Sips & Bites: News from the Phoenix restaurant community

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

September is National Potato Month at Eat Up Drive In

Whether you like your potatoes baked, fried or boiled, it’s hard to resist the spuds and the Arcadia fast casual restaurant knows that. All month long your 6th baked potato free after you’ve purchased 5 of them. Choose from these six options Braised BBQ short rib, Plain, Loaded, Turkey Chili, Vegan Chili and Broccoli & Cheddar.

Mexican Independence Day at Cien Agaves

The Old Town Scottsdale cantina & restaurants celebrates next Monday, September 16th starting at 3 p.m. Enjoy Happy Hours specials from 3-6, live music and tequila tastings starting at 4. Free SWAG will also be given out.

Mollydooker Winery dinner at Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse

The Carefree restaurant pours the Australian wines with a 5-course dinner created by Chef Anthony Apolinar next Wednesday, September 18th at 6 p.m. Monica Teligades from Mollydooker will pour the wines & discuss them and how the winery came to be. Menus and pairings are as follows….

1st Course: Scallop Crudo with lemon, cilantro and olive oil paired with 2022 Summer of ’69 Verdelho
2nd Course: Slow-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with golden beet puree, green beans and plum reduction paired with 2021 Maitre D’ Cabernet Sauvignon
3rd Course: Grilled Lamb Chop with mini loaded baked potato and broccolini paired with 2022 The Boxer Shiraz
4th Course: Grilled NY Strip with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and asparagus paired with 2021 Blue Eyed Boy Shiraz
5th Course: Maria’s German Chocolate Cheesecake paired with 2021 Miss Molly Sparkling Shiraz
Seats are $145++ per person and seats a limited and the required reservations can be made by calling 602-374-4784

$10 bacon cheeseburgers at Native Grill & Wings

Next Wednesday, September 18th the 6 locations around Phoenix celebrate National Cheeseburger Day all day and guests can get a hearty & juicy cheeseburger for only $10.

Cheers to the 14th Annual Grenache Day

Call it Grenache, Garnacha or Cannonau or whatever you want as long as your glass is full next Friday, September 20th. wine drinkers around the world will celebrate #GrenacheDay enjoying a glass with food or by itself.

Sip + Shop at the Hotel Valley Ho’s Summer Market Series

As things heat up in the valley, farmer’s markets tend to wind down until the Fall and the Hotel Valley Ho is filling that void with its Sip + Shop Summer Market Series. Hotel guests and locals are invited to attend the monthly market on the 3rd Saturday morning of June, July August and September from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sip + Shop is reminiscent to the hotel’s Chef + Farmers Market series from 2018 & 2019.

Each month’s market will have a theme with live music and feature local chefs & purveyors offering samples. It’s free to attend and each guest will receive a wristband allowing for 6 tastes of wine, spirits and beer. Guests will also receive a voucher for 20% off at Zuzu to be used before the next month’s market. Cocktails will be available for purchase and will include recipes.

Sip + Shop dates are June 18thRosé + Bubbles, July 16th–  Olé! Latin Flavors, August 20thViva Italia, September 17thBourbon + Big Reds.

To hear the hotel’s Executive Chef Russel LaCasce’s story listen to Episode 26 of Pulling Corks and Forks: The Podcast.

 

 

Hot Dog Days starts Friday September 3rd at Joe’s Farm Grill

Labor Day weekend we un-offically say “good bye” to summer and “hello” to a month long of gourmet hot dogs and sausages at Gilbert’s Joe’s Farm Grill. From September 3rd til October 3rd celebrate the return of Hot Dog Days with six delicious specially created all-beef, natural cased premium hot dogs & sausages from Phoenix’s Schreiner’s Fine Sausages.

Each Hot Dog Days special come with a side of French fries or another side from the menu. Each hot dog is $12 or a combination of 2 for $18 and a special Peach Melba Shake to wash it down is only $5.50.

Hot Dogs Days gourmet dogs

The six hot dogs are….

Cheddar Coney Dog — A grilled hot dog smothered with mild homemade Michigan Coney sauce and yellow mustard then topped by a quarter-pound mountain of finely shredded Tillamook cheddar cheese; served with diced onions on the side.

Danger Dog — A jalapeno-stuffed, bacon-wrapped fried hot dog with atomic horseradish, honey mustard, homemade sweet-hot pepper relish and a heap of finely shredded ghost pepper jack cheese; served with extra relish on the side.

Carolina Blue Dog — A grilled dog topped with a generous portion of Joe’s signature BBQ pulled pork, tangy blue cheese crumbles, and hand-cut sweet coleslaw then drizzled with Joe’s Real BBQ sauce and homemade coleslaw dressing; served with extra Joe’s Real BBQ sauce on the side.

Sonoran Dog — A long-time Joe’s Farm Grill favorite, this (slightly) new and improved recipe features a jalapeno-stuffed, bacon-wrapped fried hot dog with homemade Farm beans, queso de cotija, pico de gallo and finished yellow mustard and a sour cream-mayo drizzle; served with whole fried peppers on the side.

Big Fat Greek Dog — Schreiner’s smoked Greek-seasoned pork sausage topped with cucumber tzatziki sauce, drizzled with yellow mustard, and then piled high with Joe’s Greek fries (featuring garlic sauce, feta, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and fresh herbs); served with extra sauce on the side.

