Day 4 - Phoenix, AZ (continued)

In 2004, while on our first family spring break in Phoenix, we were filling up the car when I looked up and -- across the street -- saw a sign outside a restaurant, touting their smoked prime rib. In every other way, the place looked dismissable but being something of a smoker nut, I was intrigued by the possibility that this divey-looking joint could offer such an item. 3 million people in Chicago, thousands of restaurants and I couldn't remember ever having encountered smoked prime rib anywhere other than my own backyard. Each day, on the way to the ballpark, we'd pass this place and I'd see that sign, reminding me that there might be something special here.

Finally, I gave in to what I knew all along -- I had to try this place out. We decided to grab a lunch there. Yes, we were still in Phoenix, but once inside the wood-clad space beyond those swinging doors, you would never have known it. We were in a true Texas roadhouse. There were ballcaps and all sorts of genuine TX iconography all over the walls. Willie Nelson's Luckenback, Tx played on the sound system and Shiner Bock was the brew of choice.

The place, The Texaz Grill, has since become one of our favorite spots in Phoenix, even though its food really has nothing to do with Phoenix. It was opened in 1985 by a couple of transplanted Texans as "Lone Star Steaks." A few years back, after being threatened with a trademark lawsuit by a big, KC-based restaurant chain with the same name, they changed their name to Texaz Grill. As their web site says:

We decided we'd rather keep on putting our money into great food and great service than blow it on a bunch of lawyers. So even though we were right and had a legitimate claim to use our old name, we sure didn't want to be confused with some slick, national chain with almost 100 restaurants.

That first visit for lunch was met with bad news and good news. The bad news was that the smoked prime rib, which is available only until it runs out each day, was not even offered at lunch. The good news was that the items we did try on that first visit were sensational. And really, the unavailability of the prime rib was, in actuality, more good news. The day's production wouldn't be ready until dinner and serving something leftover from the previous day was simply not going to happen here.

The only thing that's changed at Texaz in our years of eating there, is that it's now a cigarette-smoke-free facility (as is most every restaurant in Phoenix after Feb 2007, with a few exceptions). So, this year, when we threw those swinging doors open, we were not met with the familiar cloud of smoke we were used to. Instead, the savory and intoxicating aroma of chicken-fried steak filled the air, unencumbered. According to Texaz's web site, they've sold nearly 650,000 of their signature chicken-fried steaks since they opened.

Again the roadhouse-like space was full of happy-looking diners and some great Texas music was playing in the background. We took a booth and began negotiations on our order. My son drew the long straw and ordered the chicken-fried steak. My wife ordered the smothered pork chops. I ordered the smoked prime rib (larger 'Mulligan Cut'). Entrees come with either salad or slaw and we knew to order the slaw, as it is simply great. The cabbage is sliced extremely thin and sauced heavily in a creamy-tangy-sweet dressing that I'm guessing contains a fair amount of pickle juice. Fries are available as a side but we all chose the mashed potatoes and gravy.

The entrees at Texaz are, in a word, perfection. The Pork Chops - Southern Style are battered, fried and served piping hot. The peppery gravy served with them is a perfect accent for moist, tender, slightly-salted chops -- and the rich, lumpy mashed potatoes. The chicken-fried steak is even better. It's perfectly crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside and well-seasoned throughout. Again the peppery gravy is a perfect complement to it. The slab of smoked prime rib is delivered to the table medium rare, as ordered. It's got a great amount of smoke (hickory and oak), it's just insanely delicious . . . as good as ever. The trimmed but still fatty cap is especially succulent but the eye is terrific too. There's a small paper cup of horseradish on my plate which I never even touch . . . there's no reason.

We shared our entrees and ate as much as we possibly could but not one of them was finished (that was ok because we had a fridge at the hotel room). Beverage-wise, I enjoyed a couple of ice-cold Shiner Bocks and my wife and son ordered bottomless soft drinks, served in gargantuan plastic cups, with Pepsi logos on them. As full as we all were, we needed something sweet to finish off the meal. We asked our waitress which of the 4 offered desserts she'd order, if she could only order one. Without hesitation she suggested the Peach Cobbler. We took her suggestion and asked her to make it a la mode. We clanked spoons a few times as the 3 of us tore into that delicious cobbler. Being that it was March, I'm guessing that it was made with canned peaches but I didn't confirm it and it mattered not. You got the sense while eating this cobbler that it could have very well come out of someone's grandma's personal kitchen. It was hot, delicious and a completely appropriate close to this fine meal.

If you're into this sort of food, I cannot recommend Texaz Grill highly enough. It is most definitely not indigenous Phoenix fare but it's exemplary for its genre and it's thoroughly enjoyable. It also happens to be a great value. Our meal, with a 20%+ tip was under $70. This food -- at this quality level -- is also something that, to my knowledge, is not so readily available here in Chicago. For that reason alone, it's worth a stop. That fact that it's truly excellent in its own right was a delightful surprise during our first visit and is something we've come to count on and look forward to, ever since.

=R=

The Texaz Grill
6003 N 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 248-7827

To be continued . . .

As of this week, Shiner Beers, including the legendary Shiner Bock, are availbale in Chicago.

Day 5 - Phoenix, AZ

Our friend in Phoenix told us that we could get a great, unique meal at the Welcome Diner on Roosevelt Street and he was, again, 100% correct.

The tiny place, which is located in a somewhat transitional residential neighborhood, looks a bit out of place, as there aren't really any other businesses in the vicinity. It has about 8 counter seats and some additional outdoor seating.


Welcome Diner - 924 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix



Inside the cozy Welcome Diner


Welcome's hook is that they have an extremely local focus that extends from their ingredients to their packaging. Not everything is locally-sourced but it is a priority. Still, in addition to the regionally-produced brand of soft drinks, Cokes and diet Cokes can be had as well. Additionally, the cheese on the cheeseburgers at Welcome is Tillamook, which is not produced nearby.

Another unique thing about Welcome Diner is their menu, which offers only hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hotdogs and house-made french fries, all sourced and processed locally. The hotdogs are fried in peanut oil and finished on the grill. The default condimentation is locally-produced yellow mustard and locally-grown raw onion. While certainly a completely different genre of dog from what one normally finds in Chicago, Welcome's dog was delicious in its own right. So too were their burgers, which are cooked to order and offered with a variety of locally-produced relishes and pickled products. The cheeseburger was very tasty -- more like home-made than what one usually finds at a restaurant.

The french fries were utterly delicious and a lot of care gets put into their preparation. Not only are they blanched in oil first and then re-fried before service to create very crispy fries but also, as the proprietor explained to us, during some parts of the year, the potatoes are particularly starchy. During these times the potatoes are soaked in a vinegar/water solution overnight to reduce their starchiness. In either instance, the net result is fantastic. The fries at Welcome Diner are a true pleasure. Here's a lousy, out-of-focus picture of them, fwiw . . .




Prices are very reasonable at Welcome, ranging from about $3 for the hotdog to about $5 for a cheeseburger, iirc. In any case, Welcome offers very good value. It's also an unusual place in that it's only open a few hours a day and only on certain days of the week. I'm told that it can also be rented out for parties and that a large amount of business is done on that basis. I can see why because the place is fun and is a reasonable size for smaller groups.

