Four Peaks Brewing Company: The best-known and most-honored Valley microbrewery for the past 13 years makes eight mainstays, led by its popular Kiltlifter Scottish-style ale and British pub-inspired 8th Street Ale. It also has concocted more than two dozen various seasonal ales, such as its current Pumpkin Porter. 1340 E. Eighth St., Tempe, (480) 303-9967.

SanTan Brewing Company: This downtown Chandler brew pub (pictured at right), launched in 2007 by the longtime brewmaster from Four Peaks, showcases an every-day roster of six ales, plus a seasonal selection or two (currently, Strawberry Wit and SanTamber). Look for its most popular seasonal, Winter Warmer, to return later this month. 8 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, (480) 917-8700.

BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery: This California-based chain operates 87 locations nationwide, including ones in Chandler and Mesa. The beer list includes seven standards, plus a seasonal selection (currently, Pumpkin Ale) that changes every two months. 3155 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler, (480) 917-0631; 6622 E. Superstition Springs Blvd. Mesa, (480) 324-1675.

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery: This Colorado-based chain, which also owns Old Chicago restaurants, has 40 brew pubs, including one in Ahwatukee. The beer list features five standard ales and lagers, plus a monthly seasonal (the next, London Smoked Porter, will be tapped Thursday). 14205 S. 50th St., Phoenix, (480) 598-1300.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant: The Gordon Biersch Bottling Company actually sold off its restaurant group - which now numbers 46 locations, including Gilbert and Tempe - to Tennessee-based Big River Breweries a decade ago. The beer list offers five standard selections, plus a seaonal (currently, an Oktoberfest). 2218 E. Williams Field Road, Gilbert, (480) 722-0883; 420 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, (480) 736-0033.

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Wednesday was annual Free Cheeseburger Day at Joe’s Farm Grill. After handing out 3,100 free meals (cheeseburger, fries and beverage) last November, the Gilbert restaurant hoped to serve 4,000 diners this year.

But according to owner Joe Johnston, who spent the day chatting with those in a line (pictured above) that at times was 90 minutes long, the final total reached a whopping 5,575.

Tribune photographer Ralph Freso checked out the action (click any photo below to enlarge):

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Spaghetti and meatballs? Sure. Rice and meatballs? Hmmm.

The latter is one of the more eyebrow-raising options offered at Bõl Italia, a month-old Italian fast-casual restaurant on the southwest corner of Alma School and Queen Creek roads in Chandler.

Bõl Italia is the brainchild of chef-owner Philip Occhipinti, who’s combining what he learned as a general manager at Chipotle with his passion for Italian food.

The result is a streamlined menu of eight pasta bowls, four rice bowls and four salad bowls. All are priced between $8 and $12, which includes tax.

Occhipinti, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, makes two pastas in-house: thick, long strands of fettucine, and even thicker, even longer ribbons of pappardelle.

Non-handmade pasta options include penne, rigatoni and spaghetti.

“Toppings” range from Bõl Italia’s signature cheese-stuffed meatballs in marinara sauce, sautéed shrimp in a red pepper cream sauce, a red bell pepper pesto primavera and chicken alfredo, to name just four.

The menu lists set combinations like spaghetti and meatballs, but the order-taker at the counter told us we could any of the bowls with whichever pasta we wanted.

The rice bowls are built atop what Bõl Italia calls its “Italian rice,” which is pretty much just long-grain white rice, as far as I can tell.

The rice seems to work well with, say, chicken and broccoli, the heavily herbed poultry sautéed in a white wine and lemon butter sauce. It’s a little strange when combined with the meatballs and marinara.

Salad bowl choices are house, classic Caesar, Mediterranean and spicy crusted chicken. For an extra $2 you can add four slices of garlic bread that look a little like square English muffins.

I visited Bõl Italia three times in its first three weeks — far too early on for a detailed critique. I can say the portions are quite large; I’d estimate about five cups of pasta per bowl.

If I could change one thing it’s that Bõl Italia wouldn’t be so stingy with the sauce. The heavy ribbons of pappardelle, three-quarters of an inch wide and more than a foot long, especially overwhelm the meager amount.

On one occasion, our meal took more than 20 minutes to arrive — the lone hustling server explained the kitchen was short-staffed that day — but on the others our food arrived in less than 10 minutes, making Bõl Italia a viable option for a quick lunch or dinner.

It’ll be interesting to see what Chandler residents think of Occhipinti’s idea.

