Swartz met Martinez, a noise rap artist turned chef who serves her “new era Tex-Mex” under the moniker MB Foodhouse, through the Greater Phoenix Equality Chamber of Commerce, which serves LGBTQ+ businesses. Now, the two have teamed up inside Swartz's restaurant on Seventh and Glenrosa avenues.
A chef in Phoenix for more than 15 years, Swartz worked in kitchens of locally owned breweries and large resorts alike before taking over the restaurant that was previously called Melrose Kitchen. The Melrose Kitchen Table owner, who cooks global comfort food, saw alignment between his menu and Martinez’s.
“We’re coming up with this combined menu that is kind of Southern comfort food, homecooking with the El Paso-style Tex-Mex that (Martinez) does,” Swartz says.
As the pair navigates this new partnership, they’ll offer a taut menu Thursday through Saturday evenings and for Sunday brunch.
During the evening, diners will find Martinez’s tacos served on homemade tortillas, a smash burger, a chili dog and beef-and-potato-stuffed taquitos topped with a guajillo chile-based red sauce, along with Swartz’s pork belly BLT.
“We’re just going to start there and keep it modest,” Martinez says, noting she wants to add smoked brisket and pork belly to the menu in the future. “Everything is handmade, scratch-made, and we care about it, but it’s also just like home-cooking.”
MB Foodhouse's taquitos are inspired by those that Martinez ate at Chico's Tacos as a kid growing up in El Paso.
Sara Crocker
During brunch, menu items from Melrose Kitchen Table with take center stage. Swartz’s linguica breakfast dog, shakshouka and buttermilk waffle-battered chicken “in” waffles will be available, along with breakfast tacos and chilaquiles from Martinez. She also plans to make use of the restaurant's walk-up window for late-night bites and to-go orders.
The collaboration with MB Foodhouse is the first of what Swartz hopes will be several food concepts to serve under the same roof. The chef envisions the space as a “launch pad for small restaurant businesses or small food producers.”
“I’ve met a lot of small producers,” Swartz says. “They’ve got all these things going on, but nowhere to really find a home.”
Martinez understands that feeling. When she launched MB Foodhouse in Phoenix, she popped up at local breweries and watering holes, including a residency at Yucca Tap Room. She also took over the kitchen at Cartel Coffee Co.’s Coronado location, serving breakfast tacos. In June, MB Foodhouse began serving late-night eats at Club Contact.
With this new location, MB Foodhouse has departed from Cartel but remains at Club Contact. Martinez is hopeful she’ll be able to plant roots in the Melrose District.
“I just want one shot with something that’s my own,” she says. “Melrose feels like it will be the closest thing to that.”
Swartz admits, “we’re figuring this out as we go.” In the coming weeks, a coffee purveyor is anticipated to join the pair at the Melrose restaurant.
“We’re trying to find something that opens the doors for a lot more people and a lot more opportunities for other businesses,” Swartz says.
Melrose Kitchen Table and MB Foodhouse
Now open4306 N. Seventh Ave.
