By Erin Forney, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us.com

The Grill at TPC Scottsdale

$29/person

• First Course (choice of):
  • Yukon Gold Potato Dumplings: Confit Chicken and Stewed Tomatoes
  • Grilled Octopus: Ginger Vinaigrette Preserved Lemon and Mizuna Greens
  • New England Style Chowder: Grilled New Potatoes and Pacific Shellfish

• Second Course (choice of):
  • Scottish Halibut wrapped in Prosciutto: Golden Beet Ravioli and Basil
  • Pot au Feu: Braised Beef Short Rib, Fingerling Potatoes, Heirloom Carrots, Natural Jus
  • Sonoran Shrimp Stuffed with Crab: Frozen Bearnaise and Grilled Asparagus

• Third Course (choice of):
  • Tahitian Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee: Port Marinated Berries
  • Chocolate Eclairs and Cream Puffs: Vanilla, Tropical and Chocolate Fillings, Brushed Cocoa
  • Caramel Apple Cobbler: Huckleberry Ripple Ice Cream

I am a HUGE seafood lover, so checking out The Grill at TPC Scottsdale was very fitting for me.  The Grill is a part of the Fairmont Princess Resort, however, it is on the other side of the property at the golf course and guests will either have to take a shuttle from the resort to get there or if you know where it is you can simply drive directly to it.

Chef Eric and his crew really know how to prepare seafood.  Originally The Grill was a steakhouse, but when Bourbon Steak came into the Princess, The Grill took another direction and decided to focus on using seafood and fresh seasonal produce to create amazing dishes.

There’s something for everyone on the Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 menu.  My husband and I got to try almost every item on the menu and I definitely have my favorites.

For starters we were able to taste two out of the three: the Yukon Gold Potato Dumplings and the New England clam chowder.

I honestly have a very hard time choosing between the two.  I love gnocchi and this Yukon gold gnocchi with confit chicken and stewed tomatoes was just amazing. The texture and flavor was perfect and I didn’t want to share it.

The chowder was some of the best I’d ever had with whole clams, huge scallops, and large pieces of lobster meat; oh my, it was amazing.  If there are two of you choose them both and you won’t be disappointed.

Chef Eric brought us out all three entrees.  Our picks were the Sonoran Shrimp and the Pot Au Feu. The stuffed shrimp was my absolute favorite.

They were stuffed with crabmeat and other delicious seasonings, served with cooked asparagus and a frozen béarnaise. Yes, frozen béarnaise and it melted underneath the hot asparagus and was just delicious to dip the shrimp and vegetable in.

The braised short rib was so perfectly cooked, tender, and so amazingly yummy.  It reminded me of my Oma’s sauerbraten because it had a slightly tart flavor with the use of red wine vinegar.

I just loved it; the gravy was perfect and the fingerlings and carrots made this feel like a home cooked meal.

The Scottish Halibut wrapped in prosciutto sounded delicious, but the fish was very overcooked inside the prosciutto.  Not sure if they were trying to get crispness to the ham and risked the doneness of the fish, but I’m sure this is something that they have ironed out for Restaurant Week.

For desserts we were able to try the Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee and the Chocolate Éclairs and Cream Puffs.  I must admit, the only dessert I was excited about trying was the Caramel Apple Cobbler with huckleberry ripple ice cream.

I’m not sure why they didn’t offer it to us to sample,  as it cleary stands out as the star, but I digress.

The Crème Brulee was very good with tons of fresh berries on top.  The chocolate éclairs and cream puffs were good, though nothing to really write home about.  I’m still very curious about that caramel apple cobbler; this is what I definitely would have picked if I was a regular diner this week.

The service at this restaurant is terrific and the food delicious.  I definitely recommend this for Restaurant Week.  I feel for $29 per person you are getting exceptional value, especially if you order the clam chowder and the stuffed shrimp.

The amount of seafood you get just in those two dishes is extraordinary and simply delicious.  We loved the service, staff, and the view of the golf course that was very peaceful.

