beef bento

With that convergence of flavor in mind, Adobo Dragon is the name of one of the first crop of food stalls to open inside the DeSoto Central Market, the new food hall recently opened in a former auto dealership at the north end of Downtown Phoenix. Adobo speaks to the restaurant’s blend of Asian and Latin influences. The dragon in the restaurant’s name not only reinforces the connection to Asia, but also evoke the generous use of spice throughout the menu. The result is a little Chinese, a little Filipino, a little Korean, a little Mexican, and a whole lot of interesting.

view from the food court

Adobo Dragon’s spot is right in the middle of the DeSoto food court. The front entrance to the market is diagonally across the street from the Roosevelt / Central light rail station, which also houses a Grid Bike Share station. Diners who arrive on their own bicycles can lock up against racks in the shape of Arizona on the patio facing Roosevelt. Adobo Dragon is right behind that patio, but getting from A to B involves walking through the door near Central Avenue, passing by the bar, and then turning a corner near the staircase to reach the hidden food court deep inside.

fish bao

Like it neighbors, Adobo Dragon is a place where one orders at the counter. There are a few tall seats next to the cashier’s station where it’s possible to eat right in front of the kitchen, but most customers enjoy the food in the open dining areas on both floors of the DeSoto Central Market, as well as the patio during mild weather. If it’s not too busy, someone from the restaurant may bring your food to you. At peak times, it’s better to wait nearby, browse the market vendors who sometimes set up shop in the food court, and pick up the order as soon as it is prepared.

chicken bento

The signature item is bao, Chinese steamed buns. These are street foods in which a bread-like exterior contains a filling of meat or vegetables. At Adobo Dragon, bao come two to an order. The beef bao display a Korean influence through bulgogi and sesame seeds. The pork buns cross boundaries by mixing carnitas with bleu cheese. The chicken bao combine grilled poultry with mango salsa and South American chimichurri sauce. The fish buns contain salmon with tropical fruit and wasabi, and the vegetarian ones rely on mushrooms and bell peppers for substance.

vegetarian bento

The five varieties of bao can be combined to yield a combination lunch, and all of the bao dishes include a small side salad full of kale and edamame. For those who prefer rice to buns, Adobo Dragon also serves four bento boxes, each containing chicken, beef, fish, or vegetables next to rice, salad, and a bit of fruit. The meat bentos echo the same preparations as their bao counterparts, but the meatless bento brings an unexpected surprise with a hearty potato enchilada hiding beneath the other vegetables and a soy adobo sauce that is slightly tart and spicy.

seafood ceviche

Beyond a base in bao and bento, the third element in the Adobo Dragon is ceviche, offered in both fish and mixed seafood varieties. Both are marinated in aji amarillo, a chile that imparts a moderate level of heat and a yellow-orange color to the dish, and are served with fresh corn chips. In the six months since its opening, the restaurant has also started to branch out with weekly specials and an evening tapas menu. Recent featured entrees have included a bowl of ramen and a curry shrimp and rice stick noodles dish with a vinegar-tinged salad on the side.

curried shrimp and rice stick noodles

At night, a selection of small dishes are featured. Some like, the albondigas, meatballs topped with a bit of avocado chimichurri, draw clearly from Latin American traditions. The vegetable roll, on the other hand, is clearly derived from Vietnamese cuisine and resembles goi cuon, the cold dish sometimes known as fresh spring rolls or summer rolls. Some, such as the papas brava with chinese sausage and sambal aioli or the chicken wings in Thai chili sauce, mix eastern and western influences in roughly equal proportions and with successful results.

papas bravas and chicken wings

Adobo Dragon also offers a big version of its side salad as a small entree, as well as simple children’s meals of chicken or beef over rice. That’s about the extent of a menu that wisely values depth of flavor and cross-cultural experimentation over an unlimited quantity of choices. Drinks are limited to a few bottled and canned items in a refrigerated case, but the entire DeSoto Central Market bar is just around the corner with its selection of beer, wine, and cocktails. Likewise, another vendor offers coffee, tea, and pastry as potential treats after a meal.

salad

With its adventurous blends of Latin American and east Asian cuisine, the food currently served at Adobo Dragon is pleasing just as it stands today, but is also hints that bigger ambitions may be eventually attainable for chef and owner Allan Inocencio, who is often present at the front counter. One of the DeSoto Central Market’s potential roles is as a restaurant incubator. Maybe someday we’ll eat Adobo Dragon’s food in a full-service fusion restaurant, but for now just having the street version available in a food court environment is in itself a welcome development.

915 N. Central Ave., Phoenix AZ 85004
Roosevelt / Central Station
(602) 842-2694
http://www.adobodragon.com

Beard of Zeus

inside view

outside view

South by Southwest

spicy chicken black bean soup

Gnarles Parsley

Hungry Like the Wolf

Just Beet It

hummus

915 N. Central Ave., Phoenix AZ 85004

Roosevelt / Central Station
(602) 842-2974
http://eatrad.com

trio of tacos

Joyride occupies the former home of Aiello’s Italian restaurant on the west side of Central at Colter. Until recently, this intersection was no joy ride at all for pedestrians and bicyclists, despite its proximity to a transit center. That has changed, however, with the 2012 addition of buffered bike lanes and the 2014 construction of a pedestrian-activated traffic signal (aka  “HAWK”) to ease crossing Central Avenue, which remains a busy arterial street despite, or maybe in part because of, the addition of several popular restaurants with patio dining in this part of town.

bike rack, patio, & tree

Patios are always part of the formula with Upward Projects, and Joyride directly addresses Central Avenue with a comfortable outdoor dining area. A bike rack is located under the shade of a venerable tree that kids will most likely want to climb before or after consuming tacos or burritos from their own menu. The main entrance and host station are located toward the back, off to the side of the parking lot. Inside, the renovations to the building have resulted in more natural light. A big U-shaped bar is at the center of the room with booths and tables around the rest of the space.

quesadilla

At any seat, those chips come out quickly, along with some fire-roasted salsa, a mild condiment that will please almost everyone. A variety of additional salsas are available for a charge, but the best add-on is probably the chunky guacamole dappled with tomatillo, tomato, onions, cilantro, and fiery serrano chiles. The quesadilla has a sophisticated, nuanced cheese blend that is as much Spanish as Mexican. The street corn, whether ordered as an appetizer or a side, is a good version of elote with crumbly cheese and plenty of spice sprinkled on top of a grilled ear of corn.

street corn

For a lighter touch, the salads all marry abundant greens with crunchy elements. The Ensalada Fila tops a base of kale with jicama, orange, tomato, avocado, beans, and corn. The Rhythmic Beets salad mixes its namesake root vegetable with lettuce, goat cheese, avocado, and pomegranate arils. The menu advertises a “chef’s soup,” but to date it has always been chicken tortilla.The soup always has a richly flavored broth, but is otherwise inconsistent, sometimes lacking discernible chunks of chicken and other times missing noticeable pieces of tortilla.

shotgun lunch special

The menu at Joyride has recently been streamlined with tortas and tamales nixed in favor of a tighter focus on tacos.That’s probably for the best since tacos are, not surprisingly, what Joyride does best. They’re moderately sized, mostly on corn tortillas with the exception of the crispy fish on a flour one, and priced a la carte. There is value, however, in ordering more than one. Order any three tacos and add a side dish such as rice, beans, or Mexican slaw at no charge. At lunch, the “Shotgun Special” is any two tacos plus a half serving of any salad for one price.

chicken enchiladas

Joyride offers just under a dozen taco fillings, beginning with a roast chicken taco known as the Standard. Below it are another chicken filling, tinga, which is spicier shredded poultry, and two fillings each based on beef, pork, and fish. For the two kinds of fish tacos, the menu indulges in hyperbole with words like “insanely” and “ridiculously” prefacing more neutral descriptions of the fillings, but both the grilled Baja and crispy fish tacos are easy to enjoy. There’s also a grilled shrimp taco and a vegetarian one that relies on mushrooms for earthy flavor and meaty texture.

the beast burrito enchilada style

While the non-taco portions of Joyride’s menu have been trimmed, there are still some other items on the menu. The enchiladas, filled with either a vegetable mix or chicken, are really just a single big enchilada served a la carte. The interior is satisfying, as is the presentation; however, the generously applied blend of sauces produces mixed results since the red one hits the tomato note just a bit too hard. Burritos are more successful with carne asada, vegetarian, machaca, and chicken fillings available. Any can be fried to yield a chimichanga or topped with enchilada sauce.