During our lunch a very diverse group of people came into the diner. There were suits and ties as well as blue hair and facial piercings, all wolfing down the delicious, hand-prepared food, side-by-side. The guys who run the place are remarkably friendly and take their food very seriously. Still, there's nothing pretentious about Welcome. It's about as basic as it gets. I'm so glad we got to eat at Welcome. It was a great, unique experience and the food was not only inexpensive but delicious, as well.

=R=

Welcome Diner
924 E Roosevelt St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
(602) 495-1111

To be continued . . .

Day 5 - Phoenix, AZ (continued)

After lunch at Welcome Diner, we hit a couple more, worthy food destinations, which were in the vicinity.

The first was Ranch Market on Roosevelt which was a real treat. It's the largest Mexican-oriented market in Phoenix (53,000 square feet) and it offers fresh chicken feet to cow heads and just about everything in between. We counted dozens of products we'd never seen at our much smaller, local Mexican market. We strolled the bountiful aisles and actually got a little sad that we wouldn't have any cooking opportunities while in town. We consoled ourselves with some fresh horchata and pina beverages. The selection of beverages at the jugeria was comprehensive, with nearly a dozen choices.

Beverages in hand, we rolled a few blocks to Simply Bread. It's a world-class bakery which offers a large assortment of breads baked in the method traditionale. And there is a Chicago connection here too as Simply Bread's head baker, Jeffrey Yankellow, was part of the Team USA (along with Jory Downer of Bennison's in Evanston), which won first prize at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie back in 2005. We tasted a few of the delicious offerings while our friend bought a loaf of Irv's Rye and a loaf of Funky Monkey (cinnamon pull-apart) that were both sensational.

After Simply Bread, it was back to Arlecchino Gelateria for our regular, mid-afternoon fix. We chatted with Moreno and Marina for a bit while we ate our treats. This time I tried the deeply-rich chocolate and the brightly-flavored strawberry, which made for a beautiful combination.

The only question remaining was if I'd be hungry for dinner. We had about 5 hours until our reservation, so I was optimistic but I could have just as easily stayed at Arlecchino and just kept going until I burst. Luckily, my family dragged me out of the shop.

=R=

Phoenix Ranch Market
1602 E Roosevelt St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
602 254-6676

Simply Bread
2117 N 24th St
Phoenix, AZ 85008
602 244-1778

To be continued . . .

Day 5 - Phoenix, AZ (continued)

For a brief moment I thought that I might actually get that chance to cook a Phoenix meal at my friend's house but due to various cirucmstances, the window closed as quickly as it opened on that opportunity. No worries. We'd hedged by holding onto our reservation at Zinc Bistro in Scottsdale and its time had come. After a short drive and a few 'lost in the gigantic stripmall' moments, we stumbled into Zinc just before the appointed time.

It was 8 pm on a Monday evening, so the crowd in the attractive and dimly-lighted space was sparse. We sat at a table in an outdoor area that was essentially a patio within the restaurant's confines.

The fare at Zinc begins at a point that is typically bistro but branches out immediately, uniquely and thoughtfully from there. On this night, we were in the capable hands of sous chef Jeremy McMillan, who was really on his game. We started with a few tasty appetizers which had us instantly swooning. The ample La Belle Farms Squab and Foie Gras could have been an entree at many restaurants. Here, this reliable combination was served with cippoline onions, a honey glaze and soft mascarpone polenta, which complemented the squab and the foie very well. We also loved the crispy skate appetizer, which was served with bacon sofrito, cider-apple gastrique, padron pepper, turnips and beurre noisette. The skate was tender and fresh and wonderfully crispy on the outside. The richly-flavored accoutrement worked very well with the relatively neutral skate. And it was refreshing having skate at a bistro that was not prepared in the typical, Grenobloise-style.

As great as the first 2 appetizers were, the best one we tasted was the next one, which consisted of seared scallops atop roasted corn and 'arroz calasparra,' which had also been spiked with Spanish chorizo. This was so delicious, we were clanking forks over it.

Our server informed us that we should not order any pork items from the menu because chef McMillan would be sending a special pork course to the table for us. A few moments later, a gloriously-prepared haunch of meat -- a perfectly-roasted, bone-in Berkshire pork loin was presented tableside and quickly whisked away, back to the kitchen. A few moments later we were each served a plate containing an amazing trio of fabulous Berkshire pork prepartions. The first was a large segment of the aforementioned loin, served with morels, bacon and a foie gras emulsion. Next to it, in the center of of the plate, was an incredibly juicy section of charred Berkshire pork fat-cap which was served with a brandy and apple syrup. On the left was a succulent grilled rib, served with a sweet and savory juniper marshmallow. Everything on this plate was absolutely delicious. I loved the loin and the rib but the fat cap was, needless to say, especially succulent.

Entree-wise, we went mostly with steaks. The Prime Flat Iron steak au poivre with crispy shallot and brandy reduction was terrific and cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was served with pomme frites that blew away the frites at Bouchon, which I described upthread. I didn't love the unique seasoning blend that was sprinkled on them but they were made from fresh potatoes, cooked perfectly and served piping hot. We shared a second order of frites, which only had salt and pepper on them, and I enjoyed those much more. Another fantastic side was the Tennessee grits with bacon and mascarpone. Forget everything you know about typical grits -- these were transcendant.

For her entree, my wife had the roasted chicken thighs with buccatini, corn and sherry. I love when dark meat is the default setting and these thighs did not disappoint. They were tender and juicy and their skin was delectably crispy. The buccatini and corn went very well with those terrific thighs.

2 of us ordered the Hanger steak which was lightly smoked, then grilled and served with bordelaise sauce, la ratte potatoes -- bound in bone marrow cream -- red wine reduction and crispy shallots. I loved the smokey note of this juicy, well-prepared steak. Hanger is one of my favorites and this was an excellent rendition. The potatoes were insane -- you could actually taste the marrow in them!

We sampled a slew of delicious desserts which included an excellent chocolate souffle -- made with Callebaut chocolate and doused in chocolate sauce -- and a tiny and quite elegant pistachio cheesecake with chocolate which was accompanied by candied pistachios and peanut butter. The freshly-made beignets were also phenomenal. Speaking of desserts, here's a pic from this meal, taken by my pal molto e, that really moves me . . .



Pistachio cheesecake on chocolate base with candied pistachios and peanut butter

I loved the food at Zinc and -- even more so -- the personal touches which distinguished our meal from beginning to end. The touches were not indulgent manipulations, which are all too common these days. They were thoughtful variations on what one might typically encounter at a bistro and they were born in experience. These individuations made once completely-familiar dishes much better than they normally are. This is still bistro cuisine but it's evolved bistro cuisine. If Zinc Bistro were in Chicago, I'd be a regular there. I'd love to experience this food on a regular basis.

=R=

Zinc Bistro
Kierland Commons
15034 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85281
480 603-0922

To be continued . . .

Phoenix, AZ - Day 6

Since the last time we were in Phoenix, the empire of Chris Bianco had expanded with the addition of Pane Bianco, a rustic, bare bones, carry-out only sandwich shop near downtown. As alluded to upthread, Chris Bianco is the force behind Pizzeria Bianco, which many consider to produce the finest pizza of its type in the US. We knew we had to try Pane Bianco.

