An Arizona-based food, beverage and travel writer since 2008, I launched this website in 2015 to document my culinary adventures, beverage escapades, gardening endeavors, and travel in the Phoenix area and beyond. Also find a comprehensive calendar of Phoenix-area food and drink-related events on my Events page.
I publish round-ups every Tuesday as a photo recap of my recent drinking and dining adventures. You can read past Rubee Tuesdays HERE.
WorldClass Argentine beef tenderloin at B&B Cocktail Lounge in Old Town Scottsdale
Thursday, December 21:B&B Cocktail Lounge (Old Town Scottsdale). Researching for a Spritz cocktail assignment for Experience Scottsdale, I stopped by B&B to sample a couple of their newest cocktails. A fun (and delicious!) shareable carafe coming to the "Make it a Party" cocktail menu in January is the Snap Sparkle Spritz with Jaya prosecco, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, gold glitter, and guests' choice of citrus (grapefruit, orange, lime, or lemon).
I will also be featuring the Hi Barbie Spritz made with Chandon sparkling rosé and soda water mixed with Lillet Blanc, vodka, and fresh watermelon juice. We had just as much fun at dinner, starting with the Charcuterie Tower and then sharing a juicy grilled Argentine beef filet from WorldClass and award-winning Devesa Beef. Of course, I had to end with a nightcap from their acclaimed whiskey list - thank you to Bailey who introduced me to of her favorites (and now mine!): Leopold Bros. Three Chamber Rye.
Friday, December 22: Talavera (Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale). I hadn’t been to Talavera in (sadly) three years, and wow! I am loving this latest menu with Chef de Cuisine Emmanuel Urban and his team.
And thank you to Beverage Manager Dean Cabeza, who surprised me with a special Negroni!
It was great to see Dave Fernandez, who knew us from prior visits and guided us with menu suggestions, including a fantastic tableside bone marrow steak tartare by Chef Eddy. Other outstanding highlights included an amuse of chia seed cracker with sweet potato and kumquat; croquettes with jamón Ibérico de bellota; gambas al ajillo; duck breast with duck jus reduction and sweet potato mille-feuille; Talavera paella with lobster, prawns, pork belly, mussels, clams, chicken, and chorizo; chocolate ring with hazelnut and white truffle ice cream; and smoked cheesecake.
Saturday, December 23:The Italian Daughter (North Scottsdale) When Chef Vittorio told me about some of the seafood dishes on the special holiday menu (including his award-winning clam chowder!), we had to book a reservation.
And I’m so glad I did. It was an incredible feast, with clams oreganata, the aforementioned clam chowder (which was so good, we ordered more to-go), fried lobster tails, swordfish involtini, and lobster oreganata with spaghetti guazzetto.
We were also treated to GM Gino’s special flaming coffee, and a sneak peek at two tableside desserts planned for New Year’s Eve - espresso crème brûlée and tiramisu. Click the photo below to watch my video reel of our wonderful night.
Check back for next week’s Rubee Tuesday with visits to Global Ambassador, Hermosa Inn, and Ember at We-Ko-Pa Resort and Casino.
For last week’s recap of Sel, Kembara, Morning Would, Krazy Cajun Seafood & Hibachi, and Marcellino's Ristorante, click here.
Some of my current favorites: Happy Hour lobster salad with caviar and, on the regular menu, burrata with peach, speck, and pistachio crumble, roasted clams, and Fiore di Vitae cocktail.
Wednesday, July 19: Toro at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess was another stop on assignment.
Located on the Scottsdale’s TPC course, the menu showcases the diverse flavors of South and Central America and its Japanese and Chinese-Peruvian influences. Here are some must-orders:
WorldClass black cod with miso-chipotle glaze, kabayaki sauce, grilled asparagus, daikon radish, and togarashi aioli:
Danmari Negroni (Roku gin, Trakal, Japanese sweet sake vermouth, bitter liqueur, Banane du Bresil, and Sakura bitters)
Grilled avocado with corn pico de gallo
Fried rice with butter-poached lobster and chorizo
Thursday, July 20: This was a busy day with three fun stops. First, was back to Arboleda for a special cocktail creation by Richie Moe, gambas pil pil, and smoked salmon on potato rösti with caviar and champagne cream.
Stop Two was the Grand Opening of Bourbon and Bones in Peoria. I’m pretty excited that the newest location of this upscale steakhouse is only a 10-minute drive.
A perfect ending to the day was an invitation to a fantastic mezcal dinner at Proof at Four Seasons Scottsdale Troon North. So glad Proof has brought back these cocktail dinners! We were all impressed with this menu by Chef Edgar, Pastry Chef Yudith, and cocktail pros Jackie and Autumn:
A weekly feature, Rubee Tuesday is a recap of my week's adventures in dining and drinking in the Phoenix area.
Mariposa Latin Grill in Sedona
Wednesday, May 23. My aunt and uncle from New Hampshire were visiting Arizona for the first time and we had a fun week of exploring Arizona, including a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden.
Temperatures at 105+ were a little too warm for me, my husband, and my dad, so we relaxed at Gertrude's, the on-site restaurant, where we enjoyed snacks and cocktails.
That night I joined photographer Jenelle Bonifield and Janet Gordon of The Gordon Group who introduced me to one of her clients, Kazzit, a brilliant new winery resource. We met at Christopher's and Crush Lounge, where I interviewed co-founder Babak Motamedi and Master Sommelier Laura Williamson. After learning about this application, I'm excited to share this indispensable tool for travelers and wine lovers. Look for an upcoming interview and feature in June.
