red flags go up when friends and I walk in on a busy college football Saturday afternoon, expecting a crowd, and find fewer than 10 patrons, all sitting at the bar.
A order of buffalo wings (six for $6, pictured above) quickly sheds light on the problem. At a buck apiece, I’m expecting much better than the mummified specimens — dry and shriveled-up — that arrive.
A plate of strangely coarse hummus ($6.75, pictured at bottom) is equally disappointing. A red version is roasted red pepper; a green is jalapeno and cilantro. I point this out because they taste about the same — bland.
 How do you screw up something as bulletproof as pizza? Here’s how: Burn some chorizo — make sure it’s jet black — then crumble it on a frozen sausage-and-pepperoni pizza from the grocery store, and the result will be almost identical to the Meat Lovers ($10, pictured at right) I tried.
During four visits to Tailgaters (no relation to the West Valley sports bar of the same name, I should point out), I try in vain to find something worthy to recommend.
It’s not going to be the tasteless cheese steak (a whopping $11) with cheese like hardened glue, the dried-out, chewy Rueben ($8.25) or the Italian sausage ($8) so small it’s swallowed up by a hot dog bun.
The cheeseburger ($8.75) and barbecue pork sandwich ($8) are average at best, but at least neither offends. Maybe they’re your best bet.
 Tailgaters has only been open for a few months, so I hope it eventually can get its culinary act together.
For now, though, its biggest attraction seems to the perky female bartender who frequently jumps up on a beer cooler to bend over and clear glasses off the bar, practically giving male patrons whiplash as their heads swivel.
It probably explains why the few customers I’ve seen at Tailgaters are sitting at the bar.
Tailgaters Grill
Where: 4604 S. Higley Road, Gilbert (northeast corner of Higley and Queen Creek roads)
Open: 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, 7 a.m. to midnight Sunday.
Prices: Appetizers $5-$8, burgers/sandwiches $7.50-$11, entrees $11.25-$20.
Info: (480) 457-8949 or tggrill.com.
Posted in: Gilbert • Tailgaters Grill | 52 Comments »
October 6th, 2009, 12:54 pm by Jess Harter
Talk about irony: Fitness Café, which caters to a health-conscious crowd in north Scottsdale, tops this week’s list of worst restaurant inspections in the East Valley.
The café, 13610 N. Scottsdale Road, was cited for seven major violations, ranging from “soiled wiping cloths stored on cutting boards” to poor (or non-existent) hand-washing by managers and staff.
Several other restaurants were tagged with five major violations this week, including Prima Pizza and Floridino’s in Gilbert, Rancho Grande Market in Mesa, Crackers Café in Tempe and Macayo’s and Cheuvront Wine & Cheese Bar in Phoenix.
You can find more details or look up other restaurants here.
Posted in: Scottsdale • Dirty Dining • Fitness Cafe | 1 Comment »
October 6th, 2009, 12:50 pm by Jess Harter
Smashburger, a Denver-based burger chain, opens its first Arizona location Wednesday on College Avenue north of University Drive next to Arizona State University.
The restaurant’s third- and half-pound burgers, made with fresh Angus beef, are smashed on the grill to sear and seal in flavor.
Beside Smashburger’s four standard burgers, the Tempe location features a special Arizona burger made with habanero cheese, jalapeños and chipotle mayo.
The menu also includes chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and salads.
Posted in: Tempe • Smashburger | Post a Comment »
October 5th, 2009, 1:54 pm by Jess Harter
The first-ever Taste Chandler culinary festival took place Saturday night in downtown’s A.J. Chandler Park. Nearly 1,000 people sampled food and drink from 38 restaurants.
Acclaimed fine-dining restaurant Cork was probably the most-sought-out restaurant of the festival. Its offering included grilled goat (pictured), duck breast and confit, mac and cheese with barbecued pork belly, beef tartare and carrot cake with a spiced cream mousse.
Jaime Hoffman and Brian Graffice dealt with the longest lines of the evening as people waited patiently for samples of SanTan Brewing Company’s ales. The brew pub’s raspberry-stuffed mushrooms also were a hit.
Urban Tea Loft owner Glynis Legrand’s husband Eric, left, and chef Nick Oltarsh were handing out three kinds of scones, as well as …
… a deliciously thick sweet potato soup.
People were scooping up Latitude Eight’s spicy Thai lettuce wraps as fast as owner David Fliger could make them. He also was serving Thai iced tea.
I loved the early-evening musical set by Sarah Vanell. If you get a chance to hear her sing, do it.
D’Vine chef Ramon Rice brought the heat with his barbecued pork belly with habanero vinaigrette.
Chandler residents Shannon and Tony Dufresne, owners of artisan ice cream wholesaler Crave, cooled things off with salted caramel ice cream with toasted almonds.
As darkness fell, temperatures dropped into the upper 70s, perfect weather to enjoy the wines in the outdoors.
Marketing guru Sara Putnam led the Whole Foods delegation, which …
… was barbecuing sliders on a large grill.
Serrano’s, the longest-operating restaurant in Chandler, gave away miniature beef chimichangas and chicken flautas.
Besides three different kinds of grilled bratwurst, Von Hanson’s Meats was handing out cold samples of three sausages.
Becky Smeraldo was slicing loaves from Simply Bread, which recently moved into the city by buying out a pair of Chandler bakeries.
A couple of festival attendees pose for the camera.
Juice, a new casual wine bar coming to Downtown Ocotillo in December, made its Chandler debut with …
… plates of bruschetta. The owners said Juice will be similar in concept to popular Postino and the Roosevelt in Phoenix.
Murphy’s Law owner Roger Baldwin was showing his Irish spirit.
What’s a culinary fest without an ice scuplture? This one was courtesy of 42Below Vodka.
A festivalgoer takes a break on one of the park’s grassy areas.
Silent auctions were held for a variety of prizes, such as this gift basket from businesses in downtown Chandler.
VIP guests leave the courtyard of the Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort, where Kokopelli Winery was pouring wine and chefs from Bernard’s at Ocotillo were conducting cooking demos.
Posted in: Chandler • Taste Chandler | Post a Comment »
October 2nd, 2009, 11:41 am by Jess Harter
 North Scottsdale’s Mosaic, one of the Valley’s most acclaimed restaurants for the past eight years, has closed.
In a statement posted Thursday on the restaurant’s website, chef/owner Deborah Knight (pictured at right) says she and husband/GM Matt Rinn “are closing Mosaic because we have decided it is the right time for us to move on and look to new horizons.”
Mosaic featured an ever-changing menu of inventive American dishes with global influences — ranging from African to Vietnamese to American Indian — that emphasized seasonal and organic ingredients.
The restaurant, which opened in July 2001, created an immediate splash. Knight was named “Best New Chef” in 2002 by Food & Wine magazine.
Posted in: Scottsdale • Mosaic | 1 Comment »
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