Mo’s Definitely

Desserts at Joyride have a slight Mexican touch and are all copiously sized for sharing. Better than Betty’s (presumably Crocker?) is a chewy brownie topped with cajeta, dulce de leche ice cream, and spicy walnuts. Mo’s Definitely is a serving of vanilla pudding in a jar with bananas, cajeta, pecans, and a cookie crust. The churros with a dusting of cinnamon and a side of chocolate dipping sauce are the most straightforward and easily shared dessert. If none of these sound good, the new HAWK traffic signal allows a quick joy walk across the street to Churn.

blood orange margarita

Joyride has a full bar with craft beer, some wine, and a whole lot of margaritas. Variants such as mango-mandarin and blood orange benefit from the use of real fruit rather than just syrups. Additional options include the frescas, fresh fruit drinks that are available in both virgin and spiked versions. At Central and Colter, crossing the street, riding a bike, or just walking around are all a lot more pleasant than they were just a few years ago. Those developments mean that the chips are no longer down, except where they should be — at each table inside Joyride Taco House.

5202 N. Central Ave., Phoenix AZ 85012
Central / Camelback Station
(602) 274-8226
http://joyridetacohouse.com

bruschetta board

Since its beginnings at a quasi-Arcadia address in 2001, Postino has expanded to half a dozen locations either already in operation or opening soon around the metropolitan area, as well as its first restaurant outside Arizona — in Denver. In terms of access by multiple modes of transport, the two sites to keep in mind are Postino Central, located three blocks north of the Central / Camelback light rail station in Uptown Phoenix, and Postino Annex, located a block-and-a-half south of the Veterans Way / College Avenue light rail station at the Tempe Transportation Center.

Postino Central

With the sole exception of Kierland in northeast Phoenix,, Postino restaurants have opened in updated vintage buildings, and the Central and Annex locations each fit that pattern in distinctive ways appropriate to their sites. Postino Central occupies the former home of an insurance agency and, more recently, Katz’ Deli. Postino Annex is built at the site of the former Art Annex building of Arizona State University (ASU). The redevelopment of that structure is part of a broader effort to activate College Avenue as a gateway to the campus via the eastern edge of Downtown Tempe.

Postino Annex

The renovations of both buildings have opened them to the outside, embracing the patio scene that is an essential part of the culture at Postino and its parent company, Upward Projects. At Postino Central, a fairly plain facade along Central Avenue hides a lively dining room, an indoor / outdoor bar, and a patio with a bike rack behind the building. In Tempe, Postino Annex directly addresses College Avenue with a long L-shaped patio. The smaller portion that wraps around the northern portion of the building sometimes offers a view of ASU swim team practice.

broccoli cheddar soup

Despite some talk of honoring the heritage of Katz’ Deli at Postino Central, the wine bar mini-chain has settled on a common menu for all locations. It’s wine-centric in terms of its emphasis on cheese, nuts, and cured meats, but it’s also more casual than stereotypes of fussy wine tastings or winemaker dinners might suggest. There’s even a kids menu for those visitors not yet old enough to drink wine at any time, much less lunch. There’s a lot of hand food to be had, both in terms of panini and what might be the restaurant’s signature dish, the bruschetta board.

Italian picnic salad and grilled cheese combination

Mix-and-max bruschetta assortments are widespread, but Postino was early to popularize the concept in Phoenix. The appeal of the dish is easy to understand. It’s enough food to serve as a filling entree for one, but also easy for a party of two or more to share as an appetizer. The variety of toppings, including perennials such as smoked salmon or tomato and mozzarella and rotating specials such as mortadella, provide a mix of tastes. The underlying bread provides just enough structure to support the toppings and enough absorbency to soak up some of their flavors.

Hannah’s Field salad with chicken

The only potential negative about the bruschetta is the Americanized pronunciation — with a sh sound instead of an Italian k sound. It’s a habit of both the staff and owners at Postino. In fairness, this practice is no worse than the frequent alteration of the restaurant’s name by its own customers. To be clear, the dish’s traditional pronunciation is bruˈsketta, and the restaurant’s name derives from the old Arcadia post office that became its original location. Postino is Italian for postman and not a person’s name, so there’s no need to make it possessive and say Postino’s.

farmhouse scramble

Nitpicking aside, the rest of the Postino menu is appetizers, sandwiches, salads. Olives, a cheese plate, and a “Butcher’s Block” charcuterie plate are obvious starters with their salty, savory tastes that complement most of the vintages poured at the bar. A grilled cheese sandwich appears among the appetizers only because it has been cut into several small wedges, all of which can be dipped in one of three accompaniments: mustard, pesto, and ketchup. The soup of the day often seems stuck on white chicken chili, but a recent broccoli cheddar was a welcome change.

Berland sparkling rose

The sandwich menu comprises eight panini, which range from a vegetarian model built upon white bean spread and tomato to the indulgent Autostrada, a meaty combination of four Italian cold cuts. Salads include Hannah’s Field, full of fashionable ingredients like quinoa and kale that add up to a satisfying entree. Soups, salads, and sandwiches can all be configured in various combinations based on half sizes. A brunch menu offered on weekends add French toast, granola, and egg dishes. For dessert, vanilla is the dominant flavor, whether in a sundae or a creme brulee.

cucumber honey lemonade

Of course, Postino is about wine. The list is not voluminous but instead focused on less commonly encountered choices such as hearty Hungarian reds or sparkling roses which work well on a warm day on the patio. If no wine is desired at lunch despite the bumper sticker slogan, the cucumber honey lemonade is a refreshing non-alcoholic choice. Drinking wine with lunch may not be a crime, but drinking and driving often is. Fortunately, two of Postino’s growing number of locations offer a variety of transportation options to ease wine appreciation at any time.

Postino Central
5144 N. Central Ave., Phoenix AZ 85012
Central / Camelback Station
(602) 274-5144
http://www.postinowinecafe.com

Postino Annex
615 S. College Ave., Tempe AZ 85284
Veterans Way / College Avenue Station
(480) 927-1111
http://www.postinowinecafe.com

tacos

Cocina 10, sometime also referred to as “the Lounge” by Crescent staff, is essentially the foyer of the ballroom. It’s a moderately sized dining room with a small bar and two patios. The southern one is smoking zone, and the north is tobacco-free. The location is just a block west of the Central / Van Buren (westbound) and First Avenue / Van Buren (eastbound) light rail stations, the two platforms on opposite sides of the big transit center known as Central Station. Abundant bike racks are found just north of the Crescent Ballroom along Second Avenue.

view from Second Avenue

While the Crescent Ballroom usually has minimum age requirements in place for its concerts, Cocina 10 is all-ages until 9 PM, so it’s fine to bring the family along. More importantly, no concert ticket is required to eat and drink in the lounge, even if a big show is going on inside the ballroom that evening. The result of these enlightened policies is a situation in which Cocina 10, while a convenient place to eat before a show, also functions as a restaurant in its own right, drawing a lunch crowd from nearby offices that overlaps only minimally with evening concert audiences.

guacamole and chips

Cocina 10’s ability to create its own identity apart from the Crescent Ballroom comes from the quality of its food, which never feels like an afterthought in comparison to the concert bookings. When the Crescent Ballroom opened in 2011, the original menu was created by Chris Bianco of the legendary pizzeria that bears his name and Doug Robson of Otro Cafe. The “10” refers to the interstate that runs under nearby Hance Park, and the theme is road foods of the Mexican border. With minor changes along the way, that approach has persisted since opening day.

Lalo burger

Unlike a lot of Mexican restaurants, Cocina 10 doesn’t bring a complimentary bowl of chips to the table, but they’re available for a small charge and come with squeeze bottles of a green tomatillo salsa and a red chile de arbol sauce. As one might expect, the green is spicier, but the red has more nuance and depth. Chips, along with both condiments, come at no cost with any order of tacos or a burrito. A worthwhile upgrade is the chunky guacamole flavored with roasted tomatoes, slices of jalapeno, bits of citrus, sprigs of cilantro, lime juice, and cotija cheese.

barbacoa torta

Since some of the foods served in Cocina 10 are also available from a more limited menu inside the Ballroom, it’s easy to understand why many are hand held foods. Burritos start with a simple yet satisfying Poquito Bean and Cheese option. The classic mix of frijoles and dairy is upgraded with a mix of tillamook sharp cheddar and oaxaca cheese. Al pastor pork, barbacoa, carne asada, chicken, and shrimp are all available as fillings, and a second vegetarian burrito goes beyond beans and cheese with the addition of zucchini, squash, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and potato.

blackened salmon salad

Tacos at Cocina 10 are all served a la carte. Most appetites will be sated with a trio of them, or maybe just a pair with a side of rice, beans, or both. Each taco contains a generous serving of fillings — carne asada, chicken, barbacoa, pork, vegetables, or shrimp — pushing against the confines of a medium sized corn tortilla. All cost three dollars per taco, except the fish, which exacts a premium for the sizeable slab of blackened white fish. Tacos are discounted not on the obvious day, “Taco Tuesday,” but instead the day after, with dollar tacos on Wednesdays.

