Casey Petty’s Maple Manhattan

​Yesterday we met Casey Petty, the man behind the bar at Metro Brasserie. Today he shares with us the recipe for his Maple Manhattan, a drink he crafted to capture the essence of fall. “It’s not really a manhattan,” Petty says. “I just want people to know there’s whiskey in…

Casey Petty At Metro Brasserie

​Casey Petty of Metro Brasserie (7114 E. Stetson Dr., 480-994-3663) says that 99 percent of the people who come to the French eatery in Scottsdale once end up coming back again. We’re willing to bet he has more than a little influence on those numbers. The young, outgoing guy has been…

RnR: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: RnR, 3737 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, 480-945-3353 http://rnrscottsdale.com/ The Hours: Enjoy a little rest and relaxed prices Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 pm. The Details: RnR offers generous half-priced draft beer, wine, wells, and margaritas, with a handful of appetizers priced at 5 bucks each. (the…

Alicia Jorgensen’s Miss Katie’s Pimms Cup

​Last week  we met Alicia Jorgensen, the woman behind the bar at the new Beckett’s Table. Today she shares with us the recipe for Miss Katie’s Pimms Cup, a drink crafted by owner Scott Stevens and named for his wife, Katie. The cocktail’s made with Pimms No. 1, a gin-based drink…

Brewed For Battle: Pumpkin Ale

At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In the spirit of all great beer-related discussions, we present…

Alicia Jorgensen at Beckett’s Table

​Veterans of the food industry will attest that while it’s one thing to begin working in an established restaurant, it’s another thing entirely to be part of the crew that opens a new one. The experience can be stressful, especially at an eatery as hyped-up as Beckett’s Table (3717 E. Indian…

Philly’s Sports Bar & Grill: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Philly’s Sports Bar & Grill, 1826 N. Scottsdale Rd., Tempe, 480-946-6666 http://phillyssportsgrill.com/ The Hours: Happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 pm, with reverse happy hour deals Sunday through Thursday from 11 pm to close. Some pretty killer drink deals are available all day, every…

Brewed for Battle: Russian Imperial Stout

At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In the spirit of all great beer-related discussions, we present…

Nate Kolasa’s Mango Deck

​Yesterday we met Nate Kolasa, who keeps the tequila flowing and the smiles showing at Scottsdale’s Loco Patron. Today he shares with us the recipe for the Mango Deck, a drink he crafted after a trip to Mexico that’s earned its place on the bar’s drink menu. “I was in…

Nate Kolasa at Loco Patron

​For fans or tacos, tequila and all things Mexico, the knowledge that Cinco de Mayo comes but once a year is depressing. Luckily all the joy of the annual fiesta can be found year-round at Loco Patron (4228 N. Scottsdale Road, 480-874-0033), the popular cantina tucked in the heart of Old…

DiVerti Bar & Grill: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: DiVerti Bar & Grill, 4 E. University Dr., Tempe, 480-284-5972 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tempe-AZ/Diverti-Bar-and-Grill/147317605296799 The Hours: Every day of the week from 3 to 7 pm and reverse happy hour from 10 pm to midnight (but the reverse happy hour deals are just Monday through Friday–sorry late night weekend boozers). The…

Brewed For Battle: Witbier

At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In the spirit of all great beer-related discussions, we present…

Jason Jereb’s Applesauce

​Yesterday we met Jason Jereb, the man behind the bar and in front of the daiquiri machines at Mill Ave.’s Fat Tuesday. Today he shares with us the recipe for Applesauce, which is every bit as simple and tasty as it sounds and goes great with pork chops. Just don’t…

Jason Jereb at Fat Tuesday

​On Mill Ave. in Tempe, there’s a bar for every personality. Rula Bula’s the place to be for Irish music; Pool sharks can hit the Cue Club. But for those looking for the taste of New Orleans and the flair of Mardi Gras, there’s Fat Tuesday (680 S. Mill Ave., 480-967-3917)…

Dave’s Electric Brewpub: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Dave’s Electric Brewpub, 502 S. College Ave, Tempe, 480-967-5353 http://www.daveselectricbrewpub.com The Hours: Monday through Saturday from 4-7 pm, and then again from 10:30- close. Happy hour deals are good all day long Sundays. The Details: Dave’s offers a buck off all appetizers, and to wash it down, $3…

Brewed For Battle: Oktoberfest

At what point does one elevate from merely drinking beer to being a full-on beer snob? Answer: when you feel compelled to tell other people what to drink. And the inevitable result of this peculiar ailment is the beer argument. In the spirit of all great beer-related discussions, we present…

Gina Florio’s Va-Gina

​Yesterday we met Gina Florio, the buxom babe who mixes it up in north Phoenix’s relaxed gay bar, Kobalt. Today she shares with us a recipe she crafted for Kobalt when it first opened four years ago: the Va-Gina. “I tell everybody it’s pink and delicious, like me,” Florio says…

Gina Florio at Kobalt

​Thumping dance music, rainbow-colored flags and a live poodle aren’t things you’d find at your average bar in downtown Phoenix. But Kobalt (3110 N. Central Ave., 602-264-5307) isn’t your average bar. A favorite of the central Phoenix gay community, for four years the raucous tavern’s been bringing a little color…

Rosie McCaffrey’s: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Rosie McCaffrey’s, 906 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, 602-241-1916 http://www.rosiemccaffreys.com The Hours: An almost unheard of three full hours of happy hour deals: 4 to 7 pm, Monday through Friday. The Details: A buck off all drafts, glasses of wine, and well drinks, or $2 domestic bottles if you…

Boots Byrd’s Cucumber Cooler

​Yesterday we met Boots Byrd, the awesomely-named Chatty Cathy who serves up drinks and manages the bar at St. Francis. Today he shares with us the recipe for one of his original creations that graces the restaurant’s menu: the Cucumber Cooler. The cocktail’s made with Hendricks gin, a liquor whose…

The Beer for Brains Off-Centered Experience

​Well, they said it would be off-centered. The first annual Beer for Brains Foundation Off-Centered Experience was held Saturday at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, and it was a weird, wild ride. The day began with the toots of horns and the bangs of drums courtesy of the Bad Cactus Brass…

Boots Byrd at St. Francis

​Boots is a talkative guy. Ask him about any of the wines, cocktails or foods on the menu of the cozy uptown Phoenix café St. Francis (111 E. Camelback Road, 602-200-8111) and he’ll talk you ears off, going into great depth about the methods Trappist monks employ to create beer…