AZ Vibe – The Ultimate Phoenix Entertainment Resource

Just a quick reminder to all that the upcoming Crave Arizona 2011 has been canceled. The following message was posted to the Crave Arizona website back in December.

The Crave AZ Board Of Directors has determined that it will be unable to hold their premier Scottsdale culinary event, Crave AZ, as planned for January 28 – 30, 2011. Due to current economic conditions, this fiscally responsible decision was reached with the goal of holding the popular culinary event in January 2012. The Board has already begun working on the 2012 event.

Key objectives for growing the event include securing significant long-term sponsorships that will create economies of scale for Crave AZ. Also, backing the Crave AZ event with more local and national sponsorship brands will create greater sponsor value and event sustainability in the community for years to come.

For those that have purchased tickets for the event scheduled for January 2011, those tickets can be rolled over for admittance to the 2012 event, or you may contact 480-326-6647 for refund information.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Starting Tuesday a new food related directory has gone live and is dedicated to an aspect of the foodie culture/scene that doesn’t get much play in the Greater Phoenix area. Gluten-Free dining. I’ve been noticing that there are a great many restaurants in and around Phoenix that has full or partial Gluten Free dining. The problem is that no one knows where to go.

The Gluten-Free Directory is aimed at a national audience but I know that there are TONS of local restaurants, bakeries, stores, and other services that cater to people that choose a Gluten-Free lifestyle.

Listings in this directory are free (although there are paid options that provide premium links in the directory) and I encourage any or all of you who cater or live a gluten-free lifestyle to get yourself listed here.

Here’s the link!

http://gluten-free.azvibe.com/

Popularity: 6% [?]

I was out driving last night in Old Town Scottsdale and saw the sign above posted at the now defunct Mickey’s Hangover.

When you go to the website referred to on the sign…

http://whathappenedtomickey.com/

…you can enter your information to what I’m guessing will be an e-mail list about the opening of Mickey’s.  There is also a link near the bottom to apply for a job there.  Phone inquiries to Mickey’s Hangover about the opening were not returned at press time.

Stay tuned for more details….

Popularity: 5% [?]

SCOTTSDALE-On Monday August 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, Foodies Like Us, a Scottsdale based food-centric company, will hold it’s first year anniversary party….er….Fiesta at La Hacienda located in the the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Hotel.

Don’t miss this wonderful night of foodie fun by helping Foodies Like Us celebrate not only a milestone of where they’ve been but to also celebrate where they are going in the coming year!

General admission tickets to this event are $20 which include a margarita, signature appetizers, and tequila tasting.

Foodies will also have the opportunity to purchase a special ‘Prix Fixe Meal’ for an additional $39.

To purchase tickets for ‘Foodies Like Us’ First Anniversary Fiesta, click on the link below:

http://www.foodieslikeus.com/734

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess will have a special room rate of $99. Use the promo code PFOO

To make hotel reservations call 506-877-3055 or click the link below:

http://www.fairmont.com/EN_FA/Reservations/ReservationAvailability?hc=SCP&pc=PFOO

[mappress]

Popularity: 5% [?]

Normally when you think of Foodie articles you expect something in the realm of a food review. However, being a Foodie also entails the cooking aspect of the culinary world as well. I personally love to cook as often as I can for myself and for friends as well. Having been in and around the wonderful world of food for so many years, I have come to learn the value of quality ingredients in preparing meals. Having lived the majority of my life in Seattle, WA, I was constantly surrounded by so many quality Food establishments and Food cultures, I was used to being able to procure individual parts of a quality meal in a very short amount of time.

Once I moved to Phoenix, one of the first things that was a bit of a shock to me was how spread out the entire area was which included many of the food related specialty stores. However, like anyone who loves good food, I was willing to search out the area for some great Foodie destinations.

I discovered three great establishments that is a MUST for anyone who desires quality products when preparing a meal. These three places I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone who not only want to try some excellent samples of food from local businesses but have some great places to shop at the ready.

