Month: March 2022

Birdcall opening its first Arizona location in Scottsdale next month

The Denver-based fast casual restaurant Birdcall will be opening its first all-natural chicken restaurant in Scottsdale in April. Once opened in the former Jason’s Deli near the northeast corner of Scottsdale & Shea it will be the first of 10 planned locations in Phoenix. The company was founded in 2016 and the Scottsdale location will be the company’s ninth location.

Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Peter Newlin said that the new Phoenix area locations align with the company’s growth strategy. “We’re trying to change the way that people look at fast food,” Newlin said. “We’ve incorporated cutting-edge technology to deliver delicious natural foods and beverages quickly, without sacrificing quality. Our customers appreciate the fact that they can either grab a meal to-go or dine in with family and friends in a casual, hip setting that conveniently works around their schedules and any time constraints.”

Once opened, Birdcall will serve lunch and dinner that will feature 100% all-natural chicken sandwiches, fresh salads, crispy tenders, gluten & dairy free chicken nuggets along with vegetarian options. Phoenix’s Noble Bakery will provide fresh buns and sauces will be made from scratch in-house using 100% all natural ingredients. Local beers from SanTan Brewing and Greenwood Brewing will be served as will organic teas & sodas and milkshakes.

A community minded Birdcall

Birdcall is very focused on the communities it enters and gives back at least 1% of sales to the community. “Community is the heart and soul of everything we do at Birdcall,” Newlin said. “We want to be measured by the impact we create, not the money we make, and that’s why our beneficiaries range from local street artists and musicians to schools and nonprofits.”

Inside will be spacious with a contemporary design and outside will be a mural inspired by Arizona and shaded tables on the dog-friendly patio. Technology will make ordering easy with kiosks for dine-in & take-out and a double lane drive-thru is available for those on the go. A second location at  SanTan Village is planned for Fall 2022 and a Phoenix location planned in early 2023. For more information and to view their menu visit their website.

Arizona Diamondbacks bring Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers to Chase Field

Baseball fans returning to Chase Field on April 7th for the Arizona Diamondbacks season opener will wonder what’s happening up in left field. They’ll notice construction of what will be a new location of Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers in the former Friday’s Front Row. A summer opening is expected and will also include a Bourbon & Bones Cocktail Lounge, both concepts of Scottsdale’s Square One Concepts.

“I am thrilled to work with the popular Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers concept to bring a new and incredible guest experience to Chase Field,” said D-backs President & CEO Derrick Hall. “The plans for this space are very exciting and promises to be a one-of-a-kind destination in the ballpark.”

Once opened Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers will be open 7 days a week giving guests a unique experience at the patio above the field. It will be the 13th location of Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers in the valley and the 2nd Bourbon & Bones Cocktail Lounge. Wall-to-wall TVs will line the 12,000 square foot restaurant and bar on multiple levels with the suspended patio encompassing 2,500 square feet.

“This is a special opportunity for us to raise the bar for both Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers and D-backs fans,” said Square One Concepts Founder and CEO S. Barrett Rinzler. “There is no other place in the valley where one can meet up with family or friends any day of the week to enjoy items from our scratch-made kitchen, as well as drinks, with a view of a major league ballpark.”

To celebrate the news Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers will surprise several guests at each of its 12 locations with tickets for the Arizona Diamondbacks opening day game from now until April 6th.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Brew 42 honors fallen Goodyear firefighter Austin Peck

Before Austin Peck passed away from occupational nasal cancer in the Fall of 2019 he was good friends of the team at Grand Canyon Brewing + Distilling. Shortly after in February 2020 the brewery created a beer in honor of the Goodyear Fire Department engineer and Brew 42 was born. Austin’s friends and family joined the brewery in creating the Irish Red Ale that captures his life, spirit and energy.

“Austin was a personal friend of mine and I really wanted to do something to help raise awareness about the occupational health issues that many firefighters experience during their years of service,” said Kevin Callaway, Brand Manager, Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery

Austin’s favorite number was 42 and the flavor profile is inspired by the long standing relationship between the fire department and Irish culture. A portion of the sales of the beer are donated to the Arizona Firefighters Emerald Society. The charity organization was founded in 1987 and the retired Celtic firefighters raise money for local charities and offers mentorships for aspiring firefighters.

