Blogs

1.) Mamey agua fresca at Phoenix Ranch Market -- I thought I'd tried the full lineup of drinks at Phoenix Ranch Market, but the other day, on a quick lunch break with a coworker, I saw a milky pink liquid called Mamey along with the usual offerings, like Pina, Jamaica, and Horchata. I asked what Mamey was, and the gal behind the counter just said something about fruit. Oh, okay. Well, I went ahead and bought a big styrofoam cup of it, and wow! It was so delicious. Turns out mamey sapote is a fruit native to the West Indies that's supposed to evoke the flavors of apricot and almond. To me, the drink tasted like melted strawberry ice cream (a good thing, don't you think?). I'll definitely be ordering that again. I also tried a scoop of lime ice cream from their frozen dessert bar -- it was tart, with a bit of a coconut flavor, and a nice smooth texture. For 99 cents, I can't think of a better refreshment during these hellish days.

2.) Mexican popsicles at Realeza Michoacana-- This is the pink building (2520 N. 16th St.) with ice cream and popsicles painted on the front window -- it's right next door to the awesome Tortas El Guero on 16th Street, which I reviewed the other week. They must have at least a couple dozen flavors of popsicles, and some of them are filled with chunks of fruit. Simple things like these just make my day.

3.) More summery gelato flavors at Arlecchino -- There's no way to know what flavors Moreno Spangaro will whip up on any given day, but I got a tip the other night that he'd be making watermelon sorbet -- and I saw the actual watermelon. Lately he's also been doing a delicious pear gelato with tiny bits of chocolate. He said he'll probably be making melon soon, too.

4.) Grilled ahi nicoise at Coronado Cafe -- I have been frequenting this adorable place for years. At one point, I went for lunch about three times a week. These days, I don't go as often, but it's still consistently good. What's incredible is that I finally went for dinner for the very first time last night. I just never think of it -- I can't visualize it on my mental map, even though I think about it at lunch. Anyway, I loved the sashimi grade seared ahi on a big pile of nice greens in a light vinaigrette, with asparagus, potatoes, olives, cherry tomatoes, and hard boiled egg. It was so summery and cool, but quite filling. I also appreciated the mighty stiff Tangueray and tonic they made me -- the drinks there are huge!

So I heard from Carson Quinn yesterday. He's the owner of Camus, the scene-y bar/restaurant at the Clarendon that's been closed since late April.

Quinn couldn't talk about the current legal troubles between Camus and the Clarendon that spawned from the incident that shut down the restaurant, but he did explain that this latest shitstorm isn't the first court battle he's had with the hotel. This struggle comes amid another court case this year, where the Clarendon was trying to evict Camus. According to Superior Court records, the case is pending.

Camus has an eight-year lease, Quinn says. But as far as when the place will be back in business, now it's one big question mark.

"We like this location, and we like the clientele," he says. "However, there is not a specific date for us to reopen."

According to Ben Bethel, the owner and general manager at the Clarendon, a new restaurant will debut at the hotel by late summer.

It'll be called C4, and the menu will feature casual Asian fusion dishes with a Southwestern touch -- sunomono with chili flakes, gyoza with habanero sauce, ramen noodle soup, and perhaps even shabu-shabu, a style of cook-it-yourself Japanese cuisine that usually includes vegetables, paper-thin slices of beef, and boiling broth to swish it around in. Phoenix could use something like that.

There'll be sushi, too, and if permits come through, look for a sushi bar in the lobby area, which is currently being remodeled to include space for dining.

You'll be able to order food to eat in the hotel's new rooftop lounge -- set to open by August 31 -- or in the pool area, which will soon feature a giant waterfall.

As for Camus, the chi-chi eatery and bar that's been attracting hipsters ever since the hotel opened, it's been on hiatus since April 24. For legal reasons, Bethel can't comment on the status of the Clarendon's relationship with Camus, which is owned by Carson Quinn. However, the restaurant's voicemail greeting states that the restaurant will reopen on "Tuesday, July 5, due to hotel negligence and hotel flooding of the restaurant."

Ouch. Not sure what to think of that, other than the fact that July 5 is a Thursday.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted if I hear more. Let's hope they can work things out.

Hey, it's nice to finally see some more action at Artisan Village -- Sister's Homestyle Cafe Express just opened for business last Friday, serving barbecue, fried chicken, jambalaya, and all those tasty-sounding sides that caught your attention in the subject line. (Sorry -- I make myself hungry, too, just so you know.) Cajun gumbo will be a Friday-only special, but thankfully they'll have peach cobbler and sweet potato pie all the time.

Sister's is at 610 E. Roosevelt. Call 602-296-4314 for info.

Okay, so tomorrow night's Digestif tasting at Kazimierz (see my last post) doesn't have a mystery dessert anymore. Here's the lowdown, straight from pastry guru Tracy Dempsey:

Olive oil torte (light hint of rosemary) with fresh cherries in a vanilla bean red wine (little balsamic vin for good measure) glaze and goat cheese (hint of lemon) sorbet. Keeping it simple, rustic and except for the goat cheese - dairy free (no cream or butter). The cake you've seen before - it is a crumbly country style cake NOT a super moist sponge cake.