Italian Sausage Dog — A fresh sweet Italian link baked into Joe’s fresh-made focaccia dough with pepperoni, marinara, and creamy brick and pecorino-Romano cheeses, then topped with sautéed onions and peppers; served with side of mild Giardiniera (*This hot dog requires a slow hand but is worth the wait! Please allow for slightly longer service time.).

September brings the return of Arizona Restaurant Week

One of the most popular events among the Arizona restaurant community is Arizona Restaurant Week. The 10 day culinary event returns Friday September 18th – Sunday the 27th around the state. Like the June event participating restaurants will offer dine-in or take-out 3 course meals along with liquor to-go. According to the Arizona Restaurant Association almost 80 restaurants have already signed up to participate.

“We feel not only gratitude but also great pride in the fact that the local dining community has showed up again and again in support of our industry since closures and limited re-opening mandates,” says Arizona Restaurant Association President and CEO Steve Chucri. “We are thrilled to see that dining out — whether that means in-restaurant or getting take-out — is still such an important part of people’s lives.”

The modified event started to include take-out options due to the uncertainty of 2020’s Covid – 19 pandemic. Restaurants create 3-course menus for $33 or $44 per person for the September event with wine at an additional cost. Reservations are recommended for those looking to visit a new restaurant or return to a favorite one.

To see participating restaurants and menus head to the Arizona Restaurant Association’s website. The website is updated as new restaurants sign up.

Downtown Phoenix Oktoberfest returns to Civic Space Park

The end of September should bring cooler temperatures but this is Phoenix so it could still be warm for the annual Downtown Phoenix Oktoberfest. Quench your thirst at this German inspired festival that started as a wedding in 1810 and lasted for several days. The annual celebration continues around the world feasting and drinking for several days. Our downtown festival only lasts 6 hours on Saturday September 28th at Civic Space Park.

The doors open at 3:00 p.m. with authentic German food such as pretzels, brats, currywurst, schnitzel, spatzel and sauerkraut from Brat Haus, Eur Haus food truck and others. Huss Brewing makes sure the beer keeps flowing pouring their beers along with 8 German beers on tap.

“The Downtown Phoenix Oktoberfest is a chance for everyone to be German for the day,” said owner of HDE Agency, Landon Evans. “Oktoberfest is a long-running tradition in Germany and we love bringing it to Cityscape providing an authentic experience, live entertainment and plenty of fun.”oktoberfest

Funkhaus Brass Band will be playing New Orleans style music and games Corn Hole & Jenga will keep people entertained. Servers from Hooter will be serving food and drinks and will host a Stein Holding contest and Beer Maid contest. Save room and enter the brat eating contest.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to ICM Food & Clothing Bank. Since 1983 ICM has provided basin needs such as food, clothes, diapers and more to poor families.

Tickets are $10 online and $15 day off. Groups of 4 can get tickets for $30 online for a 50% savings. Food and beverage sold separately. Civic Space park is at 424 N. Central Ave.

Chompie’s donates for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and locally owned Chompie’s Delicatessen is donating to Singleton Moms $1 from each item sold on a special 3 entree menu for the whole month. The 3 items on the menu are….

  • Josh’s Whole Grain French Toast ($7)
  • Fitness Omelet ($12)
  • Classic Grandpa Ruby’s Reuben ($17)

The money donated to Singleton Moms helps the local non-profit provide financial support, groceries, supplies and support groups to single parent families affected by cancer.

Throughout 2017 the family owned Chompie’s has made and will continue to make a donation to Singleton Moms  when a kid’s meal is purchased.

All 5 Phoenix area Chompie’s are participating in the supporting Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

 

Oy Vey! Rosh Hashanah comes early this year and Chompie’s Deli is ready.

Rosh Hashana Dinner
With an early September arrival this year, the Jewish New Year celebration “Rosh Hashanah” may catch you un-prepared and what a sin that would be. Fear not my brethren, Chompie’s Deli’s will have dinner ready and waiting for, to dine in or take home.

The Rosh Hashanah Holiday dinner will be served on the evening of Wednesday, September 4th at 5 p.m. – close at the Phoenix, Scottsdale and Chandler locations. Reservations are highly recommended for this 6 course dinner of Jewish specialties that grandma makes so good. Adults are $29.95 and $14.95 a child. The Holiday “Take Home” menu is available at their website www.chompies.com L’Chaim!

The holiday menu is as follows…

Starters:
· Glass of kosher wine or grape juice,

· Fresh baked challah and apples and honey

Appetizer Choices:
· Gelfite Fish with Beet Horseradish or Chopped Liver with Red Onion Garnish

Soup Choices:
· Chicken Soup with Matzo Ball

· Beef Barley with Mushroom

Potato Choices:
· Large Crisp Potato Latke with Applesauce

· Roasted Potatoes with Caramelized Onions

Vegetable Choices:
· Glazed Carrots – or – Old World Tzimmis

Entrees choices:
· One-half Roasted Chicken with Savory Stuffing

· Tender Braised Brisket of Beef with Pan Gravy

· Steelhead Salmon Filet with Dill Butter

· Roasted Breast of Turkey with Savory Stuffing

Dessert:
· A Fine Assortment of Holiday Cakes