Laura Hahnefeld

Crepes from Petite Maison

Sunday is Mother's Day, and (especially if you don't do it throughout the year) you'd better find a way to honor the woman that gave you life. Brunch is the traditional meal of the holiday, and there are plenty of those in the Phoenix area if your mom loves waffles, omelettes, and bacon. But there are also other things to consider when planning a celebration, like timing, budget, and location. With that in mind, here's a breakdown of delicious Mother's Day menus that fit every family's needs.

See also:
- Mother's Day in Metro Phoenix: 7 Restaurants Perfect for Spoiling Mom
- Mother's Day in Metro Phoenix: Moms Eat Gluten-Free at Tryst Café (with Bottomless Mimosas)

Brunch

Petite Maison

Sunday menu receives special treatment for Mother's Day at Petite Maison. The three-course prix fixe menu includes three choices of appetizer, entrée, and dessert - plus flowing champagne and mimosas. Mom will feel extra special while enjoying dishes like beet-cured salmon gravlax and toasted house brioche with caperberries, crepes suzette with Grand Marnier and fresh mint, angus bistro steak with caramelized shallots and gruyere Yorkshire pudding, and chicken paillard with crispy poached egg and black truffle. Desserts include a warm jumbo beignet with fruit preserves and toasted pound cake with roasted plums. Available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., brunch is $49 per person. There is also an enfants menu for diners under 10, priced at $19, including vanilla brioche French toast and smoked bacon. Reservations are required; call 480-991-6887 or book online.

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courtesy of TQLA

Tequila on tap.

Okay, so maybe you don't know exactly why it's a tradition to eat, drink, and party on Cinco de Mayo (FYI, it's to commemorate the 150-year-old Battle of Puebla, a victory of the Mexican militia over the French army). But those pesky details shouldn't stop you from having a truly awesome modern American-style night out on the town. If margaritas and Mexican food are your favorite way to let loose, don't miss the celebration at these nine Valley restaurants on Sunday, May 5.

See also:
- The Secret to a Perfect Margarita (Hint: It Does Not Include Agave Nectar)
- C.A.S.A.: Unique Mexi-Fusion Fare and Craft Cocktails off Mill Avenue

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courtesy of The Farm at South Mountain

Take Mom to The Farm.

Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 12, this year -- that's about two weeks away -- and this is one occasion where you can't put off reserving a table (or special take-home dinner) until the last minute. Whether your mom prefers fine dining or a simple steak, a lavish outdoor brunch or a stay-at-home gourmet dinner, one of these Valley restaurants will ensure she feels like queen for a day.

See also:
- Mother's Day in Phoenix: Moms Eat Gluten-Free at Tryst Café (With Bottomless Mimosas)
- Crudo and Noca Team Up for a One-Night-Only 5-Cour Cocktail Dinner Tour on May 9

The Farm at South Mountain
Underneath the Canopy in the Grove, there will be a beautiful spread of brunch selections available at The Farm at South Mountain's Mother's Day buffet, with seating times between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. There will be an omelet station with gourmet cheeses and meats, chorizo quiche with sautéed onions and red skin potatoes, pecan French toast with caramelized bananas, sweet potato salad, grilled herb chicken with lemon-basil beurre blanc, braised beef short rib with oven-roasted shallots, and fresh-baked pastries and breads including pecan caramel buns and coffee cake muffins. Brunch is $49.95 per person, $16.95 for children ages 8 to 10, and $8 for those ages 2 to 7. Reservations can be made online or by calling 602-243-9081.

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Photos from and Del Frisco's Grille

Easter means brunch and wine. Left: Luciano Frascarelli Jermann of Taggia and right: a Pinot Grigio recommended by Sarah Falconer, wine sommelier of Del Frisco's Grille /td>

We love drinking wine at Easter time. And we're not talking about communion wine. Easter is a holiday known for its amazingly diverse varieties of "brunch." This often includes everything from quiche and lamb to ham and fruit. Choosing a wine for Easter is not for the faint of heart.