My only disappointment was not being able to try that Caramel Apple Cobbler with huckleberry ripple ice cream.  If you happen to get it please let me know if it’s as yummy as it sounds.

By JoAnna Estrada-Fessenden, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

ARW Special:

$25/person or $40/couple

• First Course (choice of):
  • Mulligatawny Soup
  • Vietnamese Pho Consomme
  • Classic Caesar Salad
  • Organic Mixed Greens

• Second Course (choice of):
  • Locally Raised Chicken Breast
  • Lobster Mac ‘N Cheese
  • Double Check Ranch Burger
  • Braised Country Pork Ribs

• Third Course (choice of)
  • Jalapeno & Bacon Cheesecake
  • Lemon Souffle

  

Harvest Restaurant in Tucson is a hip and trendy joint that attracts a mixture of age ranges and types of patrons.

Highlights of the Menu: Harvest cooked with  fresh ingredients and had a seasonal menu. They sourced their ingredients from local suppliers which is good for the Arizona economy. I was famished upon arrival.  Our waiter offered a lemon or lime with our water and we dug into the bread he placed on the table. It was accompanied with cherry butter that had chunks of cherry pulp in it. I’d never had butter like that before and it was one of the most wonderful items I have ever slathered on bread!

I chose a Vietnamese Pho Consommé and my husband ordered the classic Caesar salad with anchovy vinaigrette. I sampled a taste and I was awed by flavors of the dressing. It did not have a fishy taste at all as I would have expected from anchovies. My soup included homemade noodles made with duck eggs, and thin cuts of beef with garnishments like Thai basil and a pepper sauce that can be used to spice the soup up. The chef sent us a sample of Tuna Tartare with a relish of cucumber and peppers on sweet potato chip.

For the main entrée, I enjoyed the Lobster Mac and Cheese and my husband sampled the Double Check Ranch Burger. As hungry as we were, the entrees were so in large portion that even my husband, who’s built like a linebacker, was full. His burger was massive! My mac and cheese was so creamy and cheesy and I appreciated the homemade macaroni (the Italian in me). Big pieces of lobster were scattered atop the pile of gooey pasta. My husband’s burger came with roasted chilies (which he got on the side) onions, Gruyere cheese, and garlic aioli. It also was accompanied by a heaping serving of home fries that were freshly prepared. It was a fresh delicious twist on a classic!

For dessert, we finished with a light lemon soufflé, that was light and citrus in flavor. A friend ordered a unique lemongrass martini and I was tempted by the vast wine list. The prices of the wine were not overpriced at all (glasses are from 7 to 12 dollars or bottles are from 24 to 180 dollars a bottle). The menu had a very unique dessert: jalapeno cheesecake. It was like nothing I had ever had before. It was spicy with each bite and the cheesecake had honey drenched bacon on top.

Disappointments: As I noted earlier, the wine list was extensive but I was rather disappointed in their lack of California reds moderately priced.

Ambiance: Very sleek and contemporary. Our table was candle lit since the restaurant was rather dim. There was dark wood bordering the walls with a Japanese style wall bordering the bar and restaurant. Modern art decorated the walls with jazz music playing in the background. There was also a patio that was screened in to allow for outside dining.

Harvest Restaurant

10355 N La Canada Dr
Tucson, AZ
520-731-1100

http://harvest.marketrg.com/

By Chris Schirm, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

Foodies Like Us is proud to be the official blogger for Arizona Restaurant Week, taking place Saturday, September 18 through Sunday, September 26, 2010. This is the first in our series of reviews highlighting the participating restaurants. Stay tuned for more to come!

Fogo de Chao Restaurant Week Special: $10 off dinner and includes a choice from the dessert menu.  