Midwestern Meats – Mesa

One of the biggest problems with grocery stores in the Phoenix area is the lack of a good meat department.  Sure, you can find the basics like ground beef, chicken, and various cuts of pork in your neighborhood grocery store.  However, many of the products on the store shelves are of average or low quality.

Take baby back pork ribs or beef ribs as an example.

The majority of the pork or beef ribs you would find in your grocery store are so full of fat in the meat, taste gamy and overall just plain tough to eat.  In many cases it’s not even worth your time to eat this kind of meat.

Enter Midwestern Meats in Mesa.

Founded in 1990 by Sally and Roger McConnell, both Iowa transplants, Midwestern Meats was started after they discovered that there were not any butcher stores in the greater Phoenix area. In addition, the owners believed that “quality meat was more than the center of a great meal; it was the heart of family gatherings, a way of showing friends and loved ones that they were special and welcome in our home.” Midwestern Meats features the finest Iowa corn fed beef along with a wide selection of pork, chicken, lamb, veal, sausages and more.

Now if you look at the map below, you’ll see how far out in Mesa Midwestern Meats is.

It’s totally worth the drive.

However, if you find that the location is too great of a distance for you, they also offer meat bundles. Like any quality butcher, you can purchase various bundles of meat from them for your home.  The HUGE bonus is that they will deliver it to your door (you have to be there when they deliver) for no charge anywhere in the Phoenix area. Pretty cool, huh?

Check out what Midwestern Meats has to offer for their bundle packages at very affordable prices:

http://www.midwesternmeats.com/mwbundle.htm

No matter if you are preparing family meals for the holidays or just planning meals for the week ahead of you, Midwestern Meats is an excellent foodie destination that can be a great addition to your meals and your life.

Super L Ranch Market – Phoenix

One of the greatest aspects about living in Seattle was that it had one of the largest and oldest Chinatowns on the west coast. One of the foodie institutions there was the Uwajimaya Asian Grocery store chain that offered just about every possible Asian food related item you could imagine.

When I first moved to Phoenix, I was under the assumption that finding a place in town that was anywhere close to Uwajimaya would not happen.  Boy was I wrong.

Super L Ranch Market is the perfect destination for Foodies who love to prepare Asian food with products and ingredients imported from Asia. Located in the COFCO Chinese Cultural Center just north of Sky Harbor Airport (Location on the map below), the Super L Ranch Market offers the best in fresh produce, fresh fish (including live Lobster and live Dungeness Crab), and a very tempting bakery.

Super L Ranch Market is literally a one stop shopping destination for just about any Asian recipe you can imagine. Some of the items you can find there is a HUGE soy sauce section, many varieties of rice, cooking utensils and Asian cookware such as woks and rice cookers!  That’s just a small portion of the many Asian culinary treats and wonders that await foodies who venture to Super L Ranch Market.

In the two hours I spent there on my first visit, I spent just about 90 minutes looking up and down every aisle taking mental snapshots of all the items on their shelves.

If you are a lover of Asian cuisine, Super L Ranch Market is culinary destination that cannot be missed.

Penzeys Spices – Scottsdale

When it comes to putting good meals together, one of the cornerstones of any good recipe are your ingredients. The difference between a good dish and a great dish together can sometimes be the source and quality of the spices you add into the mix. That’s where Penzeys Spices comes in.

Located just East of Old Town Scottsdale, Penzeys Spices is an ingredients gold mine. Covering just about every single possible spice in every possible cuisine that you could use in preparing a dish (like real vanilla beans!!), Penzeys spices has become one of my favorite Foodie destinations in Phoenix. In addition, Penzeys has created many custom blends from their ingredients that customers can purchase if they don’t want to create their own spice mixes.

For example, on my last visit to Penzeys I purchased their Italian Herb Mix to sample in homemade pasta sauces. It’s great to use for many Italian dishes but I personally am the type of person that would like to create his own Italian mix.

