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Sips & Bites: News from the Phoenix restaurant community

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

Hotel Valley Ho’s next Sip + Shop is next week

Tickets for the Olé! Latin Flavors themed marketplace is available at Eventbrite for next Saturday July 16th. Entry is FREE to taste local foods and shop for artisan goods. It happens once at month from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Next Thursday July 14th is their monthly Versus Series Dinner with a Bastille Day celebration. Executive Chef Russell LaCasce pairs each course with a beer from Greenwood Brewing and wine from Eco Terreno Wines. Founder Megan Greenwood and Winemaker Mark Lyon will be joining the French inspired dinner. Seats are $109++ and dinner starts at 6 p.m. Call 480-421-7997 to reserve your seat.

Summer beer tours at PHX Beer Co.

Beat the heat with a cold beer and 30- minute tour of the local brewery at 3002 E. Washington in Phoenix. Tours are for those 21 and over and offered on Sundays at 1:00 or 3:00 p.m. The tour is $29 per person and includes a beef flight, an order of pretzel bites with beer fondue and a t-shirt.

Margarita’s to-go from Z’ Tejas

Join the new Jug Club and take home gallons of their famous margaritas for cool summer drinking. Two memberships are available with packages starting at $500 for a monthly gallon 12 times a year. A weekly membership is $2000 for the year gets you 52 gallons (a gallon a week). Each gallon serves 10-12 people and comes with chips and salsa. If you’re not ready to join single gallons are $60 with a “Beat the Heat” deal, they’re usually $80, Skinny, organic and top shelf margaritas are available at various prices. Jugs can be picked up at their Scottsdale or Chandler locations.

Cider Corps hours at new Gilbert taproom

The new taproom serving award-winning ciders are Tuesday -Saturday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Brightside Burgers are available during those same hours. The taproom is at 685 S. Gilbert Rd.

B & B Cocktail Lounge now open in Scottsdale

The new cocktail lounge is open Wednesday-Saturday at 5 p.m. is next to their sister concept Bourbon & Bones Chophouse on Scottsdale Rd.

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

Putts and Pints Charity Golf Tournament returns in August

Golfers and beer drinkers get ready to tee it up for a good cause at Grand Canyon Brewing + Distillery’s annual golf tournament on Saturday, August 27th. This year’s Putts and Pints Charity Golf Tournament benefits the Williams High School Athletic Department will be held at Elephant Rock Golf Course.

“This event is really special to me, it’s a great day to get out and enjoy a fun day of golf while raising money to support a fantastic local group who are doing great things for the youth in our community. I hope everyone who loves craft beer and golf will sign up to join us on August 27th,”  says brewery founder John Peasley.

Check-in begins at 7 a.m. with the shotgun start at 8 a.m. with a 50/50 raffle and prizes for golfers. Registration is open for individuals and foursomes for $150 for individuals and $500 per foursome if registered by July 24th. After July 24th foursomes will be $600. Sponsorships for Putts and Pints is available by emailing info@grandcanyonbrewingco.com. Elephant Rock Golf Course is at 2200 Country Club Dr. Williams 86046.

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.

TLC eXperience dinner partners with non-profit

Limited seating is available for the next supper club on Friday May 20th that  returns to Ahwatukee at Lights, Camera, Discover!‘s new venue. Chef Tom and his team’s menu is always a mystery until you arrive but you won’t be disappointed. Cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7. Seats are $175 per person and can be reserved here.

Dominick’s Steakhouse host Fitz’s Supper Club

There’s still time to get your tickets for next Tuesday May 10th’s VIP Reception and Dinner to benefit the Larry Fitzgerald Foundation. The former Arizona Cardinal’s wide receiver hosts the dinner and is joined by former teammates and local celebrities to raise money for underrepresented communities across the United States and around the world. It helps children with what they need to feel confident growing up and to support women and men affected by breast cancer. Larry’s mother passed away from breast cancer in 2003 and when he started his foundation in 2005 he said its deeply rooted in his mission.

The VIP Reception starts at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. Seats can be reserved here.

Free hummus during happy hour at Pita Jungle

Friday, May 13th is International Hummus Day and from 3-6 p.m. participating locations will give guests a free small hummus dip with purchase of an entree. Choose from Classic Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper or the spicy Cilantro Jalapeño.

