molto e

I wonder what would have happened if Bryan would have said that he was 21...would they have asked for ID...would Bryan have showed his fake ID (if he has one, as those of us may or may not have done back in the day ). When I was underage, if I was served at a restaurant, bar or liquor store than it was a victory, but if not then the establishment was following the law. I was served countless times at countless restaurants, fine dining or beer and wings. Either a place enforced that law or they did not. I recently dined at Houstons with a friend's son ( age 19 or 20) and he was asked for ID and he gave him his fake one. To watch the panic in his eyes as his fake ID was taken to the back and thoughts of not being able to get into the bars back in college was classic . The ID was returned and a beer was served.

Stopped by for some bistro fare on Christmas Eve and Chef Matt Carter and Sous-Chef Jeremy McMillan were in the kitchen and offering a Christmas Tasting Menu: King Crab, Black Winter Truffle Capellini black truffle capellini was out of this world Hazelnut Crusted Sweetbreads, Meyer Lemon Supremes, Jus De Vien and Cavalo Nero the crunchy sweetbreads with a swoosh thru the Jus De Vien was a winner Lamb Ragout, Anise, Pepper Puree and Black Olive Oil Crispy Suckling Pig, Tepary Bean, Mole Gastrique well prepared and tasty Peppermint Chocolate Pot De Creme, Egg Nog Foam, Butter Cookies The cost for the tasting was $55 which was a bargin in my book

December 22, 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey gives the details on Chef Kryssa Kaufman's new Old Scottsdale joint, Union Bar & Grill. Seftel's Dream Week of Dining...Food Critic Howard Seftel outlines what his "Dream Week of Dining" would be in the Valley. (I would add in some gelato at Arlecchino Gelateria...a sandwich at Pane Bianco...scone at Kohnie's...hot dog at Ted's...some bistro grub at Zinc Bistro...some of Chef Brian Lewis's new creations at Vu) Feeding Frenzy - Food Critic Howard Seftel's Blog...Howard may not have liked the fare at Star Spangled Tavern owned by Peter Kasperski and Jimmy Carlin, but he loves their spot next door, Baroque Luxe Lounge. From the Phoenix New Times: Mary Elaine's at the Phoenician...Food Critic Michele Laudig was "not swept off her feet..chemistry just wasn't there" at the fine dining offering at the Phoenician, Mary Elaine's. From the Tucson Citizen: Time for tamales in Tucson...C.J. Karamargin writes a brief history of the tamale at Christmas time and where to get them in Tucson. Las Cazuelitas...C.J. Karamargin says that "When it comes to Las Cazuelitas I can't help but think of a line from an old mariachi song: Quiero volver, volver, volver. (I want to return, return, return.)" Meet the chef: Giuseppe Ali, Michelangelo Ristorante Italiano...C.J. Karamargin performs the Q&A with Chef Giuseppe Ali of Michelangelo Ristorante Italiano. From Tucson Weekly: Ferranti's Fine Foods...Renee Downing treasures the offerings of Ferranti's Fine Foods. Noshing Around with Karyn Zoldan...Karyn Zoldan checks in with some of the culinary goings on in the "Old Pueblo"(she is also looking for some good latkes in Tucson). Good Eating, Molto E

December 16, 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Star Spangled Tavern...Food Critic Howard Seftel ponders the old saying,"Too many cooks spoil the broth ( I thought it was stew)" with the new joint venture between Peter Kasperski (Cowboy Ciao, SEA SAW, Kazimierz World Wine Bar) and Jimmy Carlin (Blue Wasabi) named Star Spangled Tavern. From the Phoenix New Times: Mr. Chao's Asia Bistro...Food Critic Michele Laudig reviews Mr. Chao's Asia Bistro and finds some of the food reminiscent of the original cuisine of China Chili. As it turns out, she is correct because the owners of Mr. Chao were the original owners of China Chili. From the Tucson Citizen: Terra Cotta...Food Critic C.J. Karamargin leaves a dinner at Terra Cotta with more questions than answers. ( I think Terra Cotta has not been the same since it left St. Phillip's Plaza and moved to the current location) Restaurant Notebook...Dina Doolen checks in with some of the culinary goings on in the "Old Pueblo". From Tucson Weekly: FioRito's...John Peck likes the energy that new Executive Chef E.J. Marx brings to FioRito's. Noshing Around...Karyn Zoldan checks in with some of the culinary goings on in the "Old Pueblo". Good Eating, Molto E

Doc, Did they have multiple presentation occuring at the same time or one at a time? Did you get a feel as to the make up of the audience..."foodies", professionals or a combination. After attending both the New York and Napa conferences, do you have any new restaurants that you want to try on your next trip to Spain? Molto E

