The Arizona Restaurateur Partnering With Justin Timberlake, Plus More Phoenix Food News

It’s Friday, and we have five big bites (or mostly sips) of food and drink news to catch you up on the week’s events. Let’s go.

Sam Fox Is Opening a Restaurant in Nashville … With Justin Timberlake

Sam Fox is the James Beard Award-nominated Arizona restaurateur and founder of Fox Restaurant Concepts, which has grown dramatically in recent years and includes under its umbrella Culinary Dropout, Flower Child, Olive + Ivy, and many more. Now, Fox himself is opening a three-story restaurant, bar, and venue with Justin Timberlake in the country-music-and-bachelorette-party destination of downtown Nashville. The two apparently met at the opening of Southern Hospitality in New York City. The in-house eateries will include a first-level country bar, a second-level cocktail lounge, and a third-level swanky supper club. The Twelve Thirty Club is set to open on April 14.

The Art of Mixing: Colors & Cocktails Is Tomorrow Night

Phoenix Center for the Arts’ first virtual fundraiser is all about drinking and painting — and doing them together. The one-hour Art of Mixing: Colors & Cocktails begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. Participants will be treated to an interactive evening of “mixing” which should result in sunset-inspired cocktails and watercolor paintings for all. The Breadfruit & Rum Bar and producer of Big Marble Organics’ Dwayne Allen will be leading the cocktail portion. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will available. Tickets range from $65 to $150 and can be purchased here.

Get Some Vietnamese-Style Coffee in Downtown Mesa

Pair Coffee & Tea, the coffee shop located inside Cider Corps in downtown Mesa, has added iced Vietnamese-style coffee to its menu. Available now through April for $5.50, the drink is a Pair espresso poured over a blend of condensed coconut milk, oat milk, and some simple syrup. Pair Coffee & Tea opened in 2019 as pour-over pop up (and it’s co-owned by Kimhak Em, formerly of Peixoto Coffee). Vegan versions are also available.

KBAQ Has a New Perk for Members: the Sip and Savor Club

KBAQ, our local classical public radio station, has quite a few adorable clubs — movie, book, and the locally focused Sip and Savor Club. Membership is open to sustaining members, i.e., those who give at least $10 a month to the station. Members are welcome to join wine and coffee tastings and participate in dinners, and cooking classes. You also get tips on where to find the best wine (recommendations include Vinum55 and Hidden Track Bottle Shop), coffee (Saddlecreek, Songbird, and Black Rock Coffee Bar are a few suggestions), and food. See the KBAQ website for more details or to join.

It’s Not Too Late to Watch Tarbell’s Sake Session

Last night, Chef Mark Tarbell hosted a free Zoom event with Sake School of America. The virtual event was designed to showcase how versatile sake is (meaning, how to enjoy in addition to “bomber” style). And if you missed it, good news, the Sake School of America posted Versatility of Sake: Food Pairings with Chef Mark Tarbell on YouTube. Wine connoisseur Tarbell demonstrated how to select sake, which was followed by a three-course menu demonstrating how to pair Western-style dishes with Japanese sake. Think jumbo scallop crudo with Gangi Yuunagi Junmai Daiginjo and chicken confit with Noguchi Honjozo Muroka Nama Genshu. Snag some sake from Tarbell’s own shop, The Wine Store, and give it a watch, or even a rewatch, this weekend.