Tag: cocktail bar

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.

 

Bitter & Twisted and Aioli Gourmet Burgers partner for new in-house menu

Downtown Phoenix’s Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour has joined forces with the award-winning Aioli Gourmet Burgers for a new menu to pair with their cocktail program. The newly re-vamped menu was created by Aioli’s Executive Chef Vicktor Velez.

“Bitter & Twisted has always been committed to innovation and constant evolution with the ultimate goal of providing a world-class cocktail lounge experience here in Phoenix. With their food truck roots and success now as top flight restaurateurs, I knew Tom and Kyle were the perfect partners for the B&T kitchen, and Chef Vicktor has created some amazing new dishes and flavors,” says proprietor Ross Simon, who also notes that B&T founding chef, Bob Tam, remains a partner at B&T, while also having more “freedom and opportunities to concentrate on his other businesses and partner projects.”

New dishes at Bitter & Twisted

Chef Velez’s new menu is inspired by his travels through Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines while still keeping with Aioli’s co-owners Tommy D’Ambrosio and Kyle Hollenbeck vision of sourcing fresh, seasonal & local ingredients. Guests to Bitter & Twisted can enjoy dishes such as Togarashi Tuna Tataki, one of Velez’s favorites on the new menu, along with Korean French Fries, Korean Loaded Nachos, Truffled Mac & Cheese and of course an Aioli burger.

“It’s a huge honor for us to have this opportunity to partner with Ross at Bitter & Twisted. I’m proud to see Chef Vicktor’s growth and development in this role as he continues to create new and innovative dishes,” said Tom D’Ambrosio, Owner/Chef of Aioli Gourmet.

The award-winning cocktail bar has also updated their hours of service from Tuesday through Thursday (4 – 11pm food served till 10pm) and Friday and Saturday (4pm – 1am food served till 10pm), with Happy Hour served Tuesday through Friday (4 – 6 pm). Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour is located at 1 W. Jefferson St. (Jefferson & Central) Phoenix. For information check 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.

Platform 18 at Century Grand on 50 Best Discovery list

The Arcadia Lite cocktail bar made the prestigious list and it’s the first time an Arizona restaurant or bar has made the list. The list is compiled by 50 Best and is an extension of the global list of 50 best bars & restaurants. Global experts approve the restaurants and bars around the world with 2,000 establishments making their original list before cutting it down to the final 50. Restaurants don’t apply for consideration but qualify from receiving a significant amount of votes from current round of polling. Downtown Phoenix’s Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour also made the list.

Sphinx Date Ranch Co. celebrates 70th anniversary

The downtown Scottsdale retailer of locally made foods, wines & more is celebrating with special items, discounts and Mayor David Ortega proclaiming September 16th – 18th as “Sphinx Date Co. Days”. Guests can get 20% off orders of $20 or more when using promo code 1951, the year it opened. The discount goes until September 23rd and special 20th anniversary merchandise will help raise money for the Scottsdale Historical Society. For more information visit their website.

Pedal Haus Brewery release Oktoberfest beer and menu

The downtown Tempe & Chandler brewpub today release their seasonal beer and food menu. Beer brats, pork schnitzel and more are on the menu with the Tempe location also serving a special Flammkuchen pizza. An Oktoberfest celebration is scheduled for October 2nd in Chandler.

Match Market & Bar offer wine class & agave pairing dinner

Wednesday September 15th you can learn about wines from Southern Italy & Sicily while tasting the wines of the region. The downtown Phoenix tasting starts at 7 p.m. and is $25 per person and includes tasting note & pairings, light bites and wine samples. Wines tasted that night can be purchased by the bottle at 15% off.

The 4 -course agave pairing dinner takes place on Friday September 17th from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. The chef crafted menu will complement the different types of agave. Cost is $109++ per person and includes a welcoming Corralejo Reposado at arrival.

Caracara Restaurant delays opening til January 2022

The signature restaurant at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown hotel has delayed the opening until 2022. The restaurant was expected to open this month but with Delta variant of Covid-19 on the rise management opted for the safety and health of employees & guests. Check back for updates and to see what you can expect read my post from July.

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.

Across the Pond to take over space vacated by Central Wine

The owners of Clever Koi and soon to open Fellow Osteria wasted no time when neighbor Central Wine closed to start working on cocktail bar Across the Pond. Slated to open in the fall Across the Pond will be an intimate cocktail bar that features 10 unique custom cocktails, Japanese whiskey, craft beers and wine.

Partners Nicholas Campisano and Joshua James have the designed space to give the bar a  “tropical mid-century modern” look.