Tia Carmen opens at JW Marriott Desert Ridge

“Top Chef” Angel Sosa recently opened his contemporary southwestern restaurant at the north Phoenix resort. The resort’s signature restaurant serves breakfast and dinner and has partnered with local partners and purveyors. Read the full story at my post from March.

New brunch menu at PHX Beer Co.

The Scottsdale restaurant is introducing new dishes on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Guests can choose from such dishes as Corned Beef Hash Skillet, French Toast Platter, Avocado Toast, a Breakfast Burrito 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.

Tap into Mesa brings blues, brews & food festival to downtown Mesa

Downtown Mesa is home to more breweries than any other downtown neighborhood in the valley and those beers will be poured at the new Tap into Mesa festival. Admission is free on Saturday March 12th from 2-6:30 p.m. for local beers, food trucks, live music for all ages.

“We really want to show people just how many walkable breweries we have in this one square mile,” said Nancy Hormann, President of the Downtown Mesa Association. “All of the breweries you will visit at this event call Downtown Mesa their home.”

The Main Stage Beer Garden is where you’ll find beers from Oro Brewing, Desert Eagle, Cider Corps and other downtown breweries while listening to the blues from “The Sugar Thieves”. Following them on the stage will be the “Bob Corritore Chicago Style Blues Band”.

Tap into Mesa tickets are on sale for “full” pour beers for $5 each and an optional special beer tasting tour for $25 with 10 tastes when you buy online and $30 day of the festival. Add a $5 VIP Fast Pass which avoids lines and has reserved seats in the four beer tasting garden. The VIP Fast Pass is only available in advance online. The festival will be at Main & Macdonald with tickets online available until 6:00 p.m. and all tickets need to be redeemed by 6:30.

Chef Angelo Sosa to open Tía Carmen at JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort

Early April will see the debut of Tía Carmen, a contemporary Southwestern cuisine restaurant from Bravo’s “Top Chef” and HBO Max’s “Selena + Chef” Angelo Sosa. He and seasoned restaurateur Mark Stone’s new signature restaurant at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort is named the after Sosa’s aunt. Chef Sosa learned alongside chefs Jean-George Vongerichten, Alain Ducasse, Stephen Starr and Masaharu Morimoto before opening his Michelin recommended Añejo Restaurant, a Mexican hotspot in New York City.

“Throughout my life, my Tía Carmen instilled in me a passion and love for cooking, teaching me the impact and the power that food can have when made from a place of pure love,” said Chef Sosa. “The discovery of traveling through the Southwest gave me the opportunity to explore the region through the lens of ranchers, potters, farmers, and artisans. I have always had a deep fascination and appreciation for Southwestern food traditions. It has been an honor and privilege to be able to contribute to this beautiful and rich culinary narrative.”

The menu from Chef Angelo Sosa

Serving dinner, Tía Carmen’s dishes will be made with regional ingredients from local purveyors prepared in a wood-fired grill. The menu will be written in three sections, light + fresh, maize + harina, and charcoal + wood + fire. Chef Angelo Rosa’s signature dishes will include Tuna Crudo with chilled corn coconut broth accented with jicama and garnished with dill; Southwestern style tri-tip kebabs garnished with Thai Basil, cilantro, pickles, and serrano chilis; Lamb Ragu with mesquite noodles; and Tía Carmen’s Chicken Guisado, a stew made with succulent pieces of thigh meat and seasoned with a mélange of cumin, annatto, arbol, and oregano.

Mitchel O. Bushell is creating a cocktail program emphasizing local herbs & spices, distilleries and ingredients for house made syrups and juices. Many of the cocktails will be prepared with artisanal agave spirits. The wine program is being curated by former Morimoto Restaurant Group’s Eduardo Dingler. Emphasis will be on wines from Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe and other west coast wineries and emerging wineries in Europe.

The 130 seat restaurant is designed by Thomas Schoos and his L.A. based hospitality design firm Schoos Design. The “Earth meets Art” theme offers a clean and warm ambiance with natural forms from the local landscape. Plateware and the Southwestern tablescape from Phoenix’s Blue Door Ceramics was made exclusively for Tía Carmen. For more information and to stay up to date about the opening follow @TiaCarmen.Phx on Instagram.