The interior of the narrow but deep space is no more finished than a typical warehouse. Even the magnificent oven, which is the heart and soul of Pane Bianco, is vented through the industrial ceiling with a single length of unfinished pipe, which runs straight from the top of the oven all the way out the top of the building.

Pane Bianco does not offer indoor seating but there are several picnic tables in front of the shop, which appear to have been made by hand -- or at least in a very artisanal manner -- from whole sections of tree. The crowd in the seating area was fairly diverse. We weren't the only folks wearing Cubs hats and there were hospital scrubs, business casual attire and torn denim present, as well.

Similar to Pizzeria Bianco, the choices at Pane Bianco are fairly limited and the primary focus is on creating unparalleled, superior-quality food. There are only 3 sandwiches on the menu, plus one daily special. Addtionally there are a couple of salads and -- at least on the day we visited -- a focaccia of the day as well. Unlike at the aforementioned Welcome Diner, beverages are also limited and the strange roster of offbeat choices (bubble up, house cola, hildon bottled waters) gives a slight whiff of pretense, even though the place is just about as bare bones as it gets.

The beautiful thing about Pane Bianco is that the food is absolutely amazing. With hot, fresh bread continually coming out of the oven, it's a lock that your sandwich is going to be served on a round, individually-sized loaf of artisanal bread that is still warm and no more than a few minutes old. The same is true of the focaccia -- it is essentially baked to order and is topped with locally-sourced, organic ingredients. These important details have a huge bearing on the quality, which is remarkably high.

We tried a couple of sandwiches which completely justified the 15-minute wait. I went with the Soppressata with Aged Provolone & Olivada, which was absolutely delectable. The imported soppressata was rich, fatty and funky like properly-cured pork salumi should be. The provolone was perfectly piquant and the olivada was a wonderful foil for these hearty ingredients. I also tasted the Housemade Mozzarella, Local Tomato & Basil sandwich, which was also great. Being March, the tomatoes were not perfect and I thought the sandwich could have used a touch of acidity but the house-made mozzarella was sublime and pretty much trumped any of the other ingredients we tasted.

It's the apparent simplicity of Pane Bianco which makes it what it is. But like a lot of great things in the culinary world, the food at Pane Bianco isn't quite as simple as it seems. The ingredients are extraordinary and the freshly-baked bread and focaccia create a truly distinctive dining experience. Pane Bianco is built on a tight and noble concept and its success is a function of the tremendous amount of hard work being dedicated to fulfilling that concept. The intense level of care given to the food here plays a huge part in its success. There are no tricks or gimmicks. It just comes down to hard work and the vision of the proprietor, which is readily apparent in every bite of food served at Pane Bianco. There is no place to hide anything when you serve food like this. Shortcuts simply cannot exist when the food being served is so 'naked.'

In a perfect world, every sandwich shop -- hell, every restaurant -- emulates Pane Bianco. But since it is far from a perfect world, Pane Bianco really manages to distinguishes itself. It's the shop that exists in spite of all the realities of the restaurant business. It's great to see such a daring vision find its audience. There is no question that I will visit Pane Bianco again the next time I am in Phoenix . . . and hopefully, more than once.

=R=

Pane Bianco
4404 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602) 234-2100

To be continued . . .

Nice reports and what a great shot of the pistachio frosting. I've passed along to some family members now resident in scorpion-land.

Day 6 - Phoenix, AZ (continued)

The Cubs won, affirming the old saying that every team wins a third of their games and loses a third of their games -- it's the other third which actually makes the difference. After a quick drive back to Phoenix from Mesa, we had a few hours to kill before dinner and the siren known as Arlecchino was singing my name. We zigged and zagged through Phoenix back to the shop for our daily 2 scoops. On this day, I had the gianduja and the valentino, which were both stellar and also, went together quite nicely. I think that if Arlecchino were near my home, I'd be there everyday, regardless of the weather.

I had sizable expectations for our dinner at Binkley's Restaurant because I'd heard and read a lot about it and pictures I'd seen of their food looked absolutely amazing. Binkley's is a cozy, fine-dining enclave located in the seemingly remote town of Cave Creek, which is about an hour's drive from Phoenix. Its chef and proprietor, Kevin Binkley, aside from being an affable and friendly guy is a seasoned veteran who's spent some serious time in kitchens at the French Laundry and the Inn at Little Washington. I'm told that his small, romantic restaurant is booked out solid, 2 months in advance and after experiencing a fantastically inventive and delicious meal there, it's easy to see why.

We were a group of 10 and had the private room in the back of the restaurant all to ourselves. It was nice because we had 3 in our party who were under 15 years old and I too, can get pretty squirrelly at long, formal meals. This ended up being a non-issue because we youngsters were captivated by the meal, which was paced flawlessly. And service was friendly, not exactly formal.

I'm not sure how to classify Binkley's and -- other than for reference here -- I'm not sure it really matters. Presentations are highly stylized and somewhat reminiscent of those at Alinea, although as far as I know, Binkley's does not use any custom serviceware. Still, there is a highly-modern, almost avant garde aesthetic to the plates at Binkley's. Flavor and ingredient combinations are fairly traditional at their core but from that foundation they quickly veer off into risk-taking territory. There are powders, foams and other components which are typically associated with the hyper-modern movement in cooking. As with other, top-tier members of the genre, these items are highly-distilled (in the cognitive sense) at Binkley's and used judiciously.

We started with some champagne and a crazy procession of about 15 amuse bouches. Our host had requested that the kitchen send out each and every amuse they had to offer and the kitchen happily complied. We enjoyed a seemingly endless series of tasty and provocative one-biters which literally amused us, no end. A few of my favorites were the tiny, deviled quail egg which was spiked with wasabi, the signature foie gras 'dipping dots' with banyuls syrup, the tiny Swedish meatball with huckelberry sauce, the delicate and piping hot pommes souffle with 3 house-made sauces, and the sopressata with date relish and sunchoke chip. There were so many and they were all quite delicious but these are the ones which particularly stood out for me.

After the amuses, it was time for salad, or should I say salads. As was the case with many of the courses on this night, 2 entirely different dishes were served, with half of us receiving 1 dish and the other half receiving another dish. The Hearts of Palm salad was delicious. It was comprised of fresh HoP, prosciutto, English peas, grape tomatoes, basil, roasted radicchio and pecorino romano and it was dressed with a balsamic glaze. The other salad, which featured tender and sweet slow-roasted Baby Beets and a delicious beet & rutabaga torteloni also contained watercress, asparagus, charred sweet onion and extra virgin olive oil powder.

Next up were a couple of incredibly delicious seafood courses. The Butter Poached Lobster was sweet and succulent. It was served with kiwi, sugar snap peas, radish, a lotus root chip and a lemongrass vinaigrette. This was a great combination, not only flavor-wise but visually and texturally, as well. The Banyuls-marinated Skate Wing was tender and tasty and was accompanied by bread and butter pickle, a purple potato chip, wax beans, fried capers and sunflower sprouts. This was another innovative rendition which made use of some very untraditional elements and yet still tasted delicious.