For those looking for a holiday gift, coffee table book or some serious food porn then the first book of photos from Chefs Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot of the "Ideas In Food" blog is a must have:

For those looking for a holiday gift, coffee table book or some serious food porn then the first book of photos from Chefs Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot of the "Ideas In Food" blog is a must have:

Arlecchino Gelateria: A Taste of Italy in Arcadia As summer arrives in Phoenix, where can you find fresh seasonal fruit right off the vine and cool down at the same time? Arlecchino Gelateria, that’s where! Owners Marina and Moreno Spangaro left Italy, found the Valley of the Sun, and opened Arlecchino Gelateria in Phoenix’s Arcadia district in January. With them, they brought the know-how to make the finest artisan gelato I have ever tasted. I know I’m not the only one who is awakened in the night by dreams of Pistachio, Cortina (roasted almond with lingonberry), Blood Orange (sadly, the season is just now ending) and the other addictive flavors of Arlecchino Gelateria. I’m told there is also a future entrepreneur, a high school kid, who prepaid for 100 scoops in order to receive a bulk discount! Why didn’t I think of that? And then there are those groups of parents and their children who stop at Arlecchino on their way home from school everyday for their after school treat . . . or should I say fix? What am I doing there everyday? Research. Yeah, that’s it, research. The gelato craze has hit Phoenix, and with Arlecchino, we are lucky to have trained and seasoned gelato makers. A couple of years ago, Moreno Spangaro walked into his favorite gelateria in Trieste, Italy and asked famed gelato maestro Fabio Sacchetto for an apprenticeship. The “Maestro” had never considered taking on an apprentice, but he told Moreno, “Today is your lucky day. You start TONIGHT.” Moreno swore an oath (yes, we are talking gelato, but this is Italy, after all) that he would never open a shop in Italy or divulge the recipes without the consent of the “Maestro.” For two years, Moreno worked 14 hours a day for no wage learning the ins and outs of artisan gelato. “To make gelato the way that I make it, there are no short cuts. A short cut does not exist. There is only one way to make it from A-Z. Any other way to make the gelato does not exist for me, for other gelato shops -- yes, but not for me. It’s a way of life for Italians to make authentic gelato. Italians grow up with it and it is an entire culture; a lot of passion to make the finest gelato.” In Italy, interested “Gelatartios” (the official term in Italy for a gelato maker) go to Gelateria Schools, which are similar to culinary schools in the U.S., to learn the trade. Shops in Italy that prepare the gelato to the proper standard of quality are given certificates of authenticity. This level of uniform supervision and quality control is something that does not exist in the United States. In fact, most gelato shops in the United States don’t even make their bases or flavors from scratch. Instead, they purchase pre-made bases and flavorings. True to his Italian schooling, Moreno’s credo is “Quality, Quality, Quality”, and he never uses pre-made ingredients. In Italy, to be considered a proper Gelateria, the gelato must be made from scratch. Moreno explains how important this is: “If you buy the bases and flavors pre-made from some company, that means you are using the same product that thousands of other gelato shops that buy the same product use. The gelato has no character; this is what I do not like about the modern way some people make gelato. If you make everything from scratch, you use your own recipe and everything, then it is YOU. If the product is bad, it is your fault and if the product is outstanding, it is because of YOU that the product is outstanding. If you buy the bases and flavorings then say that you make the best gelato, then really what you are saying is that you make the best gelato that the other thousand companies serve as well. That is not character! ‘It is nice. It is very nice to see the finished product when you make it. It is like a baby. You have a baby in your stomach, you wait for months and it is your own creation.” Seasonality is something that Moreno takes very seriously. His fruit gelatos come from freshly squeezed fruit, never frozen, and never out of season. “For example what you have to keep in mind is when you work with seasonal fruit, how is it possible to go into a gelato shop in June, July or August and find fresh Blood Orange gelato? Why do people believe that is fresh squeezed fruit? It is not fresh squeezed, because you can not find that particular fruit in that season.” I usually am not a big fan of fruit gelatos, but the fruit gelatos at Arlecchino are truly distinctive. Moreno’s use of fresh, organic fruit is one major reason why. One of Moreno’s fruit purveyors is McClendon’s Select, which grows Certified Organic citrus. Moreno squeezes between 14 and 22 pounds of fresh fruit to make one pan of gelato. “Fruit gelato is not easy to make if you use fresh fruit, because each fruit has a different sugar content and different ratio of solids to liquids. If the gelato is not balanced properly, it will freeze in the case.” Arlecchino offers 18 flavors a day and I have eaten my way around the display case without being able to narrow one down as my favorite. The pistachio is made from 100% Sicilian pistachios, which are considered to be some of the best the world has to offer. Moreno could use California pistachios which can be very good -- and are a quarter of the price of the Sicilian -- but he loves the terroir of Sicily. His chocolate gelato contains six different kinds of chocolate: three varieties of pure brut and extra brut cocoa powder from different origins and three different kinds of dark and extra dark chocolate. He combines all these components to create a deep, complex and unique flavor of chocolate. On Fridays and Saturdays, Amaretto gelato is a special flavor that is not to be missed. Even now, I am starting to get that feeling that slips into my soul at the slightest thought of Arlecchino. See you there! (article from Edible Phoenix) Phoenix Best Bets: Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Sea Saw Binkley's Restaurant Zinc Bistro Cyclo Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Kohnies-Coffee, Breakfast and Best Scones Pizzeria Bianco Pane Bianco - Chris Bianco's sandwich shop Matt's Big Breakfast Arlecchino Gelateria The Pork Shop Grazie Pizzeria

