By J.E. Pizarro, Chief Executive Foodie

One of my favorite spots in Scottsdale is definitely the North East Valley/Troon development.

The views alone tempt a call to my realtor to see how much I could purchase a house for!  One of the ways that I get my fill of the views is visiting the Four Seasons Scottsdale.

If you haven’t taken a trip up there, I suggest you grab your significant other, your keys and an empty stomach.

The resort has picture perfect views and most importantly a wealth of culinary talent.

Talavera, the signature restaurant of the property recently invited me to be part of their Wine Dinner series.

It had been quite a while since I had actually sat down and ate at the Four Seasons, however this restaurant (which replaced the Acacia restaurant) is reason enough for me to return and very soon.

Chef Mel Mecinas and his Chef de Cuisine Evan Goldstein have put the Four Seasons on the map as a culinary destination in North Scottsdale.

During my visit I had an opportunity to chat with both of them for a few moments (I didn’t want to disrupt or delay anyone’s meal).  Both chefs are extremely dedicated to their craft and meticulously created a menu that out shines most restaurants of their caliber.

I arrived shortly before 6pm and since I have a compulsive need (I picked this habit up from my business partner) to check my email on my iPhone or laptop every 5 minutes, I decided to have a relaxing glass of wine at the Onyx Bar right at the entrance of the Talavera restaurant.

The bar gets its name from the large backlit and translucent slabs of onyx that cast a warm and sophisticated glow on the patrons.  You can be sure that I will make the Onyx Bar the next place to have drinks with friends.

The restaurant itself is warmly lit with gorgeous wood floors that compliment the vaulted ceilings, wrought ironwork and arched doorways.

The best part of the ambiance is that you don’t have to be outside to enjoy the beautiful views.  A HUGE and I mean HUGE glass wall allows you to take in the views while remaining warm and cozy inside.  There is an elegant fire pit surrounded by water just on the other side to enjoy as well.

One of the reasons that I was looking forward to this particular wine dinner is aside from the fact that the executive chef is extremely talented, is that you can enjoy it at your own pace and at your own table.

Though sometimes I like to sit at a large community table and meet new people, my favorite setting is able to enjoy by dinner companion’s company in an intimate setting where I’m not pressured to eat or drink at any certain pace.

This 4-course dinner showcased more of exotic meat dishes than other wine dinners I’ve been to.  They were beautifully presented and well proportioned.

The first course, veal stuffed ravioli with fennel sausage and crispy kale on top of a delicate tomato sauce.  The stand out part of this course was that I tasted the flavors in that particular order.  Tasting by level rather that combined is an experience I highly recommend.

The second course was one of my favorite birds: quail.  Served with a mini mix green salad, cherry vinaigrette with sprinkled Gorgonzola and walnuts.  Traditionally I enjoy my quail when I get to cut it away from the bone and sans mixed greens.  For first time quail tasters I recommend the way Talavera prepared it.

The entrée was a Venison chop served with a cassiolet of butter beans, tinkerbell peppers and watercress.  To me, venison has a “brighter” taste than beef.

I found it very flavorful, lean and not gamey as I would have expected.  It was served medium/medium rare with a nice peppery aftertaste.  I can see why this was chosen as the entrée as the Opus Wine 2004 blended perfectly with this course.

And finally the dessert.  A merlot velvet torte with port pears and an apple merlot seltzer.  The name described it perfectly; it really did have velvet like texture but rich and smooth on the inside.  The pears were an added layer of  flavor and the apple merlot seltzer was a nice finish to an amazing dinner.

With so many options to choose from these days, service is the key piece in keeping diners coming back.  The Four Seasons is known for extraordinary service and Talavera executes this without skipping a beat.  The servers are very friendly and most important will give you sincere opinion and recommendations.

Talavera has a program called “Chef de Jour” in which for a fee, they will arrange a unique culinary adventure in which you are able to not only tour the kitchens and see the back of the house operations but create a menu from start to finish, cook it and if so desired you can join your invited guests for a celebration of your culinary talents.

My belief is that my business partner Susie needs to pony up for a birthday gift for me, this would be perfect.

