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Photograph by Nicole Roegner
Bruschetta from Bin 239 |
Bin 239239 N. Marina Street, Prescott
928-445-3855 •
bin239.comThink Prescott and you’ll probably think Murphy’s, the old-time gem that serves up a menu of staples, like Oysters Rockefeller, fried catfish, corn-fed top sirloin and rotisserie chicken. But Bin 239 is Prescott’s newest hot spot, seducing crowds with its chic wine bar and wood-fired pizza.
It can be darn hard to land a table on weekend nights, with folks lining up for owner Kelly Keller’s prosciutto, fig and cream cheese bruschetta; Nicoise salad; New York steak with baked potato pie; Cuban panini; or the Popeye, a yummy spinach and chicken-apple sausage pizza.
For an insider’s treat, order the Big Bin Burger, a 16-ounce whopper of a burger loaded with toppings. It’s not on the menu, but trust us, it’s there – tell them PHOENIX magazine sent you.
Los Dos Molinos900 E. Main Street, Springerville
928-333-4846 •
losdosmolinosaz.com
True, you can get your Los Dos fix in Phoenix or Mesa (there’s even a location in New York City), but there’s something unequivocally satisfying about visiting the Mother Ship, which the Chavez family opened in Springerville more than two decades ago.
Get ready for heat: The family-run eatery has a sign in the window warning diners of the “fire” within, and they’re not kidding. The flames start with the salsa, continue with the spicy beans and rice, and unleash their full fury with New Mexican chile-pumped carne adovada.
The only thing to do is order an ice-cold beer or monster margarita and embrace the exquisite pain.
Brickman’s Grill1450 E. White Mountain Blvd., Pinetop-Lakeside
928-367-7400 •
brickmansgrill.comFor years, Phineas T’s was the best-kept secret of this White Mountains community, with inventive delicacies like dumplings stuffed with fresh seafood, Anaheim chiles and fresh herbs, lightly breaded in Japanese panko, flash fried and served with Thai chile sauce. Then, in 2006, T’s was sold and re-dubbed Tuscan Glass, in honor of its more than 1,500 bottles to pair with a menu of excellent Italian fare, such as osso buco and gorgonzola-tossed penne. Last January, though, the Glass went bankrupt.
Why does this history matter now that the place reopened last summer under the name Brickman’s Grill? Because, while the new incarnation looks much more like a casual neighborhood joint, with its old, wooden tables and green-tea painted walls, the chef from T’s and Tuscan is still in the kitchen, and he’s still putting out plates with meticulous care.
Sink your teeth into chef David Montoya’s excellent crab cakes dotted with wild mushrooms, the duckling confit spring rolls and the lemon-garlic grilled shark. Depending on the season, there’s also fresh Australian rock lobster, Alaskan King crab legs, dynamite daily fish specials and a terrific Pacific Rim salmon caramelized in Asian spices under honey mustard glaze.
Papouli’s Restaurant811 W. Fourth St., Benson
520-586-9190
If you’re on the way to the amazing Kartchner Caverns, stop in Benson for a down-home, Greek-American meal at the relatively new (it’s been open a little more than a year) Papouli’s, owned by the mother-daughter team of Martha and Irene Pargaz.
It may look like a typical roadside café, with cheery, bright paint and paper napkins, but you’ll be wowed by the homemade breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings at rock-bottom prices.
Eye-openers include Oscar’s chorizo (three scrambled eggs with spicy homemade Mexican sausage wrapped in a flour tortilla), croissant French toast, and a gyro and feta omelet. At lunch, it’s lemon pepper chicken with provolone, green chilies and roasted red peppers on grilled Texas toast; tasty Greek salads and pitas; chicken fried steak; portobello pasta or half-pound angus burgers.
Dinner favorites include eight huge shrimp wrapped in bacon, drizzled with raspberry chipotle glaze; tortilla-crusted tilapia; Greek chicken mantled in melted feta; or bone-in lemon lamb loin chops.
Red Onion1931 Highway 260, Heber
928-535-4433 •
redoniononline.comIf headed to Greer, The Peaks – an elegant eatery housed within the Amberian Peaks Lodge & Restaurant – is the obvious choice for fine dining.
But if dressing up doesn’t jive with a getaway of hiking or skiing, Red Onion is always welcoming. It’s a biker favorite, complete with pool tables, loud crowds and a serious push to get a drink at the bar. A polite body-check for a “monster” burger – double beef and cheese with green chile and bacon – is well worth the risk of getting into a biker brawl.
By the way, Bin will be closed until January 23, so save your burger cravings until then.