The malt blend is the highlight of Brew 42 that features an enjoyable toasty sweetness that is balanced with a touch of Heritage Hops. Brew 42 is available year round at the brewery and in limited release from March until May around Arizona at bars, restaurants, Safeway and Albertsons.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

 

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

$6 pitas all day at Pita Jungle on National Pita Day

Tuesday, March 29th at participating locations get a Gyro, Mediterranean Roasted Chicken Shawarma, Falafel, Grilled Chicken Pita and the Philly Chicken or Steak Pita when you dine-in or when you order online. Wraps not included.

Peace, Love & Bubbles every Sunday at The Hot Chick

Nothing like a cooling off from a hot chicken sandwich or warm temperatures than a bottle of cold refreshing champagne. That’s the new plan every Sunday from 12 – 3 p.m. at the Old Town Scottsdale restaurant. Get a bottle of champagne for a $1 with the purchase of an entree.

The KNIX BBQ & Beer Festival is tomorrow

It’s getting hot in Chandler for Saturday’s festival with plenty of BBQ, cold beer and country music superstars taking the stage. Tumbleweed Park now hosts the festival as it outgrew its original location. Tickets are still available online and at the door.

Z’ Tejas introduces Build Your Own Bloody Mary

The Scottsdale and Chandler locations now let guests choose from 7 Bloody Mary’s during breakfast & weekend brunch. Start with the house-made classic or spicy base and choose from Bacon-wrapped Stuffed Jalapeno, Southwest Slider, Candied Jalapeno bacon, Sriracha beer battered shrimp, Chipotle-glazed chicken tender, Diablo egg – spiced up hard-boiled egg or Z’Sausage.

Win a trip to San Diego courtesy of Lenny & Larry

With the weather in Phoenix hitting 90+ degrees this weekend you may want to think about a summer getaway. Cookie maker Lenny & Larry’s are launching their Lenny & Larry’s Complete Cookie-fied Bar Sweepstakes at 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 28th. Enter to win until 5:00 p.m. June 6th for the grand prize of a trip for 4 to San Diego. The trip includes air transportation, 2 night hotel stay and an inside look at The San Diego Zoo.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Chesapeake Bay Seafood Bistro lets guests BYO beer & wine

The popular Ahwatukee seafood restaurant, Chesapeake Bay Seafood Bistro now lets guests bring in their own beer and wine to enjoy with lunch or dinner. The restaurant opened in June 2021 and caught on quickly with locals for its friendly service, selection of fresh seafood and reasonable prices.

Owners James and Yolanda Brown are no strangers to seafood having lived in Virginia before moving to San Diego for 30 years. They’re happy to have guests be able to bring in beer or wine during the hours of 12 -10 p.m. Corkage fees of $10 per 750 ml bottle of wine, $5 per 375 ml and $1 per can of beer offset the cost of glassware & labor and help keep food prices low.

“This allows our guests who would like to pair drinks with their food to have a gourmet experience at a fraction of the price of a fine dining restaurant,” Yolanda said. “We invite everyone to let us know which combinations work best so we can share suggestions with others.”

Since opening they’ve received a great review from the Arizona Republic dining critic Andi Berlin and in January their blue crabs landed on Phoenix Magazine’s 101 Best Dishes list. Daily seafood dishes run between $4.50 for tacos up to about $20 for plates for sandwiches, tacos, salads and plates. “Off the Grill” selections can be seasoned with Old Bay, garlic herb butter, teriyaki, lemon pepper and others. “Out of the fryer” dishes come seasoned with a light cornmeal batter. Side dishes include hush puppies, house-made Old Bay chips, corn on the cob, fried zucchini and more. They have live blue crabs flown in daily from Maryland during the season.

Chesapeake Bay Seafood Bistro is at 5033 E. Elliot Rd. Phoenix 85044 and is open Tuesday- Thursday from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Friday & Saturday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. For more information check out their website.