If you want a great example of the selection of ingredients you have to choose from at Penzeys, look no further than the eight different types of Pepper you have to choose from. (Mental note to self…must swing by Penzeys for more pepper)

The only drawback to Penzeys Spices, and the employees will admit to this, is the lack of a good salt selection.

Make sure you order one of the Penzeys Spices free catalogs (online or in their store) as they have some great recipe ideas as well as freebies every now and then.

No matter if you are or aren’t a foodie, Penzeys Spices is a Phoenix area culinary destination you have to visit at least once. If you are a foodie, you will simply love the selection that Penzeys has to offer and will more than likely make this store a regular destination for any (or all) future meals.

The map below shows the Locations of Penzeys Spices, Super L Ranch Market, and Midwestern Meats:

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Popularity: 12% [?]

‘Eating Out 101′ is going to be the first installment of a periodic series about how to make your dining experiences more pleasurable no matter where you go out to eat. These columns are and will be based on my experiences in and around the food industry (over 15 years).

The first tip is a bit of information that all should know when dining out no matter if you’re going to McDonald’s or a five star restaurant:

If you aren’t satisfied with your eating experience ALWAYS tell a manager about it. The good managers will always want to know how to make not only their business run better but to ensure that their customers will be back for future visits.

I’ll give you two examples here of this tip.  One when it wasn’t applied and one when it was.

King’s Fish House in the Tempe Marketplace – This is an example of why you should notify the manager of poor food quality/experience. My girlfriend and I went to King’s Fish House a few weeks ago as my girlfriend really wanted their Cioppino. When it’s done right at King’s Fish House, it’s an amazing dish.

King’s Fish House is a seafood restaurant located in the Tempe Marketplace that specializes in a menu full of the freshest and highest quality fish in town. Because of the high quality in the seafood they serve, you’re going to pay a premium for their meals.

When the Cioppino arrived, I got a sample of some of the seafood in the dish only to discover that the majority of the seafood was overcooked but the shrimp that was included in the dish was not deveined (meaning that the Shrimp’s waste intestines were not cleaned out before cooking…a major health risk).

In addition, the seafood was so overcooked that the shell of the Dungeness Crab in the dish was rubbery and extremely difficult to break apart with crab crackers.

For those of you who don’t eat crab too much, rubbery crab shells is the first sign that the crab you have been served is overcooked.  When crabs are fully cooked, the shells should be red (in the case of Dungeness Crabs) and always have a crisp cracking sound when they are broken with crab crackers.

Now if you look at King’s Fish House’s dinner menu, you’ll notice the price of the dish. Given this price would you accept the dish with overcooked seafood?  Of course not.

I had attempted to get my girlfriend to send the dish back but she seemed content with the dish as/is.

If I had received this overcooked Cioppino for my dinner, and I was supposed to pay $25 for it  I would have sent the dish back to the kitchen as should all who receive under or overcooked meals.

The Lesson here is to not accept anything less than a good meal if you know you have been served a sub-standard product…especially if you’re going to pay $25 for the meal.  In this case, contact the floor or general manager of the establishment and express your concerns to them.

Saddle Ranch – Old Town Scottsdale – I had attended a birthday party a couple weeks ago for a friend at the Saddle Ranch during their dinner rush/happy hour.  My girlfriend and I were ready to order food and drinks the moment we arrived at the Saddle Ranch. When we joined up with the rest of the party goers, we were told that the waitress had requested we order from her exclusively instead of going to the bar.

No problem.

Fifteen minutes later….

The waitress finally showed up to our party area and took our order. This was after I caught her flirting with guys at the bar. She had apologized for being late uttering the excuse that she was busy with a bunch of tables…yeesh.

After that point, everything seemed to go downhill.