Highlights of meal:
The whole experience of dining at Fogo de Chao can probably be best be described by the story of the 2009 Boise State Football team. The entire team came for the pre-game meal the night before the Fiesta Bowl. All told there were over 100 people and ended up putting down over 450lbs of meat in 90 minutes. However, unlike a Golden Corral or Old Country Buffet, Fogo de Chao gives its guests fine ambiance, fine dining cuts of meat, a phenomenal cold salad bar, and service that is exemplary.  The Scottsdale location seats up to 340 guests at spacious white linen table clothed tables, including two banquet rooms and a completely private wine table that has hosted celebrities the like of Charles Barkely and Rihanna.   

The salad bar is unlike any that I have seen or tasted. Its selection of beautiful cold dishes is a wonderful start to a great meal. If you do bring a date to Fogo de Chao, (rather than your best guy friend to have a man-date of epic gluttonous proportions that belongs in the sequel of “I Love You Man”), the salad bar is probably where she will spend most of her time.  If you want to make her happy, I would highly recommend tasting the hearts of palm, sun dried tomatoes, three-year aged parmesan reggiano, and the peppadews from South Africa. Word to the wise, I would limit the amount of salad bar that you actual try to eat, because the meat is definitely worth the wait.  

When you are ready for the meat to begin, you turn the circle on your table from red to green.  Here comes the meat!  The chefs or churrascos bring all of the 15 cuts of meat tableside and ask what temperature you would like to have and cut it directly on your plate.  One word of caution, I would think about what specific types of meat that you would really like to try before just saying yes to every meat that comes by the table.  Here are my top five cuts (cooked at medium rare): 1) Cordeiro (leg of lamb and lamb chops) — make sure to add the mint jelly; 2) Picanha (prime cut of top sirloin); 3) Filet mignon; 4) Ancho Beef (Prime Rib); and 5) Fraldinha (bottom cut Sirloin).

For all those that have actually dared to be able to limit themselves to just enough meat, the dessert menu in and of itself is enough to make anyone drool. I would highly recommend the Papaya Crème. Its creamy texture is just enough to take your swollen belly and transport you into a happy food coma.   

Any disappointments:
There were only three out of the 15 cuts of meat that I would pass on.  The lombo (a parmesan crusted pork loin), the Frango (bacon wrapped chicken breasts), and the linguica (cured pork sausage) are all pieces that I would give a pass.  The Lombo and Frango ended up really dry, while the Linguica is decent, but lacks a certain burst of flavor.  Although, to be fair when little ole Linguica is going up against the likes of lamb chops, filet mignon, prime rib and the house specialty picanha (a salt rubbed prime cut of top sirloin) it would need a miracle. The only other caution I would raise to Foodies Like Us followers is to watch out for the saltiness of the garlic roasted picanha and the Costela (beef ribs).  Finally, I would give everyone a heads-up that there is no such thing as a doggie bag at Fogo De Chao, so come starving and leave the skinny jeans at home.     

Best part of the value?
$39 for all you can eat salad bar, as much meat as you can possibly eat (or will eat until Thanksgiving) AND you get a desert afterwards. The value speaks for itself.  

Additional thoughts on service and ambiance:
What Fogo De Chao has done with their service is even more remarkable than the meal itself.  Everyone on the service staff (servers, bussers, and chefs) shares in the tips from the patrons.  So instead of having one waiter you have an entire staff responsible for your table.  Thus you have seamless teamwork that results in fantastic service throughout the entire meal.  No more, “Excuse me’s” or “Have you seen our server.” It works more like this: you think of what you want and then a server appears at your side asking, “What can we get for you?”. It’s as simple as that.

Name of Restaurant: Fogo de Chao
Hours of Operation:     Mon- Thurs 5:00-10:00, Fri-5:00pm-10:30pm,
Sat. 4:30pm-10:30, Sun. 4:00pm-9:00pm
Phone:  (480) 609.8866

Address: 6300 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Website: http://www.fogodechao.com

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

After working in corporate America for the first 10 years of my career, the past 12 months of self-employment have been a walk in the park. Mostly.

Some days, people and situations frustrate me. Especially when I remember, as the business owner, that I am indeed the one who has to handle these problems (or I pass the buck to Jay…).

