Hey, man. Have you ever looked at your hands? I mean, really looked at them? They’re amazing! They’re so…touchy. Whoa. Anyway, today medicinal marijuana became legal in Arizona. Seriously! We were all like, “Legalize it, man!” and they were all, “Okay!” Anyone with the proper doctor-approved documentation can possess up…
The Spot: Thai Rama, 927 E. University Dr., Tempe, 480-967-6013 www.thai-rama-az.com The Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:30-6:30 p.m. The Details: Thai Rama offers up six Thai appetizers priced under $5 and a variety of Asian beers for $2.75. Their Sake Bomber is priced at $6 and is basically two drinks, a 12…
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…
Yesterday we met Ryan Soranson, bartender at El Chorro Lodge. Today he shares with us the recipe for the El Chorro Sunrise, the lodge’s premier cocktail. Soranson says it’s the most popular drink on the menu, and it’s especially perfect for this time of year: the sweet, subtle caress of…
Ryan Soranson was pouring drinks before he could even legally drink them — Cartwright’s in Cave Creek called him up to the big leagues behind the bar at the tender age of 20. The young ‘un quickly proved that age is just a number, however, moving into a management position…
The Spot: The Compound Grill, 7000 E Mayo Blvd. North Scottsdale, 480-585-5483 www.thecompoundgrill.com The Hours: Monday- Friday 3-6 pm. The Details: The menu is a quirky mix of Southwestern, Asian, and Mediterranean dishes given funky names to riff on the restaurants other function as a music venue. During Happy Hour they…
Here at Chow Bella, we like our beer in cans. Aesthetics aside, cans are the ultimate in beer technology, providing better protection against oxygen and light (mortal enemies of fresh beer) than bottles while being easier to ship and more acceptable at the beach. Plus, they’re better for shotgunning and…
The Spot: Crave Cafe and Lounge, 505 S. Mill Ave, Tempe, 480-784-6700 http://www.cravetempe.com The Hours: Happy Hour prices are available 7 days a week, 4-9 pm. Yes, happy hour lasts 5 hours a day at Crave. The Details: Crave has a lot of items on the menu printed in red. There are…
Yesterday we met Bryan Yngstrom, the man serving drinks at The House at Secret Garden. Today he shares with us the recipe for the Mango Serrano Mojito, which is apparently not-so-secret — though he did have some problems crafting it. “At first we tried muddling the Serrano right along with…
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…
Some people seek out greatness; other find it thrust upon them. Bryan Yngstrom was thrown head first into bartending. While drinking during a vacation in New Orleans, some barkeeps he’d gotten to know decided to go out for a night on the town, leaving the untested Yngstrom in charge of…
The Spot: Arcadia Tavern, 4801 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix, 602-840-3950 http://www.arcadiatavern.com/ The Hours: Monday through Friday, 4-7 pm in the bar and on the patio only. The Details: The Arcadia Tavern is a neighborhood gathering place where people seem to know each other. Think Cheers if Cheers had hi-def…
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…
Yesterday we met Elliott Simmons, the man (and musician) behind the bar at Devil’s Advocate. Today he shares with us the recipe for the Devil’s Concoction, which he says is the girliest drink ever. “Everyone here has their own name for it,” he says. “All the time, girls are like,…
Elliott Simmons is a popular guy — during our interview, no less than three people interrupted us just to say hi. I shouldn’t have been surprised, as this is Simmons’ spot. He’s been at Devil’s Advocate since it opened October 2009, though he began serving drinks at the same location…
The Spot: Culinary Dropout, 7531 E Camelback Rd. Scottsdale, 480-970-1700, http://www.foxrc.com/culinary_dropout.html The Hours: Happy Hour runs from 3 to 6 pm, M-F in the bar and on the patio. The Details: The gastropub idea is catching on everywhere. Sam Fox offers a pre-packaged ”boutique” concept of one at Culinary Dropout. While…
Yesterday we met Zach Ogle, the beer geek pouring drinks at Papago Brewing Co. The bartenders at Papago love to mix beers together, and today Ogle shares with us the recipe for one such mix: the Hop Suicide. Because it’s a simple combination of whatever hoppy stuff Papago happens to currently…
A good beer bar needs several things: good grub, an extensive tap list and a knowledgeable beer geek to do the pouring. Papago Brewing Co. (7107 E McDowell Rd., 480-425-7439) has killer pizza (check), 32 taps’ worth of delicious craft brews (check) and Zach Ogle (double check). A native of…
The Spot: Canteen Modern Tequila Bar, 640 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, 480-773-7135 http://www.canteentequilabar.com The Hours: Chase some tacos with tequila during “Halfy Hour” between 4 and 6:30 pm every day of the week. The Details: The aptly named Halfy Hour includes half-priced house margaritas, beer, and well drinks, and half…
Beer appreciation (some might say snobbery) takes a certain amount of dedication. Constant vigilance in trying out new brews, keeping up with trends and happenings, all this and more is more or less required of the avid beer enthusiasts. As such, Zach Fowle, Chow Bella contributor and (putting it mildly)…
The adjacent liquor store, Tops Liquors, stocks hundreds of bottles of tequila, vodka, rum and the like, but Taste of Tops (403 W. University Drive, 480-967-5643) doesn’t serve any of that. In fact, ask for a pint of Bud on draft and you’ll be laughed out of the place. Taste of Tops…
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…