The waitress messed up orders for our party including one instance where the waitress first totally forgot to place a friend’s order for a New York Steak.  I should note that after the entire table got their food, including mine (my friend had placed her order long before I had arrived), my friend told the waitress about her order not arriving. The waitress put in the order but the wrong steak arrived. Not wanting to deal with the waitress anymore my friend ate the steak that she did not order.

When we had finished our meals and were ready to leave, we decided to just pay, ignore the waitress completely about the problems with the service and talk to the manager about our experiences directly.

My friend and I were able to relay our concerns to the Saddle Ranch Manager one on one. At the end of the conversation the Saddle Ranch Manager thanked us for our feedback.  He then told us he was pretty new at this particular store, he was in the process of evaluating the staff and some changes would be made (he didn’t say what they were). He then pulled out a couple cards for my friend and I that were good for 30% off our bill the next time we ate at the Saddle Ranch.

The point of this second example is to show you an example of what to do when your service is substandard and what a good manager does in a restaurant to retain your business.

This manager listened to the feedback of his customers and wanted to retain us as customers. I personally wasn’t expecting the 30% off coupon and would have not been expecting any compensation like this in other situations. All I wanted to do was to relay my experiences to the manager which is what you all should do if you have a less than great dining experience.

So what happens when the manager doesn’t take to your suggestions or brushes them off in any way?

It’s time to find a new restaurant and avoid the establishments that won’t take your comments.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Thursday evening the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association along with the Arizona Restaurant Association hosted ‘Forks and Corks’. The evening served a dual purpose to raise money for Arizona Hotel and Restaurant Education foundation and to treat local foodies to some great culinary samplings of what Arizona had to offer.  The combination of the perfect weather and the amazing selection of food made ‘Forks and Corks’ a memorable night for all.

The moment I entered the venue I was handed the following platter:

As I’ve said before, the food events that know what they are doing offer these platters for everyone while they mill around tasting food and wine. As you can see from the picture, not only was there a spot on on the platter for a wine glass (right above) but there were spots for silverwear and any other food item that you needed to leverage this platter for.

After receiving the platter, I was offered what looked like a push-up ice cream. However, we were told by the person handing the push-up treats out that they were to be used for cleaning my palate after each sample. In my years of being immersed in the foodie culture I have never seen anything like this before. However, after eating a few samples from the booths around the venue, I found that this push up treat really helped in being able to experience all the flavors of each booth.  The push up was the perfect solution to not having to worry about my palate being all muddled up with residual flavors of previous samples around the venue.

There were many great booths that had amazing samples (the best are noted below) that really made an impression on me.  However, many of the booths at ‘Forks and Corks’ were just average and didn’t really offer anything that could be considered the best that Arizona had to offer.  For example, there was one booth, who shall remain nameless, that had a shredded pork taco that was soaking in a very watery pan.  The meat was then taken from the pan and put on uncooked or extremely undercooked corn tortillas.  The liquid the meat was soaking in then wasn’t fully drained when transferred to the undercooked tortilla so the final presentation included a puddle of water.

For an event that is billed as some of the best that Arizona has to offer, that’s just rank amateur food presentation.  Not even Applebee’s would allow food like that to be consumed by the public.

Anyways, here’s some of the best of what Forks and Corks had to offer:

Different Pointe of View – Pan Seared Day Boat Halibut Cheeks atop Morel & Brie Risotto and topped with Apple Basil Olive Oil Emulsion. – This is definitely a mouthful to say.  However, this was one of the better dishes I had as the combination of the Halibut cheeks with the Emulsion was just a new and fresh experience brought to a classic seafood dish.

Bluwater Bistro – Oyster Shooters, Shrimp Cocktail, and Smoked Salmon – All were Atlantic seafood and were presented in a straight forward, classic fashion.  I love Oyster Shooters when they’re done right.  Still in the shell but not attached to the shell, in a tiny bit of water and ready for shooting.

