Drink ThisDrink This: Oak-Smoked Old-Fashioned
Nikki BuchananJanuary 23, 2020
At FLINT, the Oak-Smoked Old-Fashioned is decidedly new-fashioned.
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Food ReviewsVecina
Nikki BuchananJanuary 23, 2020
Fronted by a pair of dining vets, this new Arcadia eatery is part Mexican, part New American and all awesome.
Veg OutVeg Out: “Pow” Cauliflower
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 23, 2020
When chef-owner Chris Gruebele designed Verdura’s menu, he sketched a picture of what would become the restaurant’s popular General Pow Cauliflower.
Three BitesThree Bites: It’s a Date!
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 23, 2020
Confronted by the mystically sweet meatiness of Medjool dates, Valley chefs have but one logical course of action: Stuff them.
Local ProductsLocal Product: Mediterra Bakehouse
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 23, 2020
Using a brick hearth hand-built in France, Nick Ambeliotis and his crew craft about 20 different varieties of slow-fermented bread.
Food ReviewsSpace Case: Century Grand
Nikki BuchananJanuary 23, 2020
We asked owners Jason Asher and Rich Furnari about the Art Deco environs of Century Grand.
Desert DigestPav on Juice: Merkin Vineyards
Pavle MilicJanuary 22, 2020
I finally got around to visiting Old Town Scottsdale’s latest Arizona wine-tasting room: Maynard James Keenan’s Merkin Vineyards, which opened last year. It was something of a nostalgic homecoming for me, because the space served as the first home of my restaurant, FnB. And, yes, I like what they’ve done with the place. Just like Keenan’s Caduceus tasting room in Jerome, MV is posh and welcoming. General manager James Cunningham walked me through the offerings:...
Four Peaks Brewing Co. recently announced the newest addition to its brood of award-winning brews. For fans of the brewery’s best-selling Kilt Lifter, Gilt Lifter is a lighter alternative with a toasty flavor and smooth finish, 3.4 percent ABV and only 99 calories per 12-ounce serving. A lower calorie count doesn’t mean less flavor, according to Andy Ingram, Four Peaks’ co-founder and head brewer. “You don’t find many beers this drinkable with this much flavor,”...
Desert DigestOpenings/ClosingsKaleidoscope Juice Arrives in Gilbert
Madison RutherfordJanuary 21, 2020
Kaleidoscope Juice, a local health and wellness company, will open its eighth Valley location in Gilbert next month. Kaleidoscope offers fresh-pressed juices, nutritious smoothies, coffee, acai bowls, grab-and-go salads and gluten-free baked goods. It uses high quality, organic ingredients that are locally sourced when possible. The new location will feature a walnut wood bar, banquet seating and a community table. It will also include a baking production area that will allow the company to expand...
Desert DigestQ & A with Chef Donna Sites of Cock N’ Tails Modern Brasserie
Madison RutherfordJanuary 20, 2020
Chef Donna Sites is bringing a bevy of knowledge and talent to the table at Cock N’ Tails Modern Brasserie, a rock ‘n’ roll-themed restaurant that’s slated to open in Uptown Phoenix on January 24. Decked out in eclectic rock memorabilia, the eatery features an elevated, chef-driven menu full of classic American dishes with a few twists. Handcrafted cocktails are also a key component of the concept, which will open at 7th Street and Bethany...
Desert DigestWhite Claw Brewery Coming to Glendale: A Beginner’s Guide to the Bubbly Beverage
Cody FitzpatrickJanuary 20, 2020
Brace yourself: The internet’s favorite alcoholic beverage is about to become local. “To keep up with demand for White Claw,” Mark Anthony Brewing, the maker of the spiked seltzer, is building a 916,000-square-foot brewing facility in Glendale off the Loop 303, planned for a speedy completion in “under seven months.” It seems White Claw is about to become even more ubiquitous in the Valley, and if you’re interested in trying it for the first time,...
Desert DigestRecipesRecipe Friday: The Everything Bagel Spice Salmon from Nook Kitchen
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 17, 2020
When Nick LaRosa of Nook Kitchen put together his menu, he wanted to do a spinoff on bagels and lox. Then, he had a great idea: “Why not put everything bagel seasoning on salmon?” LaRosa tried different preparations and decided pan seared and finished in the oven would be the best way. Once you make up a batch of Everything Bagel Spice, you can use it for all sorts of dishes, LaRosa says. “You can...
Desert DigestOpenings/Closings12 West Brewing Comes to Downtown Mesa
Madison RutherfordJanuary 16, 2020
Bryan McCormick’s dream of bringing his brewery to the 12 West building in downtown Mesa has become a reality. McCormick founded 12 West Brewing with Noel Garcia in 2016. The pair began brewing on a one-barrel system at its original location at Barnone in Gilbert and quickly started producing on a 10-barrel system due to increased demand. Now, the duo is finally expanding their business to a former events venue at 12 West Main Street...
Desert DigestOpenings/ClosingsMarauders is a New Pirate-Themed Bar and Restaurant in Tempe
Madison RutherfordJanuary 16, 2020
Marauders, a pirate-themed bar and restaurant that recently opened in south Tempe, is “built by musicians for musicians,” according to owner D.L. Marble. The singer-songwriter identifies with the pirate lifestyle, spending much of his time on his sailboat in San Carlos, Mexico and frequently visiting San Diego. He is also a yacht rock enthusiast, so he named many of the nautical watering hole’s cocktails after songs of the genre. Marauders features drinks, many of which...
Desert DigestDinners & PromotionsFemale-Driven Dining Series Debuts at The Phoenician
Marilyn HawkesJanuary 14, 2020
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 20 percent of America’s kitchens are headed up by women. But at The Phoenician, women play a much bigger role, with four female chefs in leadership positions. “We put our power on the plate,” says executive sous chef Rebecca Tillman. To celebrate, the resort will present “Fierce Females at The Phoenician,” an all-woman chef series of multicourse dinners served community-style at Mowry & Cotton. The...