Food and Restaurants

Leaving the frenetic pace of the city behind, you enter the Farm at South Mountain (and a state of nirvana) from the instant you drive down the gravel lane ? past shady pecan trees and spacious lawns ? to the cottage that is Quiessence, framed with twinkle lights and surrounded by flowers. By the time you?ve wandered through the organic garden and sipped a glass of wine al fresco, you?ll notice that your pulse has slowed and you?re grinning for no apparent reason. Now you?re mentally prepared for Chef Greg LaPrad?s classically based but deliciously straightforward food, a celebration of freshness and simplicity so powerful you?ll want to stay down on the farm no matter how many times you?ve seen Paree. 6106 S. 32nd St., Phoenix, 602-276-0601, quiessencerestaurant.com.

 

It?s worth suffering light rail construction for one of Chris Bianco?s sublimely simple sandwiches, filled with primo ingredients and served on crunchy focaccia pulled straight from the wood-fired oven. He offers three daily choices ? house-made mozzarella with local tomato and fresh basil; sopressata with aged provolone and olivada; and tuna with red onion, gaeta olives, lemon and arugula. Rotating specials include wood-roasted lamb with escarole, AZ goat cheese with greens and roasted tomatoes, or Nueske?s bacon with Emmenthaler and tomato. Good thing there?s no seating. It keeps the crowds from gathering in usual Bianco-cult fashion. 4404 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, 602-234-2100, pizzeriabianco.com/pane.

 

The Saturday morning market at Vincent?s has been a tradition for almost 20 years, and every year it keeps getting better. Last year, Chef Vincent Guerithault debuted a ?burger bar? at his outdoor extravaganza (this, in addition to the crepes, omelets and paellas that are market staples). Vincent?s lobster burger is the best in town, but even if it weren?t, it would be the best lobster burger served in a parking lot. Regulars can?t wait until the market reopens for the fall season, which is usually in early October. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, 3930 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, 602-224-0225, vincentsoncamelback.com.

 

With its exposed brick, reclaimed timber and vintage glass bottles, Bobby-Q alludes to the funk of America?s famous barbecue joints without actually being funky. It?s casual but a wee bit upscale, the kind of place you?d bring the family for an affordable, crowd-pleasing meal. The menu features all-American classics, kicked up a notch: St. Louis-style ribs, smoke-roasted chicken, smoked prime rib, great burgers, cheesy mac and cheese, blackberry crisp and banana cream pie. Never mind that the typical American family is anything but typical these days; they?re still bound to love this. 8501 N. 27th Ave., Phoenix, 602-995-5982, bobbyq.net.

 

Like its eponymous owner, Tina?s Ethiopian Cafe is one-of-a-kind. Don?t expect glitz: When you step into this tiny establishment, you?re basically walking into Tina?s living room. The upside? The food is as good as homemade, whether it?s the tangy enjera, the lip-smacking watts, or Tina?s surprisingly addictive house salad. Before you leave, you?ll be part of the family ? but watch out for practical jokers. As you?ll see on the restaurant?s good-natured DVD, Tina?s Laugh Cafe, the Candid Camera tradition lives on in Chandler. 479 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480-917-3088, tinasethiopiancafe.com.

 

Owner Toni Lopez brings a lot of soul to her corner of the East Valley ? not only terrific ribs, fried chicken and catfish, but a charitable spirit that binds an entire community. (No nonprofit serves a more generous Christmas dinner than Soul in the Hole, and no for-profit serves a tastier one.) Everything?s good at this family-run restaurant, but the cornbread in particular is a real standout. Golden and cakey but not too sweet, it?s steaming hot heaven on a plate. Pair it with Soul in the Hole?s mouthwatering chili beans ? it?s a combination they write songs about. 601 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler, 480-963-7787.

 

This winsome, chef-owned operation, located around the corner and yet worlds away from the corporate blandness and walking freak show on Mill Avenue, is everything that party-hearty main drag is not ? personal, sincere and first-rate. Chef-owner Eugenia Theodosopoulos, who outfitted her cheery, multi-windowed space with ?green? materials, applies the same forward-thinking philosophy to her menu, using grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and local, organic produce to make fantastic breakfasts, sandwiches, salads, house-baked breads and desserts. And just so you know, there is no better spanakopita this side of Greece. 825 W. University Drive, Tempe, 480-966-2745, essencebakery.com.

 

Don?t let the B-word throw you. Thanks to talented chef and co-owner Yasu Hashino, this chic but accessible place is the real deal, not some raucous roll operation with ofays in headbands. Here, hip-and-happenin? goes hand-in-hand with tradition, as Hashino makes every sauce from scratch and grills his fish, meats and vegetables over oak charcoal, the old-fashioned way. Meanwhile, the menu, which features daily specials you seldom find elsewhere, caters to both beginners and experts. Try the ankimo, tuna carpaccio and hirame sashimi and you?ll be convinced: Yasu is off the hook. 4316 E. Cactus Road, Ste. B-4, Phoenix, 602-787-9181.

