Tag: fast casual

Sips & Bites: News from the Phoenix restaurant community

Events & news about what’s going on around the Phoenix restaurant community, breweries and wineries.

Eat Up Drive In celebrates 4th anniversary with $4 burgers

Opened in 2021 during the pandemic, the Arcadia fast casual concept celebrates next Tuesday, April 29th. Their Wood Grilled Cheeseburgers will be $2.50 off all day.

Mollydooker wine dinner at Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse

No punches will be thrown next Wednesday, April 30th for the 5-course dinner paired with Australian white & red wines. Seating is $120++ per person and seating is limited. To make reservations you can call 602-374-4784 and for more information you can visit their website.

  • 1st Course—Scallop Crudo with lemon, cilantro and olive oil paired with the 2024 Violinist Verdelho
  • 2nd Course—Slow-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with golden beet puree, green beans and plum reduction paired with Two Left Feet Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (Wine Spectator 2021 92 pts.)
  • 3rd Course—Grilled Lamb Chop served with a mini loaded baked potato and broccolini paired with Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz (Wine Spectator 2022 92 pts.)
  • 4th Course—Prime Baseball Sirloin with Yukon Gold mash and asparagus paired with Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon (Wine Spectator 2021 90 pts.)
  • Dessert Course—Chocolate Lava Cake

sneakybird opens its 4th location

The never ever fried chicken concept opened its 4th location in Queen Creek in The Marketplace at Hudson Station recently. The oven-grilled chicken sandwiches, tenders, flat breads and salads are available with plenty of dry rubs and sauces for dipping.

Summer Martinis now available at The Montauck

The downtown Scottsdale restaurant with an East Coast vibe has 5 new savory, floral and citrusy martinis to keep you cool.

  • Salt & Vinegar – Aviation Gin or Ketel One Vodka, Salt, Vinegar
  • Pepper-tini – Aviation or Ketel One Vodka, Pepperoncini Brine, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Cracked Black Pepper
  • One and Only – Ketel One Botanical Peach and Orange Blossom, Lillet Blanc, White Haven Sauvignon Blanc, Lemon
  • Italian Summer – Caravella Limoncello, Ketel One Vodka, Lemon, Aperol
  • Rose Colored Glasses – Glendalough Wild Rose Gin, Elderflower, Lemon, Grapefruit

BJ’s Restaurant launches Snickers Pizookie

The restaurant has partnered with Mars to offer guests a freshly baked brown sugar cookie with chunks of Snickers bar then topped with vanilla bean ice cream, a chocolate shell topping,ar  caramel sauce and sprinkled with more Snickers. The limited time sweet treat is available for dine-in only. Find a location near you at BJ’s website.

Feta Cowboy now open in Tempe

The founders of Pita Jungle have opened their newest concept, the fast casual Feta Cowboy in Tempe’s McClintock Fountains at McClintock & Warner Rds. The new concept’s flavors show off what happens when you combine Mediterranean and southwest ingredients in a build-your-own environment. Diners can expect to assemble their bowls, burritos and pitas from their in-house crafted menu.

“At Feta Cowboy, the food and flavors are a delicious manifestation of our beautiful American gastronomical experience and the interconnectedness of global cuisine,” says Bassel Osmani, co-founder of Feta Cowboy. “Healthy nutrition and layers of flavor come together in unique ways to create simply amazing food.”

Where rustic flatbread meet tortillas and shawarma meets asada guests, can build their meal with proteins such as brisket, birria, shawarma, taouk and gyro meat that can be grilled, braised or hot off the rotisserie. Build it a top premium rice such basmati or calrose or legumes such as lentils du puy or Roma beans and toss it with dips or seven flavorful sauces including Zhug, harissa and Toom. Signature bowls are also available making the different combinations endless. For the “Lil Cowboy’s” a build-your-own-kids menu is available and different dietary lifestyles can be accommodated.

Feta Cowboy is open seven days a week from 10:45 a.m. – 9 p.m. and is at 1840 E. Warner Rd. Tempe. For more information visit their website.

 

Patsy’s New York Delicatessen coming to Paradise Valley

Hot off the grand reopening of The Mexicano, chef and restaurateur has announced his newest restaurant, Patsy’s New York Delicatessen opening this spring. The location should be familiar to many as it will be the newest concept in the former The Rosticceria restaurant and temporary home of The Mexicano pop-up. And if you’re familiar with Chef Joey’s other concepts you know there will be a signature attraction you haven’t seen in other restaurants.

“We’re bringing Arizona its first one-of-a-kind bagel bar, featuring 14 uniquely flavored cream cheeses—from artichoke & spinach dip to Nutella, and even a signature pastrami lox schmear,” says Chef Joey Maggiore, co-founder of The Maggiore Group and Chef Joey Concepts. “Our New York-style bagels will be made fresh in-house daily, using authentic New York water for that perfect bite.”