December 10, 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale...Food Critic Howard Seftel says the Chef Brian Lewis's fare is 5 star, but has some issues with the service and color scheme. Coming Attractions for 2007...In Howard's blog, he previews restaurant openings for 2007 ( add one more to that list, Chef Kevin Binkley just signed a lease on a spot right up the street from his eponymous place in Cave Creek). Wrapp-N-Frappe Gourmet Wraps and Smoothies...In Carey Sweet's Dining Column, she takes the "wraps" off Wrap-N-Frappe, a new North Scottsdale spot. From the Phoenix New Times: Sonora Brewhouse...Food Critic Michele Laudig reviews the better than the typical bar fare at Sonora Brewhouse. From the Tucson Citizen: Dining Southern Arizona Style...Dina Doolen suggests some novel spots around Southern Arizona to grab a bite. Barrio Food & Drink...Food Critic C.J. Karamargin offers another reason to go downtown for a bite, Barrio Food & Drink. Holiday Dining Options...A List of some of the Tucons holiday dining options. Ventana Canyon names new chef..."Mark Ehrler is replacing Phillipe Trosch as executive chef of Loews Ventana Canyon Resort". Meet the Chef: Ute U. Gascho, Magpies Gourmet Pizza...C.J. Karamargin performs a Q & A with Ute U. Gascho, Magpies Gourmet Pizza. From Tucson Weekly: BK...Rita Connely started off reviewing a steak house as it morphed into a place serving,"burros, tacos, tortas and those famous hot dogs". Noshing Around...Karyn Zolden gives some updates on the culinary goings on in Tucson. Good Eating, Molto E