Sonoran Caesar

The barbacoa and tinga meats used in tacos and burritos are also available inside a bun as part of a torta, or Mexico City sandwich. Each of these comes with a generous array of toppings and a side of house-made potato chips with chipotle aioli. Cocina 10’s take on the hamburger is the Lalo Burger, given a Southwestern touch with spices mixed in the patty and an anaheim chili on top. Of course, one border road food not to be overlooked in a Sonoran hot dog. In this case, it’s a Schreiner’s all-beef dog in a toasted bolillo bun full of beans, bacon, and myriad condiments.

chocolate flan

For anyone willing to dispense with the idea of eating by hand, meals requiring a fork include not only a no-tortilla burrito bowl, but some entree-sized salads. The Cocina 10 Ensalada and the Sonoran Caesar both derive texture from garlic tortilla chips and substance from roasted corn and black beans. Blackened salmon salad adds fish and a bit of fruit to the usual bowl of greens. Eating salad might leave just enough room for dessert. In that case, the chocolate flan or crispy churros with cajeta work for sharing. The rice pudding is a lighter dessert for suitable for one.

rice pudding

Although the connection between music and food might seem new, drinking at concerts is a time-honored tradition. Cocina 10’s bar concentrates of a tight selection of beer and wine. Lucha Libre Lager is the house bargain draft, and some craft brews expand the selection. Cocktails are served as well, with a Honey Badger as the main happy hour special. Good food and music should go together. At Cocina 10, they often do — but due to the restaurant’s quality and its distinctness from the club directly behind it – they don’t always have to.

308 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix AZ 85003
Van Buren / 1st Avenue (eastbound) and Van Buren / Central (westbound) stations
(602) 716-2222
http://www.crescentphx.com/kitchen

chirashi

Despite an official address on Adams, Harumi’s entrance is actually on First Avenue. The restaurant is halfway between the Van Buren light rail stations to the north and the Washington / Central (westbound) and Jefferson / First Avenue (eastbound) couplet to the south. From any of those platforms, the restaurant is an easy walk of no more than two blocks. For those who arrive via bicycle, parking meters with side loops for bike lock-up are found across the street on the east side of First Avenue, as well as around the corner on both Adams and Monroe.

looking north along First Avenue

The space is box-shaped, narrow and long. There’s a small sushi bar along the side of the room and tables stretching far into the back on the space. A counter, used mostly by solo diners at lunchtime, faces outward toward First Avenue. The decor is neat but minimal. The walls have a few simple art pieces and a video screen touting the health benefits of the restaurant’s signature dark rice, but there’s no kitsch or trendiness in the restaurant’s interior. At night, the restaurant operates in full service mode with a friendly staff seating customers and taking orders.

spicy salmon roll

The selection of appetizers includes standards such as seaweed salad, miso soup, and edamame. Dumplings come pan fried, eight to an order, and stuffed with minced chicken. Other starter choices include small plates of sashimi, sushi, and tempura. More unusual choices include jalapenos stuffed with tuna, crab, and cream cheese, along with a “sexy crab salad” of radishes and avocado combined with a bit of imitation crustacean meat. These last two items lean in the direction of contemporary fusion food, something echoed among the special rolls.

gyoza

All rolls and nigiri, whether traditional or trendy, incorporate the restaurant’s signature style of rice. The result is sushi much darker than is typically seen and a slightly nutty taste due to the black rice. The flavor and texture of Harumi’s rice are as distinctive as its color; however, they never overpower the clean, simple, and fresh taste of the fish. Chef’s selections of sushi and sashimi are good choices for those who don’t want to pick and choose a la carte. Harumi also offers the option of chirashi, an assortment of fish, vegetables, egg, and roe over sushi rice.

sashimi assortment

The a la carte menu of sushi and sashimi offers the usual staples: salmon, albacore, yellowtail, and mackerel are consistently good and distinguished not only by the suppleness of the fish, but also by the vibrant pigment of the rice underneath. If there’s ever any doubt if Harumi has appeal beyond its colorful rice, the sashimi selection should prove the fish has plenty of appeal of its own. In fact, the oasis roll is an entirely rice-less preparation. A core of tuna, salmon, and avocado is wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber instead of the usual outer layer of grain.

sushi assortment

Most of the rolls, whether classic or creative, include rice. The mango crunch roll combines tuna and salmon with the world’s most widely consumed fruit. The “crunch” comes from little tempura flakes. The spicy salmon roll shines by never letting the added ingredients overpower the fish. The rainbow roll is clever with a standard California roll wrapped in an outer layer of fresh fish: salmon, tuna, hamachi. A meatless choice is the asparagus roll, a simple, light creation of asparagus and cucumber unencumbered by cream cheese or other heavy ingredients.

asparagus rolls, mackerel, and albacore nigiri

During the lunch hour, Harumi operates under a fast-casual model. Customers order at a front counter, wait for their numbers to be called, and bus their own tables. With the exception of udon noodle soup, everything offered at night is available during the day, and customers can mark up a sushi menu or order hot foods from the kitchen in any combinations they might choose. Nevertheless, many customers stop at the grab-and-go case to pick up sushi assortments prepared that day. Others select bento lunches, a popular option offered only at midday.

seaweed salad

The bento boxes begin with white or fried rice. The second step is choice of chicken, spicy chicken, or tempura shrimp. Finally all sorts of garnishes are added. The result is either a bento box to go or the same food on a platter to eat on site. Each comes with rice, steamed vegetables, pickles that look like carrots due to an orange sauce, some salad, a piece of grilled tofu, and some sweet potato tempura. The teriyaki chicken is straightforward and satisfying,the spicy chicken is a not-too-fiery Japanese curry, and the shrimp are prepared in a tempura style.

lunch bento

Harumi keeps it simple by offering only ice cream and mochi for dessert. Although there is a liquor license, the beverage selection is limited to a modest selection of beer, wine, and sake. There are some nice flourishes like real wasabi for two dollars more, but for the most part, the focus is on the fish and, of course, the rice — the black-turns-to-purple rice that stands out at Harumi. Anthocyanins explain the rice’s color, and antioxidants account for its nutritional appeal, but the basics of good fish make the restaurant an appealing stop for sushi and sashimi.

114 W Adams St., Phoenix AZ 85003
Van Buren / First Avenue or Jefferson / First Avenue stations (westbound)
Van Buren / Central or Washington / Central stations (eastbound)
(602) 258-0131

caprese kisra with shrimp

Fez’ new home is in the ground floor of the Roosevelt Square apartment building, just across the street from the Roosevelt / Central light rail station. The space, formerly home to Portland’s, has been enlivened with more color and natural light. The patio has been expanded to wrap around the restaurant, addressing both Central Avenue and Portland Street, and accounting for half the total seating. Along Portland Street, there are some newly-added bike racks, and for those who want to rent a ride, a Grid Bike Share station is across the street on the light rail platform.

view from Central

In the transplant from Midtown to Downtown, Fez clearly upgraded its space but didn’t fundamentally alter its menu and service. Sure, there are a few new items, but for the most part, the restaurant didn’t tinker too much with a formula that has worked for a decade. Despite the similarly of the restaurant’s name to that of Morocco’s second largest city (Fes), this is not a place for couscous and lamb tagine. Instead, the approach here continues to be a hybrid of a light Mediterranean or North African touch and hearty all-American comfort food.

cumin cinnamon carrot soup

Those slight Middle Eastern influences are most apparent among the starters. Fez has two signature soups available each day, cumin cinnamon carrot and tomato lentil. Both are smooth purees, differing in taste and color but not at all in terms of texture. The carrot soup is mild with subtle nuances of both the spices in its name; the tomato lentil soup is a bit more tart but still on the gentle side. In a trend reminiscent of the California Pizza Kitchen’s “two in a bowl,” both soups can be had side-by-side in a single vessel. At Fez, that option is listed as “50 / 50.”

strawberry blueberry cashew salad

Lamb, a meat abundant in Middle Eastern food, makes a rare appearance on menu in the form of a quartet of sliders. The miniature burgers come accessorized with a sauce of mint and yogurt, tomatoes, and cucumbers. The chicken phyllo packets are somewhat similar to bastilla, the Moroccan meat pie. In each of the eight pieces that come per serving, minced poultry is blended with feta cheese inside a packet of airy, multi-layered pastry. Kisra, Fez’ answer to seemingly ubiquitous flat bread, comes matched with hummus or like a pizza with cheese and toppings.