James Beard Foundation nominees named & Arizona is well represented

The Arizona restaurant scene is a buzz with pride as 15 chefs and restaurants from Flagstaff to Tucson have been nominated for a prestigious James Beard award. The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees last week in several categories in recognition of exceptional talent in the culinary and food media industry. Winners will be announced at the annual James Beard Foundation awards ceremony on Monday June 13th 2022 in Chicago.

Several Arizona nominees have been nominated in previous years and/or have won the coveted award. Those representing Arizona in 2022 are…….

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

Outstanding Chef- Christopher Gross, Christopher’s, Phoenix & Stephen Jones, The Larder + The Delta, Phoenix

Outstanding Restaurant- ShinBay, Scottsdale, AZ

Emerging Chef- Rochelle Daniel, Atria, Flagstaff, AZ & Donald Hawk, Valentine, Phoenix

Best New Restaurant- Bacanora, Phoenix

Outstanding Pastry Chef- Mark Chacón, Chacónne Patisserie, Phoenix

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

Outstanding Hospitality- Binkley’s, Phoenix

Outstanding Wine Program- Kai, Phoenix

Best Chef: Southwest- Lori Hashimoto, Hana Japanese Eatery; Phoenix, John Martinez, Tito & Pep, Tucson; Maria Mazon, BOCA Tacos y Tequila, Tuscon; Giovanni Scorzo, Andreoli Italian Grocer, Scottsdale

 

Tom Kaufman opens Bottle & Bean Coffee House & Wine Shop in Ocotillo

Restaurateur Tom Kaufman and his business partner Spike Lawrence have single handily built the downtown Ocotillo restaurant scene. The south Chandler neighborhood can thank them for such restaurants as Rock Lobster, The Living Room, CHoP Chandler and Sea & Smoke. The pair have added the new Bottle & Bean Coffee House & Wine Shop to their collection of restaurants.

The new coffee shop and wine bar opens today serving scratch made breakfast and lunch created by Chef Chris George. Tom Kaufman has been in and around the valley’s restaurant and wine scene for more than 25 years opening Rancho Pinot Grille and Humble Pie before opening The Living Room and other concepts. A certified sommelier with a passion for wine he says, “At Bottle & Bean, we showcase a variety of wines from around the world, including many of my favorites. For our bottle-to-go offerings, we’re staying competitive with major retailers and passing along great value to wine enthusiasts.”. Beers and wine merchandise are also available and local coffee roaster Infusion provides the beans for coffee and espresso drinks.

The menu includes dishes such as a Quinoa Breakfast Burrito, Beefsteak Tomato Toast and a Southwest Chicken Sausage Frittata. Lunch offers sandwiches, salads and bowls including the Steak Sandwich and the Veggie Bowl. The restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. but can extend hours at night for private parties up to 50 people. Prix Fixe menus are available for $50, $70 & $90 per person for private dining.

The Bottle & Bean can seat up to 130 people inside and on the patio. Lawn seating offers lounge chairs and space for picnic like dining. It is located at 2577 W. Queen Creek Rd. Chandler 85248. For more information visit their website.

 

 

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.

Z’ Tejas launches new Winter seasonal menu

The southwestern restaurant’s Executive Chef Diego Bolanos launched his new seasonal menu this week at at their Scottsdale and Chandler restaurants. 8 dishes were added and include Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Chipolte Short Ribs, Achiote Shrimp Alfredo Pasta and Ginger Apple Cheesecake with a house made churro.

AZ Liquids offers $2 drinks all week for National Green Juice Day 1/26

The online retailer of cold pressed juices celebrates the week of January 24th- 31st. Order 1 drink at regular price and get another cold pressed juice for $2. Choose from Greens 01, Greens 02, Eat Green Machine or Eat Greens Phx. The discount will be applied to one green drink. To order and see ingredients of each visit their website.

Cala at Senna House is now open

The newest restaurant on the Scottsdale scene opened its door to the public this week. An all star cast of local food and beverage personnel are in charge of the Mediterranean inspired cuisine.

La Canasta Mexican Foods celebrates 60 years of Arizona’s best tortillas

The maker of My Nana’s Best Tasting Tortilla Chips started in 1962 by Richard & Carmen Abril and today makes 2.5 million chips daily. The Phoenix based company is run by Josie Ippolito, daughter of the founders and the chips can be found throughout Arizona and western states, The company is known not only for its chips but also for being a successful Hispanic and women owned business.

