Photo by Jacob Tyler Dunn
All the news that’s fit to nosh.
Fry Baby: Back off, burgers. Hop along, hot dogs. Check you later, chicken fingers. French fries are once again emerging from their supporting role to take center stage at FRIED French Fry & Music Festival on Saturday, April 9. Downtown Phoenix’s Margaret T. Hance Park will host the potatopalooza, which has been on a pandemic hiatus since its debut in 2019. The fest will attract a similar caliber of vendors as 2019’s bash, which included Frites St., The American Poutine Co., Tapp Haus BBQ, Chula Seafood and the French Me food truck. New this year: varied sample sizes, so you can try a little or a lot from the various vendors. Follow the event on social media for updates on vendors, live music acts and other festivities. Tickets are $12 each and available for online purchase only.
CBDry January: As I wrote in this news story in our current issue, on newsstands now, “sober curiosity” is having a moment. To wit: The Valley’s hottest new bar, Garden Bar PHX, has partnered with Best Dispensary on zero-proof mocktails featuring CBD. Through the end of this month, pop into Garden Bar for CBD mocktails including the Green Bee (Free Spirit’s Spirit of Gin, pineapple, local honey, lemon, egg white, Best Dispensary Nano CBD Tincture, honeycomb), the Spiritless Whiskey Slam (Kentucky 75 whiskey alternative, Nopari Campari alternative, fresh lemon, Best Dispensary CBD Nano tincture) and the Spicy Passionfruit Margarita (salted citrus base and Free Spirit’s Spirit of Tequila, passionfruit, ginger, Best Dispensary CBD Nano tincture).
Beard-ed Ladies: James Beard Foundation’s Taste America is coming to the Valley on February 23. Sanctuary Camelback Mountain will host a three-course dinner by Arizona food luminaries Samantha Sanz (chef at elements at Sanctuary) and Rochelle Daniel (Atria, Fat Ox). It’s part of an 18-city series of chef-hosted soirées that highlight local talent and provide economic support to restaurants during the pandemic. Tickets cost $350 per pair and can be purchased here.
Four-Year Clover: Happy fourth anniversary to Old Town Scottsdale’s Blue Clover Distillery! The gin and vodka gurus are marking their fourth year with a special anniversary event on February 4. Guests can enjoy the debut of BC’s barrel-aged gin and barrel-aged gin Old Fashioneds ($15), as well as $10 barrel-aged gin cocktails from 8-11 p.m. Live music and delicious bites will also be on tap. Bonus: Enjoy special pricing for the duo of a bottle of barrel-aged gin and a bottle of BC orange bitters ($50 for the pair).
Wine It Up: We clink our glasses to Curt Dunham and Peggy Fiandaca of LDV Winery, who just won two awards from the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. From more than 5,800 wines submitted from around North America, a panel of 45 professional judges bestowed a double gold award to LDV’s 2015 The Signature Petite Sirah in the $46-plus category. Its 2015 Petite Sirah won a silver in the $40-$45.99 category.
New Restaurants on the Block: Itching to try something new? Add these to your to-dine list:
- Source: PHOENIX dining critic darling Claudio Urciuoli (the original Pa’La and the new Pa’La Downtown) is teaming up with Thai Chili 2 Go founder Akshat Sethi on Source, a “fast-fine dining” Mediterranean concept set to open this spring at Epicenter at Agritopia in Gilbert. True to Urciuoli form, it will focus on fresh, local, seasonal produce and proteins along with whole grains. Expect salads, sandwiches, pizza, tapas, Venetian-style cicchetti (small snacks or side dishes) and natural wines. There will also be a retail market with house-made bread, artisanal goods, more wine and grab-and-go items.
Eligible Menus: Exciting new menus are always popping up at some of your favorite Valley restaurants. To wit:
- Z’Tejas: Tasty new winter menu by chef Diego Bolanos! Look for blackened ahi tuna with creamy ginger avocado sauce; chipotle- and rosemary-braised short ribs; short rib enchiladas; achiote shrimp Alfredo pasta; maple- and agave-grilled half-chicken; and ginger-apple cheesecake with house-made churro.
- Koibito Poke: New poke bowl base alert: cauliflower rice! If you’re low-carbing or keto-ing or what have you, this is a fun new option. Make it your whole base or mix and match with greens, go half-carb with white or brown rice, etc.
- Taphouse Kitchen: Takeout queens, bookmark this blog. Taphouse has new takeout specials that include the 16×16 special (one 16-inch, two-topping pizza, 16 hot wings and two sauces for $40). Add a second 16-inch pizza for an additional $10. For a bigger crew, go with the Family Feast (one 16-inch pizza, 25 hot wings and choice of fries or cheese balls for $60).
- Valley Coffee Company: Fellow caffeine fiends, I have three words for you: coffee happy hour. Enjoy this daily from 5 p.m.-close at Valley Coffee Company, where CHH gives you $1 off any coffee, espresso drink or tea – any size. Visit Monday-Thursday from 5 p.m.-close for $2 off all beers and wines. Also check out VCC’s new lunch special: pizza or sandwich with any regular-size coffee drink or iced tea for $10.75 (daily, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.).
- Maple & Ash: The Valley’s shmanciest steakhouse just debuted an affordable option to make indulgence a more regular occurrence for the non-millionaires among us (ahem, moi). Tower Hour is a cool new spin on happy hour, with $15 Tito’s vodka martinis, $10 wines (bubbles, rosé and house red), $2 oysters (raw and fire-roasted) and, best of all, a $40 mini version of M&A’s signature seafood tower. These treats are available Monday-Friday in the lounge and bar only, and reservations are strongly encouraged. I’ll be visiting for a media happy hour soon, so check our HH blogs in the coming weeks for a full report!
$aving$: Watching the old budget? Who isn’t? Here are some sweet deals to help you $ave.
- Eat Up Drive In: While most restaurants are – understandably – raising prices to keep up with rising food costs and supply and labor issues, this Arcadia throwback is working magic to slash prices. The wood-grilled cheeseburger was originally $12.50 and is now a jaw-dropping $5.50! Check out new menu items as well, including chicken nuggets, PB&Js for kids and gluten-free buns from Gluten-Free Creations.
- The Double Dutch Kitchen and Cocktails: Celebrate National Chocolate Cake Day this Thursday, January 27, at this Chandler gastropub. You can get a free slice of Double Dutch’s house-made chocolate cake – with white chocolate topper and berry coulis – with the purchase of a sandwich or entree.
