Zinburger
I was so happy to finally check out Zinburger at Biltmore Fashion Park. My husband had a friend visiting from out of town, so we used that as an excuse (not that we really needed one) to give it a try. Anything that's called a "Wine & Burger Bar" is off to a good start in my book. The interior is cool and comtemporary and there's a great outdoor dining area. It's not a big restaurant, so we did have a bit of a wait, but it was totally worth it.
Zinburger with Manchego Cheese and Zinfandel Braised Onions
As I've confessed here before, I'm a vegetarian, so it may seem a little weird that I was eager to try out a buger joint. The thing is, I love a good veggie burger and a gourmet burger spot is the best place to try one. I don't always love 'em, but this one was really, really good. They call it Clint's "Amost Famous" Vegetable Burger and serve it with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Marmalade. My husband had the Zinburger (pictured above) which he loved. To be honest, though, our favorites of the evening were the Zucchini Fries and the S'more Shake (that night's special). In a word, they were DEE-licious!
Zucchini Fries
S'more Shake (the half version)
For more photos, visit our Flickr stream.
Zinburger
2502 E Camelback Rd. #127
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-424-9500
website
CityScape – Downtown Phoenix
The much anticipated CityScape in Downtown Phoenix is celebrating its Grand Opening. This shopping, dining and entertainment district fills a void in the downtown landscape and is accessible via METRO light rail. Many of the businesses are already up and running with more scheduled to open over the next few months. Here's an update on what's there now and what's coming soon.
Designer District
Premium Brand apparel for men and women
West of Soho
Modern Bohemiam fashion at reasonable prices
Par Exsalonce
Full-service salon and day spa
Five Guys Burgers
Casual dining
Urban Outfitters
Clothing, accessories adn housewares for the urban lifestyle.
Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge
Hip bowling lounge with a chance to "eat, drink, and knock down some pins"
Gold's Gym Elite
State-of-the-art co-ed fitness center
CVS
Pharmacy and general needs store
Coming Soon:
The Breakfast Club - Fall 2011
Charming Charlie - OPEN
Chipotle - Fall 2011
Jimmy John's Sandwich Shop - OPEN
Oakville Grocery - OPEN
Rasputin Vodka Bar - Summer 2011
Republic of Couture - OPEN
Sam Fox's The Arrogant Butcher - OPEN
Silk Sushi - October 2011
Stand Up Live - OPEN
Strand Italian - Fall 2011
Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery - OPEN
Vitamin T - OPEN
Yogurtini - Fall 2011
www.cityscapephx.com
Central and Washington in Downtown Phoenix
Los Reyes de la Torta
I'm happy to report that I now have another restaurant to add to my list of Phoenix Faves. We are just now discovering Los Reyes de la Torta although we have lived only 5 miles from it for 11 years. I guess you could say we were a little slow to the punch on this one. But that's all water under the bridge now. It's officially moved to the top of our list for Mexican food.
And I have Facebook to thank. A fan of VisitPhoenix's page recommended this place when we posed the question: "What's your favorite Mexican restuarant in the Phoenix area?" Her answer: "Okay, if you want REAL Mexican food, not "Mexican-American", you gotta try "Los Reyes de la Torta". Authentic Mexico city style food.
Well, she wasn't kidding. You won't find burritos or enchiladas or even tortilla chips at this joint. What you will find is the real deal: quesadillas, tacos and Mexican sandwiches called tortas (big doesn't even begin to describe them). They even serve up breakfast. The portions are huge, as you can see from the picure below, and the prices are small. What a great combo! Our bill totaled $15 before tip, and we left with lunch for the next day. Now that's a deal.
9230 N. 7th Street, Phoenix
602-870-2967
The Living Room (now Humble Pie)
NOW HUMBLE PIE (same ownership)
The latest place on the Central Phoenix local dining/bar scene is The Living Room Wine Cafe & Lounge. And what a welcome addition! It's a cozy, comfortable little spot that's open for lunch and happy hour. It's actually the second location in Greater Phoenix. The original is in Chandler, and the owners are also responsible for Humble Pie and 5th and Wine.