Lo-Lo’s Sings My Song Fried chicken and waffles. To the uninitiated, it’s the strangest combination of food ever. To those who’ve experienced this fusion of delectables, it’s another story. Your mouth starts to water at the mere thought of it. As someone who has eaten this dish (and eaten it, and eaten it), I must say this unlikely duet is sweet music to my ears. The story goes that the combination of chicken and waffles was created in 1938 at Wells Restaurant in Harlem to serve nightclub goers who could not decide if they wanted dinner or breakfast after a late night of revelry. Fortunately for Valley residents, the concept made its journey West, and in my opinion, the best-tasting fried chicken and waffles is served right here in Phoenix at Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken & Waffles. Larry “Lo-Lo” White Jr. is the maestro who makes this temple of crispy, juicy fried chicken and buttery golden waffles one of the hardest places in town to get into during lunchtime. Larry was born into the restaurant business, as his grandmother is Elizabeth White of Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Café, the home of soul food in Phoenix for the past 42 years. (True to its name, at the Golden Rule when it’s time to pay you walk up to the register and tell the cashier what you had for lunch, as no check is written.) Larry’s father, Larry White Sr., has been cooking at Mrs. White’s since he was in seventh grade. “Lo-Lo” got his start in the family business at the age of 3: “I would bring drinks to the table one at a time with both hands wrapped around the glass. When I was not bringing drinks to the table then I would play Army Man with a pot on my head as a helmet.” Larry learned the restaurant business from the inside and out as a busboy, waiter, cook or whatever role that his family put him into. In 1997, after working as a record producer for an independent label, Larry hatched the idea for Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken & Waffles. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Café would close at 5 p.m. and would reopen late at night as Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken & Waffles. Larry says, “It really took off. I got my own clientele and people really took to the chicken-and-waffle thing.” In 2000, a customer of late night Lo-Lo’s told Larry that he had the perfect place for him to open his own restaurant. The space was on Yuma Street right off Central behind a furniture store. Upon seeing the location, Larry’s wife was not so sure, declaring that “Nobody’s ever going to come and eat here.” Although the physical restaurant took a little longer to finalize than Larry had planned, in August 2002, Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken & Waffles opened at its very own location. “I had the vision the whole time,” Larry says. “When I first saw the building, I said the Phoenix Suns are going to eat here, the Arizona Cardinals, and Charles Barkley is going to come thru my door.” And come they did. In a tradition started at Mrs. White’s, celebrities autograph the white walls at Lo-Lo’s. The signatures of nearly every local athlete, including “Sir Charles,” adorn the walls of the restaurant. The athlete who comes most often, Suns center Amare Stoudemire, always orders the #1 (“KK’S with 3 pc chix prepared southern style, 2 waffles, 2 eggs w/ cheese & onions and cheese grits”). Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is also a big fan of Lo-Lo’s and has been quoted as saying that it is his favorite place to eat. On the Fridays of Arizona Cardinal home games, Lo-Lo’s caters the meal at the practice facility for the entire team and staff. A number of famous musical performers have also eaten at Lo-Lo’s including E-40, Too Short, DMX and Cassidy, to name a few. What is it about Lo-Lo’s that has patrons spilling into the street trying to get a seat to eat fried chicken and waffles? Larry says, “It’s Grandma’s fried chicken recipe on steroids—I tweaked it out a little. Grandma does not add as much seasoning as I do and sometimes slaps my hand, because she thinks I add too much! The seasoning is Grandma’s Secret Seasoning, that is a secret between my Grandma, my father and myself. My wife does not even know that recipe and she is real mad about that.” As for the waffles, “That was Grandma’s hotcake recipe but I added a little cinnamon.” Whatever the secret, I cannot get enough of Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken & Waffles. The menu has every combination of chicken, waffles, eggs and grits, served smothered or not. There is also an array of Southern-style sides such as smothered potatoes, mac & cheese, candy sweets, beans over rice, greens and corn bread. What does Lo-Lo order? The “Lo-Lo”, of course, (“3pc. chix prepared southern style with a couple splashes of Red Rooster hot sauce, w/ 2 waffles to which adds pecans”), all served with a glass of milk. If the Lo-Lo does not suit your fancy, you will not go wrong if you order the “Soulfood Platter” (“3 pc chix southern fried or smothered in gravy and onions or your choice of catfish or red snapper filleted and pan fried in Lo-Lo’s special batter w/ 2 sides and cornbread”). The sides that I always order with my platter are the mac & cheese, the beans over rice, and the cheese grits or home fries (well done). All chicken is cooked to order so sometimes during the lunch rush you see the chicken on its way to another table, and it’s difficult to practice the patience necessary not to jump up and grab a piece. Says Larry, “Sorry I could not grow fast enough for Phoenix. Bring a little patience and once we serve it to you, you will get the best.” Not to worry though, Lo-Lo’s will be expanding its current capacity with an expected completion date of January 2008. What does the future hold for Lo-Los Chicken and Waffles? Larry says, “My ultimate goal is to have one of these in Scottsdale, next to the Ocean Club or Benihana’s. People would ask, ‘What is that shack?’ …Live blues, chicken and waffles—that would be great!” Lo-Lo’s Fried Chicken and Waffles 10 W. Yuma Street, Phoenix (602) 340-1304 Closed Mondays, open Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Article from Edible Phoenix) Phoenix Best Bets: Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Sea Saw Binkley's Restaurant Zinc Bistro Cyclo Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Kohnies-Coffee, Breakfast and Best Scones Pizzeria Bianco Pane Bianco - Chris Bianco's sandwich shop Matt's Big Breakfast Arlecchino Gelateria The Pork Shop Grazie Pizzeria

Doc, I do not think that Mexican food is that picturesque, but your shots are very nice. You really did the GTM of Salt Lake City and the food scence seems to have come a long way from the last time I was there (when a certain #23 hit a last shot oh those were the days). Molto E

