5 Best Places to Eat and Drink This Week in Metro Phoenix

Liberty Market Tuesday, March 4

There are a lot of traditions that surround Fat Tuesday, but Gilbert's Liberty Market is celebrating one of the lesser known ones -- at least for most Southwestern folk. In Chicago, PÄ...czki Day is celebrated on Fat Tuesday with an annual PÄ...czki Day Parade and of course, by eating the traditional Polish pasty. A pÄ...czki looks a lot like a jelly doughnut but is made with special dough that includes eggs, fat, sugar, and sometimes milk. Liberty Market pastry chef LaDawn Driscoll will be baking three flavors -- raspberry, vanilla custard, and lemon -- and they will cost $3 each or $33 for a dozen. You can pre-order yours by calling 480-892-1900 or emailing info@libertymarket.com.

See also: Check, Please! Arizona Festival: James Beard Award Winning Chefs, Dozens of Restaurants, and More -- Here's the Lineup So Far

Kazimierz World Wine Bar Wednesday, March 5

National Absinthe Day always takes place on March 5 -- duh. And in honor of the "holiday" Scottsdale's Kazimierz World Wine Bar will host an absinthe-based cocktail dinner. The event will begin at 7 p.m. Attendees will get a three-course dinner with two cocktails per course. So you better watch out, light weights. The bartenders will battle it out against each other in a guys-versus-girls competition, and guests will get to vote for their favorite pairings. Tickets are $40 per person and reservations are required. Call 480-946-3004.

Wright's at The Arizona Biltmore Thursday, March 6

The next event in the 24th annual Winemaker Dinner Series at the Arizona Biltmore will feature wines from Napa Valley's ZD Winery. The event will begin at 7 p.m. with a reception at Wright's at the Biltmore, and dinner will begin at 7:30. Arizona Biltmore executive chef Gordon Maybury and chef de cuisine Bryan Gorton will create a seasonal multi-course meal to pair with a selection of ZD wines, and after-dinner guests can enjoy complimentary port and cigars. Tickets cost $95 per person. For a reservation call 602-381-7632.

Little Cleo's Seafood Legend Friday, March 7

If you observe Lent, which begins on Wednesday, March 5, then you likely will look for dining alternatives that don't include meat. We'd like to direct your attention to Little Cleo's Seafood Legend, which won our vote for best seafood in the Valley in last year's Best of Phoenix awards. See, the reason we like Little Cleo's so much is because it's a Sam Fox restaurant that doesn't feel like a Sam Fox restaurant. Meaning, you can enjoy the fun atmosphere and great food without having to feel like you're trapped inside a Stepford nightmare.

V95 Wine Lounge

Shopping and drinking come together at Scottsdale Fashion Square's new wine bar, V95 Wine Lounge, which opened last month. The spot, right in the middle of the food court, serves a respectable menu of wines by the glass and bottle, as well as a small menu of shareable plates and snacks. And if you're trying to keep on top of the newest restaurants in town, you'll have a lot of work to do because V95 is just one of the spots on our list of February Restaurant Openings and Closings in Metro Phoenix. Other new dining destinations include Juicd Life in Phoenix, Scramble in Scottsdale, and Baby Kay's Cajun Kitchen in Mesa.

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