The Valley, especially the southeast Valley, has become a mecca for family-friendly fast-casual concepts. But while we have our share of such places featuring Mexican- or Asian-inspired dishes — and even some noodles-based ones — true Italian choices have been rare.

Especially those serving meatballs and marinara over rice.

Bõl Italia
Where: 1065 W. Queen Creek Road (southwest corner of Alma School and Queen Creek roads)
Open: Lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday
Entrees: $8-$12
Info: (480) 821-1401

First Taste reviews are based on initial visits to new East Valley restaurants. Full reviews only are written after a restaurant has been open at least a couple of months.

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Last year, 3,100 people enjoyed a free meal — a cheeseburger, fries and beverage — and the Gilbert restaurant hopes to serve 4,000 this year.

The offer will be available 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (or until the burgers run out). No breakfast will be served Wednesday.

No purchase is necessary. There’s a limit of one meal per person, and recipients must go through the line to get their meal.

Call-in orders will not be accepted, and no other menu items will be available Wednesday.

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Payton Curry sits on the shady front patio at Caffe Boa and scans the scribble-riddled rough draft of his new Italian menu (see menu pdf) the Tempe restaurant will launch today.

The curly-haired chef (pictured above on left) is looking for a dish to emphasize his philosophy of what he calls “reinventing the classics.” He finally points to fettucine alfredo.

It’s not your typical fettucine alfredo. Curry’s version is made with pecorino fonduta, free-range chicken and broccoli rabe from the Valley’s Seacat Gardens.

“Is it fettucine alfredo? Hell yeah, it is,” he says. “Is it different than anyone else’s fettucine alfredo? Hell yeah, it is.”

Across the table, owner Jay Wisniewski smiles. It’s just the combination of creativity, enthusiasm and confidence he’s been looking for to take his well-regarded restaurant to the next level.

It’s something he’d thought about often as he and his wife dined at some of the top restaurants in the United States and Europe.

“I’d think, ‘This is what I want. This is why I’m in the business,” says Wisniewski (pictured above on right). “So you know what it should look like, and you think, ‘Do I have the tools to get there?’”

When he heard Curry had given his notice earlier this month at Digestif in Old Town Scottsdale, Wisniewski found the missing tool he was looking for.

Just 30 years old, Curry already has been tagged by some with the expectation of winning a future James Beard Best Chef award, the culinary world’s highest honor.

That’s probably to be expected of someone whose whirlwind culinary career took him from the rugby fields of Winona (Minn.) State University to the position of sous chef at famed Quince restaurant in San Francisco in less than a decade.

It was at Quince in 2007 that Scottsdale restaurateur Peter Kasperski (Cowboy Ciao, Sea Saw, Kazimierz) offered him the job of executive chef at Digestif, a hip California-Italian eatery he was planning in Old Town.

Making a splash in Scottsdale

Digestif opened in February 2008, and Curry quickly lived up to his reputation with handmade pastas, hand-pulled mozzarella and use of farm-fresh ingredients, many of which he purchased at the Old Town Farmers Market, where he’d become a fixture.

By July of this year, however, the economic recession was hammering Scottsdale’s fine-dining scene, and Digestif was forced to move across the street into the much-smaller space of Sea Saw, which had closed.

“We sat with Peter one day with all the staff,” Curry remembers. “He said, ‘Digestif will be closed, effective this Saturday.’ And I lost it. I moved here to open this restaurant. I got to order all the equipment. I got to design the kitchen.”

Digestif’s stripped-down new digs accommodated only 35 diners. Still, that was too many for the greatly reduced staff of Curry, his sous chef Matt Smith and manager/hostess/server Shantal Abdo, Curry’s longtime girlfriend.

“Digestif just wasn’t the job I wanted to do,” says Abdo (pictured at left), whose own impressive resume includes a stint at San Francisco’s acclaimed Boulevard. “I was just doing way too many things and the service was seriously lacking.

“Yeah, it’s fun to have a schizophrenic menu where we change it every day and everything is crazy. But when the entire operation is schizophrenic, every single day we were in the weeds.”

In September, Abdo announced she would leave Digestif the week after the couple’s Oct. 11 wedding. In early October, Curry decided her last day also would be his last. (Kasperski subsequently decided to close Digestif and reopen in December with a new concept.)

‘Feels good to be ‘home’ now’

It didn’t take long for offers to begin pouring in for both Curry and Abdo, including one for what he characterized as “a lot of money” to open a restaurant and retail space in downtown Phoenix.