After seafood, we all enjoyed a delicious foie gras torchon, which was sliced into generous disks and served with a demitasse of warm foie gras and truffle cappuccino that was sensational, aromatic and addictive; a vanilla-black pepper biscotti and a red-wine poached seckle pear. Again here, the components worked so well together. The torchon was phenomenal and the other items with which it was served complemented the foie, flawlessly.

The 2 fish dishes served as the next course were both outstanding and it was hard to choose a favorite. The Red-Wine poached Halibut was a real eye opener. I thought it was a bold move to cook halibut in such a manner but it really worked. The fish took the red wine surprisingly well. The halibut was also served with creamed spinach, saffron-cipollini onions, golden raisins, walnuts and beurre rouge. I had no idea, before eating this dish, how well the halibut would go with the red wine preparation and the sweet components on the plate. It was fantastic. We also tried a more straightforward preparation of Monkfish (one of my favorites), which was served with fingerling potatoes, early morel mushrooms, sweet peppers and blue lake beans. Here the earthiness of the early morels and fingerlings took the hearty monkfish to a new level, without obscuring it in the least. I was surprised, again, to see fish prepared so boldly and have the result be so successful.

Next up was a delectable and intoxicating bowl of Porcini soup. It contained not only porcini but also curry oil powder and spring onion. This was just porcini-riffic and the curry and onion notes brought out the perfume of the porcini in a wonderful, unanticipated way. The other dish served in this 'funghi' course was an amazing and playful variation on an old, cafeteria favorite: chipped beef. This was a sinfully over-the-top rendition called Black Truffle Creamed Chipped Beef, which was heavy on the black truffle and served with hash browns and a poached quail egg. Words cannot even begin to describe this spectacular dish (at least, not mine). It was as good as the sum of its parts and exponentially better than that. Wow!

The meat course saw magnificent plates of Venison and Veal delivered to the table. Rack of Venison au Poivre was served with vanilla spaetzle, candied kumquats, sugar snap peas, cashews and an inventively delicious black pepper brittle. Veal (squared) offered both tenderloin and short rib of veal with fiddlehead ferns, oven-dried tomatoes, baby turnips and sunchokes. I loved both preparations and again, it was hard to choose a favorite (not that anyone was demanding I do so). But, I am partial to short rib in any form, and for that reason alone, the veal won out. The short rib was fork tender and nicely fatty. The tenderloin, cooked en sous vide, was meaty and juicy. And, when it came right down to it, the juicy, medium-rare venison was fantastic too.

Next, we enjoyed cheese plates which featured 9 different cheeses. Some I recognized, some I did not. It was fun sampling them and bridging the gap between the insane amounts of savory food we'd already enjoyed and (what would probably be) insane amounts of sweet food which were to follow. The accoutrements were nice, as well . . . pecan butter, crimson gold apples, orange marmalade and toasted baguette.

Cheese was followed by a couple of refreshing pre-desserts, which were followed by a variety of 'main' desserts! 2 of the pre-desserts -- a smooth and tart blood-orange 'creamsicle' and a cute little mug of green apple soda -- were delicious and refreshing. I loved the wild rice krispy treat, which was fun and extremely tasty. The fresh raspberry, spiked with pop rocks and bound with chocolate was a sensational one-biter.

The parade of desserts which came next was nearly overwhelming. There was an intriguing fruit soup with a base of sweet/tart, pineapple water, which was poured into its bowl, tableside, over a variety of immaculate, flash-frozen (liquid nitrogen) berries which, already positioned in the bottom of the bowl, awaited their dousing. It was so evocative of fresh fruit, it was uncanny and the individual components were easily distinguished. Floated on top of the soup was a fun fruit roll-up, flavored with apricot, blueberry and raspberry. There was also a fantastic coconut-milk ravioli with white chocolate powder, caramelized banana and some roasted banana ice cream that was right up there in Arlecchino territory.

Another fantastic, fruit-based dessert consisted of succulent supremes of juicy-sweet ruby red grapefruit, served in vanilla sabayonne with almond madeleines . . . textbook madeleines. The 'chocolate' course was a wondrous plate that was effectively, a multi-faceted study in chocolate. There was a demitasse of velvety and rich gianduja hot chocolate topped with a house-made marshmallow, a chocolate croquette, white chocolate mousse and a dense and chewy chocolate brownie.

I loved Binkley's because the food was delicious, inventive and extraordinarily unique. It took me by surprise a bit that such a phenomenal restaurant could thrive in such a seemingly remote location. But, I was informed that the very affluent Cave Creek isn't quite as remote as it appears. Nonetheless, it's clear that a chef of Kevin Binkley's caliber could draw diners to just about any location. There is an air of excitement at Binkley's that's palpable. It's like being in an arena in the presence of a great athlete or hearing a virtuosic musician give a live performance. Before dining at Binkley's, I didn't think of Cave Creek as a world-class dining venue. Kevin Binkley changed my mind and I'm pretty sure he's changing a lot of others, as well.

=R=

Binkley's Restaurant
6920 E Cave Creek Rd
Cave Creek, AZ 85331
(480) 437-1072

To be continued . . .

Day 7 - Phoenix, AZ

As I posted waaay back upthread, we had a breakfast in Phoenix which pretty much trumped all the breakfasts on our entire trip. It was had, appropriately enough at Matt's Big Breakfast on 1st Street. Matt's is another small place with limited hours. It consists of 2 small rooms and a counter, with seating for about 25-30. The delicious food at Matt's is pretty straightforward, greasy spoon-style with some important distinctions, that have to do with where they source their ingredients. For example, all eggs served at Matt's are sourced through Chino Valley Ranchers, which provides only humanely-harvested, cage-free eggs. Harris Ranch Beef Company is Matt's exclusive provider of all-natural beef. And delicious pork products served at Matt's, like bacon, ham and sausage, are sourced from The Pork Shop in nearby Queen Creek, AZ.

We arrived at about 11 am and had a very short wait for our 5-top. Service was friendly and very accomodating. The breakfast special on this day, a chili-cheese omelet, had just been 86'd but our server begged the kitchen to produce one more on our behalf and her wish was granted. A couple of us ordered the extremely tasty Five Spot, which is one egg and 2 slices of thick bacon on a kaiser-like roll, served with hash browns. 'The Hog & Chick' was another winner. It was 2 eggs, over-easy (or any style) with a beautiful slab of salty-sweet ham (or bacon or sausage) and hash browns. The Chop and Chick was 2 eggs served with a seared, bone-in Iowa pork chop and hash browns. I really enjoyed the tasty chop. In fact, all the pork products we had were fantastic. I thought the breakfast sausage was the best I'd ever had and that includes even my own, home-made version.

I can certainly appreciate a fancy breakfast and I do go out for it often enough. But I really love even more a hearty, greasy breakfast with well-cooked eggs and properly crispy hash browns. On this count, Matt's delivered big-time and I cannot recommend it highly enough. I'm told that they also serve a damned fine lunch but none of us tried it on this day. And, if I return to Matt's again, I'll probably stick with breakfast because it was so great. Who knows . . . there may be a lunch at Matt's in my future, but the place is named Matt's Big Breakfast, after all.

=R=

Matt's Big Breakfast
801 N 1st St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 254-1074

To be continued . . .