Even though Digestif Urban Enoteca, restauranteur Peter Kasperski's new "Cal-Ital 'soul food'" spot at Fred Unger's indie-glam SouthBridge development, isn't supposed to open until this October, antsy foodies eager to sample chef Payton Curry's creations can get in on two four-course tasting menus that will be served at Kazimierz World Wine Bar.

(I heard Curry himself is just as antsy, and looking forward to the 16-hour work days that await him once Digestif is up and running. Curry's last gig was with chef Michael Tusk at Quince in San Francisco. He worked there without pay for a month, until a line cook position opened, and ended up thriving in the high-pressure environment. How stressful, you ask? Hell, there weren't even any prep cooks!)

Tomorrow night, June 20, the theme of the night is "vegetarian (not that you’ll notice)," featuring this menu:

-- hand-pulled mozzarella, heirloom tomato
-- sautéed wild mushrooms, sun choke purée, fava beans, saba
-- pappardelle, pine nuts, wilted basil, ricotta, toasted garlic
-- dessert (that you will notice)

It all sounds painfully good, and no, I couldn't care less that there's no meat on there. The mystery dessert has me intrigued, so if you go, I'd love it if you'd fill me in on what they serve!

Next Wednesday, June 27, the night's theme is "digestif, not just a pretty drink," with some fun, liqueur-inspired eats:

-- Limoncello-cured salmon, beets, frisée
-- foie gras torchon, brioche, Chartreuse, clove, smoked sea salt
-- Fernet Branca-braised short rib raviolis
-- Aperol-inspired finish

Seating is limited, so definitely call ahead to get in on these. Ask for general manager Pavle Milic at 480-254-6800. Dinner starts at 7:30 pm both nights, and it's $45 per person. Kazimierz is located at 7137 E. Stetson Drive in Scottsdale.

(Bloomsday is the Irish celebration named after the protagonist of James Joyces' Ulysses, Leopold Bloom, and is held every June 16, the date of the events in the legendary novel.)

Oceans Apart will perform live Irish tunes, and there will be readings from Ulysses thorughout the evening. Today's the last day to purchase $25 presale tickets from the Brewers' Guild (check out the above link to their site). Admission is $35 at the gate.

Do you love knives like a samurai loves katana, or are you just looking for a new chef uniform?

Former chef Eytan Zias dropped me a line recently to tell me about his new shop, Phoenix Knife House, located at the corner of Goldwater and Indian School in Scottsdale:

My name is Eytan Zias, I was born and raised in Israel (school, army, etc.), I moved to America in 1995. I attended the Scottsdale Culinary Institute - graduated in 2000. I was very lucky to get an externship at Aureole (Chef Charlie Palmer) which opened the doors for me to work at places such as Craft (Tom Colicchio), La Cote Basque (Jean-Jacques Rachou) and Fiamma NY (Michael White). I moved back to Arizona to help with the opening of the Scottsdale Fiamma (James hotel) and later moved to Kai once the James closed.

I've always been fascinated with knives (but only if I could cook with them), and have been using the Japanese blades for years. When I moved here, none of my co-workers have ever seen these kind of knives and I quickly became the "go to guy" for Japanese knives. So, about 2 1/2 months ago I opened my shop, I am on my own (no partners, backers or employees) I have basically put everything on the line for it. There is only one other store of this kind in the U.S (that I know of) and that is Korin in N.Y. Besides them, these knives have only been only available on line, and some of them - I am the only one selling them in the States. I am getting well known with in the professional circle, but would like to reach the "foodies" also (and I don't advertise).

I just got word that Counter Culture Cafe, the indie eatery and caffeine peddler to the downtown arts crowd, has closed. Originally located in a freestanding building on McDowell, the cafe reopened last year inside The Paper Heart, the Grand Avenue gallery/bar/performance venue. In a downtown that can use a hell of a lot more cafes, the demise of Counter Culture is unfortunate.

But thankfully, there's still refreshment to be found in that hood. Just up the street, there's Paisley Violin, a tiny cafe that serves sandwiches, salads, and other light fare (1028 Grand); Bikini Lounge, one of Phoenix's premier hipster dive bars (1502 Grand); The Trunk Space, an eclectic gallery/performance space with an espresso bar; and Mel's Diner, the greasy spoon that inspired the TV show Alice, which made "Kiss my grits!" into an early '80s catchphrase (1747 Grand).

In a recent review of Yasu Sushi Bistro, I lamented the absence of washu beef on a day I had gotten myself all excited to eat it. Chef Yasu Hashino hadn't gotten any that week, since the quality of what was available wasn't up to his standards.