Fez burger with harissa fries

Garlic and harissa, the hot pepper paste of North Africa, are two big flavors also used to enliven one of the menu’s biggest crowd-pleasers, a basket French fries. The crisp, thin potato slivers are also available in a plainer salt-and-pepper variety. Sweet potato fries have become a trend lately, but Fez has been offering them for all of its ten years. Be warned, though, that the cinnamon topping seems really to be cinnamon sugar, making these fries even sweeter than expected and perhaps not the best best for those seeking more savory tastes before dessert.

black bean burger with sweet potato fries

Burgers and chicken sandwiches are the most popular entrees, and both display the same understated influences of North Africa. The Tangier burger is an oblong beef patty cut in two and topped with dried tomatoes, hummus, pesto, red onions, and manchego cheese. The Fez burger adds a dimension of fruit with its combination of pears, feta cheese, and crispy onions. All burgers, including the vegetarian black bean patty with goat cheese and dried tomatoes, are served in ciabatta rolls rather than buns. A side salad is included; fries are a few dollars more.

lemon pomegranate grill plate with salmon

Poultry sandwiches range from the mild rosemary chicken sandwich to the more fiery Spice Road one. Chicken also plays a big role among the non-sandwich entrees. Fez’ take on a Latin American classic, arroz con pollo, doesn’t come across as particularly authentic without flavorful bone-in dark meat, but the zesty sauce is effective with less adventurous white meat. Fez Fit is a lean entree of grilled meat or a black bean patty over yellow rice with grilled vegetables and sliced pita bread. The lemon and pomegranate grill plate is in a similar vein but with bolder flavors.

golden curry with chicken

On weekends, Fez open a little earlier and serves brunch. There are traditional items such as pancakes on the menu, as well as some less common choices. The Baja brunch is chilaquiles by another name and with a slight Mediterranean accent. A layer of corn ships is covered with sauce, feta, and eggs. The golden curry is imported from the normal weekday menu and given a morning twist via the addition of scrambled eggs. Of course, there are the usual brunch cocktails such as mimosas, which can be intensified with vodka, the predominant spirit at Fez’ bar.

strawberry mousse

Yes, there’s a selection of wine and craft beer, but the overwhelming emphasis is on vodka here. Naturally, that means a lot of cocktails ending in “tini,” even if they’d be unrecognizable to James Bond. Of course, in those movies, it was usually the bad guys who wore fezzes. Here, the idea of a fez is cool, and even kid-friendly with a menu of entrees just for those under 12. There’s no TARDIS, Dr. Who’s mode of travel, at Roosevelt and Central, but with light rail, Grid bikes, and a newly relocated restaurant, the intersection is still a crossroads of space and time.

105 W. Portland St., Phoenix AZ 85003
Roosevelt / Central Station
(602) 287-8700
http://fezoncentral.com

PB&J doughnut

Rollover is a spinoff of the canine-themed Short Leash food truck and restaurant. Short Leash’s mobile operation used to collaborate with Shine Coffee, the previous occupant of Rollover’s space on Vernon Street, just half a block west of the Encanto / Central light rail station. When Shine’s owners decided to get out out of the coffee business, the property was transferred and rechristened as Rollover. The coffee remained, but the previous selection of pastries was replaced with doughnuts, freshly made each each day in a variety of classic and inventive varieties.

line at 7 AM

Just like the coffee place before it, Rollover is really three spaces in one business. First, there’s the small building where coffee is brewed and doughnuts sold. Customers line up starting at 7 AM at a window to place their orders. Behind them, an outdoor counter provides milk, sugar, lids, napkins, and stirrers. There’s some metal seating right in front of this building, along with a generously sized bike rack. For those who want to pedal but don’t have their own bikes with them, a Grid Bike Share station is located just around the corner on Central Avenue.

chocolate chip doughnut

Immediately to the west is the Vernon Avenue Pocket Park, a project undertaken via Kickstarter by the owners of Shine Coffee. Fortunately, that small green space transferred to Rollover as well, providing additional outdoor seating with more shade, as well as grassy play areas for children working off a doughnut-induced sugar high. For more sedate and sheltered seating, Rollover’s living room, half of a building shared with its neighboring restaurant, Oven + Vine, offers a tranquil indoor space with furniture configured for small group interaction, reading, and board games.

orange pistachio glaze doughnut

Of course only some of Rollover’s clientele take the time to appreciate these different settings. A lot of doughnuts and coffee are simply sold to go. For customers choosing that path, the doughnuts matter far more than the ambience, and Rollover’s product stands up in any environment. All Rollover doughnuts are built upon a brioche base, giving these pastries an airier feel than classic cake doughnuts. Some come topped with simple options such as chocolate chips or sprinkles, while others play with combinations such as orange and pistachio or maple with bacon.

coffee cake doughnut

The most novel doughnuts at Rollover depart from the torus shape and add savory elements to the normally sweet spectrum of morning pastry flavors. The Bear, inspired by a similarly-themed hot dog at Short Leash, combines the soft textures of peanut butter and gouda cheese with the more brittle touches of bacon and CrackerJack popcorn. Dispensing with sweetness altogether, the sausage rolls come in plain and spicy varieties. The latter draws its heat from habanero chiles, resulting in a serious burn that becomes apparent after a few bites.

Samoa doughnut

The standard menu at Rollover is augmented with weekly features. A recent PB&J doughnut featured not only creamy peanut butter and berry preserves within, but also salted peanuts on top. A crunchy layer is frequent theme at Rollover, particularly the weekly specials. This past February, Rollover married the doughnut trend to the equally potent trend of drawing inspiration from Girl Scout cookies. One result was a doughnut inspired by the popular Samoa cookie. Rollover’s interpretation was plain brioche donut dipped in chocolate with coconut and caramel on top.

sausage roll and bear doughnut

To go with its donuts, whether sweet or savory, plain or fancy, Rollover serves the typical assortment of coffee and espresso drinks. The cafe canela adds a subtle yet distinctive taste with a cinnamon stick inserted into the brew. Tea is also available in hot and iced varieties, including chai. Whether it’s for cylindrical cups of coffee, toroidal doughnuts, or both, Rollover is a worthwhile stop in the Midtown Museum District, as well as the adjacent Willo neighborhood. Now, if only mathematics and geometry could become a trend as popular as doughnuts.

10 W. Vernon Ave., Phoenix AZ 85003
Encanto / Central Station
(602) 625-6322

Facelift fantastic.

Though it’s now been over a year since Phoenix’s emerging food culture conduit Bite Magazine first landed with its inaugural print issue in March of 2014, the celebrated regional glossy re-emerged with a spark of newfound swagger at this year’s Devoured Phoenix Culinary Classic, flexing its new digital format and stylish new branding.

I was proud to contribute once again to the new, renewed Bite, including a Los Angeles travel piece focused on everything ripe, relevant and right now over a three-day parade of immoderation; a less-intensive, light round-up of Phoenix eating at 3 a.m., when “late night” is reality; as well as a re-post of my 2014 feature of downtown Tucson’s regarded cocktail hideout Scott & Co.

Read it, flip its pages, and, get ready for what’s next. View the new issue here: Bite Magazine.

Sonny Boy

There are several reasons for the transformation, most of them related to eliminating constraints on capacity. No longer does Chris Bianco make all pies himself; health concerns required delegation of kitchen duties years ago. In addition, Pizzeria Bianco now exists in multiple locations, two in Phoenix and one in Tucson. Most of the pizza menu is also offered at the Pane Bianco sandwich shop. At the Heritage Square location, a quarter mile from the 3rd Street light rail stations, the addition of lunch service has also allowed better accommodation of demand.

patio and entrance

Put these changes all together, and the result is that often no wait at all is required for a table. When one is necessary, it’s usually measured in terms of minutes rather than hours. Moreover, it’s a place where it’s now commonplace to see families with children enjoying one of the most easily shared foods. That’s a natural fit given the restaurant’s proximity to the Arizona Science Center, the Rosson House, and the Children’s Museum of Phoenix, but the youngest of pizza aficionados were far more rare back when the restaurant served only dinner at only one location.

market salad

The midday scene at Bianco is one with little or no wait involved. There isn’t a distinct lunch menu — no pizza by the slice, for example. The only difference between night and day is that the antipasto, a changing selection of cheese, cured meats, and roasted vegetables, is not available until 5. Otherwise, it’s the same set of appetizers and half a dozen signature pizzas that the restaurant has offered for years. During mild weather, the patio, which now houses several tables instead of just functioning as a holding pen, is a pleasant place to sit at midday.

mozzarella salad

While the antipasto can’t be beat at night, lunch is a good meal to start with the seasonal market salad, which might feature arugula with strawberries, goat cheese, and pecans one day and fresh fennel with local citrus a few months later. Two other salads remain essentially the same year-round. A mix of local greens with a red wine vinaigrette is the lightest option, and a plate full of sliced fresh mozzarella with thick tomato slices and roughly torn basil leaves is a more substantial choice. Spiedini, skewers of fontina wrapped in prosciutto, is another hearty choice.

spiedini

Of course, people come to this restaurant for one purpose: To eat pizza. Most love it, some find it okay but not worth a long wait (real or imagined), and a few even find it disappointing. The range of opinions is typical of a handcrafted product. All the pies made have certain characteristics in common, but no two are the same. Expect a product that is not perfectly symmetric with a thin, soft center and with some char on the bottom and around the edges depending on where the pizza was placed in the oven that dominates the restaurant’s interior.