 

If, in your mind, ?neighborhood Italian? connotes cheap, read no further. Cozy, family-run VinciTorio?s is not cheap. If, however, your vision of the perfect neighborhood Italian restaurant includes a bustling atmosphere, friendly servers, house-made focaccia, great pizza, beautiful antipasti, heart-shaped butternut squash ravioli (hand-made, of course), Italian wines, a handful of irresistibly old-school entrées and an extensive list of fabulous desserts, this is the place, Paisan. It?s affordable, but it isn?t cheap. There?s a difference and you can taste it in every bite. 1835 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, 480-820-2786, vincitoriosrestaurant.com.

 

Located along the backside of a declining strip mall in a none-too-upscale part of town, charming Backstreet ? a feminine nest of a place decorated with serene blue paint, plump settees and armchairs, mirrors and a range of interesting artwork ? comes as such a pleasant surprise. Although Jock Wulffson (the owner and resident wine geek) has forgotten more about wine than most of us will ever know, both his list and his attitude are low-key and unpretentious. The same is true for Chef Patrice Berry?s European-inspired comfort food, which runs to rustic sausages with mashed potatoes and pommes rondelles (baked spud slices topped with raclette and crispy bacon). The Pavlova alone ? a crunchy baked meringue shell filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries ? is reason enough to pay a visit. 3603 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix, 602-550-7900, backstreetwine.com.

 

?Molecular gastronomy? describes the wildly experimental, high-tech cooking that marries chemistry to the culinary arts. It?s a trend that?s, uh, exploding in other parts of the country, but our best mad scientist here at home is Kevin Binkley, a lovable lunatic who makes Foie Gras Dippin? Dots, Gazpacho Lava Lamp, Disappearing Limeade and Root Beer Pop Rocks. Detractors call it gimmickry, but this is where haute cuisine goes back to the future, and it appeals to chefs and diners alike on both an intellectual and emotional level. For the open-minded, Binkley?s brave new world is fun and surprisingly tasty. 6920 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, 480-437-1072, binkleysrestaurant.com.

 

Barrio?s website boasts a Spanish phrase, ?Comida Orgullosamente Mexicana,? which means something like ?proudly Mexican food.? And while that accurately depicts chef-owner Silvana Salcido Esparza?s modern spin on the traditional cuisine of her homeland, it?s not quite as accurate as the X-rated ?comida chingona,? printed on T-shirts the café can?t keep in stock. It means ?F-ing good food,? and that?s the best way to describe Esparza?s tableside guacamole with pomegranate seeds, succulent achiote-rubbed pork roast (cochinita pibil) and dreamy chiles en nogada (a chicken and fruit-stuffed poblano, smoothed with almond cream sauce). Margaritas, sangria, premium tequilas and wines from Baja?s newly emerging wine region are pretty F-ing good, too. 2814 N. 16th St., Phoenix, 602-636-0240, barriocafe.com.

 

This tiny, bright-white diner turns out the kind of hearty, soul-satisfying breakfasts your mom used to make (assuming your mom was a really good cook). The straightforward menu offers your basic eye-openers ? bacon, eggs, hash browns, ham, pancakes and waffles. What makes each breakfast so distinctive is owner Matt Pool?s obsession with great ingredients: organic fruit preserves; eggs from cage-free, humanely raised chickens; natural, grain-fed pork from Iowa, and locally roasted coffee. Oh yeah, and he sautés his home fries with rosemary in extra virgin olive oil. Did your mom do that? 801 N. First St., Phoenix, 602-254-1074, mattsbigbreakfast.com.

 

Lots of chefs put seasonal items on their menus, but Wade Moises goes a wee bit crazier than most. Drop by Sassi in June, for example, and you may find fresh peach-infused vodka at the bar, poured over a ball of crushed ice to make a potent snow cone. More peaches arrive as a pre-dinner refresher, sliced in a bowl with sprigs of mint and a few flecks of sea salt. Later, there?s creamy peach crostata dessert. For Moises, it?s all about appreciating the earth?s bounty in every conceivable way. He places five varieties of summer?s first tomatoes on a platter with fresh basil and a glistening white mound of house-made mozzarella, tosses squash, fava beans and other garden-fresh vegetables with pasta for sauce-less primavera, stuffs ephemeral squash blossoms with ricotta and flash-fries them in a wisp of batter. Moises teaches us to appreciate the seasons in the most fundamental of ways. 10455 E. Pinnacle Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale, 480-502-9095, sassi.biz.

 

About halfway through your Bananas Foster waffles or your Cherries Jubilee pancakes, you might wonder if you?re eating breakfast or dessert, which will prompt the question, ?Do I care?? Frankly, even the more conservative breakfasts at this perennially popular breakfast spot are a bit excessive: cinnamon challah French toast with candied nuts, berries and Vermont maple syrup, for example, or huevos con masa with chipotle cornbread, chorizo, queso and pico de gallo. There?s a lot going on at the BC, and all of it?s fun. 4400 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480-222-2582, thebreakfastclub.us.