I walked into Moto at 9:45pm after trying a mediocre sushi stop for the first time and the staff led by Matt Gundlach put together a 6 course tasing on the fly (no pics or notes, so this is from memory). First Course: Hamachi & orange paired with larmandier bernier, 1ER Cru Blanc De Blancs, vertus brut nv nice opener...clean and fresh hamachi with a carbonated orange...when I squeezed the orange, it was like drinking a orange crush with the orange bubbling all over the place...I squeezed the orange over the hamachi and then into my mouth Second Course: Maple Squash Cake paired with balthazaar ress, Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen, riesling, spatlese, rheingau2002 on one side of the plate was squash cubes with bacon and on the other side of the plate was a frozen delicata squash foam...foam was absolutely outstanding...the texture of the frozen foam and flavor WOW! Third Course: BBQ Pork with the fixin's paired with sutton cellars, 50/50, carignane/ grenache, california 2001 on one side of the plate was a pork jowl with bbq sauce - Moto style and on the other side of the plate a cube of bread dipped in squid ink (to look like a piece of charcoal) and then into a liquid nitrogen bath so that it is frozen...we were instructed to eat the pork first which would give the bread cube time to thaw and then use the bread to slop up the sauce...flavor of the sauce and the pork was good (though I may have used pork belly rather than jowl but I am just splitting whiskers )...I do not think the frozen aspect of the cube added to the dish, but that did not stop me from leaving a clean plate Fourth Course: 2&3 dimensional truffle this was an edible picture of cotton candy flavored paper and a truffle with a cotton candy liquid filling...successful in flavoring (choice between this and the real thing, put me down for the real thing- though that is not the point of the course) Fifth Course: Chili-Cheese nachos paired with elio perrone, Sourgal, moscato d'asti 2005 This course is in the same vein as the Fat Duck beet and blood orange jellies, meaning that it may look like Chili-Cheese nachos but it is not what it looks like. This course was absolute genius this was the "best in class" example of this kind of dish that I have ever eaten. Since I have no notes some of the components will not be exact, but the point will not be lost. The elements of the dish: tortilla chips dipped in simple syrup (think frosted flake tortilla chips), guacamole looking thing was Kiwi ( could be totally wrong), sour cream was a sweet mascarpone exact texture of sour cream, ground beef size little bits of chocolate and as the shredded cheese there was a frozen shredded orange sorbet of some kind. So you grab a chip and scoop up the elements like you would nachos and here is where it gets weird and fantastic at the same time. How many times in your life have you eaten nachos? The look and mouthfeel are dead ringers for the real thing...you know that you are eating a dessert course, but when you put a chip in your mouth your brain is telling you nachos so your taste memory for a split second imagines the savory version and you are thinking weird not good, but then your tastebuds take over and the sweetness comes thru. After one bite, I was unsure what I really just experienced. I also noticed the look on my friend's face and he seemed to be going thru the same thing. I scoop up another bite with some of the ground beef looking chocolate bits...happens again initial mouthfeel tricks me and I am weirded out then the sweetness comes thru then laughter. Pastry Chef Ben Roche hit it out of the park with this dish. To be able to execute this dish successfully on so many different levels is quite an achievement. BRAVO Course Six: Flapjacks prepared tableside paired with meinklang, Trokenbeerenauslese, bouvier, burgenland 2001 A griddle is brought to the table that has been dipped in liquid nitrogen so that when the pancake mix (cooked pancakes pureed into a liquid form) is poured on the griddle, the pancakes are frozen seared. The tiny frozen flapjack is placed on a spoon with a drop of Steve's Blis Bourbon Barrel Maple Syrup on it. Well, after tasting the syrup there is now a bottle of the syrup in my cabinet. I had not been to Moto in about a year and this quick taste has made me want to plan a GTM as soon as possible.

http://www.opentable.com/rest_profile.aspx?rid=3372 Cafe Ba Ba Reeba out of Chicago has a branch in Vegas