Next time that you want to visit a different restaurant outside of the direct metro area of Scottsdale/Phoenix, drive up to the Four Seasons.  They have two more wine dinners on the schedule, Thursday, March 25th (Jordan Winery) and Thursday, April 22^nd (Caymus Winery).

By J.E. Pizarro, Chief Executive Foodie

Winter in Phoenix has been known to make those that are enduring these recent winter storms dumping feet of snow on their roads green with envy. Those of us who are fortunate enough to live here do occasionally enjoy going up north to enjoy colder temperatures and actual seasonal changes. One great place to escape to is Sedona.

My friend Chris and I recently took an overnight trip up to Sedona to enjoy the beautiful scenery as well as stay at one of my favorite places: L’Auberge de Sedona.

This place is a must-visit with a significant other. Jump in the car, drive the hour and a half and experience a very unique staycation.

The place is currently undergoing some renovations, but having stayed in one of the renovated Spa cottages, the updates are significant and really bring the hotel up another star.

The hotel has cottages lined up against a creek with fireplaces, indoor/outdoor showers, super comfortable beds and a staff that really knows how to cater to its customers.  From check-in to checkout the entire experience was nothing short of spectacular.

Now, lets talk about the restaurant.  The restaurant was one of the biggest surprises that I’ve had this year.

The views of the creek and its quaint atmosphere could not have prepared me for the culinary masterpiece that I was about to enjoy.

Chef David Schmidt has spent what seems an eternity perfecting the items on the menu.  All of them equally delectable and savory as the next.  I admit it had been quite a few years since I had been to the restaurant, so I had forgotten about my last dining experience there.

I guarantee that I will not be forgetting this one any time soon.

I started out with the Goat Cheese and Beet Salad.  Served with a Humboldt fog, goat cheese mousse and red beet syrup.  It had an unbelievable mix of flavors and although my business partner Susie doesn’t like beets, I think she would have truly enjoyed this one.

My friend Chris enjoyed the Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with marinated grapes, toasted almonds and drizzled with a romesco sauce.  Though not a “foodie” by any means, Chris cleaned his plate then went back to make sure he didn’t miss anything.

Next course was the Lobster Bisque with Cognac foam, lemon-pressed olive oil and shrimp toast.  The crisp rainy weather and cold temperatures made this the perfect item to have on such a day.  The bisque was buttery smooth and bursting with robust flavors.  The shrimp toast that accompanied it also absorbed the flavor of the lobster bisque and added another dimension of texture in it self.  I wish I could have taken some home in a thermos.  (read..Chef David, next time, I’m bringing one)

The following course is where the chef truly out did himself.  Chris had the Maine Lobster and Pan Roasted Diver Scallops (served with red pepper gratin, glazed dates and lemon-brown butter, though there is an onion souise, Chris opted not to have that included since he doesn’t like anything onion related).   Meanwhile I enjoyed the Roasted Port Tenderloin with cider-glazed pork belly, fall mushrooms, potato puree and a blackberry gastrique.

Both dishes were in the top ten of best meals I’ve had this year (maybe top 5).  Susie and I have spent more time in restaurants this year that in our own kitchens, so I feel like an expert by now!

I am definitely going to be making a trip up there just to show her Chef David’s culinary talents.

Finally, they presented us with dessert.  About two months ago while sitting at a restaurant in Phoenix I was speaking to two women and it turned out that one of them was the Pastry Chef at L’Auberge de Sedona Restaurant.  I had completely forgotten about that conversation until I saw Pastry Chef Carrie Davis again.

She really makes one of the most beautiful looking desserts I have every seen.  She was gracious enough to send over a sampling of some of her desserts that without hesitation we proceeded to eat until the last bite.

This culinary experience alone is worth the drive and but I highly recommend a stay-cation to go along with it.

The restaurant also has a fantastic brunch on Sunday mornings with plenty of food for all tastes.

Had we more time, I would have like to have stayed and enjoyed the ever-flowing mimosas and multiple courses of food that it has to offer.  Rest assured, I will be making another trip very soon.