 

The Windy City is famous for two kinds of pies ? thin crust and deep dish ? and Vito?s makes them both extraordinarily well. But it?s the pan pizza that deserves your special attention simply because nobody, but nobody, does it better. The sturdy golden brown crust (similar in texture to a biscuit or dinner roll) contains this juicy pie, whose other salient feature is its topping of hearty homemade tomato sauce. Melted mozzarella, relegated to the bottom layer, oozes just beneath Vito?s fabulous homemade meatballs or spicy sausage. Add a few green olives and you?ve got perfect pizza, the Chi-Town way. 4318 W. Northern Ave., Glendale, 623-930-1644.

 

From the tiny kitchen of this snug strip mall restaurant, chef-owner Rosa Rosas turns out the sublimely rustic dishes of Colombia, Peru and her native Ecuador ? fabulous shrimp ceviche with pickled onion and popcorn; bright yellow papas a la huancaina; moist pork-stuffed tamales steamed in banana leaf; and marinated skirt steak served with rice, lentils and fried plantains. Everything, including top-notch desserts, is faintly familiar but a little exotic, too. If you?ve never eaten South American food, run ? don?t walk ? to Mi Cocina, Mi Pais, where you?ll fall in love with Rosas? kitchen and her country. 4221 W. Bell Road, Phoenix, 602-548-7900.

 

The original Eden didn?t have a grill (just a problematic apple tree), but surely the Almighty wouldn?t have objected to the olive oil-drizzled hummus, wonderfully smoky baba ghannoush, aromatic kebabs and excellent catfish offered at this friendly, tastefully decorated restaurant. As Assyrian Christians from Iraq, chef-owners Marcus, Shalem and Nahren Narsa believe that modern day Iraq is where Eden was located. All we know is their golden basmati rice (strewn with sultanas and crunchy Marcona almonds) and honey-drenched baklava suggest a paradise regained. 13843 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix, 602-996-5149, edensgrill.com.

 

If Rocky Point is not on your immediate itinerary, cheer up. This spiffy restaurant, painted the bright blue of the ocean and decorated with whimsical aquatic art, takes you straight to the Mexican coast for seafood prepared in dozens of muy sabroso ways. Campechana, a bright-tasting seafood cocktail is always a good place to start, as is the sublimely simple shrimp salad, loaded with avocado. Really, everything involving shrimp is first-rate, and the Snapper Veracruzano, a whole fish fried crisp and scattered with tomatoes, onions, olives and peppers, is among the best in town. Imaginatively prepared fresh fish at reasonable prices? That?s a day at the beach, amigo. 1605 E. Garfield St., Phoenix, 602-462-1563.

 

Sunday brunch can be such a bloody bore. The buffet lines, the picked over food, the nosebleed prices ? who needs it? Sleek, chic Sol Y Sombra, the city?s best tapas bar, redefines the long, drawn out ritual, offering a short, reasonably priced and frequently changed menu with choices that look and taste 100 times better than they sound. The tortilla espinaca (a potato-egg pie with fresh spinach and bacon sauce), the super-crunchy patatas bravas and the almond French toast with cinnamon milk and chocolate will blow you away ? guaranteed. This is a Sunday kind of love. 20707 N. Pima Road (Market Street at DC Ranch), Scottsdale, 480-443-5399, solysombraaz.com.

 

Ron Lee and staff have been turning out daily dim sum for nearly 20 years, and their experience shows, not only in the variety of dishes offered (40 selections during the week, up to 70 on the weekends), but also in the quality of their preparation. At this cavernous restaurant (frequented by Chinese families and business people who often travel to Hong Kong) the lotus-wrapped rice has just the right texture, the shimmering rice dumplings melt away on the tongue, the seafood selections are inspired, the food is always hot and the carts just keep on coming. Lunch at C-Fu is sum kind of wonderful, yes it is. 2051 W. Warner Road, Chandler, 480-899-3888, cfugourmet.com.

 

Lots of wine bars offer cheese plates because wine and cheese are a love-marriage, horse-carriage kind of thing. But Uncorked goes one better, offering cheese trays paired to red wine, white wine, sparkling wine and port, as well as incorporating cheese into many yummy sandwiches and snacks. Imagine a savory Parmigiano Reggiano cheesecake adorned with sliced pears, a creamy hunk of Stilton, surrounded by port-glazed figs and walnuts or a ham and cheese sandwich of prosciutto, Brie and apples with scallion-butter on goat cheese sourdough. Doesn?t that put a smile on your face? 16427 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480-699-9230, uncorkedwinebar.com.

 

No wonder Chef Nobuo Fukuda won the James Beard Award this year. His ?tapanese? cuisine, an elegant fusion of East and West, served in the small-plate, wine-friendly tradition of the Japanese izakaya, is nothing short of spectacular. Although his regular menu is certainly impressive (and a great way to get acquainted with Nobuo?s style), it?s the omakase (chef?s choice) that will be locked in your memory banks forevermore. Ask for omakase and you give Nobuo the authority to prepare you whatever he wants to make. And in giving that trust, you?ll be repaid with eight ravishing courses of such striking composition you?ll hesitate to eat them. Oh, but wait ?til you do! Each pristine ingredient (some miniscule, but no less potent for that) adds a layer of flavor to a dish that is oh so much more than the sum of its parts. 7133 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, 480-481-9463, seasaw.net.