 

 

Project Roots AZ “Taste of the Garden” to feature locally grown food

Local non-profit Project Roots AZ hosts its inaugural fundraiser, “Taste of the Garden” on Saturday, April 30th at 6 p.m. The Spaces of Opportunity garden at 1200 W. Vineyard Rd in Phoenix will host well respected Phoenix area chef members of Local First Arizona who will prepare foods grown and harvested by Project Roots AZ volunteers.

“Creating dishes for people that come directly from the community gardens at Spaces of Opportunities is a perfect way for stakeholders to see a value in what we are doing first-hand,” said Bridget Pettis, Project Roots AZ co-founder and former WNBA Phoenix Mercury player and Chicago Sky coach.

Pettis started the non-profit in 2019 to provide access to nutritious foods and promote a healthier way of living in urban neighborhoods. She uses her gardening knowledge to help educate the undeserved in Arizona with community gardens and mobile kitchens. Volunteers grow fruits and vegetables in two community gardens then have them donated to local food banks, sold at farmer’s markets and sold through produce box deliveries. These proceeds then get reinvested in the non-profit to help feed more people.

“Most people in the Valley don’t have the luxury of experiencing food that comes directly from garden to table, that’s something we are excited to share during this fundraiser,” Pettis added. “The chefs we are working with are amazingly creative. The dishes they’ve crafted showcase the fruits of our labor perfectly.”

Monies raised from the “Taste of the Garden” event will help support programs including gardening classes for kids & adults and cooking demonstrations that help educate the community on how to cook and prepare their own food. Tickets are $100 each and can be reserved here.

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

The Ostrich brings in new talent for new craft cocktails

The downtown Chandler speakeasy starts a new era in announcing 5 new hires. They welcomed Craft Operations Manager Tyler Zhorne, Craft Bar Manager Jared Ammon, lead bartender Samantha Dengler, bartender Adam Slaton and server Tyler Yenkala to the team. With the new hires comes a new reverse happy hour to accommodate hospitality employees and collaborations with other local bars and restaurants for events & specials.

Society by EVO opens for dinner tonight in Tempe

Announced in January, Society by EVO opens tonight night at 4p.m. according to co-founder Nick Neuman’s Facebook page. The hip & high energy restaurant in Tempe will serve top notch cocktails and food until 1:30 a.m. every night. The menu will feature popular dishes from Neuman’s Scottsdale restaurant EVO along with new Mediterranean influenced dishes. A grand opening is scheduled for next Friday, March 25th.

Mother Road Brewing & Rombauer Vineyards battle it out at Zuzu

It’s beer vs. wine at the Hotel Valley Ho’s Versus Series Dinner next Thursday, March 24th. Seats are still available for when the Flagstaff brewer meets the popular Napa Valley winery paired with Chef Russell LaCasce’s has special four course menu. Seats are $159 ++ per person and you can make a reservation by calling 480-421-7997

Mesquite Fresh Street Mex opens new location in Gilbert

The newest location opens Saturday March 19th is the first that is walk-up and drive-thru only for the locally owned fast casual concept. During the grand opening a “Golden Ticket” promotion will give free burritos for a year to several winners. The new location is at 4875 S. Val Vista Dr.

The James Beard Foundation narrows down list of Award finalist.

The list of 15 Arizona nominees was whittled down to 4 finalists for the June 13th awards ceremony.

Outstanding Restaurateur– Chris Bianco, Tratto, Pane Bianco, and Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix

Best New Restaurant- Bacanora, Phoenix

Outstanding Baker- Don Guerra, Barrio Bread, Tucson, AZ

Best Chef: Southwest- Giovanni Scorzo, Andreoli Italian Grocer, Scottsdale, AZ

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

Rusty’s at The Short Course hosting an outdoor beer festival

With patio weather upon us, Rusty’s at The Short Course will be hosting the 2nd annual Rusty’s Beer Fest on Sunday, April 3rd. The “19th hole” grill at the Mountain Shadows resort is named after Rusty Lyon, the father of Scott Lyon, a developer who lead the charge to redevelop the resort a few years ago.