Jay and I were set to eat at Bourbon Steak last week and I was in a killer mood. And I had a headache. Double whammy.

I showed up grumbling and I decided not to valet so I hoofed it across the property in painful shoes.

It was one of “those” days for certain.

I arrived at Bourbon Steak inside the Scottsdale Princess in a less-than-perfect mind set.

Jay and I settled into a bottle of wine (1/2 price on Tuesdays!) and reviewed the events of the day.

After telling him my woes—we both started getting fired up. “Uh-oh. This dinner is not going to be very good,” I was thinking in my head.

I am pleased to report, I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Our server Andrew had a very pleasant demeanor and easily brushed aside the death-ray glances we were shooting around the room.

We decided to sample various tastes from the menu and therefore passed the buck to the Chef to make decisions for us that evening.

The first dishes that arrived were a salad course. First we tried the silky heirloom and burrata salad with pickled onion. It was a bright medley of flavors and colors.

Next, the bibb lettuce wedge with avocado puree and smoky blue cheese was salty and tangy with the right amount of crunch.

My lactose-intolerant dining companion tried the spiced, poached prawns. He said they had a warming general heat and a firm texture.

My mood started to change. Slowly but surely.

Next they brought over what we deemed as the stars of the evening.

Tableside beef and tuna tartare.

I have never been a huge fan of tuna tartare, however, this version has changed my entire way of thinking about it. Both Jay and I agreed it was the best we had ever tasted.

It was spicy, salty little piece of tuna heaven on a toast point. I think I used the word “yowza” multiple times in a sentence. The tuna is mixed with pears, ancho chili and pine nuts.

This little dish brought my mood from a 4 to an 8 almost immediately.

Next, we tasted the Kobe beef tartare.  Also mixed tableside, this dish literally melted in our mouths. It was served with traditional garnish and grilled pita bread. It was also one of the best interpretations of beef tartare I have ever tasted.

Mood meter: 8.5

Next they served us Tapioca Crusted Snapper with basmati rice. The fish was crunchy outside, creamy inside and cooked to the perfect tenderness. The combination of flavors between the seasoned fish and the rice was intensely satisfying. I really enjoyed the light and summery flavors as well as the garlic, aromatics and sesame vinaigrette. It was a very memorable piece of fish that I will return for. Very soon!

Andrew then told us all about the meat preparation for the restaurant’s specialty: steak.

The meat is slow poached at 110 degree heated butter and aromatics for 4-6 hours. Then it sizzles on the mesquite grill for a turn and is finally finished in a 600-700 degree oven. The butter hydrates the steak and keeps it from shrinking when cooked.

Since I am a beef fan beyond words, I was nearly giddy at this point in sheer anticipation of buttery meat delights.

I was not disappointed. We sampled Organic Free-Range NY Strip, the rib cap of the Rib Eye cut and an American Kobe Filet.

All had a rich, butter (go figure) flavor and mesquite char. I found each cut to be incredibly tender and well cooked to my desired medium temp.

They served the beef with three different sample size versions of their side dishes. I tried the mac and cheese, creamed spinach and horseradish potatoes. All were delicious and nutritious. Well, at the least delicious.

At this point I was 100% over my crankiness and ready for something sweet to finish off my delicious meal!

We tasted frozen Fage yogurt with peaches, a trio of sorbets and a banana tarte tatin.

I had to tear myself away from the banana tarte and found the other desserts to be light and satisfying. I am a gigantic Fage yogurt fan (meaning I eat about $20/week of it) so it was awesome to try it frozen.

I will admit I was not sure what my opinion on Bourbon Steak would be. I went there in a bad mood with no real expectations of the meal.

I left with a huge smile on my face and some of the most delicious food I have had in Arizona in my tummy.

Bourbon Steak offers food for carnivores and non-carnivores alike. The prices are in the mid-high range and the setting is upscale and classy. This is indeed a special occasion destination.