Rosa

The Margherita is the most familiar of the pies offered. It’s a simple concoction of basil, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. For a smoky flavor, try the Wiseguy with generous slices of sausage redolent of fennel and smoked mozzarella. The Rosa omits tomato and relies instead on sharpness from parmesan and crunch from pistachios. The Biancoverde is the greenest choice with fresh arugula applied over ricotta, and the Sonny Boy is a meaty, salty pie full of salami and olives. The Marinara has no cheese — only tomato sauce, garlic, and oregano.

Wiseguy

The pizzas can easily feed two people, especially when preceded by a salad or an appetizer. Nevertheless, leftover slices reheat well the next day in a skillet, so it may be worthwhile to order several pies and then take some home. Leaving a few slices for later also leaves room for a recent addition to the Pizzeria Bianco menu: dessert. While the original menu at Heritage Square had no sweets at all, the restaurant has recently added rice pudding, flourless chocolate cake, and a seasonal flavor of Italian ice, often an inventive one such as nutmeg, to its offerings.

flourless chocolate cake

Given the tight space inside the restaurant, the bar is small and offers a limited selection of wine and Four Peaks Sunbru beer on tap. A larger beverage selection is offered at night next door at Bar Bianco, a space originally created to house the crowds waiting for tables at Pizzeria Bianco. With arduous waits no longer the norm for pizza, it might seem that Bar Bianco no longer has a role to play. With its happy hour specials and selection of appetizers such as crostini with goat cheese and olives, however, Bar Bianco has proven it can be viable destination by itself.

crostini from Bar Bianco

The result is that a nationally known pizzeria sits next to a charming bar that emphasizes local wines and beers from Arizona breweries. Even better, the two can be enjoyed in tandem or separately depending on the occasion. After a decade-and-a-half at Heritage Square, there can still be waits at peak evening times, but for the most part Pizzeria Bianco has been transformed from a place that required serious advance planning to a less daunting restaurant. Now, it’s time for Internet rumor and word-of-mouth to catch up with the improved situation at Heritage Square.

623 E. Adams St., Phoenix AZ 85004
3rd St. / Washington (westbound) and 3rd St. / Jefferson (eastbound) stations
(602) 258-8300
http://www.pizzeriabianco.com

Never exhaustive, never on-time. Below is my immediate laundry list of Phoenix’s new or still-relevant standouts from the past year. Listed in no particular order.

Little Miss BBQ

Not so little meat tray. Little Miss BBQ, Phoenix, AZ.

In 2014, there was no more important food moment than Little Miss BBQ. The freshman BBQ hot-spot created such an authentic stir for its impossibly delicious, fragile fatty beef brisket, its snappy house-made beef and pork sausages, and well, just about every other item on its menu, Phoenix is collectively pinching itself. Being such a (generally) conventional restaurant town, locals had to ask: how did we score a gift like Little Miss? Even oft-maligned turkey, here smoked and rubbed, schools. Phoenix is also not an inherently barbecue-friendly town. Yes, there are great examples to tap when painful cravings bubble (Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue comes to mind), but with one brush of owners Scott and Bekke Holmes’ Texas-style rub, every hopeful peer stumbled steeply down the list. (http://www.littlemissbbq.com)

Steak 44

Chilled. Steak 44, Phoenix, AZ.

Generally speaking, even the most celebrated steakhouses spark little inspiration. Sure, the cuts can wow, the stiff cocktails can sit you straight and the atmosphere alone can make you feel special being taxied to the table. Steak 44, the latest copy from local steakhouse-whisperer Michael Dominick (see Dominick’s Steakhouse in Scottsdale), stands in front of a now long local line of glitzy red meat showplaces. And, though it parrots the tried-and-true steakhouse formula intimately, in 2014 it still managed to make a splash. The Arcadia-ish outpost swings from open to close, happy hour to last call. Still largely a magnet for Arcadia, Biltmore and Paradise Valley social peacocks – mature, stretched, filled and pulled – Steak 44 has surprisingly benefitted from a more enthusiastic, food-driven and youthful clientele who journey miles to bathe in the classy bar area’s early-evening electricity, tailored surroundings, and yes, handsome drinks. The menu includes one of this city’s best raw bars, bearing icy, towering centerpieces stacked wide with chilled shellfish, briny oysters and buttery crudo; and, the most critical sample of Steak 44’s calling card red meat genes: the bone-in veal chop. Already a mainstay at Michael Dominick’s other restaurants, it continues trophy status here – salty, seasoned and sizzling, each cut melting with every bite. It’s the type of primal token that confirms why Steak 44 was one of the best new restaurants to land in Phoenix last year. (http://www.steak44.com)

Welcome Chicken + Donuts

Daily donuts. Welcome Chicken + Donuts, Phoenix, AZ.

The little diner that grew. After ascending to front-page status, pulling food-savvy crowds for savory Southern staples like po’ boys, fried chicken and homemade biscuits and gravy, Welcome Diner owners Michael Babcock and Jenn Robinson took a more light-hearted turn of growth with their latest concept, the cheerful Welcome Chicken and Donuts. Eccentric, artisan donuts (a trend lightyears ahead in other cities) anchored firmly in Phoenix this past year with Welcome. With a rainbow of quirky, seasonal flavors, their daily-edited selections disappear as fast as they cool on display. Though the donuts are fun to sample and (largely) all worth the journey, it’s Welcome’s signature Southern fried chicken recipe – lush poultry crusted in a properly salted, shattering batter – that truly make the new fast-casual spot the ultimate reason to veer off course. Taking the menu a few steps beyond, Welcome Chicken and Donuts pairs the fried chicken with Asian-stamped sauces and fresh sides. My favorite sauce? Naked; none. Fried chicken this good benefits from occasional support. Tossed and soaked entirely as it is, though still delectable, forms a completely different beast. I say avoid the commitment – dip around, mix-and-match. (http://welcomechickenanddonuts.com)

Pizzeria Bianco – Town & Country

Pappardelle; beef bolognese. Pizzeria Bianco Town & Country, Phoenix, AZ.

The original Pizzeria Bianco, located in downtown Phoenix’s Heritage Square, is more than a gilded address for prize-fighting pies. It’s this city’s most persuasive culinary touchstone of the past generation, a singular ripple that has altered our dining DNA forever. Now with the Downtown temple humming on auto-pilot, the Bianco empire inspired locals once again with the latest reincarnation of their new-er Town & Country eatery in Phoenix. Once named Italian Restaurant, then two restaurant concepts in one, Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria Bianco, the space now holds steady as simply Pizzeria Bianco – and a deluxe version, at that. Pizzas? Duh. The treasures here, however, is everything else on the expanded daily menus, including the handmade pastas, the seasonal desserts – the everything. Pizzeria Bianco’s Sunday Gravy alone, served on the sabbath, is frankly glorious. Wholesome and sentimental, the hand-rolled cavatelli pasta, drowning in a rich, slow-stewed sauce of sausage and brisket, reaffirms this specific location as Pizzeria Bianco’s best execution to date. (http://www.pizzeriabianco.com)

*Honorable mentions: Restaurant Atoyac Estilo Oaxaca, Silver Dragon. (AKA I’ll write about them later.)

