Emboldened by tourist and snowbird crowds, Valley restaurateurs get frisky come spring. They launch new menus. They book wine dinners. They do spring-long, high-concept “supper series” events. Some dishes to look out for this month.
Roasted trout at Kitchen West
The flagship eatery at The Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch is hosting monthly three-course dinners through May, each conceived around one of the state’s seminal 5 Cs. March’s cotton theme is heavy on native crops, including the Pima Indian beans that accent roasted trout with preserved lemon. $85. destinationhotels.com
Anything at geordie’s
James Beard Award-winning chef Christopher Gross will cook at two wine dinners this month: Grgich Hills Estate (March 7) and Rosenthal Imports Bordeaux Selections (March 21). Will his famed hanger steak make an appearance? We’d pay to find out. wrigleymansion.com
The D-Backs chicken melt at U.S. Egg
Even Valley breakfast chain U.S. Egg is getting into the fun, launching a Cactus League-themed “secret menu” of team-inspired dishes. Others include the Cincy skillet and Rockies breakfast burrito. useggrestaurant.com
Oysters at Bluewater Grill
On National Oysters on the Half-Shell Day – yes, it exists – the august seafood restaurant on Camelback Road will shuck a dozen bivalves from Washington state and British Columbia for just $9.95, a savings of $5. bluewatergrill.com
Cartel Coffee Beef Taco at Taco Guild
Our favorite awesome-converted-church-with-a-food-program-we-never-really-got-into is doing a soft rebranding this spring with an overhauled food and drink program. This new menu item caught our eye: a Cartel coffee-rubbed, braised and roasted beef shoulder taco. tacoguild.com