Well, ever since the "Now Open" sign popped up, I've been dying to check it out and today was the day. I grabbed a co-worker, and we took the quick trip up 7th Street from our downtown Phoenix office. We arrived a bit early, but the place did start to fill up.
True to its name, The Living Room offers an array of home-inspired lounging options which is perfect if you're in the mood to just chill with friends, drink wine and nosh on bruschetta, a cheese plate or some hummus (personally, I consider this a full-blown meal).
But alas, this particular visit to the The Living Room was strictly about lunch so we opted for a table, and I ordered the tuna melt with a side salad. Fries are also an option but in the spirit of trying to eat better, I went for the salad which was simple and fresh. The tuna melt, served on perfectly toasted sourdough bread, was delicious!
I can't wait to head back for happy hour - soon, I hope.
The Living Room
2333 N. 7th Street, Phoenix
www.livingroomwinebar.com
La Piazza Al Forno
So, it's another Saturday and the big question looms: What are we going to do for dinner tonight? We wanted to try something new and we love discovering local, quaint little Italian spots. These two things added up to La Piazza Al Forno. I had read that it had Guy Fieri's stamp of approval on Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives, so we decided, "What the heck, let's give it a try."
This little gem is located in the Historic District of Glendale, which totally enhances the quaint factor. We only had about a 20-30 wait and was it ever worth it! It didn't take me long to settle on the Baked 4 Cheese Ravioli while my husband opted for their Margherita Pizza. His pizza was really, really good, but my ravioli was AMAZING! In fact, it's best I've had in a long time. And there was plenty left over for lunch the next day. Before we even left the restaurant, I was dreaming of more ravioli (and I'm not really a left over kind of person).
Well, we couldn't leave without dessert. We decided to just go for it and ordered two, to share of course. The Chocolate Cannoli was yummy, especially the filling, and the Italian Almond Wine Cake was downright melt-in-your-mouth dreamy.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the service was really good too - friendly and quick. Oh, and it's very reasonable. So, the next time you're looking for an Italian fix, head to La Piazza Al Forno.
La Piazza Al Forno
5803 W. Glendale Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85307
www.lapiazzaalforno.com
Kierland Commons
If there's one thing I love to do, it's S-H-O-P! And Kierland Commons happens to be one of the places I enjoy the most. I love it's selection of stores along with its openess and beautiful setting. It really sets the mood for a great day of shopping. They also have an amazing selection of restaurants, so there's always a place to rest your feet and refuel between stores (never underestimate the need to refuel during a shopping excursion - energy is crucial).
My most recent visit to Kierland Commons was for Fashion's Night Out. I needed a little retail therapy after a long week and this was the perfect solution. Kierland is fun any time of day, but evening is especially "magical" with all of the white lights, people strolling around and patios full of happy hour aficionados. Thanks to the celebratory nature of Fashion's Night Out, there was music playing, drinks flowing, deals to be had and a slew of live models showing off the latest must-haves for Fall. The stores really got into the spirit of the evening (Note: although tempting, I steered clear of drinking and shopping - it's hazardous to my wallet!).
Kierland truly has a little bit of everything. Some of my favorite stores include Anthropologie, The French Bee, Michael Kors and Charles David. Of course, they also have the good ol' stand bys like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, J. Crew, LOFT, Banana Republic and Tommy Bahama (which includes the Cafe). Basically, I can meet all of my shopping needs in one place.
As mentioned, the restaurant selection is stellar as well. Some of my personal favs are The Greene House, Zinc Bistro and Ocean Club (the pretzel bread is to die for.)
But don't just take it from, be sure to check it out for yourself. To see all of their stores and restaurants, go to www.kierlandcommons.com.
Kierland Commons
Greenway Pkwy. and Scottsdale Rd.
