Eliot Wexler

Eliot Wexler is banking the success of Noca on his food knowledge and local connections

NOCA Cult Keeps Growing

Eliot Wexler and chef Chris Curtiss have never explicitly told me that they're trying to turn us all into NOCA addicts, but I'm convinced this is their grand plan. And you know what? It seems to be working. At a birthday party last weekend, I danced my ass off in a friend's kitchen, and ev ... More >>

Fun With Wagyu: Pastrami at Noca

It seems like I've been hearing about it for months now: Noca's mythical wagyu pastrami. Owner Eliot Wexler was busy tracking down wagyu brisket -- definitely an unusual cut of the pricey, succulent Kobe beef -- while chef Chris Curtiss was fine-tuning the ultimate recipe. Wexler was ... More >>

Eight AZ Names Among James Beard Nominees

Creme brulee at Vincent's In a press release this morning, the James Beard Foundation announced its preliminary lists of nominees for various categories in the prestigious James Beard Awards. There are 20 nominees in each category, and eight Arizona individuals and restaurants are among t ... More >>

Sea Saw's Nobuo Fukuda Teams Up With NOCA

Sea Saw chef Nobuo Fukuda's cutting-edge sashimi creations and luxurious omakase dinners have earned him not only legions of devotees, but a prestigious James Beard "Best Chef: Southwest" award. And since the opening of NOCA last August, chef Chris Curtiss has gained a cult following for h ... More >>

Noca Gets a Nod From Bon Appetit

​The September issue of Bon Appetit hasn't hit the streets yet, but the word straight from publisher Conde Nast is that local restaurant Noca gets a mention in Nina Elder and Andrew Knowlton's roundup of "The Country's Best Daily Specials."About one recent Sunday special, the grilled heirloom toma ... More >>

Local Restaurant Peeps' Predictions for 2011

What cuts of meat will you be eating in 2011?​Helen Yung, Sweet Republic co-ownerI think it'll be the year of gourmet food trucks. It started this year but will make a huge jump in 2011, with well-regarded restaurants joining the game.Craig DeMarco, Postino ownerMy short list: ... More >>

Noca Set to Launch "nocawich" Lunch Service

Noca's famous lobster roll.​For anyone who scratches their head at the thought of relaxed fine dining spot Noca going all casual and sandwich-centric for its new lunch service, I have two words for you: Lobster roll. It makes perfect sense, actually. The eatery has been doing a clever, up ... More >>

Noca's Chris Curtiss Up for People's Best New Chef in Food Wine Poll

​A slew of chefs have been nominated for the Southwest category of Food Wine magazine's new The People's Best New Chef contest -- ten in all, from Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Texas -- but there's only one representing our great state: Chris Curtiss, executive chef of Noca. It's not ... More >>

Chris Curtiss Talks About Why He Left Noca, What's Next, and Settles a Rumor

​On Sunday, a disturbance in the dining force was felt at Noca, the contemporary American restaurant in Central Phoenix, when it was reported that its executive chef, Chris Curtiss, was leaving. I had a chance to talk with Curtiss, the culinary whiz who was nominated this year for the Southwe ... More >>

Noca's New Chef Is 27 Years Old, Has Worked with Four James Beard Award Winners, and "Killed" the Tasting, Says Owner Eliot Wexler

Jackie Mercandetti ​Usually, phone calls at 2 a.m. in the morning bring no good, but for Noca owner Eliot Wexler, this one was a welcome wake-up. Chef Matt Taylor​The call came from 27-year-old chef Matt Taylor. Taylor, currently working at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas wit ... More >>

New Noca Chef Matt Taylor in the Kitchen Since Sunday: Did Southern Simple Supper, Created a "Nocawich," Working on Bar Bites

NocaSouthern Simple Supper second course: chicken fried Berkshire pork loin, white grits, pickled watermelon rinds, chicory glace.​New Noca chef Matt Taylor, the 27-year-old who's worked with four James Beard award winners and was previously at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas with ce ... More >>

Hole Foods: Boutique Doughnuts Are Leaving the Likes of Krispy Kreme in the Dust

NocaSouthern Simple Supper second course: chicken fried Berkshire pork loin, white grits, pickled watermelon rinds, chicory glace.​New Noca chef Matt Taylor, the 27-year-old who's worked with four James Beard award winners and was previously at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas with ce ... More >>

The Hole Story on Gourmet Doughnuts

Jackie Mercandetti​Eliot Wexler, owner of the award-winning restaurant Noca in Central Phoenix, has a theory about why we're obsessed with doughnuts. "The great thing about doughnuts, in general, is that whatever culture you're from, across the world, there is a doughnut. A variation, a permu ... More >>