Downtown Phoenix Tasting
The Downtown Phoenix Partnership was kind enough to invite me to their annual blogger lunch and launch of their 2011 Downtown Dining Guide. During the lunch, I was able to try small dishes from six downtown restaurants and was given some exciting news about new restaurants opening at CityScape this fall/winter.
The 2011 Downtown Dining Guide from the Downtown Phoenix Partnership.
First up, we were given a choice of an iced vanilla latte or cinnamon spice ice tea from One Coffee Company. Since it was later in the day, I went with the cinnamon spice ice tea. What a surprise! If you are a cinnamon fan, you must try this tea. It almost tastes like someone dropped a few red hot candies into a cold refreshing glass of iced tea. It was a refreshing and interesting mix. The owner spoke to us for a few minutes about his passion for coffee and downtown Phoenix. He said he wanted to create a space where not only those who work downtown stop in to for their daily coffee, but where those that live downtown can come and hang out.
Cinnamon Spice Tea from One Coffee Company
Next, Brick Pizzeria & Wine Bar served their house-made hummus with vegetables, feta and olives; and an also homemade virgin margarita. Yum! What a perfect combination for a hot day. The ingredients were so fresh and the owner stressed that they make everything from scratch. I really enjoyed both of these items, and since my office is in the same complex as Brick, I will be stopping in for lunch and happy hour!
Hummus with vegetables, feta and olives from Brick Pizzeria
I have to admit, when I walked into the room I was star struck to see James Beard Award winner, Chef Nobuo Fukuda. I have been to his one-year-old restaurant, Nobuo at Teeter House, and was blown away then, so I was very excited to see what he had in store for us to taste. He didn’t disappoint. Chef Fukuda prepared a tasting trio to be eaten in order. First, a melon salad with goat cheese and mint to cleanse the palate; then, yellowtail sashimi with avocado; and to finish, tomatoes with honey and pepper. Wow. Fresh, flavorful, unique. Chef Fukuda impresses again.
Tasting trio from Nobuo at Teeter House
Province, located inside The Westin Phoenix Downtown, also served a tasting trio with a chicken Cuban bocadillo; a goat cheese tortellini with vegetables in broth; a squash muffin with molasses frosting; and a cucumber, basil, ginger, and Serrano chile aqua fresca served with chopped strawberries. The aqua fresca was refreshing and sweet with a slow burn from the Serrano chile in the finish. It definitely inspired me to try some interesting aqua fresca combinations at home.
Cucumber basil aqua fresca from Province
For some reason, I always forget that downtown Phoenix has a rotating restaurant, The Compass Arizona Grill at the Hyatt. I was glad that they participated in this event to remind me! I really enjoyed their Ancho Chorizo Shrimp and raspberry lemonade infused with rosemary. The chef also announced that the restaurant has a reverse happy hour everyday of the week, from 9-11pm with $5 desserts, $5 house wine, $5 well drinks, and a $7 cocktail special.
Raspberry lemonade infused with rosemary from The Compass Arizona Grill
So maybe you are like me, or maybe not, but every once in awhile I get a mad craving for cobbler. It’s not like cobbler is an easy thing to find either, and no pie is a good enough substitute when this craving hits. So imagine my delight to learn that there is a restaurant called Karim’s Cobbler Shop & Deli right in downtown Phoenix! Karim’s not only specializes in cobbler, but southern-style soul food like fried catfish, fried chicken and more. So cobbler cravers unite, we have found our mecca.
Peach and cherry cobbler from Karim's Cobbler Shop & Deli
Ok, so now you’ve made it all the way through this blog post and are probably starving so I’ll make this quick. At the end of the lunch we were given the inside scoop on what’s next for CityScape. Jimmy Carlin of Maven Hospitality Group is working on two new concepts, a fast casual Italian restaurant called The Strand (get it, like a strand of spaghetti?) and an Asian chop house and sushi lounge called Silk. The Strand is scheduled for an October 1st opening and Silk is to follow in December. Good stuff!
Coffee and Crepes at Jobot Coffee
Jobot Coffee
Located on 5th Street, just South of Roosevelt , Jobot Coffee is one of those places that you feel lucky to have found, no matter if you are a local or just visiting Phoenix. On a street with some of Phoenix’s more eclectic businesses, Jobot occupies an old historic home painted with bright colors and a sign that says “coffee.” Walking up to Jobot, I wished that it wasn’t so warm out so I could enjoy the expansive outdoor seating. I pictured myself sitting outside with my dog while enjoying an ice-cold toddy and listening to a DJ spinning during their Sunday “Beats-n-Brunch.”
When you get to the front door of Jobot you see a sign that says “Crepes! Buy one!” Well then, if you say so! I’ve always had a sweet vs. savory dilemma when it comes to crepes. Do I want chocolate sweetness or chorizo spiciness? As a sucker for anything with chorizo in it, I went with the savory option and ordered the chorizo crepe that comes with spicy house-made chorizo, egg, mozzarella, spinach, and homemade salsa. My other half went with root beer roasted pulled pork served with cilantro, pineapple and jalapeno on a bed of greens. We were both very impressed. My crepe was perfectly done and the mix of spicy chorizo was perfectly balanced with the rest of the ingredients. When my other half took a bite of his pork, he let out a satisfied, “Mmm…” Juicy and sweet, with a kick of jalapeno, the pulled pork was delicious; the sweet and spicy flavors ping ponged in your mouth.
Brunch is served!
Just as I was thinking about giving in to my sweet craving and ordering a second crepe, the cook came out and brought us a sweet crepe on the house. Yes! My savory wishes and sweet dreams had been fulfilled. The sweet crepe was filled with toasted almonds, chocolate chips and a light a fluffy sweet ricotta – almost so light a fluffy I first mistook it for whipped cream. I was in sweet and savory heaven.