Three cheers for Bourbon Steak—they turned my frown upside down! I will return and recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a first rate food adventure.

http://www.fairmont.com/scottsdale/GuestServices/Restaurants/BOURBONSTEAK.htm

By Molly Cerreta Smith, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

I am a total Sam Fox devotee so I was thrilled to be able to try out one of his newest ventures, Culinary Dropout. He is popping out new restaurant concepts faster than I can get my hands on nights out away from the kids to try them! But the Culinary Dropout concept just called to me – inexpensive eats, casual yet hip atmosphere and top-notch cocktails. Sign me up.

The restaurant occupies the former Pink Taco space in the Scottsdale Waterfront, where a few of Fox’s other restaurants, Sauce, and Olive & Ivy, not to mention the FRC office, also reside. If Sam Fox is planning on taking over the world, he seems to be starting with the Waterfront!

We dined on a Thursday evening, and the bar crowd was already alive and well at Culinary Dropout. No surprise there – with an ample patio, bar that opens up with garage-door style windows, and ideal people-watching positioning, it’s a Scottsdale day drinker’s paradise. Culinary Dropout’s staff is dressed like, well, everyone else in Scottsdale on their way out for a night on the town. So, unless you get a good look at your server, you might get a bit confused if you need to flag him/her down for another drink.

In all the ways that Olive & Ivy is sleek and sophisticated, lil’ bro Culinary Dropout is hip and funky. The purple walls, the giant green and purple chandeliers and over-sized chairs are reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland (the one from my imagination, not Tim Burton’s). A stage for live entertainment is juxtaposed to the bar, and the menu is suited for late-night bar snackers, comfort foodies and culinary sophisticates as well.

Speaking of the menu — you’ll notice the prices are decidedly fair. Perhaps part of the rebel restaurant’s devil may care attitude? We started with the chilled oysters and the soft pretzels and provolone fondue. If I may, I’d like to devote a moment to the idea that I do not partake nearly enough in food served in a cauldron. Our server recommended the starter, and she did not steer us wrong. Looking around, nearly every other table was adorned with a cauldron. Homemade pretzel nuggets were the perfect dipping apparatus for this smooth and rich fondue. A few times our server offered to take the emptied cauldron and its pathetic drippings away, but I just couldn’t part with it.

For our main course, my husband, a Georgia boy but not a good ole boy, could not resist the fried chicken. The chicken was super-crispy outside and super-juicy inside – amazing. But we were left wishing for a thicker, stickier-to-your ribs mashed potato accompaniment.

A pasta lover through and through, my eyes went straight to the butternut squash cannelloni. I pulled an amateur move, however, and ordered one super-rich dish after another… and only regretted it slightly by way of an all-night stomachache. It was worth the pain. The cannelloni was reminiscent of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Delish. The only thing better were the leftovers the next night. If you want to be light on your feet for the rest of the night, don’t make the same mistake I did. If I had to do it over again, I’d trade out either the cannelloni or the fondue (God forbid) for something lighter such as the artichoke salad, which is another star on the menu, according to our server.

Culinary Dropout’s signature dessert is homemade apple monkey bread. I was secretly hoping it’d come served in a cauldron, but I wasn’t disappointed when it arrived in its own cast-iron skillet with a scoop of ice cream to keep it company.

Culinary Dropout’s menu lends itself to a variety of dining experiences. Whether you are looking for a light bite before heading out for the night, a comfort food extravaganza or simply a plate of meats and cheeses to graze upon, Culinary Dropout has you covered in a unique way that only Sam Fox can pull off. And I didn’t even touch the cocktail menu. But I’ll let you delve into that on your own… I’ve got to put the kids to bed.

http://www.foxrc.com/culinary_dropout.html

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

As my birthday month comes to a close, I am struck with a sense of reflection about the past 31 years. Of course, now that I own a business that is based on food, much of this reflection is related to various food journeys I have taken both in Phoenix and nationwide.