By J.E. Pizarro, Chief Executive Foodie

Traditionally, Phoenix has never had a downtown restaurant scene that I frequented.  This fall at Phoenix Cooks event at the Westin Kierland, I happened to come across a new restaurant called Nine|05.  We chatted up Jennifer with Nine|05 who convinced us to venture into downtown and see what the buzz is about!

Although the food they were sampling was excellent, I thought, “If I’m going to drive myself anywhere near downtown, the food better be damn good or I’m going to be irritated!”

Well folks, the food is an excellent and incredible dining experience. I’ve been back twice since.

Rarely do I give glowing, wholehearted endorsements of restaurants, but Nine|05 definitely knew how to push my foodie buttons!

This Asian Foodie Gem is located on the corner of 4th Street and Garfield in a quaint corner made up of three historic houses (2 currently undergoing renovations) that comprise the entire restaurant, dining patio and bar.

It has a beautiful outdoor dining area that overlooks a circular bar that has a great lateral view of downtown Phoenix. So great in fact, that we named Nine|05 one of the best places to dine outside in Phoenix!

Parking was a bit “dicey” once I found a good spot and walked into Nine|05 I stopped worrying about the safety of my car.

The restaurant portion is in a remodeled historic house, with polished hardwood floors, exposed brick walls and a see through kitchen.  The stark white chairs and accents of green and yellow give it a “Chicago” type feel that I certainly did not expect in “near” downtown Phoenix.

On to the food…. Simply its one of the best meals in you will find in Phoenix.

We opted to order some random items from the menu as well as some of the house favorites of Chef/Owners Matt Carter and Jay Bogsinske.

The cuisine is a mix of different Asian cooking styles and we noted a distinct Mexican influence. This eclectic mix results in very unique and savory dishes to please all types of foodies.  Susie is not a fan of Asian food at all, and she thoroughly enjoyed her meal. Now that’s saying a lot!!

Our food journey started out with Crispy Rock Shrimp (lettuce wraps and sambal glaze).  Rock Shrimp is one of Susie’s top three favorite things to eat in the world.  Two words on her behalf “LOVED IT” (sang in a “hark, the herald angels sing” type harmony).  The shrimp was savory and coated in delicate tempura batter that is whipped in a can (to infuse air into the tempura).

My personal favorite (the BEST in Phoenix) was the Korean Chicken wings served with pickled radish and a spicy soy garlic sauce. These babies are both spicy and sweet with a crispy texture topped with saffron strings.

These wings were meaty (non-messy, a big plus in my book) and exploding with flavor.  These wings are not your ordinary bar food wings. However, we feel they should be the #1 thing you order at Nine|05.

I am not a fan of eating with my hands, however these wings are so splendid, that towards the end, I was actually enjoyed it!

Another favorite of mine (although an acquired taste) was the BBQ eel that “sandwiched” foie gras in the middle.  I could hardly contain myself having two of my favorite items together in a dish such as this.  Yes..Yes.. I know.. there is a big to-do these days about eating foie gras, but I happily eat it anyway.

The next item was the Shrimp and Pork Pot Stickers with a pickled melon and peanut sauce) – Susie piped up and said it was the best thing she’d eaten so far in our meal.  I, being a fan of pot stickers would have liked some jalapeños inside of the pot sticker, but still quite delicious and well presented.

For those foodies who like mussels, the Red Curry Mussels served with a coconut and lemongrass sauce are a foodie favorite according the restaurant.

Since Susie and I eat for a living, we are often too full to try everything on the menu!  However we gave a good run at Nine|05.

Bogsinske and Carter say their food at Nine|05 is French in technique but Asian in deliverance.  They hit the farmers market twice a week to buy ingredients. Together they boast vast culinary training and these experiences give, Carter’s and Bogsinske’s dishes a strong depth of flavor.

Bogsinske has been chefing in the Valley of the Sun for years and said his “culinary father” is Michael DeMaria (of Heirloom).

Ironically, a few minutes after he said that De Maria walked in Nine|05 for an early dinner! He happily obliged us and posed for a picture.

Nine|05 is bringing foodies to downtown Phoenix.  Long gone are the days where there was no culinary talent downtown.