Named after Joey’s grandfather’s nickname when he was a butcher in The Bronx, Patsy”s New York Delicatessen will offer classic Jewish deli food with Joey’s modern touch. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner the restaurant will offer both a fast casual counter for those on the go along with a full-service dining room serving breakfast sandwiches & platters, house smoked & cooked deli meats and towering NY style deli sandwiches. Potato knishes, sugar cookies, NY style cheesecake and Black & White cookies will give the deli a taste of NY nostalgia. A custom soda bar where diners can craft their own egg cream will catch diners’ attention.

Christina Maggiore is bringing Manhattan to Arizona with her interior design that includes an immersive art installation, diner red accents and an old school charm atmosphere with staff donning vintage dining hats. Patsy’s will soon be hiring for dozens of positions in the near future and an announcement will be made. Patsy’s New York Delicatessen is at 12811 N. Tatum Blvd. Phoenix 85028. For more information and updates follow the on social media at @patsysdeliicatessen

 

 

 

Don Guerra opening Barrio Bagel & Slice in March

James Beard award-winning baker Don Guerra broke ground recently at a former Sonic Drive-In in Gilbert where he plans to open his Barrio Bagel & Slice drive-thru next month. The “drive-thru worth driving through” will bake his popular artisan Barrio bagels, Barrio breads and slices of pizza on site using Arizona grown and milled Heritage grains. Guerra is committed to supporting the “grain chain” throughout Arizona and is partnering with restaurateur, farmer, developer and contractor Oren Molonvinsky.

“We want our wholesome high-quality, healthy foods to be accessible to our entire community,” said Guerra. “Barrio Bagel & Slice is the next step in the evolution of our mission to be community supported and customer centered while redefining the concept of fast casual dining”.

Scratch made ingredients will top pizzas and bagels which will be available in a variety of flavors for breakfast bagel sandwiches and Sicilian style focaccia dough pizzas will be available during lunch and dinner hours. Signature sandwiches will be made with a choice of a Sonora bagel, torta roll or sourdough focaccia panini. Loafs of bread will be available all day daily at 9 a.m. until they’re sold out. Salads, sweets, coffee, tea and cold brews will also be available.

The fast casual drive-thru will keep the covered parking and will be designed with nostalgia and murals. Take-out, drive-thru and third-party delivery will be available. A second location in Tucson is already in the planning stages.

Don Guerra is looking to mentor and hire new bakers

With his Barrio Bread expanding and the opening of Barrio Bagel & Slice, Guerra is looking to hire enthusiastic new bread bakers who are looking to be ambassadors to his mission. Those food service professionals with prior baking experience and those looking to learn to make artisan breads using quality ingredients and Arizona Heritage grains from centuries old recipes should apply. Bakers will be involved in all aspects of the baking business from production to logistics & operations to customer service. For complete job descriptions and to apply, visit http://indeed.com/job/lead-baker (lead baker) and http://indeed.com/job/baker (baker).

Barrio Bagel & Slice will be at 689 N. Arizona Ave. and will be open 7 days a week at 7 a.m. and stay open until 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and until 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information about the new drive-thru visit their website.

 

 

sneakybird to open first West Valley location

Scottsdale based sneakybird is opening their first West Valley location this Saturday, November 23rd in Surprise. It’s the fast casual concepts third location with three more openings planned in the next six months. The grand opening celebration starts at 10 a.m. at the Village of Prasada and has prizes, photo opportunities, music and more.

“The secret to the success of sneakybird, spelled with all lowercase letters by design to underscore its sneaky-good and sneaky guilt-free product, is the combination of a specially designed oven and innovative breading recipe that blends panko flatbread as well as aged parmesan that together combine to give the crunch and flavor of fried chicken,” said Dan Chaon, founder of the sneakybird.

Known for their “never-ever fried” recipes since 2022, sneakybird offers oven-roasted chicken sandwiches, wraps, tenders and wings in their dry rubs that include ancho lime, smoky honey peach, salted maple and more. Those that prefer breadless chicken can have their chicken “naked” (grilled) with salt, pepper and garlic. The flavorful chicken taste doesn’t stop with the dry rubs as there are several sauces available for dipping and topping your chicken. Sauces include “Sneaky”, their signature Buffalo style, “Soko”, Asian sweet & heat, “Music City Hot”, Nashville hot, “Fool’s Gold”, golden mustard & smokey BBQ sauce and “Teriyaki”.

“sneakybird also features handcrafted flatbreads – chicken pesto, pepperoni, and the Islander, which features honey-chipotle sauce, mozzarella, pineapple, capicola, and fresh cilantro – as well as three epic options for tater tots, including a sweet potato alternative, salad, coleslaw, and even a chilled vegetable medley,” said co-owner Jordan Strasser. “There are also copious options for kids, all focused on the same craveable philosophy.”

sneakybird Surprise is at 16430 W. Waddell Rd. and is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information visit their website.

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.

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.

