Trendspotting: Labor Day traditionally marks the end of summer (although, unfortunately, not the end of the heat). As natives start emerging from their homes and snowbirds and tourists begin filling up the Valley, restaurants are busy getting ready for the season. Here are some trends to keep your eye on:…
Return of the Native: About a year ago I wrote a less-than-glowing review of Tarbell’s Restaurant, a glitzy, trendy, pricey bistro that boastfully styled itself a “great American restaurant” the moment it opened. I saw potential, but, at the time, Tarbell’s didn’t belong in the same league with competitors like…
Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant, 8946 North 19th Avenue, Phoenix, 870-4555. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 9 p.m. How can you tell if a city is booming? If you’re a developer, you count the…
Guest Columnist Last time Howard Seftel and his tortured taste buds took off, guest columnist/chef RoxSand Scocos wrote about eating less meat. Now Seftel’s done it again. What’s an editor to do? We invited Paul M. Fleming to continue the dialogue. Owner of Fleming Restaurants, he operates six establishments in…
Altos, 5029 North 44th Street, Phoenix, 808-0890. Hours: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Dinner, Monday through Thursday, 5:30 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5:30 to 11 p.m. According to experts, the four most stressful experiences people can go through are a death in the family,…
Restaurant Update: There is supposed to be a slow time for Valley restaurants, but business seems to be just as hot as the weather. Look for these new places: La Tache World Bistro & Wine Bar, at 4175 Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale, just south of Fashion Square. The proprietors call…
Chez Marc Bistro, 503 North Humphreys, Flagstaff, 1-520-774-1343. Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner, 5:30 to 9 p.m., seven days a week. No matter how many years you’ve endured the July and August desert heat, you can’t really get used to it. In the Valley of the Perpetual…
On the Road: Thank goodness the weekend in northern Arizona (see this week’s Cafe column) wasn’t my only summer escape. I spent some time in Quebec, Canada, maybe the most charming town in North America. Sure, I got worked up over the tourist sites. But eating was just as much…
Crocodile Cafe, 525 South Mill, Tempe, 966-5883. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight. Even though summer vacation is now in full swing, within a few weeks 40,000 ASU students will be drifting into Tempe, gearing up for…
Binge and Splurge: In this casual town, where sometimes even shoes and socks are a form of overdressing, there aren’t too many opportunities to put on your best duds. But you’ll want to haul them out for dinner at Mary Elaine’s. These days, this austerely elegant room is at the…
Pasta Brioni, 4416 North Miller, Scottsdale, 994-0028. Hours: Lunch, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Dinner, Monday through Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m. I spotted one of the giant new shopping centers that seem to be springing up these days in our sprawling Valley like mushrooms after a…
Up on the Woof: My friends know I’m not much of an animal lover. Or, to be more precise, a pet lover. Despite my feelings, we’ve had a creature sleeping on the premises for six years, a cat my wife took in when I made the mistake of leaving town…
Via DeLosantos, 9120 North Central, Phoenix, 997-6239. Hours: Lunch and Dinner, Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. There are few experiences in life more satisfying than having your prejudices confirmed…
Share the Fantasy: When you eat out four or five times a week, like I do, it’s only natural to fantasize about how you’d operate a restaurant. Not that I’d ever consider such a move, not in a million years. It’s grueling work, as well as financially perilous. But it…
Brio, 7243 East Camelback, Scottsdale, 947-0795. Hours: Dinner, Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m. Sometimes, there’s no substitute for experience. A couple of veteran Valley restaurateurs have recently opened new Scottsdale dining spots. Tycoon Paul Fleming is…
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…