Day 7 - Phoenix, AZ (continued)

The first time I ever heard of Pizzeria Bianco, it was March 2004. I was on an plane leaving Phoenix, reading Peter Reinhart's American Pie. As I read Reinhart's effusive praise for what he considers to be his favorite pizza, all I could think was 'turn this plane around, NOW!' I knew it would be a least another year before I'd get to try Bianco. If I'd only started reading that book at the beginning my vacation, I could have saved a year.

When I returned to Phoenix the following spring, eating at Pizzeria Bianco was my top priority. In fact, I wanted to eat there so badly that I dragged my family to its door at 4 pm -- a full hour before it opened -- and sat, outside, in 100+ degree heat, waiting to be in the first seating. Bianco is small and has only 69 seats. Reservations are not possible for groups smaller than 6 and even with a larger group, reservations are not always available. In either case, we were only 3 and considering what Reinhart had written, plus the scores of other enthusiastic reports I'd subsequently read about Pizzeria Bianco, I was sure it would be worth it.

Even though that visit suffered a bit because of the insanely-challenging, unseasonably-warm weather and a bit of "I might never make it back here" syndrome, it was still truly memorable. Chris Bianco had made his impression on me and I would never think about pizza in the same way again. Thoughts of his transcendant, thin-crusted, char-bottomed, neopolitan-style pies would enter my mind repeatedly over the next 2 years -- not only when I was eating other pizza but in many idle moments, as well.

This time around, with friends in the area, we were a group of 7 and managed, with only minor difficulty, to obtain an 8 pm reservation at Pizzeria Bianco. Unlike last time, there would be no wait. And this time, the evening temperature was in the high 50's making it a perfectly comfortable night for us and an even better night for making pizza.

So much has been written about Chris Bianco that I don't want to spend a whole lot of time repeating it. But the man is intense and clearly loves what he does. At first glance, seeing him shuttle pizzas into and out of the oven, he seems almost grouchy. But his countenance of intensity converts quickly to a welcoming smile as soon as one addresses him. Without missing a beat, he'll look up, flash a smile and say hello, even when buried in his work.

On this night, before pizza, our group of 7 enjoyed some unparalleled antipasto, which included not only some representative sopressata and cheese but also a selection of locally-grown organic vegetables that had been wood-roasted to perfection in the pizza oven. Of course, there were a few more steps than roasting but just like at Pane Bianco, the 'simplicity' of the offerings at Pizzeria Bianco is not quite as simple as it seems.

Pizzeria Bianco offers 6 pizzas and that's it. These 6 well-conceived and phenomenally executed pizzas are the foundation of the well-earned Bianco legend. On this night, our group decided to order all 6 and in order to maximize their glorious potential, requested that they be brought out 3 at a time.

Our first 'pizza course' consisted of the classic Margherita (tomato sauce, fresh house-made mozzarella, basil), the cheeseless Marinara (tomato sauce, oregano, garlic) and my personal favorite, the Rosa (red onion, parmigiano reggiano, rosemary, AZ Pistachios). These 3 pies were piping hot and incredibly delicious. There is a balance to Bianco's pies that I've never experienced anywhere else. The toppings are boldly-flavored but applied in a 'less is more' manner, allowing the crust to be the star. And the crust, made from dough prepared daily by Chris Bianco's brother, Marco, is the best I've ever tasted. Like great bread, it has a fantastic aroma, a perfectly tuggable texture and a deeply complex flavor that develops in the chew, not merely the initial bite. In my experience, most Marinara pizzas are a complete waste of time and effort compared to the Marinara at Bianco which is, by far, the best I have ever eaten. It really does make even some very well-regarded, local-Chicago renditions seem like a joke. Every ounce of Bianco's Marinara has purpose. It's a showcase for the skills and experience of Chris Bianco. And the Rosa is even better!

Our second 'pizza course' consisted of Bianco's 3 'meaty' pies, the Sonny Boy (tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, sopressata, gaeta olives), the Biancoverde (fresh mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, ricotta, arugula) and the Wiseguy (wood-roasted onion, house smoked mozzarella, fennel sausage). These 3 pies were also phenomenal. The superior-quality toppings were delicious in their own right and also complemented each other perfectly, working with the crust, not overpowering it or being obscured by it. To our Biancoverde, we added Prosciutto di Parma, which sent it over the top. Its salty sweetness was a perfect counterpoint for the fresh and peppery arugula. And I loved the aromatic fennel sausage on the Wiseguy, which is made to spec, locally for Bianco. The components on all these pies were fantastic and they were handled so masterfully that they were even better when combined. There's a synergy to the pizzas at Bianco that is virtually impossible to find elsewhere.

I can't say enough about how great Pizzeria Bianco is. It's a joy to have this level care and artisanship applied to such inexpensive, accessible fare. Again, there are no shortcuts here, just dedication to a concept and lots of hard work committed to executing it. There is a pride of purpose at Bianco that is probably the biggest distinguishing factor between it and other places of its kind. The Biancos have made a commitment to doing the a huge portion of the hard work themselves and that single factor provides an unparalleled level of consistency and experience. Think about your favorite pizza place and consider how many different people have made their dough and cooked their pies over the years you've been eating there. Now think about how much better it would be if all that experience were in the hands of 1 or 2 people who'd dedicated their professional lives to making great pizza. That's why Pizzeria Bianco is so great and also why so few pizza places -- if any -- can ever hope to measure up to it.

=R=

Pizzeria Bianco
623 E Adams St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 258-8300

To be continued . . .

This is what I have been waiting for , reading your travelogue day by day. Beautiful review of the restaurant that I long to eat at more than any other in America.

I am jealous.... And happy to know that you got to eat at Pizzeria Bianco.

AZ

ponzu wrote:This is what I have been waiting for , reading your travelogue day by day. Beautiful review of the restaurant that I long to eat at more than any other in America.

I am jealous.... And happy to know that you got to eat at Pizzeria Bianco.

AZ

I hope you get a chance to eat there. I think you'll really enjoy it. Way back upthread there were a couple references to expecations. Pizzeria Bianco exceeded my expectations and I'd been there once before. They prepare their food in a manner which seems to indicate a clear understanding that it could very easily end up on the table of a first-time customer. But even more so, I doubt that customer standards (including my own) for the food at Bianco are higher than those of the proprietors. They can discern aspects of quality and consistency most of us might not even be able to recognize. And they're likely more demanding of themselves than most customers are.

Even within the confines of its menu, items at Bianco are constantly evolving and being tweaked. There's a process in place by which the Biancos continually try to improve everything they serve. Ingredients and techniques are modified and ammended as experience dictates. The goal is to produce the best-tasting end-product possible. While that asethetic is relatively common in "top" kitchens, it's still pretty rare in pizza restaurants.


Day 8 - Phoenix, AZ

It is a testament only to my years of intense training and previous "research" trips that I actually managed to wake up hungry on Day 8 . . . but I did Not even our supposedly hard-core friend could keep up with us. Rather than meet us to break the 'fast' he politely recused himself. But it was another one of his great tips which led us to some of the best fried chicken (and waffles) I have ever eaten.