Gaucho tacos

The pub, now about two-and-a-half years old, is situated toward the north end of Downtown Phoenix just three blocks from the Roosevelt / Central light rail station. Look for the colorful mural on the building’s south wall if the relatively small signs make it difficult to find the place. There are several rows of bike racks directly outside on Second Street, although those amenities would be even nicer if kitchen staff didn’t take their smoke breaks there. That blemish aside, Angels Trumpet is an attractive, airy, and open place suitable for family dining.

exterior with mural

There’s a host station that is staffed only at peak times. At other hours, such as the recently added weekday lunch service, customers seat themselves. There a long L-shaped bar, a dining room, and an expansive rear patio with cornhole and other outdoor attractions. Service can be irregular during busy times, so a little patience is in order during First Fridays and similar events. Beer choices available via 31 taps are displayed on two chalk boards, one inside and the other on the patio. If they’re hard to see, download the TapHunter smartphone app for an updated list.

beer flight

The emphasis is on smaller breweries from all over the country, as well as some less common imports. There may very well be some hipster-ish brews, but Angels Trumpet also offers plenty of straightforward pale ales, lagers, porters, stouts, and pilsners, all served in glassware matched to the style of beer. To sample several, ask for a flight of six small pours, all cleverly served in small glasses that are then brought to the table in a muffin tin. For customers who prefer wine, a half dozen selections are available on tap. Look for them on the left side of the board.

warm pretzels

The menu at Angels Trumpet is idiosyncratic. It feels like pub food, but avoids the usual standbys such as fish-and-chips and plain burgers in favor of the kitchen’s own slightly offbeat creations. Starters include warm pretzels, which are actually pretzel rolls with sauces based on both tangy Dijon mustard and a beer cheese blend, and spud tacos, which are more like sweet potato empanadas due to the way the fried tortillas close around the mashed filling. The taco-empanadas are paired with pesto for dipping, an unexpected but satisfying condiment.

spud tacos

Salads aren’t typically a big part of a pub grub menu, but Angels Trumpet offers two hearty ones that can be accessorized with a choice of beef, turkey, or chicken. The Caesar Cardini, named for the person claimed to have invented the ubiquitous Caesar salad, has a more varied bed of greens than the usual bowl full of romaine. Otherwise, it’s a good take on a standard with its croutons, dressing, and parmesan cheese. The avocado salad is more complex. The greens are topped with goat cheese, beets, grapefruit, and an entire specimen of the dish’s namesake fruit.

Caesar Cardini salad

Among the main dishes, there are a few burgers listed under the heading “buns” and a half dozen items classified as “sammy.” The Matador blends brisket with havarti, peppers, onions, and mushrooms; the result is somewhere in between a barbecue sandwich and a cheesesteak. The 810 is a smoked turkey sandwich enlivened with bacon and avocado. The most intriguing is the Nutter, an all-grown-up version of classic PB&J filled with peanut butter made on the premises, raspberry chipotle jam, and banana. Bacon and marshmallow fluff can be added for another level of indulgence.

Late Harvest pizza

The Big Guppy taco plate is this pub’s answer to fish-and-chips. There are no fried potatoes involved; instead, generous slabs of battered cod are served within flour tortillas and topped with pico de gallo. The Gaucho tacos are based on brisket paired with ancho mango chutney. The result is a successful mix of smoked, spicy, and tropical tastes. Pizzas come sized for one hungry person or two to share. Most involve smoked or cured meats, although a recent “Late Harvest” special has been a vegetarian blend of sweet potato and spaghetti squash along with more traditional pizza toppings.

smoked turkey TV dinner

While there are always a few specials on a menu insert, the most interesting dishes are served on Tuesdays and Thursdays. After taking Monday off, Angels Trumpet begins its week with a retro TV Dinner. An empty tray is provided along with the menu. Handwritten notes in each compartment advertise what’s served inside, usually entrees such as Thanksgiving turkey or tostadas paired with sides and dessert. Later in the week, Thursday is the night for the red basket special, always a sandwich not available on the regular menu. It’s served with a side of tater tots and dipping sauce.

wild cherry pop tarts

For dessert, the retro touch continues with pop-tarts containing seasonal fillings. They come two-to-an-order and are drizzled with a vanilla glaze. There’s also a flatbread topped with peanut butter, chocolate, marshmallow fluff, and even pretzels. If those pretzels result in more thirst, there’s always the possibility of more beer — maybe even something fruity like the “pumpkin peach ale” suggested to be the antithesis of proudly macro-brewed Budweiser. Didn’t like the commercial? Exploring new beers, along with food designed to go with them, is probably the best way to respond.

810 N. 2nd St., Phoenix AZ 85004
Roosevelt / Central Station
(602) 252-2630
http://www.angelstrumpetalehouse.com

The Varnish Bar, Los Angeles. May 2013.

Let me get this drink off my chest.

I love the simple ceremony of sitting at your favorite bar after a long day, drinking patient, precious cocktails that were crafted by highly attuned barmen (or women). For myself, an ideal drinking experience is letting go, avoiding the nearest cocktail menu, and relinquishing your fate to talented soldiers behind the bar.

If you were to ask me what’s my all-time favorite cocktail characteristic, I’d say fresh citrus without flinching. I love nothing more than acerbic, bright bites of fresh lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, you name it. Even with food, sparks of citrus often improve the experience.

I also love a smoky spirit. Mescal has always been a friend, I’ve always held loyalty to the varying spice of rye whiskey, and of course: the campfire magic of a single malt Scotch.

A perfect cocktail is a quilt of otherwise disparate flavors, sewn together to create something worth enjoying until the last drop. For me, when you go down this road, a “perfect cocktail” is the Penicillin – first exposed to a few years ago at a capable spot, while avoiding the cocktail menu, after a very long day.

There is a reason fresh lemon and a degree of whiskey (in the Penicillin’s case, a blended Scotch whisky) are familiar bedfellows. However, expand that pair, building with the fresh spice of raw ginger, the nutty sweetness of honey and a float of an Islay single malt Scotch, and the Penicillin’s winning formula moves front and center.

The Penicillin Cocktail – NYC Milk & Honey mixologist Sam Ross’ original recipe:

• 2 ounces blended Scotch
• 1⁄4 ounces Islay single malt Scotch
• 3⁄4 ounces honey syrup (water-diluted honey)
• 1⁄8 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 3⁄8 oz. fresh ginger juice

A beautiful alternative is the Dutch Penicillin, most recently enjoyed by one of Arizona’s bucket-list bartenders and cocktail consultants, notable gentleman Travis Nass at The Last Drop Bar in Paradise Valley, Ariz., where the blended Scotch is swapped with Bols Genever, a still-smoky but quick-finishing Dutch style gin.

Tacos de pescado

A great taco is a bite hard to forget. A great fish taco is sometimes a bite hard to find.

From local hangouts to corporate franchises alike, fish tacos are ubiquitous, especially here in the Southwest, but an infestation of the bland erode our memory of the truly delicious.

If you haven’t already been to Tacos Atoyac in North Central Phoenix, you should go, now. Located on the NEC of Glendale and 19th Avenues, this spare, no-fuss spot is slightly ajar the well-traveled paths of many, however, it deserves any detour. It is simply one of the best taco spots in town. And yes: they serve some damn good fish tacos.

Sealed inside a thin crust of seasoned batter, Tacos Atoyac’s tacos de pescado present flaky, delicate hunks of searing hot white fish that give immediately. And like any wonderful, Baja-style fish taco, these few-bite handfuls are layered in pliable, warm flour tortillas with a crunchy, bitter cabbage and onion slaw and zags of a spiced, buttery crema.

From their creamy, warming horchata, their carne asada – perfectly charred – and their sinful Al Pastor (chopped pork marinated in pineapple; spices), seasoned to the point of perfumed, some serious thought goes into the food at this tiny, independent Phoenix taquería.

All varieties are super cheap (no taco over $1.50 each), arrive with a sachel of salty grilled onions and spicy jalapeños, and are each made-to-order. Whether you’re riding solo or standing in a line five-deep (I’ve been there), the consistency and patience adhered to each and every taco shoveled out of this humble, pocket-sized establishment is yet another reason to fall desperately in love with it.

Tacos Atoyac also serves menudo, and a whole list of burros, tortas, tamales, desserts, and so on. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to try any of them.

It’s those fish tacos I keep dreaming about most.

Tacos Atoyac | 1830 W. Glendale Ave | 602-864-2746 | North Central Phoenix

With tumbles of thyme at Lux Central.

Justin Drinks is a column carrying the sole intent of highlighting beverages I love. Alcoholic and non, they are brief punches of drinkable love.

The Last Word is my kind of drink. Aromatic, sharp and provocative, it outlines the type of classy cocktails I adore.

Like many of history’s finest swills, the Last Word reads plain on paper. When painted precisely, however, it smacks with a delicate power that uncovers its quiet popularity. Perfumed by the witchery of green Chartreuse, rounded equally by gin’s juniper bite and the bitter cuff of maraschino liqueur―all electrified with the cut of fresh lime juice―as brief as the Last Word’s recipe card may be, this jade looker is no modest sip.

Too much Chartreuse? Too arresting. Too much gin? Too stiff. Too much maraschino liqueur? Too one note. Too much lime? Too abrasive. We’re talking a meticulous experiment in great booze.

Some garnish with fresh herbs, some instead trim with a complimenting slice of cucumber or wedge of citrus, however, most simply sink in a Luxardo or brandied cherry. The Last Word can be served up and proud, or humbly, washed over ice. Want to, dare I say, soften its might? Opt for a drip of simple syrup or agave.

Feeling moody? Substitute the gin with a fiery mezcal by ordering La Ultima Palabra, one of my favorite alterations. Or, have your barman make you the Last Word’s most well-known sibling the Final Ward, a rough, handsome sip that utilizes the distinct spice of rye whiskey in place of gin’s piney familiarity.