When I was a child, my mother did not cook dinner at home on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Needless to say, we ate out.  A lot. I learned my appreciation for independent restaurants and of course, culinary adventures from my parents. A few years ago, my parents and I sat down and started counting the number of restaurants in Phoenix that we had eaten at. We lost count when the number reached 300.

Out of 300 Phoenix based restaurants, there are a myriad of foodie experiences that I remember vividly. Sadly, many of the restaurants that I loved over the years have closed their doors in the recent past. A few that hold incredible nostalgic value for me that are no longer with us are: Soma Café, Tapino Kitchen and Wine Bar and the iconic Pischke’s Paradise.

When I discovered The Dragonfly Café, located at Mountain View and Via Linda in North Scottsdale, I had no idea that a little piece of my foodie past was about to be reincarnated!

This cozy café is located at the Scottsdale Mercado center next to Goldie’s Sports Bar. Owners Jene Shaffstall and Ann Pepper have been steady figures in the Phoenix restaurant scene for over 30 years. Little did I know, that these two have a long history with Pischke’s. Jene worked for Chris Pischke for 16 years and Pepper worked with Pischke for 13 years. I was elated! Perhaps I would once again taste the food of my college days that brought me so much satisfaction!

They opened in October of 2008 with a new menu that is full of old favorites from Pischke’s as well as many dishes with Jene’s unique flair.

I settled in on a bright and sunny Saturday morning at their bar that’s in the back of the café. Pepper (who is a character in the very best way!) kept me company and regaled me with tales of the Scottsdale restaurant scene of yester year.

I eagerly ordered my first course, the homemade shrimp chowder. It arrived piping hot and frankly; it was a meal in itself. It was so full of shrimp, poblano, and corn that I could have eaten it with a fork. I am always annoyed when I order a cup of chowder and the restaurant skimps on the seafood. Oh no. Not here. The chowder has a steady, slow burn that electrified my taste buds. The chowder is a shrimp-filled bowl of creamy, spicy intensity!

Since I was on my Foodie Nostalgia Tour 2009, I decided to be brave. I batted my eyelashes and asked Jene if he would recreate my favorite burger of the mid-nineties. “The Drinkwater Burger.” Straight off the Pischke’s menu. He quickly consulted one of his cooks who worked at the old restaurant, and the two of them remembered the recipe. I was giddy!

The Drinkwater Burger holds a special place in my heart for a couple of reasons. First, as a starving Sun Devil, my college friends and I would find ourselves at Pischke’s almost weekly and we shared a lot of laughs over those burgers. Second, I am a fan of Herb Drinkwater, Scottsdale’s beloved mayor during the 80s. I always felt honored to eat a burger named after a man whom I respected so much. I have a degree in Politics, and I am a foodie. Surely, you see the connection?!

My burger arrived. It looked exactly like the burger from my college dreams. Served on buttered sourdough bread, this burger was jam-packed with flavor. The meat was mixed with lavosh, onion, and egg and had a meatloaf consistency and taste. It was topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce. I bit into it. A small symphony started playing in my mind. I think they were playing the ASU fight song?

I was so happy. I hope this review compels Jean to add it to the Fly’s menu as I am sure hoards of Foodies will flock in to try this culinary delight…Perhaps he should rename it the “Foodies Like Us” burger? Just a suggestion.  Needless to say, I am 100% certain that the other ½ lb burgers (five on the menu!) are equally delicious.

The burger was served with spiked cottage cheese, a spicy mixture of jalapeno, radish, green onion, yellow onion, garlic powder and Lawry’s seasoning. I am a huge fan of cottage cheese. Most restaurants seem to have taken it off their menus as a side item. I find this very unfortunate and am always pleased when I find it on a menu.

Next, Pepper brought me a taste of their Orzo salad. It had a hint of dill and was made with feta, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. The dressing was a light blend of oil and lemon. It rivals the spiked cottage cheese as a cold side item!