Lolo's Chicken and Waffles is a small beige building with a painted, red-shingle roof which is located on an otherwise residential block which stands in the shadows of some large factories. It's one of those places which you can just sense, the minute you look at it, is going to be good. Or to put it another way, you'd be shocked if it weren't. And we didn't end up shocked.

We arrived at 10:30 and were asked to wait outside the small building until a table became available. A few minutes later, the friendly host/waitress came out for us and led us to our table. Lo-lo's is an unusual space that, for a moment, made me feel like I was in New Orleans. Our table was in a long, narrow side room -- with concrete floor and brick walls -- that looked like it might have been exterior space at some point in the building's history. The tables and chairs are bare bones but comfortable and the walls are adorned with colorful jazz and music-themed prints.

The menu at Lo-lo's is breakfast and lunch all in one. It is most definitely a fried chicken restaurant, offering variety of named meals which combine fried chicken and/or catfish with all sorts of side dishes, including their noted waffles. Also offered is a full array of more traditional breakfast fare, like bacon and eggs.

We did not try the catfish but the fried chicken was simply fantastic. It delivered crunchy, flavorful skin and delicious, juicy flesh. So many 'great' fried chicken places offer well-fried bird that lacks flavor beneath the skin. This bird was, happily, not in that category. I don't know the process at Lo-lo's but their chicken tastes like it's been brined, marinated or pre-seasoned before being coated and fried. I'd confidently put Lo-lo's fried chicken up against just about any fried chicken I've ever had. I'm not sure it's the best but it's certainly in the highest category.

The waffles were also wonderful. I was surprised by the relatively aggresive seasoning (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) they'd received but it really worked. Not only were the waffles hot, crispy and delectable but they tasted great alongside the chicken. We sampled a bunch of other sides too. The beans & rice, smothered potatoes and cornbread were all excellent. The mustard greens, which delivered a moderately spicy kick, were very good. The cheesy grits were well-prepared but needed quite a bit of salt to make them optimal (as is often my feeling about southern-style grits).

Unfortunately, we didn't try the macaroni and cheese, so we'll have to save that item for next time. The same is true of the (cheesy) eggs as well as the bevy of breakfast meats (bacon, sausage, turkey-bacon, hot links) which are offered by Lo-lo's. The relatively uncommon combination of fried chicken and waffles, while not new to me, was what I wanted to eat at Lo-lo's, so I left the more traditional breakfast options untapped. However, if I'd spent a few more days in the area, I would have likely returned to try them because everything else I ate at Lo-lo's was so good. And, I loved the large, canning jars in which beverages are served at Lo-lo's. I opted for a diet coke, but I was tempted to go for the 1-quart serving of red cool-aid, which seemed like a very popular choice at Lo-lo's.

All in all, we had a great meal at Lo-lo's. The food was fantastic, service was friendly and fast and their prices were very reasonable. We ordered a ton of food, so that we could sample it all and even with a 20%+ tip, our bill for 3 was around $35. As many times as I've been to Phoenix and searched out distinctive, local fare, I needed input from a long-time resident to find Lo-lo's. Now that I have, I can't imagine not making it a regular stop each time I visit Phoenix.

=R=

Lo-lo's Chicken & Waffles
10 West Yuma Street
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602 340-1304

To be continued . . .

Day 8 - Phoenix, AZ (continued)

Lo-lo's had thoroughly obliterated the need for breakfast -- and lunch -- but at about 3 pm, we were a little hungry and wanted to eat something which would carry us over until dinner. So, we made what would be our final trip to Arlecchino for a mid-afternoon gelato. On this occasion, I enjoyed a scoop of the aforementioned blood orange and a scoop of lemon. It was a tasty and refreshing dual-blast of delicious citrus which was also bittersweet, in the emotional sense. I was going to miss Arlecchino.

Our dinner reservations were at the fairly well-known Sea Saw in Scottsdale. Chef/proprietor Nobuo Fukada is something of a local legend (and is also nominated for a 2007 Best Chef-Southwest Beard Award) and as much as I'd heard and read about Sea Saw, looking back, I understand now that I didn't have a clear idea about what was in store for us. What I expected was a top-quality sushi/sashimi meal in a typical upper-tier, sushi restaurant. What I got instead was a glorious, hand-prepared Omakase, the likes of which I'd never seen before; a meal that was life-changing in many ways.

After reading a few threads here about the highly-regarded Matsumoto, I wondered whether such a style of meal would be something I would enjoy. I knew I would appreciate it but the details didn't sound particularly compelling to me, from a culinary point of view. Perhaps someday, I thought, an interested friend will ask me to join him at Matsumoto and I will oblige. Of course, not too long after I had that thought, Matsumoto morphed into Chiyo and the opportunity, at least in its purest form, was lost. Frankly, I was only a little disappointed. The landscape changes quickly in the restaurant world and this wasn't the first time I'd lost out on a specific dining opportunity. I'd live. But my curiousity persisted.

Since my friend kept referring to Nobuo's mastery over fish and seafood, I never quite put the pieces together in advance of my meal there. But once inside Sea Saw's small and intimate space, the picture started to clear for me. We sat at the counter separating us from the chefs, chatted a bit and sipped sake. Then, without even a mention of menus, Nobuo himself began to prepare our meals. With 5 empty plates in front of him, he began assembling our first course. This was not sushi -- not even close.

Hassun
On small, square black plates with matte finish, the components were carefully arranged. Like an artist creating a composition, Nobou transformed the plates, in just a few moments, from mere conveyers of food to something far more significant. The one in front of me looked like a painting and it was an exact match for the 4 other plates in front of my dining companions. It was simply remarkable. Nobuo described its contents. In the front left corner sat 2 fried, octopus suction cups -- crispy, satifyingly chewy and delicious. In the middle of the plate, facing opposite directions were 2 Japanese soup spoons. One held a small portion of briney soup made from mozuku seaweed and Japanese mountain potato. The other held a magnificent combination of fresh kumamoto oyster, topped with uni, sevruga caviar and wasabi oil. In the top, right corner of the plate was a demitasse filled with warm edamame soup, garnished with caviar, ginger-creme fraiche and gold leaf. Aside from being beautiful and provocative the plate's contents were absolutely delicious.

What followed this auspicious opener was a mind-bending progression of courses that I could have never conceptualized in my wildest dreams. I was suddenly a judge on an episode of Iron Chef, although with this meal, there was no common ingredient, aside from Nobuo's brilliance.

Sashimi
Next up was a beautifully-composed plate of 'sashimi.' This was another square plate -- a white one this time -- which had 9, immaculately-prepared pieces of protein arranged in 3 perfect rows of 3. It wasn't all sashimi, as there was a portion of seared bluefin and a portion of seared duck breast too. Fresh sea bream, scorpion fish and a few others completed the plate, which we devoured methodically, from bottom to top. It was fascinating watching Nobuo and his sous prepare these masterpieces. As Nobuo arranged the primary components, his sous moved along with him, holding a small tackle box-like contraption with about 50 small compartments, each housing a different garnish. Both men used the contents of the box, plus a variety of sauces, freshly-grated wasabi and other components, to build the bites in each of the 9 positions on the 5 plates. It was an amazing process to watch and the results were visually stunning and incredibly delicious.