Whatever your method (or taste) may be, the Last Word remains one my gold-standards.

The Last Word:

• 1 part gin (Plymouth is a great stand-by; Junipero for a kick)
• 1 part green Chartreuse
• 1 part maraschino liqueur
• 1 part fresh lime juice

The cabin road under winter's hold.

Benefiting from increased abuse of my in-law’s mountain refuge in Show Low, Ariz., an alpine escape is never more than a two and a half hour drive from Phoenix. During the summer months especially, this translates to a welcomed contrast of 80 degrees, woodsy breezes and afternoon thunder showers, to 115 and melting.

The idea of dining out in the Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside and general White Mountain area(s) of eastern Arizona can be painful. However, after sustained homework of the region’s buffet over the years, I can now vouch for a growing selection of spots I’d declare worth a venture out for.

First, let’s be frank with what’s in abundance here. There is zero shortage of so-so BBQ in the area – meats absent of their tender intentions, under seasoned sides that taste like warming lamp leftovers, and neon-hued sauces that could incite shock. There is also no loss for hyper-Americanized Mexican restaurants, sub-par bar food (burgers, sandwiches, fried everything) and Italian restaurants that make the label “red-sauce” read endearing.

Non-comprehensive and non-exhaustive (my eyes are always open), below are eight food and drink related highlights in the area worth visiting, listed in no intentional order:

1. Grumpy Jake’s BBQ & Catering:

Peanuts while you wait.

Grumpy Jake’s BBQ is a definite light in the field. In fact, this is some of the better pulled pork and beef brisket in Arizona outside of the major cities. The meats are smoked and tender, the sauce is rightfully tangy, and a range of above-average sides also help bolster this barbecue experience. Update: Grumpy Jake’s has recently come under new ownership since my last visit; menu changes reported.

2. Cafe Bocado:

Pulled pork special at Cafe Bocado.

In an area so defined by similarities, anything that breaks the mold deserves praise. Fresh, almost entirely homemade fare highlights a decisively upmarket eatery buzzing with local creativity. Open for breakfast, lunch and now dinner, Cafe Bocado is a well-loved neighborhood outpost for those looking for something a little more satisfying, with a little more care and personality. Hearty sandwiches and substantial salads absorb the menu’s majority, however, a rotating selection of house-made baked goods, and an upstanding selection of quiches (think airy, pillowy pies of egg and varied savories, inches thick), make for an eating experience that emerges from the local fray. The recent addition of a dinner menu continues to wow in a local climate that tends to lack. From daily pastas, fresh smoothies and vegetarian options, to fish and other meaty specials, Cafe Bocado is hands-down the best food in a radius of about 50-plus miles. Local growers Linden Market also regularly sells their organic produce at Cafe Bocado on select days of the week. Stay tuned: Full feature on Cafe Bocado coming soon.

3. Sal & Teresa’s:

Rope lights and best Mex in town.

For what it lacks in curb appeal and atmosphere (fluorescent illumination that makes Wal-Mart feel sultry), Sal and Teresa’s is one of the original workhorses in the vicinity serving that saucy, old-school, Sonoran-style Mexican food we native Arizonan’s grew up indoctrinated with. With small cues to New Mexican and Tex-Mex staples, Sal and Teresa’s elevates what Mexican can be locally. The chile is hotter, the flavors a bit rounder, and, despite the frothing neon-cheese, molten by salamander or microwave (hear no evil, see no evil), Sal and Teresa’s is easily the local gold-standard in south-of-the-border eating.

4: Darbi’s Cafe:

Darbi's Monte Cristo.

Darbi’s Cafe is tight, cozy, and, as it should be: straightforward and humble. This small cabin restaurant packs crowds for their soul-warming breakfasts, homemade baked goods and above-average casual eating. Open for lunch and dinner, it’s their sunrise menu that still earns Darbi’s its bounty of praise. Their decadent Monte Cristo sandwich will also satisfy.

5. Red Devil:

Common bruschetta at Red Devil makes for uncommon Pinetop eating. Photo courtesy of Ashley B.

An acceptable standby for pizza in Phoenix, in Pinetop-Lakside Red Devil seems downright indulgent. A classic Americanized pizzeria – thick, doughy crust; generous helpings of strangely sweet tomato sauce; common topping combos like “the works,” and “Hawaiian,” there’s no masquerading what’s happening here. It’s pizza that middle-America loves, but done well. Red Devil is easily one of the better places to eat in the area, and the unending daily crowds help prove this sentiment.

6. Coffee Mania:

Worth the stop.

A tiny bookend at the tail of an old motor inn in downtown Show Low presents Coffee Mania, probably one of the better java spots in the area. Independently owned and operated, and full of personality, Coffee Mania imports a worthy catalog of fine coffees and teas, as well as serves a respectable range of house-made baked goods.

7. The Turquoise Room:

Uniquely, proudly Arizona.

The acclaimed in-house restaurant at the historic La Posada Inn, in dusty Winslow, Ariz., might be an afternoon jog from Show Low, but it’s effort appropriately made. The small hotel itself, charming and pitch-perfect with airs of old Arizona, is full of surprising artwork and the regional character. The Turquoise Room, led by James Beard-nominated chef John Sharpe, does an impressive job showcasing its inherent geography, sourcing almost exclusively from independent purveyors located within the state. Though its dinner menu absorbs the majority of the restaurant’s press, breakfast and lunch are no hotel afterthoughts here. With hyper-local and intentionally seasonal offerings, from sandwiches to entrees, daily soups to desserts, The Turquoise Room presents genuinely fantastic Arizona eating. I’m always excited to return.

8. Red Rock Lavender Farms:

The aromatics in close view.

Located in Concho, Ariz., about a 20-minute drive north of Show Low, Red Rock Lavender Farms feels like an anomaly. After a brief guided tour, however, you once again realize how the state’s diverse topography can allow for yet another myth-buster in a procession of many – incredible Arizona wines, some of the best olive oil anywhere is made in Arizona, the bounty of fresh, organic produce grown right outside the deserts of Phoenix is astonishing, just to spout a meager few. Now, throw thriving lavender fields onto that stately pile of edible accolades. In fact, Red Rock Farms is one of the largest lavender farms in North America, benefiting from an immediate soil makeup that is apparently as nutrient spoiled as sacrosanct Provence itself. A small gift shop also exists, carrying everything from potted lavender plants to take home, essential oils and sprays to assist in sleep and relaxation, lavender-heavy items for the sole purpose of insect repellent, to yes, varied mixes for use in cooking and drinking.

As always, roundups like these are brief and never complete. More White Mountain eating on the horizon.

Chris Bianco is very talented, we know. Slinging those iconic golden pies for the unyielding masses (almost) every night, the James Beard Award-wining chef’s notorious work ethic at his fabled Pizzeria Bianco has never seemed anything south of remarkable.

At Bianco’s sharper and more accessible cousin Pane Bianco, the chef manages to parlay his drive for the perfectly tailored pizza–an intuitive ratio of inspiration, meticulous ingredients and masterful execution–into one of the best sandwich shops in the city.

One of my absolutes at Pane Bianco is their peerless mozzarella, tomato and basil sandwich. Buttery, handmade buffalo mozzarella makes face time with minty basil and ripe, glossy tomatoes (both of which are house-grown), all gently pressed between doughy rounds of Bianco’s fine-tuned ciabatta-lite bread, blistered briefly in the kitchen’s sizable wood-burning oven. It’s Bianco’s nuanced skill, stockpiled for our effortless consumption.

Not one player shines brighter than its neighbor–the endgame of all moving parts; an education in simplicity done right.

This edible affair is not monogamous, however. For my ode to Pane Bianco’s tuna sandwich (and dreamy rice pudding) in the Downtown Phoenix Journal, go HERE.

Pane Bianco | 4404 N. Central Ave | 602-234-2100 | Midtown Phoenix

Excited? Expected?

Foodly politics aside, events like the already in-progress Arizona Restaurant Week (Sept. 18th-26th) not only benefit local restaurants directly, injecting often sorely needed adrenaline into otherwise deserved-but-stagnate establishments, it also helps sell to a wider society our inherent dining offerings as a whole.

In a perpetually insecure state like Arizona, often plagued with the complacency of mediocrity⎯in seemingly everything⎯the truth is, Phoenix (and Arizona) truly does pull some credible tonnage in its dining arsenal that could spar with some of the best in the nation. We may not always hold the largest in sheer numbers, the breadth of diversity, and, we may not always rank highest in the hallways of Condé Nast, but sometimes we frankly deserve a little more respect.

This week is another opportunity to help connect the dots. Widely participated events like AZRW (and others) assist in encouraging everyday diners to break from their often staid, routine trade routes, allowing them to discover local eating in an updated light.