I was entering food coma zone 1 at this point, but could not say “no” when Pepper brought me a piece of homemade bread pudding and Jene’s chocolate pudding.

Let’s discuss the bread pudding first. Typically, I am not a fan. Most bread puddings I have tasted are soggy, and goopy. I was delighted to discover that Jene’s bread pudding was made from their day-old cinnamon rolls, homemade caramel and was topped with chocolate covered raisins! Wow! It had an eggy, French toast flavor that was sweetened by the caramel. I found myself looking forward to each bite and making sure I tasted a raisin as well. I was in bread pudding heaven. It will be hard to find another one of this caliber.

The homemade chocolate pudding had a silky and rich flavor that was simply decadent. Jello pudding would cower and hide from the Fly’s pudding if they were ever in a cage fight. I’m just sayin’…

This family-owned restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday for breakfast and lunch and Wednesday thru Saturday for all three meals.

The most expensive item on the menu is an $18 eight-ounce filet mignon. The prices generally range from $5-$12 and the quality is superb.

I look forward to many years of meals at the Dragonfly. In my next 30 years, I will probably surpass 500+ restaurants in Phoenix and here’s hoping the Dragonfly sticks around for all of them!

By Susie Timm

One thing that is a solid foodie truth for me is my ultimate and never ending love of pizza. I have eaten pizza with a myriad of toppings, in many cities all over this great nation. Some standouts in the Midwest are: Pat’s Pizza, a dive in Grayslake, Illinois, Mr. Pizza in Rochester, Minnesota and most notably, Casa Capri in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The one common element of those pizza joints for me is thin crust! I know, I know. We could debate all day long about thin vs. deep dish, Chicago vs. New York. At the end of the day, it’s all about preference. I prefer crispy, thin crust pizza with meat of almost any variety on it. I don’t do anchovies or fruit on pizza.

I am also on a never-ending quest for damn good pizza in Arizona. The Travel Channel has rated Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix as the best pizza in the US. I’ve been there twice. It’s good. Very, very good. I am however, very, very impatient. Waiting for 2+ hours in a line is not something I will do frequently. Grazie in South and North Scottsdale makes a good pie as well.

We were invited a few weeks ago to visit another local pizzeria: Humble Pie. I enthusiastically accepted the invite! Humble Pie has 2 locations: Hilton Village off Scottsdale Rd and McDonald and Shade at Desert Ridge that is off Tatum and the 101 in N. Phoenix. We hit up the Tatum location for our lunch date.

We were seated at the counter overlooking the open pizza prep and the wood-fire oven area. I wanted a bird’s eye view of the pizza chef in action. He was wearing a pair of nifty goggles and I first thought they were to keep the corn meal out of his eyes. He ruined my new product line idea by informing me he had eye surgery and needed them for protection.

We poured over the menu and ordered some drinks. I had the summer sangria and Jay had a glass of Bevolio Pinot Grigio. They have a nice wine list with a lovely cellar display in the wall. My sangria arrived. It was very citrus-y and too tart for my taste. I am a sweet girl. We asked for strawberries to be added and that sweetened it up very nicely.

From there, we ordered a calamari appetizer and Dave the manager, brought us some homemade (hand stretched daily using 180 degree water-ouch!) burrata and pesto with roasted tomatoes and crispy bread. I pretty much ignored the calamari in favor of the burrata. It was one of the most delicious takes on Caprese I have ever had!

For our main course (pizza!) Jay decided to try the BLT pizza and I ordered the shrimp, basil, and mozzarella with lemon and chili flakes.

Jay’s pizza was one of the most unique and tasty pizzas I have ever tried. The cheese, pancetta, and prosciutto were hot of course, but in contrast, it was topped with cold lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. It tasted like a melty, open-faced BLT. Scrumptious! We had a hard time not devouring the entire pie right then and there!

My shrimp pizza had just enough lemon zest to offset the heat of the chili flakes. I am a huge fan of shrimp on pizza. I also asked them to leave it in the wood fire oven for a few extra minutes so it was “well done.” It was a shrimp-lover’s dream pizza. I highly recommend you order one for the table.