Ondo Tamago
An extremely tasty combination of sauteed long beans topped and dried shrimp followed. This was served in a small, earthenware bowl, topped with a soft-cooked Jidori chicken egg and then smothered with freshly-shaved black truffle. It was served with house-baked focaccia, which was removed from the oven and sliced at the exact moment our plates were set in front of us. I loved this luxurious dish. It was so rich and comprised of such distinctive, bold flavors. The focaccia was perfect for sopping up the delicious runny yolk and bits of dried shrimp at the bottom of the bowl . . .




Karei Nanban
Our next course was comprised of tender pieces of fried, black-back sole served in a brightly-flavored blood-orange vinaigrette that were resting in a cradle that had been formed from the fish's whole skeleton . . . which had itself, been fried to crispy perfection. I'd always wanted to try this delicacy and it did not disappoint. The fish and sauce were delicious and the crispy-crunchy bones were absolutely amazing. What a tasty combination and finally I'd gotten to try fried fish bones. Wow!




Shabu Shabu
The aromatic, complex and subtle Shabu Shabu which came next was actually served on paper (formed into 'bowls' inside wire-form holders), and then set atop individual burners in front of each diner. This was served with several select pieces of sea bream and Nobuo instructed us on how long to cook the fish before eating it. After we'd finished with our sea bream, Nobuo carefully poured the Ocean Broth (aka dashi) from each sheet of paper into a 'regular' bowl, garnished each with some freshly-grated bonito and served them to us. I loved the simple beauty and resourcefulness of the presentation and I felt special eating Nobuo's personalized rendition of this important dish . . .



Ebi
Next, a whole, grilled, New-Caledonian spot prawn was split lengthwise and served in uni sauce and garnished with uni and caviar. The minimalist presentation was dramatic, and the prawn was extremely tasty -- especially with the sauce and garnishes. It was another fantastic and innovative combination.

Ishyaki
Several slices of stunningly marbled Japanese Kobe beef, which had been marinated in a teriyaki-like sauce, were placed in front of me, along with an extremely hot stone. It was so well-marbled, it looked more white than red and I didn't even notice the marination until, as instructed, I placed a slice of it on the stone in front of me. As soon as I did, the meat began to sizzle and the sweet aroma of the marinade rose up to me. This was another absolutely amazing dish which delighted me in so many ways. I'd never had Kobe beef of this quality before and the preparation was magnificent. I don't think I 'cooked' each piece more than a few seconds on each side. That was enough and the flavors jumped out in ways I never could have anticipated. This was a magnificent dish . . .




Foie Gras
As a first dessert, we were served slabs of seared foie gras, which had been marinated in miso. The foie was served with red and white wine poached-pears and yamamomo (aka bayberries). I was definitely not expecting foie gras at this stage of the meal but this inspired preparation was savory and sweet, creamy and tart and signalled well that the meal was making a turn and winding down.

Desaaru
The final transition from savory to sweet was delivered with an array of satisfying and complex desserts including a creamy yuzu tart in a buttery shell, a lemon goat-cheesecake with orange marmalade, jasmine and pumpkin ice creams and soy caramels. It was a fantastic close to a great adventure of a meal.

After dessert, we chatted for a while and I thought back over all the phenomenal courses we'd enjoyed. I was happy because I'd finally gotten to try so many things that I'd never encountered before -- and they were all quite delicious. It was clear to me that Nobuo, who'd been a great guide, teacher, host and chef for us on this night, was most deserving of his Beard-award nomination. Replaying the meal in my mind, I lost count of how many different techniques and ingredients had to have been used in creating it. When I realized that not one grain of rice had been served, it began to sink in just how thoroughly Nobuo had blown away my expectations, how truly remarkable it all was and how incredibly fortunate I was to be able to experience it. What a perfect way to end our vacation!

=R=

Sea Saw
7133 East Stetson Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480 481-9463

Thanks, once again, to Eliot Wexler for the great images.

Index of places visited:

Las Vegas, NV:

Lotus of Siam
953 E. Sahara Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702 735-3033

Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare (at the Wynn)
3131 Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702 770-3305

Bouchon at the Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, 89109

L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
3799 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, 89109
702 891-7777

Phoenix, AZ

Postino Winecafe'
3939 East Campbell Ave
Phoenix, AZ
602 852-3939

Arlecchino Gelateria
4410 N 40th St.
Phoenix AZ 85018
602 955-2448

In-N-Out Burger
7467 E. Frank Lloyd Wright
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
(and other locations)

Richardson's Cuisine of New Mexico
1582 E Bethany Home Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85014
602 265-5886

The Texaz Grill
6003 N 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602 248-7827

Welcome Diner
924 E Roosevelt St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
602 495-1111

Phoenix Ranch Market
1602 E Roosevelt St
Phoenix, AZ 85006
602 254-6676

Simply Bread
2117 N 24th St
Phoenix, AZ 85008
602 244-1778

Zinc Bistro
Kierland Commons
15034 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85281
480 603-0922

Pane Bianco
4404 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602 234-2100

Binkley's Restaurant
6920 E Cave Creek Rd
Cave Creek, AZ 85331
480 437-1072

Matt's Big Breakfast
801 N 1st St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602 254-1074

Pizzeria Bianco
623 E Adams St
Phoenix, AZ 85004
602 258-8300

Lo-lo's Chicken & Waffles
10 West Yuma Street
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602 340-1304

Sea Saw
7133 East Stetson Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480 481-9463

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Yes, please.

gleam wrote:Yes, please.

Me too, please.

I can't take my eyes off that picture. My salivary glands are having spasms. Suddenly, I understand the concept of Kobe beef. It all makes perfect sense now.

Ronnie's post made a good test subject for something I've been thinking would be neat for a while: a custom Google Map of an LTH Thread.

Since Ronnie put together such a tidy index of the addresses, it was a lot easier, although it is still fairly time consuming. Then again, nothing compared to the time Ronnie put into documenting his trip! Just saving the locations wasn't too bad, although Google's search is kind of quirky and it often takes a quick double search to get the placemarks which actually include the same photos and links that come up when Google Maps hits a place directly. The more time consuming part was putting a link directly to Ronnie's corresponding post in the pop-up bubble, but it seemed like the right way to do it.

The real problem is that you can't share maps for editing, so for threads that don't have such a logical start and end, someone would have to follow pretty closely to keep it up to date -- but I guess Panther in the Den has done that for some threads [ burgers ] [ sandwiches ]. I am optimistic that things like this are only going to get easier, though...

Ronnie- Some questions for you about L'Atelier. I have a reso for next Saturday night. I see that you ordered the discovery menu and the fam ordered ala carte. It's only going to be my husband and me, how would you reccomend we order? I'm thinking similar to how you did it, so we can try more things and usually the dessert is a waste of our courses as two bites is enough for both of us. Or is ordering ala carte really expensive and less interesting. You may have covered this, but I was so distracted by the gorgeous pictures (especially the langostine for some reason), but did you go with a wine pairing or bottles. Usually we go bottle as we both love wine, but in this case, I really want to get the full experience of the food.

nicinchic wrote:Ronnie- Some questions for you about L'Atelier. I have a reso for next Saturday night. I see that you ordered the discovery menu and the fam ordered ala carte. It's only going to be my husband and me, how would you reccomend we order? I'm thinking similar to how you did it, so we can try more things and usually the dessert is a waste of our courses as two bites is enough for both of us. Or is ordering ala carte really expensive and less interesting. You may have covered this, but I was so distracted by the gorgeous pictures (especially the langostine for some reason), but did you go with a wine pairing or bottles. Usually we go bottle as we both love wine, but in this case, I really want to get the full experience of the food.

nicinchic,

You should check out these additional pictures -- of L'Atelier's menus -- at the beginning of this post, which were taken by my friend John Sconzo. They should answer all your questions about the menu. That said, we added one course from the a la carte menu to the Discovery menu and I'm sure that option is available as often as a customer cares to request it.