Nine|05 is breathing new life and vitality to the restaurant scene to Phoenix.  We can’t wait to try the two other restaurants that will occupy the space with Nine|05.

We are delighted to have met Jennifer at Phoenix Cooks and even happier she asked us to try out her Asian pride and joy!

Do you want to know what other culinary adventures we are having?  See what we’re cooking up at www.foodieslikeus.com

By J.E. Pizarro, Chief Executive Foodie

While in Chicago I had a unique opportunity to visit one of Susie’s favorite restaurants on the planet.  For the last few years every time that seafood was mentioned, she brought up Bob Chinn’s Crab House.

While I had some extra time on my way to my boarding school reunion, I decided to drive up to Wheeling for lunch.

It reminded of a seafood restaurant that we used to frequent in Puerto Rico as a kid (until it was swept away by a hurricane.)  Right down to the wood paneling and the pictures of past guests on the wall.

I was greeted by a very friendly hostess, who quickly offered me a nice table by the window.  The place was definitely packed.  It’s not the power suit and stilettos crowd of Scottsdale, but a warm, inviting group of people actually enjoying a lunch as opposed to being on their crackberrys and making endless cell calls within earshot of other patrons.

I told my server Lisa that I was a first time visitor to Bob Chinn’s all the way from Scottsdale.  She gave me the grand tour of the menu and the specials of the day.  The menu has so many options it was almost impossible for me to decide!

The restaurant serves possibly the best garlic bread known to man.  The bread rolls are literally covered with an olive oil, garlic and salt mixture that is die for.

I also tried the New Zealand Mussels.  Aside from Sauvignon Blancs, my exposure to other things New Zealand is quite limited.  The mussels were very vibrant in color with minced garlic and parsley on top.  Very tasty!

Next, Lisa brought me their signature clam chowder.  I will say that typically clam chowder and I do not get along well, but it was velvety smooth with nice bits of pinkish clams (as opposed to those sad grey ones you find in other restaurants).  I may start eating clam chowder again! Good thing they ship overnight!

Next on the block, the crab legs.  In most restaurants, ordering crab legs is easy. Basically one simply chooses the portion size and type of crab.  Not here!  There are many different kinds, from Alaskan to Louisiana Blue Crabs – the choices are equally as delicious as the next (so I’m told).  I decided on the Alaskan Red king crab legs (16oz).

I’ve never been one to like to eat with my hands or manipulate food on my plate with any sort of tools.  In this case, I looked forward to getting in there and finally learning how to take the meat out of the shells without making a huge mess on the table.  Lisa gave me a quick demonstration on how to de-shell the crab legs and then stayed with me while I tried it for the first time.

Two twists and a yank later, the crabmeat slid out without a mess!  I was so impressed with my new skill that I de-shelled all the crab that I had on my plate.  The crabmeat was every bit as tender and savory as Lisa had described. They serve it with clarified butter, however, I particularly enjoyed the mayonnaise, hot mustard and lemon aioli that accompanied it as well.

After my lunch I was introduced to the Director of Operations, Dino.  He took me on a tour of the restaurant.  On the walls, they have GIANT (and I do mean GIANT) crabs and lobsters mounted in glass shadow boxes.   In the middle of the restaurant they have a seafood counter where you can purchase many of the same items that are on their menu.

With Susie back in Scottsdale, I could not leave there without purchasing a few items to take back with me.  To my surprise, Bob Chinn’s publishes a cookbook as well as packages their seasoned salt for people to take home (at a small cost).  I bought a BC polo shirt and some other items as well.

Susie was utterly delighted with my raid on the gift shop. She was however, dismayed to here I did not try Bob Chinn’s signature drink: the Mai Tai. She assured me that the Mai Tais at Bob Chinn’s are by far the best in the entire USA including the one’s she has had in Hawaii. The Mai Tai is served in a fun yellow plastic cup that she has a collection of at her home.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, and now understand my business partner’s obsession with this restaurant. Bob Chinn’s is one of the highest grossing, single location restaurants in the USA.

I will definitely return at my next opportunity to try some of the other delicious and savory items!

Do you see what other culinary adventures we’re up to?  Visit us at foodieslikeusblog.com!