GenuWine Arizona celebrates 4th anniversary

The downtown Phoenix wine bar has successfully maneuvered the rocky last few years and is celebrating on Saturday January 8th. Starting at 2:30 p.m. there will be wine and beer tastings, Zydeco Louisiana Food Trucks starts serving at 1 p.m. and live music at 7:30.

eXperience Juncture dinner with TLC

The monthly supper club from Tom & Lin Catering is happening this month on Saturday January 22nd at Juncture in Phoenix. Chef Tom’s menu remains a mystery until you arrive for the reception that starts at 5 p.m. Dinner starts at 6 and seats are $150 per person and seats & gift certificates can be reserved or purchased here.

A new balanced seasonal menu is available at Pita Jungle

The Mediterranean inspired fast casual concept with 23 locations around Arizona is now serving the “It’s All About Balance” menu. Nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins are featured ingredients in dishes Chile Verde Beef, White Bean Hummus with Garlic Cilantro Pesto Shrimp, a plant based Gyro Super Hero and more.

Piled high hot pastrami sandwiches for only $12

Next Friday January 14th is National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day and fans can celebrate at Miracle Mile Deli. Choose from their Pastrami, New Yorker, Straw or Combo. All sandwiches come with a side dish & pickle and the special runs from 10:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and is available for dine-in or take-out.

Feeding the Future fundraiser re-scheduled

The Blue Watermelon Project’s annual fundraiser scheduled for January 22nd has been re-scheduled until February 26th. The reason is safety concerns for student chefs with up tick on Covid positive cases. It will still be held at The Farm at South Mountain.

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.

Ling’s Wok Shop fast casual by day, full service at night.

The owners of Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar & Grill recently opened their newest concept, Ling’s Wok Shop in north Scottsdale. The new restaurant offers fast casual meals for those on the go during the day then switches to a full service restaurant for happy hour and dinner.

Ling's Wok Shop
Photo’s courtesy of LWS

Whether you during the day or at night you’ll get the same healthy modern Asian cuisine. The new concept gives the restaurant the flexibility to adapt to a changing world as people spend more time at home. Choose from wok fired dishes to salads, noodz, soups and more. A full service bar serves hand crafted cocktails, wine s and local craft beers.

Ling’s Wok Shop is at 20511 N. Hayden Rd. Scottsdale 85255. For more information visit 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.

PRONTO by Serrano’s to serve fast casual Mexican food later this year

This Fall the Serrano family will be debuting their new fast casual concept PRONTO by Serrano’s at their Tempe location. Known for serving Mexican food at several east valley restaurants since 1979 they decided to convert that location since it’s been closed for the last year for re-modeling.

“We’ve learned a lot over the past two years and we know that fast-casual concepts have experienced significant recent growth,” said Ric Serrano, CEO of Serrano’s Mexican Restaurants. “Our Pronto concept will offer customers fresh, quality ingredients at an affordable price. We hope our loyal customers embrace Pronto and that we gain some new fans as well.”

With a focus on “fresh, flavorful and familiar,” Pronto will offer build-your-own combos featuring burritos, tacos, nachos, salads and more. Favorite Serrano staples like machaca, shredded chicken, asada steak, tomatillo pork and more will be offered. And customers will also be able to add the famous Serrano’s bean dip, chips and salsa to their orders if desired.

“With our customizable menu options, our customers will have an array of meal options to choose from that are served up fast just the way they like it,” Serrano added. “With Arizona State University a few miles up the road and numerous local businesses and busy families in the area, the fast-casual concept should be appealing to both our lunch and dinner crowds.”

PRONTO by Serrano’s will be looking to hire 20 employees in the coming months for all positions in front & back of the house. Be the first to find out about hiring, the grand opening and more head to their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. When opened it will be at 6440 S. Rural Rd. Tempe.

Eat Up Drive In brings fast casual comfort food to Arcadia Lite

Jocque Concepts recently opened it newest concept, Eat Up Drive In at the busy corner of 40th St & Indian School Rd. The locally-owned company owns The Montauk, Diego Pops and the soon to be re-opened The Hot Chick in downtown Scottsdale. This is their first fast-casual concept that serves up slow cooked fast served comfort food.

Eat Up Drive In offers a small dining room and patio for dining in along with a drive-thru window for pick-up for its individual or family style meals. The menu features dishes such as a Prime Dip Sandwich, Pulled Chicken Grinder (that’s a sub sandwich) and Caesar Wrap. Salads, soups & chili and sides are also on the menu. Six baked potatoes are offered including Vegan Chili, Braised BBQ Short Ribs and Turkey Chili.

Single & Family Meals are popular and include Short Rib Ragu, Wood Grilled Citrus Chicken, Charred Chile Shrimp and more. Each meal comes with two side dishes with patience needed when ordering family meals as they take 25 minutes to prepare. The restaurant uses all natural proteins and supports local vendors including Maya’s Farm and Passport Coffee & Tea.

Currently Eat Up Drive In is open for dinner starting at 4:30 p.m. with lunch service coming soon. For more information, to see the menu and order visit their website. The restaurant is at 4001 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix 85018.