Many of his Valley followers were afraid the rising chef and his bride-to-be were headed back to the Bay Area, where Quince was planning a major expansion and contacted him.

But Curry, determined and defiant, had other thoughts.

“I’ve never one who’s given up on myself or my passion for this business,” he says. “Why would I give up now? Why would I just give up on Arizona and move back to San Francisco where it’s easy, where everyone knows bone marrow and charcuterie?”

So when Wisniewski offered him the challenge of taking Caffe Boa to a higher level, Curry saw it as a perfect fit for him.

“It feels good to be ‘home’ now,” he says. “I’m gonna run this place like I always wanted to run Digestif for Peter — doing 400 covers on a Friday but tasting every one of those dishes before it goes up.”

Change is nothing new for Caffe Boa, which Wisniewski opened in 1994 in a tiny space on the east side of Mill Avenue, serving inexpensive sandwiches and pasta dishes to ASU students and downtown workers.

In 2005, the closing of Mill Landing restaurant a couple blocks north on the other side of Mill allowed Caffe Boa to move and expand into the building it occupies today.

Ever striving to improve the restaurant, Wisniewski made a bold decision just over two years ago to change the menu to emphasize locally grown, organic and all-natural ingredients that were pricier.

“We lost a lot of our clients,” he admits. “We alienated all of the students who looked at portion size. We were dead that whole year. Sales were down and I was like, ‘Wow, was this the right move?’

“But I said, ‘Yeah, it is. This tastes better than ever.’ Finally, after six month, eight months, we started gaining a whole new crowd that were serious regulars. But I knew it wasn’t all the way there.”

So Wisnieski, recognized as one of the Valley’s foremost wine experts, decided to hand over Caffe Boa’s kitchen to Curry. He then convinced the chef’s new bride to manage the restaurant.

“She’s got the tools more than we’ve ever had in the front of the house,” Wisniewski says. “And he’s got the tools more than I could ever get in the back of the house.”

Some changes now, more to come

In just two weeks, the Currys have revamped the menu — the chef says he’s changed 85 percent of it — streamlined procedures and retrained the staff, which now includes Curry’s Digestif sous Smith.

Despite the upgrade, Curry says Caffe Boa’s prices will remain in the same range — maybe even drop a little — thanks to a number of changes that have increased food quality and at the same time reduced costs.

“We’re now roasting whole birds,” he says, as an example. “We’re using the bones to make the stock that we’re using to pick up the pasta. We’re using the skin, getting it crispy, and sprinkling that over for garnish.”

More big changes are coming. A dining room wall will be opened and an eight-seat chef’s counter will be installed to give diners a front-row seat to the action in a new stainless-steel-sheathed kitchen.

And, in December, Wisniewski is opening a second Caffe Boa at Power and McDowell roads in east Mesa that will have an entirely different menu developed by Curry. (An earlier spinoff in Ahwatukee no longer is associated with the Tempe restaurant.)

Wizniewski and Curry also are talking about getting involved in downtown Tempe’s new farmers market, developing a tasting menu for the restaurant and offering classes, as well as other ideas.

The first task, though, is going to be introducing regular customers to the new chef and his philosophies.

“The biggest challenge for me is going to be getting people to trust me,” Curry says. “Being in a new area, getting them to accept a menu change — but also getting them to embrace why we’re making these changes.”

The reason is evident to Wisniewski.

“I go to New York all the time, and San Francisco,” he says. “I’m in Europe every summer. I know Arizona can get to that level. We’re not quite there, but I think we’re close.

“I think we can make this the place to go to when you visit Arizona.”

Caffe Boa, 398 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, is open for lunch and dinner daily and brunch Saturday and Sunday. (480) 968-9112 or cafeboa.com.

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Free Cheeseburger Day: Joe’s Farm Grill celebrates its anniversary every year by handing out free meals — a one-third-pound cheeseburger, fries and beverage — for lunch and dinner. Last year (pictured at left), 3,100 people showed up to take advantage of the Gilbert restaurant’s offer. Nov. 4 at Joe’s Farm Grill in Gilbert. Free. joesfarmgrill.com.

James Beard Foundation Celebrity Chef Tour: Celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Phoenician executive chef Paul Carter will prepare a multi-course meal with wine pairings from master sommelier Greg Tresner to benefit the non-profit Beard Foundation, which promotes the culinary arts. Nov. 5 at J&G Steakhouse. $150 per person. celebritycheftour.com.