AZRW 2010

I’m happily participating in AZRW as much as I can. Everyone should sincerely do the same, particularly in regard to the independent, one-of-a-kind establishments we need thriving so achingly⎯not the sleazy, overtly corporate spots that weaseled their way onto the list of otherwise standout participants.

For the local food-obsessed community in particular, we should never be satisfied with marginal rankings or ignorant perceptions. If you love Phoenix, if you love Tucson, if you love Arizona, we need to do a better job at selling what we already have to be proud of. What am I most excited about, every year? Observing freshman diners trying new restaurants, eating new foods, all the while discovering there’s more to their respective communities and neighborhoods than initially assumed.

Dependent on the restaurant level, special AZRW, three-course prix fixe menus are set at either $29 or $39 price points⎯some of which even work a glass of wine into the price. A very reasonable negotiation if you ask me.

What restaurants look interesting to you? Make your reservations, now.

AZRW attack plans? Pundits I respect–
+ Chef, author, critic Gwen Walter’s organizing: HERE
+ PR wizard, “food nerd” Ty Largo’s pointers: HERE

Times of change.

Laden with seafaring potential and New England bounty, at times the harvest delivered on Cape Cod doesn’t always match its geographic and human charms⎯even though it should.

From the area’s nutritious dirt, fertile for agriculture of all casts; its waters, perfect for stocks of fish, mollusks and crustaceans; and its chronicled fabric of colonial American, Portuguese, Italian and French Canadian pedigrees, Cape Cod should already be sucking on a silver spoon. In some cornered aspects it is, though with research. To the majority of lacquered tourists in fact, who flock to the seaside peninsula and islands each summer, I know they sure think it is. To genuine food lovers though, initial novelties of clam chowder, fried clams, lobster rolls and mom-and-pop homemade ice cream shops can all-too-often fade into gluey, chewy, overcooked and sweet beyond repair. One can paralyze quickly with this repeated cycle of gut-busting monotony. Food-wise Cape Cod as a region hasn’t always lived up to its inherent, God-given potential. Most gratefully, in the past 3-5 years however, things seem to be slowly evolving.

Smarter, sharper restaurants have begun sprouting, finally allowing the fantasy of a genuinely satisfying meal⎯after your tenth night of fried, fried and fried⎯not seem the stretch it had any longer. After spending ample summers on the Cape for the better part of the last decade, I’ve decided to expose a little run-down of such eye-openers. Albeit brief (and by no means comprehensive), the list below should help direct any visiting food enthusiast, wary of the generic trappings of stale Cape Cod eating, to brighter horizons. If for nothing else, to set off on sound footing.

Lobster, among other things, risotto. Mac's Shack.

Wellfleet's eponymous creatures. Mac's Shack.

Mac’s Shack: (Wellfleet, MA)
Upscale, bustling cousin of the Mac’s Seafood Co.’s family of salty establishments, Mac’s Shack delivers a full sushi bar, a manned raw bar and a rotating, seasonal roster of forward-leaning menu items⎯energetic, regional fare with refreshing worldly framings. The sushi product itself is indeed some of the best found anywhere on the Cape (though not exactly a tight race due to lacking local inventory to begin with), and the outdoor bar area alone is lively and optimal for people watching, full of polite but posing WASP-y mugs⎯pretension tailored enough to be tolerable, but after a second glass of wine, nearly enjoyable. Ordered notables on my most recent visit: briny oysters; lobster risotto, rich with local corn, oyster mushrooms and mascarpone; and, a hefty crab cake, layered atop a spicy bacon and corn salsa, and a brush of chive cream.

(click “Read More” below to continue…)

Wicked Oyster: (Wellfleet, MA)
Packed into a charming, historic colonial home, the Wicked Oyster is another altered take on the local upscale dining experience. With its weathered, original hardwood flooring, creaking with every jerk of your chair; and, its lemon-colored walls displaying expressive local art, the space is cozy, simultaneously uplifting and reserved. A casual breakfast and lunch service is presented early in the day before a daily afternoon closing to prepare the restaurant for its more formal, serious dinner service. Menu carries a wind of seasonal, playful California cooking, mixed with the gravity of sturdy New England traditions. Light buttermilk, tempura-like fried calamari; smoky, porky clam chowder; and, a cycling range of daily seafood specials quickly make the grade.

Dining room, Sesuit Harbor Cafe.

Roll en route to mouth. Sesuit Harbor Cafe.

Sesuit Harbor Cafe: (Dennis, MA; no official website.)
I’ve already written about this buried Cape Cod jewel several times (detailed last year by yours truly HERE), and still consider it one of the best no-fuss seafood stops in the area. If for nothing else, their lobster rolls. They do deliver⎯sweet, mouth-melting meat, flipped with enlivened (read: seasoned) mayonnaise, lazily packed into a classic, toasted New England hot dog roll. All things considered, a satisfying carnage. The cafe’s graveled, waterfront patio overlooking Sesuit Harbor can’t be a hinderance either⎯quintessential Cape Cod.

Trevi: (Mashpee, MA)
Located in Mashpee Commons, an upper Cape outdoor shopping and lifestyle center (naming aside, think New England version of Phoenix’s Kierland Commons), Trevi continues to surprise. Food-wise generally western Mediterranean, the menu focuses strongest on coastal, southern Italian, with noted Greek and Spanish blips. A casual lunch of sandwiches, salads and daily specials give way to a more sophisticated and creative offering of smaller plates intended to be shared, for happy hour and dinner. An expansive wine list and knowledgeable bar staff make for added indulgences. The modern indoor space plays with high tables, wide pendant lamps and dark woodwork throughout.

Bleu: (Mashpee, MA)
Modernized French that fails to disappoint. Also located in Mashpee Commons, Bleu is a casual, quiet lunch spot turned confident and high-er caliber as the sun sets. The menu is bistro-lite French with regional New England airs. A cozy bar area, separated at one end of the restaurant, is a welcoming corner to process the day’s thoughts over wine and well-made cocktails. It’s true, sometimes I visit late just for a nightcap.

Siena: (Mashpee, MA)
Consistently rated one of the top upscale Italian haunts on the entire landmass, I’ve always been cynical about this Mashpee Commons’ mainstay. And, I’m always (for the most part) made to eat my thoughts humbly with each visit. Modern, restrained atmosphere consistently brimming, Siena manages to serve a wholeheartedly tasteful range of pasta dishes and elevated pizza. Let the wine flow my friends, it’s a good choice.

Tuna pasta special, pre cheese. Osteria La Civetta.

Post cheese. (I know.) Osteria La Civetta.

Osteria La Civetta: (Falmouth, MA)
One of my biggest revelations this year. Discovered entirely at the benefit of local hearsay, and not, per usually, any sharp research skills on my part (ahem), Osteria La Civetta was a discovery I will not forget on subsequent visits to the area. Completely un-Cape, this charming Italian eatery has edge. Fresh, pointed, seasonal Italian food, all appropriately portioned, sauced and seasoned. This is not a Little Italy red-sauce mudslide, this is a well-designed experience overflowing with a serious European sensibility. The entire menu written in Italian, the lightning here is the selection of homemade pastas, breads and daily specials. Heavy on the seafood, Osteria La Civetta also pays homage to the local community’s noted oceanic abundance. A chilled pasta salad of the day, with buttery, firm rigatoni, piled with Italian ham and artichokes atop a plate of mixed greens; and, a bowl of thick spaghetti, twined with cubes of fresh tuna, basil, parmesan and a sauce made nearly entirely by the broth of blistered cherry tomatoes, were both definite kicks to the head⎯full of flavor, and precisely what a sour outlook (and appetite) needed that day.

Blurry black raspberry. Ben and Bill's.

Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium: (Falmouth, MA)
Homemade, rich ice cream is to Cape Cod what empty coffee mugs are to my desk⎯on every corner, and unavoidable. Like a Norman Rockwell painting, the time-tested ritual of crowding mom-and-pop ice cream spots after dark, that last treat for children before heading home for their bedtime rituals, is an Americana time-warp unyielding in these parts. As twilight creeps, with towns closing up and cars alien on worn roadways, the ice cream shops remain long-lined with families, patrons foggy for the cold and creamy. Moving beyond the wispy sentiments however, much like finding worthy seafood on the Cape, locating the best ice cream here can be equally as strategic. Ben and Bill’s Chocolate Emporium in downtown Falmouth (with a few sister locations New England-wide), is easily one of the better examples of the truly homespun. As “chocolate emporium” states in the title, many may not realize their ice cream overrides, but the antiqued retailer of all things fudge, chocolate and hard sugar truly shines with the frozen sweets. Their version of the popular New England-centric flavor black raspberry is hands-down one of the selected crowd favorites.

Happy travels!

* Boston 2010 Highlights: coming soon.
* Photog note: Apologies, all above photos taken with my camera phone.