Now, Hashino's got his hands on the really good stuff: Japanese Black Wagyu beef, imported from Japan. This is that legendary beef you've heard about, so finely marbled with fat that it's like butter when you eat it. Hashino's "Hibachi Wagyu Beef" comes with a small charcoal grill so diners can sizzle it up exactly they way they like it.

I think I might have to make a special trip back there just to try this!

Hope you have high-definition television, because The Endless Feast is airing on PBS' HD channel, not the regular one.

Have you ever wanted to take a class in something but just couldn't find the time? Maybe an all-day Thai cooking seminar, or even a semester-long culinary class at Phoenix College? Such is the story of my life these days. There are so many things I'd love to study just for fun, and never get around to fitting them into my schedule.

Wine classes often catch my eye. (What better topic for research?) Besides the time commitment, they're often kind of pricey. Epicurean Wine's two-hour "Wine 101 Crash Course" sounds more doable, and it's only fifty bucks. (I shouldn't say "only," because I'm hoarding nickels for vacation right now, but you know what I mean.) As usual, I can't make this one, but maybe they'll have one again. At least I got to tell somebody about it...

Epicurean Wine is located on the southwest corner of Scottsdale Rd. and Thunderbird. The class runs from 3 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, and seating is limited. Call 480-998-7800 to get in on it.

A few months ago, I blogged about The Endless Feast, a new PBS series about organic farms and chefs around the country. One of the episodes highlights a lavish culinary display hosted by the local Slow Food chapter out in the desert, on Yavapai Nation land, and features Maya Dailey from The Farm at South Mountain. At that time, I lamented the fact that Phoenix lagged behind other cities in airing the series.

But starting this Sunday, June 10, the station will begin airing the series at 5:30 p.m. Since there's a strong chance that you'll be close to a TV anyway -- ciao, Sopranos! (sniff, sniff) -- tune in early to catch the local premiere. I'd tell you to go ahead and just program your DVR, but I just tried to do it myself, and the Cox program guide doesn't include it in the lineup yet. However, if you visit KAET's site and click on "Endless Feast," you can set up an email reminder to watch the show. Handy!

LGO Hospitality -- the creative team behind Postino, Chelsea's Kitchen, and La Grande Orange -- has just announced the upcoming June 3 opening of radioMILANO, a new neighborhood Italian spot located right across the street from Postino. The neon sign has been on for a few weeks now, so the inevitable has finally arrived.

Sharable entrees and large appetizers will include tuna carpaccio with lemon zest, spaghetti with meatballs, grilled tuna with white bean salad and golden raisins, and polpetone, Italian veal and wild mushroom meatloaf. Right now, there are only three things on the dessert menu, and I'm intrigued by the olive oil cake with housemade jam and clotted cream.

Cocktails look pretty delish: the Ginger Press, with handmade vodka, housemade ginger ale, and fresh lemon, sounds super summery, and the Milano, with Grey Goose l'Orange, Campari, and sweet vermouth, appeals to me, too.

With an exhibition kitchen and communal tables, radioMILANO will likely have the kind of kinetic vibe that Postino gets on a busy night -- which is pretty much every night, based on my random visits. (And I can only envision the line at the valet station!)

Aren't those some of the cleverest cupcakes you've ever seen? That's what I thought, too, when I took a look at The Confetti Cakes Cookbook, by Elisa Strauss, owner of New York City's Confetti Cupcakes. I'll probably never get around to attempting any of the recipes in it, but I get plenty of enjoyment just from photographer Alexandra Rowley's lovely photos of Strauss's creations -- cupcakes decked out with fondant rubber duckies and hydrangias, mini cakes that look like red-and-white striped bags of popcorn, and elaborate, sculptural, full-sized cakes that really would trick you into thinking they're a purse or a platter of sushi.

So curiosity got the better of me, and I got in touch with this confectioner-artiste:

You started off your career as a fashion designer. How did you make the leap into baking?
I loved baking for friends and family. I would walk around with photos of my cakes. (They are like having children!) Next thing people I worked with at Ralph Lauren asked me to make cakes for their friends and family. Suddenly I had a business, created a website, business cards, etc.

What kinds of sweet treats inspired you as a kid?
I have always loved cookies and cupcakes . . .

And what inspires you now?
I still love cookies and cupcakes . . . but I think after going through pastry school, I have a finer palate. The taste has to be as good as it looks.

What are some of the strangest or most challenging cakes you've come up with? And is there an ultimate cake you'd like to try to bake?
We have had some difficult scupted cakes, such as a five-foot car, or creating the Eiffel Tower out of cake. I love that I am constantly challenged. We just finished a six-foot-tall sock monkey.

Baking is intimidating to some home cooks, because so many things can go awry. Do you have any advice for newbies?
The best advice I can give is stick to the recipe and measure accurately. Baking is not the same as cooking. A little extra seasoning in cooking won't change the recipe too much, but too much salt, baking powder, flour, or even an extra egg can reall change the chemistry. And like anything . . . practice!

(Photos by Alexandra Rowley)