Double Tree Paradise Valley Resort. – Braised Short Rib with Butternut Squash on a Risotto cake – Just a simply amazing dish with flavors that complimented each other perfectly.

Blanco Tacos and Tequila - Shrimp Ceviche (Below) – This sample was something I had to come back for again and again.  The taste of the Ceviche was perfectly balanced in that neither the vegetables or seafood overpowered each other.  Just a perfect appetizer for such a warm evening.

Capital Grille – Fillet Mignon with shallot butter – Tender and a wonderful compliment to the warm day on Thursday.

Ruth Chris – Cajun Lamb Lolly pop – Yes, you read that right.  A Lamb Lolly Pop.  It actually was extremely tender lamb still on the bone that just melted in your mouth.  Just amazing presentation.

La Hacienda – Pipian de Puerco – Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Pipian sauce, roasted corn puree, pumpkin seed, and pickled red onion.  One of the best dishes I had this evening.  The combination of all the individual parts to the Pipian de Puerco were essential in being able to fully enjoy this sample.  This was one of these dishes that you had to have a little of each part of the sample to be able to full appreciate how it crossed your palate.

Best Desserts – These two desserts deserved to be mentioned for their amazing taste and originality.

Most Original – Frank and Albert’s at the Arizona Biltmore – Liquid Nitrogen Frozen strawberries coated in hot chocolate and topped with chocolate covered pop rocks – served with champagne. This was simply an amazing take on the classic Strawberries and Champagne dessert.  The addition of the sinful chocolate sauce and the chocolate covered pop rocks took two classic tastes and sent them into the stratosphere.  The first bite of the enormous strawberry coated in chocolate was a culinary delight unto itself.  However, after taking a sip of the Champagne the chain reaction of the Champagne on the chocolate coated pop rocks started a sustained popping in the back of my mouth.  The Pop rocks were still popping a good five minutes after the last bite.   This was simply an extremely original and well done dish.  In addition, the fact that the complexity of serving this dish for hundreds of people while maintaining the overall quality and excellence of the sample was an amazing feat.

Best tasting – La Hacienda – Coconut Flan – I’m normally not a fan of flan.  However, when I took a bite of La Hacienda’s Flan I was treated to a taste that was as fresh tasting as it was sweet.  The coconut didn’t overpower the typical flan taste but there was enough to make it a perfect warm spring/summer time dessert dish.

Popularity: 4% [?]

With spring in full swing, we are at the start of food festival season in the greater Phoenix area. This Thursday April 8th is one of the premiere food events as ‘Forks and Corks’ returns for their seventh year at the Camelback Esplanade. The fun starts at 5:30 PM!

Twenty of the top chefs from top restaurants and resorts in Arizona will present one to two samples of food that will showcase why this area is considered a top culinary destination for travelers and local residents alike.

For the ‘Corks’ part of the event will be many wineries represented providing samples of their wine for all in attendance. At press time, a list of wineries were not available.

In addition, all who attend will be able to participate in a silent auction with many prizes donated by restaurants, resorts, and many other local Arizona businesses.

All proceeds from ‘Forks and Corks’ will benefit the Arizona Hotel and Restaurant Education Foundations to provide scholarships for various culinary educations.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please refer to the ‘Forks and Corks’ website:

http://www.forksandcorks.org/

Popularity: 4% [?]

iHop would like you to come on in on February 23rd from 7 AM to 10 PM and they will give you a free short stack (three) of their buttermilk pancakes.  All that they ask in return is for you to make a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network to support local chidren’s hospitals and/or other local charities.

http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/

Popularity: 20% [?]

Normally, we post our Sprinkle’s free cupcakes of the day offers on our Twitter and Facebook accounts. These offers usually have limits for the first 10 to 50 people (depends on the day) along with varying flavors.

Today is a special offer for the Scottsdale Sprinkle’s location. Anyone dressed up in Arizona Cardinals gear will get a free Red Velvet Cupcake! There is no limit (well, it’s one per person…but no limits as to how many people can come in to get the offer) so come before, during, or after the game and pick up your cupcake!