Sedona chef releases second cook book

Chef and restaurant owner Lisa Dahl releases her second cookbook, “A Romance with Food” on February 1st. The cookbook features 91 recipes and over 150 photos of Latin fusion dishes from her restaurant, Mariposa. Dahl owns 5 restaurants in Sedona and the cookbook offers recipes from salads to main dishes to desserts. Follow this link to pre-order your copy.

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.

House of Tricks owners retiring and closing in 2022.

Robin & Bob Trick have been a staple on the downtown Tempe food & wine scene for over 3 decades, before there was a food & wine scene. They’ve decided to retire and broke the sad news on their Facebook page that they will be closing their popular restaurant at the end of June 2022. Until then they will continue to serve happy hour & dinner Mondays thru Saturdays. Thank you for your contribution to the Tempe food & wine scene, they deserve a great send off into retirement.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria launches winter for a limited time

Margarita or Margherita no matter how you spell it, it’s on the new menu at all Arizona locations through March 7th. New menu items include the Margherita Pizza, Arugula Sunset Salad, a Black Cherry & a Reese’s Peanut Buttercup Cheesecake, Black Cheery Margarita & Peach Margarita.

Romeo’s Third Tuesday dinner continues next week

The popular monthly dinner at Romeo’s Euro Cafe in downtown Gilbert is on for next Tuesday, December 21st. The 3 course menu features Mousse of Duck Foie Gras, Pork Shank Latino & Nutella Chocolate Cheesecake. All courses are paired with wine and the dinner is only $39 per person. Call 480-962-4224 to make your reservation.

Thai Chili 2 Go opens newest location Saturday

The west valley gets the 12th location of the popular fast casual concept when it opens in Peoria on Saturday December 18th. The first 50 guests on the 18th get a free entree, then from 19th – 31st guests stopping in to the new location at 16955 N. 75th Ave. will get free order of Thai Dumplings with the purchase of an entree. To order online use promo code Peoria13 to get the free dumplings.

Garden Bar PHX is now open

Holiday cocktails and tasting boards are available at the new cocktail bar from Kim Hasaarud. The downtown Phoenix cottage at 822 N. 6th Ave. is open Thurs- Saturday from 5-10 p.m. and will offer brunch on Sunday’s at 11 a.m. starting December 26th. For more information, to order a cocktail kit or to get on the “Wait List” head to their website.

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.

Sunday Supper with The TLC eXperience at Clayton House

Reserve your seats for the final monthly dinner of 2021 as they come inside for a festive holiday dinner. Cocktail hour starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 19th with dinner to follow at the Scottsdale event venue. Chef Tom’s menu remains a mystery, reserve your seats here.

Christmas Market coming to Match Market & Bar

The downtown Phoenix restaurant & market inside the Found:RE Hotel brings back their exclusive event. Inspired by the German Christkindlmarkt, guests can eat, drink shop with small & locally owned business and food vendors. The market is Saturday, December 18th from 6:00 p.m. – 10 p.m and is free to attend.

Barter & Shake Cocktail Entertainment hires Mat Snapp

The company behind the Century Grand and UnderTow bar concepts hires the industry veteran as Partner & Executive Vice President of Operations. Snapp had worked for 17 years at Fox Restaurant Concepts most recently, as Beverage Director will help B & S continue its growth of new concept bars and cocktail programs.

Restaurant hosted toy drives around Phoenix

Local restaurants continue to collect toys for children who might otherwise miss out on receiving a gift during the holidays. All Grimaldi’s Pizzeria locations are collecting new & unused non-violent toys and clothing for Childhelp until Monday December 13th. Angry Crab Shack is hosting a drive for the Shriners collecting new & unused toys through December 22nd. Children in foster care benefit from the toy drive at the Scottsdale Quarter inside Santa City or donate online until December 19th.

Pedal Haus Brewery celebrates 6th anniversary with an Ugly Sweater Party

The downtown Tempe location of the award-winning brewery celebrates the milestone with the holiday tradition on Thursday, December 16th from 6 – 9 p.m. Those wearing an ugly holiday sweater get their 1st beer for $1 while listening to the live music of People Who Could Fly. Raffle tickets benefiting the Rob Dollar Foundation will be sold. Admission is free with VIP tickets available for $15.

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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