Zinc Bistro—From Classic to Moderne The best chef in Phoenix is … ahhh … truly a tough question. The Phoenix area has (i) four chefs who have won the James Beard Foundation’s award for “Best Chef” of the Southwest, (ii) one chef who won “Iron Chef America,” (iii) five chefs who have won Food and Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef” award, and (iv) a couple other chefs for whom I would gladly walk over hot coals in order to get a dinner reservation at their restaurants. Given the difficulty in answering the best chef question, I thought who better to ask than award-winning Chef Christopher Gross of Christopher’s Fermier Brasserie. When I asked Christopher who he deemed to be the best chef in Phoenix, he replied, “Matt Carter of Zinc Bistro is the best chef in town. He has a great palate—not a lot of chefs do, some are more technicians—and he is not caught up in the BS of it all. He is an animal behind the line; to be able to produce that kind of quality at the volume that he does takes talent.” So off I went to Zinc Bistro to talk with Chef Matt Carter. Carter told me he was born and bred in Phoenix. His father Mike, an ASU graduate, owns Carter’s Men’s Clothing on 44th Street in Phoenix. Carter graduated from Arcadia High School and then attended Scottsdale Culinary Institute. Soon after graduating from SCI, he landed a job at a little bistro named La Chaumiere. While he always had an affinity for France, inherited from his mother, the opportunity to work at the bistro caused everything to fall into place. After a short stint at La Chaumiere, Carter left Scottsdale and headed to Paris for a year to further refine his skills. Upon his return to Phoenix, he was hired by Chef Gross and his culinary career took off. Carter says, “I can’t explain when or where it happened … I was into food, loved food, I cooked, I worked hard, at some point 6 or 9 months into it, food just made sense. Where before it didn’t, I always thought it did but I did not understand the big picture of cooking. It wasn’t like a bolt of lightning, it was something simple. We did a Beard dinner at Christopher’s that Charlie Trotter, Drew Nierpont, Norman Van Aiken, Robin Haas, Chuck Wiley and a couple of wine makers attended. Working that party and hanging out with the chefs afterwards … smoking cigars and drinking port … it made me realize that this is what I want to do, this is what it is about. It was not just cooking as much as it was taking care of people and the camaraderie in the business and how many new things there were going on out there.” Carter became chef de cuisine at Christopher’s. He then seized a rare opportunity and went to Napa, California, to work at the French Laundry for Chef Thomas Keller. After his time at the French Laundry he returned to Phoenix as executive chef for Michael’s at the Citadel and while working there he met Terry Ellisor who would later become his partner in Zinc Bistro. Zinc opened in January 2002 when the Kierland Shopping Center was not remotely close to resembling the robust center it is today. At that point, the shops were not yet open and the only restaurants that were open were Morton’s, P.F. Chang’s and Zinc. Carter notes that “there were a couple of people who said that we were too far north and everyone is down in Phoenix … nothing was going to happen up here. Not only did we start off with very simple bistro classic stuff, also the verbiage on the menu was kind of like ‘don’t use French words’ because they scare people away. It was a really timid start, which is not really my background, but that is just what made sense. My whole goal was to slowly integrate complicated classic dishes with some of the simple classics that we started out with. We love the style, the look, the feeling of a French Bistro, but the menu has completely evolved from that and taken on a life of its own.” For me Zinc’s bistro classics are the ultimate comfort food. They’re the dishes I could eat every day. Just the sight and smell of these creations elevate my mood. Some of the classic dishes from Zinc’s opening day are still on the menu such as the prime flat iron steak with shallot and brandy au poivre with the best pommes frites (French fries) in town. This dish gets better each and every time I eat it. After a hard day the only thing that can right my ship is another bistro classic, a bowl of onion soup served with the Gruyere cheese all bubbling and crusted atop a crouton floating on a rich broth. Or maybe a steaming bowl of mussels and their intoxicating aromas of garlic, wine and herbs will do. I can never get enough of the frisee and spinach salad with its sherry bacon vinaigrette. The salad is adorned with a poached egg that lends its golden yolk to put this dish over the top. I am not alone in my reverence of bistro classics and Zinc Bistro because for most of the year Matt Carter and Sous-Chef Jeremy McMillan serve 700 to 1,000 diners a day! Matt never envisioned doing these kind of numbers at Zinc. They projected that if they could serve 150 lunches and maybe a 100 dinners a day they would be happy. The first Christmas season after opening, it became clear that the restaurant would far surpass their expectations. They initially thought it was simply a strong Christmas season or a fluke and that come February the restaurant would quiet down. But to their surprise, the diners kept coming in droves. But you do yourself a disservice if you stick with the tried and true simple bistro classics portions of the menu. The next time you go to Zinc Bistro try Carter’s newer, more complex creations. For example, on a recent lunch menu the tapenade-seared ahi tuna salad on socca cake with fingerling potatoes, espelette remoulade, picholine and nicoise olives and extra virgin olive oil was a dream. The tuna was enhanced by the tapenade crust and a tangy fingerling potato salad and perched on a socca cake base (made with chickpea flour). tapenade-seared ahi tuna salad on socca cake with fingerling potatoes, espelette remoulade, picholine and nicoise olives and extra virgin olive oil Grilled prawn and melon salad, mint crackle pepper and lime The grilled halibut chowder was a beautiful dish that is Matt’s riff on New England clam chowder. A perfectly grilled piece of halibut rested on little pieces of Spanish chorizo, celery, corn and clams with an artichoke barigoule. The halibut is very well complemented by this fusion of Basque and Provencal flavors. Halibut "chowder" If you are in that sandwich kind of mood, the choice is difficult. The Zinc burger is known as one of the best in town, but I would steer you towards the crispy duck confit sandwich, the open-face prosciutto-celery and Fontina melt or the crispy confit Berkshire pork on grilled rustic bread. On my last trip to Zinc, I devoured the crispy confit of Berkshire pork with four spiced apple puree, pickled shallot and truffle aioli with a heap of the house fries. This unctuous medley of ingredients was pure harmony in the mouth. From the apple puree to the pickled shallot dancing in truffle aioli, it made a sumptuous lunch. Fontina, Proscuitto melt, shaved celery and piquillo aioli sherried white bean salad, frisse and piquillo pepper crispy confit Berkshire pork on grilled rustic bread gratin of Crottin de Chavignol (Goat, Loire Valley, France) prune aigre doux, vanilla and black truffle honey, grilled rye and picked thyme The dinner menu at Zinc Bistro stretches even more of the bistro classics. At a recent dinner I started with the crispy mustard-crusted skate wing with heirloom tomatoes, purslane with a barigoule vinaigrette and crispy shallots. Skate is actually a classic dish in a bistro, but a recent addition to the menu. crispy mustard-crusted skate wing with heirloom tomatoes, purslane with a barigoule vinaigrette and crispy shallots An appetizer that must not be missed is the squab and foie gras featuring seared squab breast, confit leg and thigh, seared foie gras with honey braised cipollini, crispy leeks, and Tennessee grits. The flavors on this plate meshed together so well and the grits were some of the dreamiest I have ever tasted. squab and foie gras featuring seared squab breast, confit leg and thigh, seared foie gras with honey braised cipollini, crispy leeks, and Tennessee grits Alaskan king crab, milk poached bacon and romaine "packets", butter poached king crab Entrees include the rosemary roast Jidori chicken with a crispy leg confit on a bed of bucatini pasta, with confit duck gizzards, cocks combs, sweet corn and a sherry reduction with marjoram. The Jidori chicken is a cage-free, natural grain fed chicken that is a chef favorite. The chicken was roasted to perfection with golden, crispy skin and juicy meat. rosemary roast Jidori chicken with a crispy leg confit on a bed of bucatini pasta, with confit duck gizzards, cocks combs, sweet corn and a sherry reduction with marjoram Matt spins the classic cassoulet into the Zinc duck cassoulet. It features a La Belle duck breast laying on a bed of cauliflower and pistachio puree with a crock of housemade foie gras sausage with white beans and charred tomato ragout accompanied by a crispy leg confit, espelette pepper and banyuls gastrique. This dish was out of this world and I had a hard time deciding which part of the plate to attack first. I kept coming back to the foie gras sausage and white bean ragout. Zinc duck cassoulet The heritage Berkshire country rib with organic turnips and carrots, apple and bacon lardons with a juniper marshmallow side was everything that comfort food should be. The country rib is from the shoulder, which is the most marbled end of the loin. The pork is served with a sherry and juniper demi-glace, and the juniper marshmallow dip is offered to add texture and sweetness to the dish. heritage Berkshire country rib with organic turnips and carrots, apple and bacon lardons juniper marshmallow side Grilled thyme marinated Swordfish - Broccoli and Vermont Cheddar fondue, corn panisse, jus de viande, creamed Smithfield ham wild sturgeon, foie gras and lobster mousseline, braised arugula, golden chanterelle and coffee with port Onglet a la Bordelaise - grilled hanger steak, fingerling potatoes bound with bone marrow butter, red wine reduction, shallots and parsley mustard braised shortrib and bacon smoked onion soubise, house pickle relish, whipped housemade peanut butter cheese plate featuring Pierre Robert, AOC Bleu d'Avergne, Raw Milk Queso Mahon As for dessert, how can you pass up a classic chocolate soufflé? I can’t and I didn’t. But if you order more than one dessert, the pistachio cheesecake that is resting in a chocolate cup with peanut butter and candied pistachio is reminiscent of a Reese’s peanut butter cup on steroids. chocolate soufflé Valrhona chocolate torte, banana ice cream and brulee, with Piment d'Espelette pistachio cheesecake, chocolate and candied pistachio with peanut butter From bistro classics to much more complex fare, Matt Carter is indeed a chef to watch. I look forward to experiencing the continuing evolution of Carter and Zinc Bistro. (article from Edible Phoenix) Phoenix Best Bets: Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Sea Saw Binkley's Restaurant Zinc Bistro Cyclo Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Kohnies-Coffee, Breakfast and Best Scones Pizzeria Bianco Pane Bianco - Chris Bianco's sandwich shop Matt's Big Breakfast Arlecchino Gelateria The Pork Shop Grazie Pizzeria