Dave decided to show off his culinary skills a bit and cooked us up 2 more pizzas. Artichoke with kalamata and green olives and goat cheese, Egg with prosciutto and smoked mozzarella. The artichoke pizza was very rich but a medley of tart and salty that was enhanced by the sweetness of the goat cheese.

The egg pizza I would describe as a salty, savory breakfast heaven. I would like to try it with some Tabasco sauce on top. I think Humble Pie should consider serving breakfast. That pie would most certainly bring the crowds running!

The pizzas at Humble Pie range in price from $9.95 for cheese to $12.95 for some of their more gourmet creations. Each pizza is the size of a dinner plate and with an appetizer or salad, would easily serve 2.

Overall, we were extremely satisfied with our Humble Pie adventure. The food is of the highest quality, the service was impeccable and the prices very reasonable. We will surely return and invite our friends—we are happy to brag if they are too humble to do so.

One of the primary reasons to drive up to North Scottsdale are three words, Sol y Sombra.  (Sun and Shade in English).  If you haven’t had the unique opportunity to visit, definitely make a point to do so.

With tapas restaurants closing here an around the country, Sol y Sombra definitely has something that others seem to lack… style.  Loads and loads of style.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ll go into the food in a bit, but for starters is located on the second floor on Market Street at DC Ranch.  You have to take a quick elevator ride and 15 steps later you enter through a rich dark wood pair of double doors.

Let me say that normally from the looks of the restaurant you would expect “uppity” servers who make fun of you because you can’t read the Spanish names of the multitude of tapas that are on the menu.  HOWEVER, it’s quite the opposite!  The folks are very welcoming, friendly and downright nice.  That said. let me introduce you to some people.  First there’s Mark Dow, the GM.  I can count on one hand the number of restaurants that have the GM on the floor all the time.  Mark is actively ensuring that guests are enjoying their experience.  Being a chef and a foodie himself, he’s a great person to ask for recommendations on the variety of tapas that are served.  Good guy.

Next on the list is David Johnson, the sommelier.  Wealth of knowledge, and he’s funny.  On the bartender front is Matt.  Really understands how to deliver service, I don’t think I ever have to ask for another drink or a refill on my water, almost like its built into his “spider sense” – he knows exactly when you might need something.

On to the tapas…  Although they have a full menu of over 30 different tapas, my favorite thing to do (as you already know if you read my last blog) is sit up at the bar.  They have a bar menu with “Pintxos” that go for $1, $2 or $5.  “Pintxos” are 1 or 2 bite tapas, so you could order quite a few before you even approach being full.  My mom and I ordered quite a few of them while we chatted away.  (My mom is here for the summer; you’ll notice she’ll be in my blogs on a regular basis).

Back to the tapas.. So we ordered the Sliced Chorizo, tortilla española with piquillo pepper and garlic aioli, Tuna wrapped in Lomo on toast with capers and chili flake, Lomo manchego cheese and pineapple pressed sandwich, Bacon wrapped dates and Marinated sardines with piquillo and piparra peppers.   I KNOW.. It sounds like a lot, but since these are bite size it’s a great way to sample the menu and you can always eat more! (All of those totaled about $15, can you believe it?)

We chatted away and eventually ordered a couple of more items off the full menu.  The Roasted Scottish Salmon with fava bean, spring pea and chorizo, and the Grilled Pork tenderloin, piquillo vinaigrette and fresh pepper.  Both were to die for.. great flavors and visually appealing (see pictures)

You have to see the menu to believe it.  With everyone conserving their pennies these days, Sol y Sombra is light on the pocket book considering the quality and presentation of the food.

They also have a great outdoor patio that overlooks market street.  It reminds me of the rooftop decks of brownstones the Georgetown area of Washington DC.  Get a few friends together and take a drive up there.  You won’t be disappointed.  Trust me!   – Jay

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