Scottsdale Festival of Greece: Gyros, mousaka, souvlaki, spanakopita and baklava are just a few of the Greek food items that will be served up during this annual three-day fest, which also will include a cooking class, films, live music, dancing and children’s activites. Nov. 6-8 at Scottsdale Civic Center. Free admission. azgreekfest.com.

SanTan Apple Fest: This annual fest organized by the Apple Dumpling Café features all things apple — from an apple flapjack breakfast to an apple baking contest to an apple-peeling contest. The day’s numerous activities also will include shopping, art and classic cars. Nov. 7 at Higley High School. Free. appledumplingcafe.com.

SerbFest: Plenty of authentic Serbian cuisine — including ala carte meals, pastries, imported groceries and Serbian beer and liquor — will be available at this annual two-day celebration. Other highlights will be folk music and dancing, a shopping bazaar and children’s activities. Nov. 7-8 at St. Sava Church in Phoenix. $2. saintsavachurch.com/serbfest.

The Big Pour: This beer-tasting festival sponsored by Draft magazine debuted last November at Mesa’s Hohokam Stadium (pictured at right), but will move to Old Town Scottsdale’s SouthBridge and expand from one day to three. Everclear will head the musical lineup and perform the final night. Nov. 12-14 at Scottsdale’s SouthBridge. $10-$75. draftmag.com.

Corks & Cactus: This annual 21-and-over event will allow people to sample more than 80 boutique wines from around the world along with hors d’oeuvres and desserts. There also will be live music and talks by winery reps. Reservations are required. Nov. 13 at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. $80 per person. dbg.org.

Chiles & Chocolate Festival: Vendors will be handing out free samples of spicy salsas and gourmet chocolates, which will be available for purchase. Cooking demonstrations and Spanish flamenco dancing lessons also will take place. Nov. 14-15 at Desert Botanical Garden. Free with garden admission. dbg.org.

Holiday Enchantment: This annual black-tie-optional event features a “Taste of Chandler,” which will include Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Firebirds Rocky Mountain Grill, Grimadli’s Pizza and Kokopelli Winery & Bistro, among others. Nov. 20 at Crowne Plaza San Marcos Resort in Chandler. $45. (480) 963-4571.

Arizona Wine Growers Festival at the Farm: Most of the state’s top wine growers will come together for this inaugural event, which will feature wine tastings, interactive exhibits, seminars and live music. Awards will be presented at a $125-per-person dinner that evening at Quiessence. Nov. 22 at the Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix. $50 per person. azwinefestivalatthefarm.com.

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The six-course locavore meal (see menu) will feature a Black Mesa Ranch grass-fed pig and other locally sourced ingredients. Wine pairings will be provided by Matt Licklider, whose California winery was named the 2009 winery of the year by Wine & Spirits magazine.

Cost of the 6:30 p.m. dinner is $79 plus tax and tip. Reservations: (480) 968-9112.

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Nick Buchholz is living most workers’ dream: He and three other former Maloney’s on Campus staffers have joined forces to reopen the Tempe bar and restaurant.

“We’re running it the way we thought it should have been run,” says Buchholz, who worked there while attending Arizona State University several years ago.

Maloney’s, located just off the ASU campus on University Drive east of Rural Road, closed the day after St. Patrick’s Day. Buchholz and friends reopened it earlier this month with a new name, Devil’s Advocate.

Longtime Maloney’s patrons, many of whom took advantage of the bar’s popular 2-for-1 specials Thursday nights, will see lots of familiar faces. The four friends have hired at least eight other former Maloney’s staffers, Buchholz says.

“Our idea is you can come, eat and everyone knows you,” he says. “We’re hoping to get more of the 25-to-35-year-old crowd, people that are the age we are now. The students will always be here.”

The décor hasn’t changed much since the doors closed in March, but the new owners have added nearly three dozen flat-screen TVs to lend more of a sports-bar appeal.

And Buchholz, whose resume includes time at Cartwright’s restaurant in Cave Creek, has created a small but affordable menu of what he refers to as “gourmet bar food” to set Devil’s Advocate apart from other ASU-area hangouts.

There are six types of $2 sliders (American wagyu, prime rib, carnitas, chicken, hot dog and quesadilla), as well as three varieties of $2 tacos (steak, carnitas and steak, pictured above) on house-made tortillas.

Buffalo wings (50 cents apiece) come with a choice of eight sauces, including pineapple-habanero and locally produced Yashi Asian.

There’s only one full-sized burger — wagyu ($6) — and three sandwiches — grilled ribeye, Philly and pulled pork. Twelve-inch brick-oven pizzas start at $6.