From 1-4 p.m. on the 3rd guests can sample 30 kinds of beer including several local ones. A perfectly paired lunch is included and there will also be a raffle. Tickets are an all-inclusive $54.04 and include a 20 sample punch card. Tickets can be purchased here via Eventbrite.

Rusty’s at The Short Course at Mountain Shadows is at 5445 E. Lincoln Dr. Paradise Valley 85253.

Camelback Inn to host a Winemaker Weekend with Paul Hobbs

The legendary JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa is welcoming winemaker & winery owner Paul Hobbs for a fun filled weekend next month. Taking place in the resort’s Lincoln Steakhouse on Friday and Saturday April 22nd & 23rd guests will have three opportunities to meet the winemaker and taste his wines. Enjoy 1, 2 or all 3 of the events at this 21 and older weekend.

-A welcome reception takes place at 5:30 p.m. Friday night with wine poured from Crossbarn, his Central Coast wines and from Hillick & Hobbs in New York’s Finger Lakes region. Hors d’ oeuvres and paired cheeses will be served for the two hour reception. Seats are $125.53 per person with a 2 person minimum can be reserved here.

-Looking to learn more about his wines, join Hobbs for a wine seminar in the Lincoln’s private dining room. The tasting and seminar will focus on his old world and new world wine along with ancient wines from Armenia. Seats are available at available at 3:45 & 4:00 p.m. for a $100. 17 per person with a 2 with a 2 person minimum and are available here.

-End the weekend with dinner on the restaurant’s patio enjoying the sunset and the best wines from his portfolio. Limited seating is available for the multi-course dinner that includes breathtaking views of Camelback Mountain. The dinner starts at 6:00 p.m. and is $188.93 all inclusive per person with a 2 person minimum and can be reserved here. The JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa is at 5402 E. Lincoln Dr. Paradise Valley 85253.

Sips & Bites: News you can use from the Phoenix restaurant community

Quick sips & bites of news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Specials for National Pi Day next Monday 3.14 around Phoenix

Normally closed on Monday’s, downtown Mesa’s Cider Corps will open from 3 p.m. – 10 p.m. for the special occasion. At 3:14 p.m. they will tap new pie-styled ciders Brambleberry Pie, Cherry Peach Pie and Key Lime Pie and sell 8 oz. pours for $3.14. They will also offer 10 oz. Apple Pie Slushies for the same price.

Fired Pie get a 1 topping pizza for $3.14 with the purchase of a beverage at all 19 Phoenix area locations.

At Streets of New York buy 1 pizza at regular price, get a 2nd at 1/2 price at their 17 Phoenix area locations and Prescott.

Meet the winemaker tonight at Aridus Wine Company

The tasting room in old town Scottsdale welcomes winemaker Lisa Strand to town from the winery in Willcox. Stop by from 5-8 p.m. for a glass of wine to celebrate Women’s History Month and Arizona Wine Month.

3rd Tuesday 3-course dinner at Romeo’s Euro Cafe

The European style cafe hosts its monthly dinner prepared by owner & chef Romeo Taus. A salad, entree and dessert paired with wine at the downtown Gilbert cafe is $39. The dinner next Tuesday, March 15th starts at 6:30 p.m. and reservations can be made by calling 480-862-4224.

Roxx Vodka donates to Polish charities helping Ukrainians refugees

The locally owned spirit, made in Poland is donating $1 of each bottle sold for a good cause. Distilled six times and made with naturally grown grains contains no sugar, corn or pesticides. Roxx is available at AJs Fine Foods for between $26 -$32.

Angry Crab Shack opens newest location in Casa Grande

The restaurant that specializes in seafood boils with an Asian and Cajun influences opened its 14th location in Arizona this week. The new location at 1601 E. Florence Blvd. sources seafood from the coastal waters off the United States and Canada also includes seafood entrees, Po’Boys and more.

Don’t forget to check out my podcast Pulling Corks & Forks: The Podcast with Sandy Wasserman to hear from those in our community. Please subscribe, like & comment.

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