December 1, 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Rio Sabor...Food Critic Howard Seftel shows off his Brasilian side at Rio Sabor. The Grill at the TPC...Howard hails the beef at the Grill at the TPC, but faults almost everything else starting at the hostess stand and some of the "bland side dishes". From the Phoenix New Times: Taneko Japanese Tavern...Food Critic Michele Laudig enjoys the new concept from PF Chang's, Tanenko Japanese Tavern. Joe's Farm Grill...Michele makes the trek out to Gilbert and loves Joe Johnson's new offering Joe's Farm Grill. For those of you are familiar with Taylor's Automatic Refresher in Napa and SF then you will notice touches of Taylor's at the Farm Grill. From the Tucson Citizen: Find NW passage...Food Critic C.J. Karamargin writes about the new restaurant row forming on north Oracle Road. Si! Grille Modern Mexican Cuisine...C.J. reviews the mixed results at Si! Grille Modern Mexican Cuisine. From Tucson Weekly: Bistro at Las Candelas ...Renee Downing finds the Bistro at Las Candelas to be "an almost willfully obscure, offbeat, lovable gem of a place". Noshing Around...Karyn Zolden highlights El Ojito Springs Center for Creativity and Coffeehouse, Tucson recipients of the "AAA Diamond Award" and New Beginnings canned food drives. From Edible Phoenix: The Winter edition of Edible Phoenix contains articles on: Chiltepines - Hot and Wild Native Chiles Delicious Bounty Does Grow On Trees Gruet Winery - Land of Enchanting Sparklers The Twelve Tamales Of Christmas Zinc Bistro Fields of Plenty - A Farmer's Journey in Search of Real Food and the People Who Grow It Keeping It Safe In The Kitchen Feast In The Desert Valley Bites Good Eating, Molto E