As for the wine, we ordered a bottle (and planned on another but never got there), which you can see in John's post. But pairings are definitely available. Next time, I'll probably go with the pairings but this time we just weren't up for that much wine.

I'm pretty sure you'll have a great time next Saturday

=R=

edited for typos, repeetedlee

There was a great story about Arlecchino Gelateria, by Michele Laudig, in the May 3 edition of the Phoenix New Times:

Moreno Spangaro's gelato is so good that more than once, someone's tried to steal his secret recipe out of Arlecchino, the pint-sized gelateria he runs next door to La Grande Orange, in a strip mall that houses some of the best taste in town. Turns out, you'd have to kidnap the guy to get his recipes.

"I remember every single recipe by memory," he says, tapping his forehead. "I don't write anything down. If I write a new recipe, I memorize it and trash it."

You'd never get him to talk, though. Gelato is his life — he compares his "commitment" to gelato to a relationship with a woman. One time, a man in a technician's uniform showed up and told one of Spangaro's gelato servers that he was there to service the gelato machine. She immediately became suspicious and called her boss (the "technician" fled before Spangaro got there) because no one is allowed in the back of Arlecchino, not even the shop's employees.

The Big Chill

=R=

Thanks for the tips and the link, I think it answered everything for me. The pictures are amazing.

germuska wrote:Ronnie's post made a good test subject for something I've been thinking would be neat for a while: a custom Google Map of an LTH Thread.

Joe,

Very cool, very cool indeed.

Enjoy,
Gary

RonnieS- Had a very enjoyable evening at L'Atelier. Joel Rubuchon was there and introducing himself around the restaurant, but doesn't speak English. He brought his whole staff of French chefs and they were all over the place. His personal atty was there and I should of had what he had, an amazing lobster.
Our tasting menu was similar to yours. I had the veal instead of the quail, and unfortunately, it was quite tough. Had a fennel infused emulsion, foie gras dish with aspargus. It was delicious, and my husbands only " this is the best I have ever had moment". I wasn't impressed as much with the food as I was of the kitchen. It was like watching an episode of Top Chef. I mean really, the salad chef was being chastised by the head chef for leaving one piece of lettuce on a heart of romaine salad. It had to be pulled off by chef to make it just right.
The bell ringing got to be annoying to me. We asked our waiter if he heard it in his sleep, and he said that the bell doesn't even bother him anymore, it's the least of his worries, and I came to that conclusion by the end of the night.
The food for me was just ehh to good. I think it's a combo of being spoiled by good food in Chicago, and just the over doing of foams and essence. Give me a good sauce on one of the dishes at least. The scallops were supposed to be seared, but ours were like poached, no evidence of searing at all. Two desserts were good, would have been nice if one was chocolate. The strawberry sorbet and pistachio crumble was great.
I also would have liked a wine paring option. I think glasses of wine were $18-25 glass, so we just went bottle. We started with a bellini and a L'Atelier signature cocktail, which my husband loved, I think it was bloody mary like with tequilla.
I thought it was a great experience and the food was interesting, though we didn't have any "too die for", or "oh my god this is so good" moments.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Based on a friend's reminder, we decide to hit Richardson's New Mexican Restaurant, where we'd enjoyed a lunch the last time we were in Phoenix. It's near our hotel, on the way to the ballpark and from what we remember, their food is distinctive and quite tasty.

And it's still quite good. Packed on a Monday (okay, it is Cinco de mayo, but that's Mexico not New Mexico. They said they wouldn't seat a party of 1 at a table, but there was a space at the bar (score -- it would have been an hour wait otherwise).

Pork Chops Chorizo was outstanding: 14oz double-cut chop, butterflied to grill then reassembled with a layer of chorizo in the middle, and a mango-cilantro chutney on top. Served with veggies, beans with more chorizo, and a new mexico chile stuffed with potatoes and browned. $25.

No smoke in the building -- I don't know if AZ laws changed, but louder than heck.

It also appears the same menu is served around the corner, Dick's Hideaway, and some of the same dishes a few blocks north at Rokerij.

http://burningembersphoenix.com/ has locations and menus for all three restaurants.

JoelF wrote:It also appears the same menu is served around the corner, Dick's Hideaway, and some of the same dishes a few blocks north at Rokerij.

I ate at Dick's Hideaway a couple of years ago and found it surprisingly lacking. After a big build up from a trusted local, I was surprised at how bland and uninspired the food was. Dick's was really more of a bar than a restaurant.

stevez wrote:I ate at Dick's Hideaway a couple of years ago and found it surprisingly lacking. After a big build up from a trusted local, I was surprised at how bland and uninspired the food was. Dick's was really more of a bar than a restaurant.

That seems weird seeing as they're identical menus, and the other end of the same corner strip mall. I'd have expected them to be the same.

For that matter, Richardson's seemed to be mostly bar, from my POV.

JoelF wrote:

stevez wrote:I ate at Dick's Hideaway a couple of years ago and found it surprisingly lacking. After a big build up from a trusted local, I was surprised at how bland and uninspired the food was. Dick's was really more of a bar than a restaurant.

That seems weird seeing as they're identical menus, and the other end of the same corner strip mall. I'd have expected them to be the same.

Well, maybe it was an off night when I went, or it could have been the difference in chefs, or it could have been that I was comparing the food to Los Dos Molinos, which is also well worth checking out on your next trip to Phoenix.

stevez wrote:Well, maybe it was an off night when I went, or it could have been the difference in chefs, or it could have been that I was comparing the food to Los Dos Molinos, which is also well worth checking out on your next trip to Phoenix.

I should have mentioned that not only are the menus the same, a Dick's Hideaway menu was placed in front of me while I was at Richardson's, the woman next to me at the bar got one that said Richardson's -- it was whatever was next in the stack.

I still hope to get to Los Dos -- I'm here through Thursday afternoon. It's a long taxi ride, though, might almost be worth renting a car for the day.

Thanks for this thread and for the encouragement to hit Arlecchino, which was the Gelato highlight of the year to me, as good or better than 70% of the gelato I've had in Italy. Rigorously correct and exceptionally delicious - pure grapefruit sorbetto, lush fior di latte, creative flavors, obvious pride in craft and over all a huge pleasure.

Seth Zurer wrote:Thanks for this thread and for the encouragement to hit Arlecchino, which was the Gelato highlight of the year to me, as good or better than 70% of the gelato I've had in Italy. Rigorously correct and exceptionally delicious - pure grapefruit sorbetto, lush fior di latte, creative flavors, obvious pride in craft and over all a huge pleasure.

Glad you enjoyed it and I do hope you brought some back for all of us

=R=