Babak Motamedi, Chef Christopher Gross, Laura Williamson, MS
As described on the website: "Kazzit was founded by long time friends Babak Motamedi, a wine-lover and entrepreneur, and Peter Kasperski, the proprietor of Scottsdale’s Kazimierz World Wine Bar and owner of one of the largest collections of fine wine in the United States. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive source of information for all things wine, Kazzit was created to bridge the information gap between wine producers and consumers. Still in its first year of operation, Kazzit is helping select vineyards and wineries tell their stories to an international audience of consumers". You can find out more at http://kazzit.com
We chatted over cocktails and charcuterie as we learned the Kazzit story. My husband and I also stayed for dinner at Christopher's to take advantage of Restaurant Week with a three-course meal at the chef's counter, starting with foie gras torchon paired with a glass of Domaine Bru-Bache Jurancon.
On Thursday, May 25th, we began our Sedona road trip with breakfast at Rock Springs Cafe. They're known for their pies but my stack of dinner-plate-size pancakes was so good, I was too full to order a piece. Next time!
We then headed to Jerome to show our visitors this unique historic mining town founded in 1876. Located on Cleopatra Hill, its winding roads offers beautiful views of Arizona.
We spent a couple hours in Jerome wine tasting at the Echo Canyon Winery tasting room with my friend Cody, aka The Wine Monk, visiting galleries and shops such as Rickeldoris Candy & Popcorn Company, and ending with a stop at the Grand Jerome Hotel. I came home with wine purchases from Echo Canyon and Caduceus Cellars.
Next was the beautiful drive to Sedona with stops at photo op viewing sites. Once there, the men relaxed with beers at Oak Street Brewery & Grill while I spent the afternoon shopping with my mom and aunt at Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.
To end our family day, I had planned dinner and sunset at one of my favorite Sedona restaurants - Mariposa Latin Grill - and it couldn't have been more perfect.
We were seated on the covered patio and greeted with complimentary appetizers from gracious chef and owner Lisa Dahl - flaky corn and queso empanadas with pineapple criolla, addictive Aguacate Frito (fried avocado) with pimentón aioli, and smoky grilled housemade chorizo (a must-order!) We rounded out our delicious feast with dishes such as grilled rack of lamb accompanied by a roasted yellow pepper coulis and cilantro-mint pesto, a juicy veal chop with zesty house chimichurri, decadent mashed potatoes scented with lemon and draped with lobster in a buttery garlic sauce, and sweet finales of key lime pie and chocolate and pistachio gelato.
As sunset approached, the restaurant and patio quickly filled with people gathered to celebrate the stunning view (video below). It was a glorious ending to a beautiful day in Arizona. I'll be back at the end of the month to join Mariposa as they celebrate two years with a festive party. You can register to join in on the festivities here.
We ended the night at Market Street Kitchen for, as usual, excellent cocktails by Garrit Guthrie and Chef Hunn's winning menu, including fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade, burrata with heirloom tomatoes, pasta alla vodka with lobster, and a fantastic special of fresh littleneck clams tossed with sauteed leeks and nduja.
On Saturday, May 27th, we celebrated my aunt's and uncle's (17th) and my parents' (53rd) anniversaries at one of Arizona's gems - Different Pointe of View. Sommelier Ian spoiled us with a round of bubbly and Chef Anthony sent out fabulous oysters and scallops that had mom and dad exclaiming they were the best they ever had. This special occasion also happened to fall on Arizona Restaurant Week. DPOV is one of the best deals in town where the special three-course prix-fixe includes full-size dishes from the regular menu with choices in red.
Seared scallop on polenta cake topped with herb-artichoke tapenade
A memorable dinner and gorgeous sunset, what a grand finale to the weekend! (video below):
For last week's Rubee Tuesday recap of visits to Desert Mountain Club for the Arizona Foothills Magazine Best of Valley Party, Cafe ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho, Arrowhead Grill, and The Mix Up Bar and T. Cook's at Royal Palms Resort, see photos at this link
To browse past Rubee Tuesday recaps, visit this link.
Achiote-glazed Kurobuta pork chop with queso fresco and citrus salad (all photos by Debby Wolvos)
Talavera, the modern steakhouse restaurant at Four Seasons Troon North, offers mesmerizing Scottsdale vistas from both the expansive terrace under the stars and the elegant dining room decorated in colors echoing the glowing sunsets and purple shadows of Pinnacle Peak. However, Talavera possesses something else that makes it even more special – a kitchen helmed by Executive Chef Mel Mecinas, whose most recent accolade was his induction into the Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame as Chef of the Year.
To read more, follow this link for the full article on Experience Scottsdale at Talavera, a Culinary Oasis.
(updated: Chef Mecinas has since left the Four Seasons but continuing to delight Scottsdale residents at a private country club)
Executive Chef Mel Mecinas
Octopus with chorizo, confit potatoes, and aji amarillo
Bacon-wrapped buffalo tenderloin with foie gras and mole Oaxaqueño
Upscale resorts might not be the first venue Arizona locals think of for Happy Hour deals, but Onyx at The Four Seasons Scottsdale will change that viewpoint. Not only are some of my favorite HH dishes, like the tempura octopus and lamb meatballs, being served with a view, but they are only $5 during 5 and 6 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
Nick Padua, the assistant manager for Onyx and Talavera, has some new cocktails coming up. On our last visit, I was able to preview a delicious cocktail he's working on made with grapefruit and mezcal. If that was any hint of what's to come, I can't wait to see the list.
