Dead and Berried: That’s what I feel like after most meals out these days. Will someone please explain to me why just about every other dish that lands on my table seems to have berries in it? Are all the chefs in town working from the same recipe book? I’m…
Wrigley Mansion, 2501 East Telawa Trail, Phoenix, 955-4079. Hours: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Dinner, Tuesday through Saturday, 6 to 8:30 p.m. Eating at a landmark spot gives most folks a real tingle. When you dine at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the World Trade Center…
Chocolate Alert: Sampling a piece of fine chocolate can be a dangerous experience. Like first-growth wine, good coffee or a slab of prime-grade beef, top-quality chocolate can be addicting. What’s worse, once you’ve had it, it’s almost impossible to be satisfied with the nonprimo stuff that you’ve enjoyed in blissful…
Some Like It Haute: What’s the Valley’s best Mexican restaurant? Italian restaurant? Chinese restaurant? You can make a case for at least ten restaurants in each category. But when it comes to high-end, gourmet dining, there’s only one contender in town: Christopher’s. I recently revisited chef Christopher Gross’ flagship restaurant…
Carvers, 10825 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 998-8777. Hours: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner, Sunday through Thursday, 4:30 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. A few weeks ago, I reviewed Morton’s of Chicago and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, the Valley’s two premier…
Jacka’s Back Alley Grille, 5739 West Glendale Avenue, Glendale, 274-1998. Hours: Dinner, Thursday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Build them, and I will come. That’s what I’ve been telling disgruntled west-siders, who continually urge me to unearth fine-dining restaurants in their corner of town. The problem? Until recently, it…
Star Light, Star Bright: Almost two centuries ago, the French philosopher of the kitchen, gastronome Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, observed that “the discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.” The man was absolutely right. I recently discovered a new dish at…
Wine & Kebab, 10135 East Via Linda, Scottsdale, 614-1414. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Dinner, Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. During the Cold War, one wag tried to sum up the difference between the Soviet and American systems. “Under communism,” he explained, “man…
Java Man, Part One: I generally do a pretty good job suppressing my rare snobby tendencies. But I admit I’m insufferable when it comes to the subject of coffee. That’s because I can’t afford too many luxuries in life: no Lexus, no two-week cruises, no Chateau d’Yquem after dinner. But…
Cafe heavy-hitter Howard Seftel is on vacation. This week, we’ve asked chef RoxSand Scocos, who, with her husband Spyros, owns RoxSand restaurant and bar (2594 East Camelback), to step up to the plate, so to speak. She’s just taped a slot for PBS’ America’s Rising Star Chefs, is slated for…
Morton’s:The Steakhouse, Shops at the Esplanade, 2425 East Camelback, Phoenix, 955-9577. Hours: Dinner, Monday through Saturday, 5:30 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. Excess on occasion is moderating. It keeps moderation from becoming a habit. –W. Somerset Maugham Ever since we Homo sapiens reared up on our hind…
Sunday Services: There aren’t too many activities that can get me out of my pajamas and out of the house before noon on Sunday. One of them is Sunday brunch at the Terrace Dining Room, at the Phoenician. I hadn’t been there for a while. Some things have changed: Prices…
A Martian walks into a bake shop and calls over the proprietor. “What are those little wheels?” the alien asks. “Those aren’t wheels,” replies the baker, “they’re bagels. Try one.” The Martian takes a bite. “Man,” he exclaims, his face brightening, “these would go great with cream cheese and lox.”…
Book Notes: With some foods, you have to make an effort before you reach the good stuff. Think of peeling artichokes or shucking oysters. It’s the same with some books. In the case of Kitchens: The Culture of Restaurant Work, a new study by sociologist Gary Alan Fine (University of…
Buck-A-Rue Bar-B-Que, 15840 North Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, 971-6107. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Every one of life’s pleasures, someone once said, is illegal, immoral or fattening. I don’t get most of my pleasures by violating either the law or the Ten Commandments…
This Little Piggy Went to Market: What’s the key to entrepreneurial success? Identifying a need and filling it. That’s what Circle K’s executives seem to have done. They’ve opened up Emily’s Market in demographically rich Chandler. It’s an upscale, not-quite-gourmet grocery that specializes in meals-to-go. The target audience: too-pooped-to-cook folks…
Carlsbad Tavern, 3309 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 970-8164. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.; Dinner, Sunday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. People crave variety in all sorts of ways. Some of us wait breathlessly for car manufacturers to introduce their new models; some of…
Roman Holiday: There’s no shortage of Italian restaurants in the Valley. Local folklore says there are more Italian places here than any other ethnic variety, including Mexican. But there’s not necessarily strength in numbers. Most of these restaurants are serviceable, but few are memorable. However, I’ve just come back from…
Desert Princess, Pleasant Harbor Marina, Lake Pleasant, 230-7600. Hours: Lunch cruise, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner cruise, Friday, 7 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 5 to 7:30 p.m. Flower-shop owners look forward to Valentine’s Day. The airline industry can’t wait for the day before Thanksgiving…
Buddy, Can You Spare $250,000? If there’s a venture capitalist out there looking to invest some big bucks in the restaurant business, I’ve got some ideas. Despite this town’s phenomenal restaurant growth, there are three niches that could use filling. First: an upscale, gringo-friendly Mexican seafood restaurant. This concept has…
Menu Blues: A few weeks ago, I received a call from someone complaining about a dish he’d had at Citrus Cafe, a wonderful French restaurant out in the wilds of Chandler. What was the problem? He didn’t like his steak. This got me thinking about something I see plenty of:…
Ventura Grill, 8380 East Via de Ventura, Scottsdale, 922-1500. Hours: Lunch, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Dinner, 5 to 10 p.m., seven days a week. No industry launches a new product these days without doing lots of homework: Bean counters analyze the hard financial data; engineers perfect…
