Tyler Christensen, the 31-year-old bar manager at Malee’s Thai Bistro, thinks of bartending as alchemy. In Christensen’s modern-day apothecary, he likes to create a new cocktail list each season. Christensen never used to like margaritas, so he decided to come up with a new recipe that kept the traditional aspect of…
One of Christensen’s other passions is meeting new people, so when guests visit the restaurant, he makes sure their experience is as unique as the life he leads…
The Spot: Local Breeze The Hours: “Low Tide,” which is their way of saying happy hour, happens Tuesday through Friday 2:30 till 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 3 till 6 p.m. Closed Mondays and only open for brunch until 3 p.m. Sundays. The Details: 20% off everything. Yep. Everything. All…
Yesterday, Steve Losey from El Chorro Lodge talked about the light, crisp taste of their signature drink, the El Chorro Sunrise. Sipping it while relaxing at El Chorro’s indoor/outdoor bar will make you think you’re sitting under a palm tree in the middle of the Caribbean — it’s that refreshing…
For Steve Losey, the best part of being a bartender is interacting with the guests. And with 20 years in the hospitality industry, he knows how to make sure their needs are met. Losey, who came to the Valley 15 years ago from Michigan, has been working at El Chorro…
The Spot: Radio Cafe602-956-6600 www.radiocafeaz.com/ The Hours: Happy hour is 5 p.m. till 7 p.m. daily. They are open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and till 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays for late night eats. The Details: Half off all specialty cocktails, draft beer and wine by the glass plus,…
The Spot: The Parlor 1916 E. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-248-2480 www.theparlor.us The Hours: 3 p.m. till 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sundays. The Details: $3 16oz draft beers and all glasses of wine are $2 off. And not just in the bar, this deal is good…
Yesterday, Josh Warner shared some of the finer points in creating fun and fresh cocktails. The Spa-tini at Wildfish Seafood Grille certainly fits that description. It’s no wonder it’s one of the house favorites–the combination of cucumber and pineapple with a twist of lemon sure seems like a recipe for…
Josh Warner knows how to throw a party. The 30-year-old bartender at Wildfish Seafood Grille at the Scottsdale Waterfront might have a taste for light and simple cocktails, but he’s not light on entertaining skills. After learning about what brought him to bartending, it’s no wonder Warner is well-versed on…
The Spot: Robbie Fox’s Public House 640 S. Mill Ave. Tempe (480) 642-6442 The Hours: Monday thru Friday from 3 to 7 p.m…
Frank Vairo’s take on the grown-up-style Orange Julius has quickly become a house favorite. With Upstairs at Estate House’s patio, there’s no doubt the drink will maintain its high ranking in the sweltering summer months soon approaching. The drink has a refreshing combination of orange and vanilla, and just enough…
Frank Vairo is looking to start a revolution. The 32 year-old bartender at Upstairs at Estate House is single-handedly working to create a new generation of timeless cocktails with a modern twist. After working at neighboring Kazimierz Wine Bar for the past nine years, he brings an expertise in wine…
The Spot: The District American Kitchen and Wine Bar 320 N. Third St. Phoenix, AZ 85004 602-817-5400 www.districtrestaurant.com The Hours: 3 till 7 p.m. and reverse happy hour is 10 p.m. till close Monday through Friday. The Details: $3.75 sangria, $3 microbrew pints, and deals on small plates. Nothing on…
Yesterday, Helen Ori shared a glimpse into the life of a modern-day saloon sweetheart at Cave Creek’s C4 Martini and Wine Bar. Working alongside General Manager Teresa Thompson, whose vision for bar trends and cocktail combinations have helped mold C4’s set of classic libations with a twist, Ori and C4…
For Helen Ori, bartender at C4 Martini and Wine Bar in Cave Creek, the mix of new and familiar faces from travelers and locals brings something new to her job every day and fuels her inspiration for cocktails. “I like Cave Creek because everybody knows everybody, it’s a close-knit community,…
The Spot: Santan Brewing Co. 8 South San Marcos Pl. Chandler, AZ 85225 480-917-8700 www.santanbrewing.com The Hours: Monday through Friday from 3 till 7pm and reverse happy hour Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. till closing time. The Details: $3.75 18oz pints, $4 house wines and $1 off everything else…
Sens Asian Tapas and Sake Bar is working to make a name for itself as the sake headquarters of Phoenix, offering more than 60 varieties of the rice-based libation, in different cocktail formations reaching far beyond your standard sake bomber…
At a place serving more than 60 sakes, you might think a bartender could end up feeling a little limited in drink options. Not Jason Catlin– the psychedelic, country-western musician by day, bartender by night, and constant cocktail pioneer uses the Asian flavors at Sens as his muse, finding new…
In yesterday’s Behind the Bar, Eric Carfagnini of Culinary Dropout talked about his favorite drink to make, the Moscow Mule. The retro cocktail from the 1950’s has been modernized with the bar’s own ginger agave syrup…
It’s no wonder Eric Carfagnini enjoys bartending at Culinary Dropout. Just shy of three months old, the restaurant/bar prides itself on taking traditional cocktails and serving them up with a twist. With house-made ingredients like ginger agave syrup and a Guinness reduction, manning the bar offers up the opportunity to…
Inside the VIP tent of the Great Arizona Beer Festival at Tempe Beach Park, it is difficult to tell if Magician Robert Ray is amusing a crowd of beer drinkers or simply amusing him self with their alcohol-fueled reactions to his tricks. He hands two foam, red balls to a…
The Spot: Boulders on Broadway 530 W. Broadway Rd. Tempe, 480-921-9431 The Hours: Happy hour starts at 3 and goes until 7 pm Monday thru Friday. Reverse happy hour is 10 pm till close Monday thru Thursday. On Saturday, you can take advantage of happy hour deals from open to…
