Got a dream of opening your own restaurant? Start with a pop-up. That’s the savvy direction budding restaurateurs are taking these days, given that pop-ups offer an inexpensive way to test locations, menu items and concepts, generate buzz, build an audience, and gain credibility. Cassie Shortino is following that very path, having recently left her position as the executive chef at Tratto to start Shorty’s Charpit, a pop-up she will hold once or twice a...
When Tony Andiario left Tratto four-ish years ago, I worried that the place would not be the same without him. Then Cassie Shortino, who had been working for Cullen Campbell at Crudo before it closed, stepped in and filled those shoes like a boss. I remember arguing back then with a food-loving pal of mine about the virtues of Andiario’s elegant chicken liver mousse versus Shortino’s far more rustic seared chicken livers with strawberry jam...
THE SCENE Oh, I forgot how wonderful it is to visit a new restaurant. To sit down at the bar and really drink the place in. To try a smattering of dishes to truly get a sense of the chef’s headspace. To actually feel the vibe, not just observe it from the takeout counter before rushing home. I rediscovered this pleasure this week at a media happy hour at the week-old Campo Italian Bistro and Bar, the newest incarnation of James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Stratta’s space in The Village at...
Now that the dog days of summer are here (apology to all the dogs), it’s time to crack out the cool, refreshing drinks. Top of the list: Cold brew coffee. Andrew Robertson of Press Coffee has shared a recipe with us and a couple of tips on how to make the best cold brew. When making this full-bodied coffee, it’s beneficial to use reverse osmosis water or distilled water with the addition of Third Wave...
Que Chevere — the brick-and-mortar Venezuelan restaurant in downtown Mesa that evolved from a popular food truck of the same name — has been around almost a year, and I marvel that I never found it before. Maybe I’ll just blame that little lapse on the pandemic. Owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Orvid Cutler and Maria Fernanda (he manages, she cooks), it’s a plainly furnished but charming little spot whose good vibes come from...
THE SCENE Is anyone else having crowd anxiety as we return to restaurants? I can’t be the only one. It’s simply natural to be a little jittery around gaggles of people after the past year and a half of social distancing, quarantining and fearing the physical proximity of others, lest we infect each other with a horrific virus. It’s challenging to rewire your brain and body to accept closeness – especially for someone like me, a social introvert who thrives in small groups but is easily...
Renata’s Hearth | Photo Courtesy Arizona Biltmore Now open 5th Street Burgers & Fries If you’re looking for a burger, 5th Street has 10 varieties, including a build-your-own option. 1158 W. Washington Tempe, 480-912-1621, 5thsteetburgers.com Artichoke Basille’s Pizza New York-based pizzeria opens a second location in Phoenix, featuring 16- and 22-inch pies, slices and “not pizza” starters and entrees. 6031 N. 16th St., Phoenix, 602-314-6776, artichokepizza.com Brooklyn V’s Pizza Brooklyn native Vito LoPiccolo opens his...
Springtime in the Valley brings more oranges than any of us could possibly use, no matter how fond of mimosas we might be. Tempe brewer The Shop Beer Co. has an answer: make the ubiquitous citrus fruit the centerpiece of its latest Neonic release. A PHOENIX 2020 Best of the Valley honoree, the popular Neonic series finds head brewer Matthew Tattersall and crew dropping limited-edition fruited sours that deliciously mimic nostalgic flavors. A blueberry pie...
Photo courtesy Arizona Biltmore All the news that’s fit to nosh. Happy Pride: Today marks the start of Pride month, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, and the Arizona Biltmore has some fun stuff planned. Every night in June, from 9-10 p.m., a five-minute rainbow light show will start every 15 minutes at the resort’s new Spire Bar. Iconic Love, In Color will display from the 30-foot Spire Art Installation, trellis and water fountains. Colorful food and drink specials include the Love Makes the World Go Round cocktail...
Hidden on a side street in south Scottsdale, Chadwick’s Urban Market sits amid a forest of low-slung, mid-century modern apartment buildings. It’s the perfect hub for a neighborhood that lacks a casual hangout and a supermarket. But don’t mistake Chadwick’s for your typical grocery store. This charming market has coffee, breakfast and lunch, wine and beer (to drink and take away) provisions for a picnic and a slew of local products. Chad Chase, and his...
Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, June 20 and local eateries know the way to Dad’s heart is through his stomach, so they’re pulling out all the stops with discounts, free dessert, buffets and even a special coffee blend. Photo courtesy Rachel Ayotte North Italia From June 10 to June 20, you’ll receive a $10 gift card when you order $50 in gift cards online. North Italia will donate a percentage of...
THE SCENE Photo by Leah LeMoine This week, I returned to the office for my first full workday there in a long time (nearly all pandemic, though I did come in for a few days here and there). It was nice to see my colleagues, to be in their presence and to share my baking experiments with them again (my pampushki, aka Ukrainian buttermilk rolls, were a hit). It was also nice to revisit the part of town our office is in – the fringes of Arcadia, close to Old...