“I think we are going to make a statement here in
Tempe,” Buchholz says.

“Even though 99 percent of the items are made in-house, we still are able to
offer screaming deals on the food.”

Devil’s Advocate, 955 E. University Drive, Tempe, is open for lunch and dinner daily. Info: (480) 921-2585 or devilstempe.com.

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Someone once tried to tell me pumpkins were almost worthless vegetables. “Other than carving them for Halloween and making pies out of them at Thanksgiving, what are they good for?” he argued. Most cooks, however, know pumpkin has a multitude of uses. Here are some of the best pumpkin-related food and drinks available at East Valley restaurants (most are seasonal, so enjoy them while you can):

Pumpkin stir-fry: Pumpkin has long been a staple of Thai cuisine, which uses it in a variety of dishes. At Papaya Thai (2706 E. University Drive, Mesa, [480] 964-3171; 1731 E. Broadway Road, Tempe, [480] 921-2678) slices of pumpkin are stir-fried with ground meat, vegetables and sweet basil ($8.95). Also on the restaurant’s everyday menu: tender pieces of pumpkin in a red curry paste ($8.95).

Pumpkin soup: Enjoy a bowl of pumpkin bisque at Havana Café, 4232 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, [480] 704-2600) until their pumpkin supply runs out, probably in February. Cups are $5.25 and bowls $6.50. The soup also is sold to go by quart and half-gallon. For an extra treat, the café recommends pairing the bisque with a tasting of its Lustau East India sherry.

Pumpkin beer: Microbreweries love concocting special seasonal flavors. Four Peaks (1340 E. Eighth St., Tempe, [480] 303-9967) just unveiled its annual Pumpkin Porter ($4.50 per pint, pictured at left), which should be available through November. BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse (3155 W. Chandler Blvd., [480] 917-0631) also should have its Pumpkin Ale on tap for another month.

Pumpkin bread: Breadsmith (2831 N. Power Road, Mesa, [480] 981-7600) sells 6-inch loaves of pumpkin and pumpkin-chocolate chip bread ($6.25), as well pumpkin scones ($1.50), through Thanksgiving. Simply Bread (2117 N. 24th St., Phoenix, [602] 244-1778) also sells both types of pumpkin breads ($5.99) through the end of the year.

Pumpkin cake: The seasonal Pumpkin Cake ($3.99, pictured at top) at Joe’s Farm Grill (3000 E. Ray Road, Gilbert, [480] 563-4745) features alternating layers of pumpkin spice cake and cream cheese filling, and it’s covered with a warm maple caramel sauce. Double your pumpkin pleasure by pairing it with one of the grill’s Pumpkin Milkshakes ($3.99).

Pumpkin bread pudding: The Pumpkin Bread Pudding ($6) at The Mission (3815 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale, [480] 636-5005) is one of best desserts you’ll find in the Valley. Pumpkin bread is soaked in custard, drenched with a butterscotch sauce (made with actual Scotch) and topped with cinnamon gelato, toasted pepitas (the inner part of pumpkin seeds) and pomegranate seeds.

Pumpkin ice cream: Udder Delights (1385 E. Warner Road, Gilbert, [480] 507-3859) currently is dishing up a couple seasonal flavors — pumpkin and pumpkin cheesecake. Scoops start at $3.50, and the ice creams also are available to go in pints ($5.99) and quarts ($7.99). You also can get either flavor in an ice cream pie ($14) or in various size ice cream cakes ($19.95-$38.95).

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The restaurant, 2252 E. Baseline Road, Mesa, was flagged for seven major violations, including this doozy: “Staff noted dropping bread, picking up bread from floor with bare hand (and) proceeding to assemble sandwiches.”

If they do this in front of a county inspector, it makes me wonder what happens when an inspector isn’t watching.

Other violations included not washing those sandwich-making bare hands, “heavy organic buildup” on soda fountain and a soiled lid on ice machine. Oh, yeah — and a live cockroach found in the food-prep area.

No better was Four Seasons Sushi, 1652 N. Higley Road, Gilbert, whose seven major violations included the staff making sushi rolls with bare hands and improperly stored raw fish dripping on salad ingredients. Oh, yeah — and a live cockroach found in the food-prep area.

Other top offenders this week are Abuelita’s Kitchen and Club Cabo in Mesa and China Garden in Gilbert (five violations each).

For more details on these restaurants’ inspections, or to check any other restaurant, go to maricopa.gov and click on “Restaurant Ratings.”

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