Spicy chorizo goodness.
I had heard that Jobot has the best iced toddy (cold-brewed iced coffee) in Phoenix so I had to try it. I’m usually a sugar and cream kind of gal, but this drink was so smooth and refreshing, I drank it plain.
Iced toddy
Jobot Coffee is open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday, and until Midnight the rest of the week. There is free Wi-Fi, and if you are not a crepe fan, there are fresh-baked goods available as well.
Jobot Coffee is located at 918 N. 5th Street in downtown Phoenix. You can find more photos from our visit to Jobot on Flickr.
Giant Coffee
Tucked just slightly back from the bustling 7th Street and McDowell intersection in downtown Phoenix is a new coffee shop - Giant Coffee - that is already drawing the eye and the taste buds of locals in the know.
It's no surprise that it's a success, considering it's from restaurateurs Matt and Erenia Pool. You know them from Matt's Big Breakfast and Roosevelt Tavern, and it's obvious that Giant Coffee is going to be as big in their repertoire.
Right away, it's got that hip, urban but very cozy feel. The long, communal table in the middle makes it feel open and friendly, instead of crowded and invasive like other places that try the same concept. But there's also plenty of room for private conversations with tables lining the sides. Half the reason you go to a place like Giant is for the atmosphere, and this definitely pays off.
Now to the grub: The coffee is delicious, more mild and less acidic than other places. Expect the usual offerings from the drink menu, but all are very well executed. Their specialty is their daily drip, from a single location, so you can taste beans from all over the world day-by-day. Their treats are also amazing. The blackberry-bran-honey muffin is incredibly delicious - and filling - and chock full of local ingredients.
A couple notes: they neighbor Bunky Boutique in their new location, so stop by when you can visit both places. Also, Giant doesn't take cards, only cash, so come prepared.
It's great to see a new place open with a totally different vibe, it's worth checking out for your morning - or afternoon - or evening cup of Joe.
Giant Coffee
1437 N 1st St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
twitter: @giantcoffeeaz
Independents Week
It's no secret that here at The Hot Sheet, we're driven to showcase the best of the indie shops. Local businesses are what separates one city from another - one business from another. The charm, unique personality, service and - let's just face it - they're more fun places to be.
So as if you didn't have enough reason to visit a local boutique, restaurant, coffee shop, bar (okay, you get the gist), then this is your week - Independents Week. From today (June 28) through July 4, you get 20% off your purchases at participating members of Local First Arizona, a local non-profit to support independently owned businesses. And because Local First is such a cool organization, pretty much all your favorite places are on the list. (Check out the full list of participating shops.)
But just in case - in all your excitement - you are perplexed about where to visit first, here are a few of our top picks (click their pic to check 'em out):
frances
Urban Cookies
Desert Botanical Garden
The Willows
Bunky Boutique
Heard Museum
See, now your week was looking busier than you thought! To get your 20% off Golden Coupon, and to see a full list of participants, check out the Local First site. Happy outings!
La Grande Orange
La Grande Orange, or LGO for short, is a perfect little neighborhood retreat in central Phoenix. It's really two places in one with La Grande Orange Pizzeria on one side and La Grande Orange Grocery on the other. The Pizzeria side offers a well-balanced menu of salads and pizzas with a few "off the grill" items tossed in for good measure. They are kind enough to label items that are vegetarian, vegan or gluten free which is uber helpful if you care about these things like I do (for me, it's please hold the meat). The pizzas are nothing short of yummy, and I prefer mine topped with a fried egg. Hey, don't knock it 'til you've tried it!
My recent LGO dinner included the Classic Margherita (with egg, of course) followed by a stop on the Grocery side for a Tammie Coe cupcake. Tammie Coe desserts deserve their very own blog post - I'll save that for another day. If you're a bit of a shopaholic like me, then the Grocery can also help you out in that area. They have a fantastic array of items including soaps, candles, kitchen knick knacks, pet treats and more. All of their LGO-logoed stuff is adorable - very retro. And, oh yeah, they have groceries too, including a nice wine selection.
LGO Grocery is also known for it's homemade English muffins that are griddled there every day. These things are so darn good that I'm smiling right now just thinking about them. If, like me, you try one and decide that you can't live without them, then you're in luck. LGO sells them by the dozen and half dozen so that you can enjoy them morning, noon and night.
Well, I think I've rambled on long enough about this fabulous place. Hopefully, you'll get out and give it a try.
La Grande Orange Grocery and Pizzeria
4410 N. 40th Street, Phoenix
www.lagrandeorangegrocery.com
www.lagrandeorangepizzeria.com
Royal [Coffee] at the Market
Royal Coffee is already loved by many in the Phoenix area, but now they are much easier to get to, as their new space is adjacent to the (also new) Phoenix Public Market. It sets up the perfect sip-while-you-stroll atmosphere, and there is even open "meeting" space that connects the two.
Even though the dedicated space just for Royal is humble, they haven't skipped on the eclectic but cozy feel, with art, cool lighting, and the friendly (and funny) bean-roasting bandit, Hayes (who happens to own the place). He'll also advise you on the best of the munchies available, which include fresh-baked muffins, scones, etc. daily, and also granola that will blow your mind. So will the coffee, by the way.
It's a great place to meet up, and you'll know when you are nearby because of the scent wafting for blocks. They roast their beans outside, they say for temperature and space, but I say it's brilliant marketing.
Check out Royal at their new location: 14 E. Pierce Street, Phoenix, AZ
(The entrance is on the west side of the building, behind the market.)