“We’ve been looking to add a cocktail bar to the B&R portfolio for a while now, and had been looking all over the Melrose district,” James says, “But we always kept an eye on the Central Wine space. So when the previous tenant’s lease came up, it worked out great for both parties.”

Across the Pond bites and drinks menu

Traditional Japanese sushi (no rolls), bar bites and omakase a.k.a. “chef’s choice” dishes will be served from Clever Koi. The three types of fish used for sushi and omakase  will be sourced from local fish monger Chula Seafood.

James will create a cocktail menu with handcrafted selections that will emphasis Japanese whiskey and served in traditional highball style.

The name, James emphasizes Across The Pond is not a British-style pub, but a casual cocktail bar with Asian accents. “‘The Pond’ was always our nickname for Clever Koi on Central, so it was obvious to name it, Across The Pond.”

The 35 seat bar will be open Wednesday – Saturday from 4:00 p.m. til midnight. Across the Pond is at 4236 N. Central Ave. Phoenix 85012.

Owners of Angels Trumpet Alehouse to open 2nd location in lower Arcadia

Expansion is in the air for downtown Phoenix’s Angels Trumpet Alehouse as owners Sharry & Mat Englehorn are planning to open Angels Trumpet Arcadia in early August. The new location will be housed in the former Sears Auto Center on the southeast corner of Thomas & 44th St.

“We live right around the corner, so we’ve had our eye on this building for years,” says Sharry Englehorn. “We know from personal experience that this stretch of south Arcadia is missing a fun and welcoming all-day hangout, where you can pop in for a tasty lunch or sip drinks on the patio and watch the sun set on Camelback Mountain.”

The past and future of Angels Trumpet Arcadia

The 10,000 square foot mid-century modern building is undergoing needed updating and repairs after decades of dirt and grime as an auto repair shop.

“Originally built as a Ward’s Auto Center in the late 1950s, this is the last remaining building of the former Thomas Mall,” Mat Englehorn says. “So we wanted to honor that history and preserve the wonderful architectural bones, as well as preserve elements of the tire shop by keeping the industrial look, and the beat up floor–just adding a lot of polish.”

Once work is completed the building will also house the owners newest idea of a craft cocktail bar and lounge called Tall Glass. Future plans include a small microbrewery which is being described as “an intimate brewer’s playground”. The same food menu as the downtown Phoenix Angels Trumpet Alehouse will be available as will the indoor/outdoor vibe.

Tall Glass

The cocktail lounge will have its own entrance on the west side of the building and feature  a cocktail menu made with craft spirits from beer distillers including Rogue Spirits and Ballast Point Brewery’s “Cutwater Spirits” in San Diego.

Tall Glass will offer a small gourmet bar bites menu with guests available to order from the full menu at Angels Trumpet.

Tall Glass will open in the late afternoon until midnight and Angels Trumpet will open daily at 11 a.m. until midnight. For more information and updates see their Facebook or Instagram page @AngelsTrumpetAlehouse

 

 

 

Speakeasy coming to downtown Gilbert as The White Rabbit opens this fall

With the growth of downtown Gilbert’s dining scene the last few years there has been little original concepts that have opened. Later this year The White Rabbit will open adding an original concept to along Gilbert Road as owners Nick Medina and Corey Potts open the first speakeasy in the east valley.

When The White Rabbit opens in the basement of the Heritage Court Building it will serve  as a meeting place for those who want to start or finish their evening with a classic handcrafted cocktail, glass of wine, local craft beer or distilled spirit.

In addition to the libations served guests will have a true speakeasy experience as the out-of-the-way location, secret door and password allow you entry to the sophistication and ambiance of a by gone era.

The White Rabbit cocktails

Whether it’s a classic Old Fashioned, Tom Collins or trending cocktails and concoctions, all drinks will be made using the highest quality and freshest ingredients. “Drink Experiences” are available for small groups.

A small bites menu including charcuterie boards and olive bowls will also be served.

Help wanted at The White Rabbit

Owners Medina and Potts are looking to hire a General Manager to operate the The White Rabbit and execute the speakeasy experience the way the owners envision.

Passion and the ability to hire, motivate and train the staff are part of what the owners are looking for.

“Gilbert is the perfect place for this concept because while it has many great dining destinations, we are bringing the first authentic high-end bar concept to the area. When guests enter, they will feel like they are stepping into a true speakeasy experience. Right now, we’re excited to hire the right leadership and staff to take that guest experience to the next level.”

Qualified candidates can send a resume to drink@twr.bar

Check back for updates as the opening later in 2018 gets closer.

The White Rabbit will be at 207 N. Gilbert Rd. #002 Gilbert. 85234. Visit there website.