You don’t have to be dressed head to toe in Cardinals gear but as long as you have a jersey, shirt, hat, or even your face painted, you can get a free cupcake!

Sprinkle’s is located on the Northeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Camelback Road in Scottsdale.

The Address is noted below on the map:

[mappress]

Popularity: 19% [?]

A few months back a group of local business owners (AZ Vibe included) came together to help out a small business in Tempe called ‘Rock n Roll’ fingers (great friggin place by the way! 100% real chicken fingers) in need of business.

A networking event was planned at ‘Rock n Roll fingers’ so all got together and spread the word to everyone we knew.  As a result, some great and magical things happened. Lots of people showed up and helped, had some great food, met some great people, and spread the word about a wonderful business.

Even Fox 10 showed up and did this report on the initial event at ‘Rock n Roll Fingers’:

As a result of the ‘Rock and Roll Fingers’ success, Jimmy Davis of Bobbie’s Flowers is spearheading the effort to make events like this a monthly occurrence in the form of a Lunch and Networking event. This month, the Lunch Club will be heading to yet another local restaurant, this time in Tempe.

This is not only a way for local businesses to connect, but it’s also a way to find some really great places to eat in the area!

Here’s the info for the next ‘Lunch Club’ event:

January 12th, 2010 starting at 11:00 AM

Lobby’s Beef Burgers & Dogs 3141 S. McClintock Dr. Tempe (It’s on the NE corner of McClintock & Southern near Bashas)

Time: 11:00 – Meet & Greet 11:30 Lunch & Networking Starts

Popularity: 15% [?]

All Rubio’s Locations in Arizona have a great deal centering around the Cardinals playoff game this weekend.

It’s pretty simple…

If the Cardinals win you get a free fish taco (Rubio’s has AWESOME food).

If the Cardinals lose, you win a free soft drink.

All you have to do is print out this coupon (in the link below) on January 13th between 2:30 PM and when they close and you win!

http://www.rubios.com/specialoffer/specialoffer_AZpre.php?CMP=BAC-az012010

Popularity: 20% [?]

The man who is best know for the Food Network show ‘Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives’ is bringing a high energy rock and roll culinary spectacle to the Mesa Arts Center this Friday December 18th at 7:30 PM. For years you all have seen Guy Fieri go around the nation and cooking up many different culinary delights. Now, he brings his unique take on cooking in a live setting. Reviews of this show have been positive as this is looking like a great event not to miss.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please refer to the following link:

http://www.mesaartscenter.com/index.php/performances/special/guy-fieri-roadshow

Here’s a sample of what to expect from the Roadshow:

[mappress]

Popularity: 4% [?]

From now until December 29, 2009 at San Gabriel Restaurant in Phoenix they have a GREAT deal on a dinner for two for only $40.

The Deal includes:

Your Choice of one Tapas (appetizer)
Your choice of two entrees
Your Choice of one dessert

-and-

Your choice of 2 house margaritas or a bottle of wine.

Not bad, huh?

For contact information (to make reservations) please refer to their website:

http://www.sangabrielaz.com/

[mappress]

Popularity: 4% [?]

Sorry, the Cheeseburger in the photo is in no way even close to what will be served at Joe’s.

Joe’s Farm Grill out in Gilbert will be having their free Cheeseburger day today from 11-3 and from 4-8 PM.

Everyone who comes on down will get a free Cheeseburger, fries, and a soft drink.  Joe’s will also have a kids portion for all kids who come out for a free cheeseburger.

There’s plenty of parking but don’t expect to park in the main lot.  Joe’s has additional parking for all!

Just to let everyone know, Joe’s will not be serving their normal menu all day long….just free cheeseburgers.

http://www.joesfarmgrill.com/

http://www.joesfarmgrill.com/Pages/Location.html

Popularity: 26% [?]