Percyn, The last time that I was there, Wagyu was an option, Nebraska Ribeye and I do not recall if the Onglet was on the menu ( I will check my menus). As far as what to order, I think the degustation may change a bit so you will have to see what is offered that night. If I go with others we end up ordering a little of everything. They will also substitute courses if you want to change up the tasting a bit. Have Fun, Molto E

Bartolotta's at the Wynn does lunch and they do have a tasting menu that is not listed on the menu

Doc, Not many people in any business including chefs would be as open with "trade secrets" as Chef Adria is. He is an innovator not only for what he has created but for the subsequent waves of creativity that ripple out from Roses. He does not take enough credit for his business acumen. To see the development of the El Bulli brand even over the last few years is remarkable. When will you post your pictures from the conference...I am sure you have quite a collection. Best, Molto E

I have received more insight from the Locatelli book than I ever have from the Hazan books (i hope that is not sacrilege). I would love to see the photos that did not make the book as I enjoyed the way they captured the spirit of the recipes and text. I would highly recommend the book if one is a fan of Italian cooking and cuisine

I don't know about the Fry's thing...

November 17, 2006 From the Arizona Republic: Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey details Tonto Bar and Grill's "Award of Excellence" by Wine Spectator Magazine and the opening of an offshoot of Frank and Lupe's, Santos Lounge. Tradiciones...Food Critic Howard Seftel gives a very positive review of Phoenix Ranch Market's restaurant Tradiciones. Olive and Ivy...Food Critic Michele Laudig reviews the new Waterfront offering, Olive and Ivy. From the Tucson Citizen: Thanksgiving Recipes From Tucson Chefs...The Taste Plus section put together Thanksgiving recipes from Tucson Chefs. Meet The Chef - Jan Osipowicz, Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort ...C.J. Karamargin performs a Q&A with Jan Osipowicz of the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort. Good Eating, Molto E

I had dinner at Everest over the last year and was completely disappointed and Joho was in the house. This was a restaurant that I looked forward to trying for quite some time. IMO, there are much better choices in town.

Doc, I read a review of Redd by Patricia Wells and have wanted to give it a try. Now that I have seen your TASTY shots of the cuisine then it will be a must next time in the area. The shots are very nice as the lighting looks very good. Molto E

11-11-2006 From the Arizona Republic: We could learn from French joy of eating ...Food critic Howard Seftel returns from a vacation in France with an apreciation of the French culinary attitude. When You Wish Upon (Three) Stars...In Howard's blog, he details a meal in Cancale, France at Michelin 3 star rated Olivier Roellinger's Maisons de Bricourt. Howard was so moved by his meal there that he wonders why the valley does not have a "Roellinger". I have been told by an American Michelin starred chef that he feels that Chef Olivier Roellinger may be the best chef in France and based on Howard's reaction, I have no doubt!! Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey gives details on; the wine program at Vino 100, Thanksgiving Menus at Vu and Cafe ZuZu, and a trivia answer. From the Phoenix New Times: Quiessence Restaurant and Wine Bar...Food Critic Michele Laudig is wowed by the seasonal fare of Quiessence Restaurant and Wine Bar. From the Tucson Citizen: Primo Restaurant...Food Critic C.J. Karamargin says the food lives up to the name at Primo Restaurant. Meet the Chef: Tom Hollywood...C.J. Karamargin performs a Q&A with Soleil Chef Tom Hollywood. Good Eating, Molto E

Unless you plan on making it out to Keyah Grande prior to January then cancel your plans...the next chapter in the Careers of Chefs Aki Kamozawa and H. Alexander Talbot is in the making....details to follow. Good Luck!!! Molto E