So we asked Valley restaurant chefs and wine experts to weigh in on what to purchase. If you're attending an Easter meal as a guest, wine is a totally appropriate gift for the hosts.

Joe Busone is the owner of a locally owned neighborhood gem Fired Up Grill. Busone says, "A lighter style of Malbec works well with lamb because the acidity cuts through the fattiness, while the sweetness of meat works in harmony with the fruit. I would also serve the combination of Red Bordeaux for a more rustic taste on the simple cuts of lamb including loin chops and racks of lamb. For Easter ham dishes, I would serve a fruity yet dry, Riesling with a rich texture."

See also:
- Easter Brunch Roundup
- 10 Easter Dining Options at Metro Phoenix Restaurants

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Carefree Station

Grilled lamb chops will be served with chocolate Hollandaise sauce for Easter.

Easter is less than a week away. Forget to make plans? You're not alone. Get in on the last-minute scramble to make reservations now before it's too late. To help you find the perfect restaurant for your family or friends, here are 10 more top picks for Easter brunch and dinner throughout the Valley.

See also:
- Ten Easter Dining Options in Metro Phoenix
- Lon's at the Hermosa Picks Up a New Pastry Chef; Former One Heads to T. Cook's

Carefree Station

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Easter Sunday, Carefree Station will be serving its regular brunch menu plus a chef's special. Bennie and the Chops, the playful holiday dish crafted by Chef Thomas Nasworthy, features poached Easter eggs, tender grilled lamb chops, and chocolate Hollandaise sauce served with chive potatoes. All brunch entrees are served with complimentary champagne.

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Yelp: Yuna P.

Easter brunch includes the best tastes of spring.

Whether or not you celebrate Easter, with the holiday falling early this year (Sunday, March 31), a seasonal brunch or dinner is the perfect way to kick off spring. The following 10 restaurants are our top picks for Easter dining, thanks to menus that highlight local greens, succulent lamb, and fresh takes on breakfast and lunch classics.

See also:
- Robatayaki Dinner at Roka Akor in Scottsdale: Surf, Turf, and a Charcoal Grill
- Rancho Pinot and Maya's Farm Team Up for Lunar Lamb Fest on March 26

Lon's at the Hermosa

This Four-Diamond restaurant will be serving a three-course prix fixe brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For a taste of the season, select spring pea soup with Dungeness crab followed by slow-roasted lamb leg with ricotta gnocchi, artichokes, and fava beans. Other starters that will set the tone for an incredible meal include mini cornmeal waffles with berry compote and Meyer lemon whipped cream as well as roasted local beets with truffle-goat ricotta and honey vinaigrette. Finish with a farmers market dessert: marinated fresh fruit of the day, lemon poppyseed cake, and sorbet. Brunch is $75 per person plus tax and gratuity.

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CaterBid.com

Meat and potatoes kind of guys (and gals) are in luck this Sunday.

This year, St. Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday, which means you'd better prepare for one hell of a hangover on Monday morning. Get some extra work out of the way this Friday so you can make the best of one of these seven St. Patty's celebrations in the Valley. And if you'd rather drink at home (where you won't need a designated driver), we have a few suggestions for places to snag a green-tinted treat or two.

See also:
- St. Patrick's Day Guide 2013
- 15 St. Patrick's Day Food Fails

St. Patrick's Benefit Celebration at Renegade Tap & Kitchen

Get drunk for a good cause at Renegade Tap & Kitchen on Saturday, March 16. The St. Patrick's festivities -- including bagpipe performances and kilted bartenders -- will take place a day early (perfect for you 9 to 5ers), and a portion of the evening's proceeds will benefit the families of fallen firefighters from Surprise, Chandler, and Mesa. From 6 to 10 p.m., the kitchen will be serving traditional corned beef, cabbage, and shepherd's pie, among other Irish specialties, and the bar will be pulling hearty pints of Ireland's best ales. Patrons are encouraged to toss extra donations into the firemen's boots on the bar, which will replace the usual tip jar. To reserve your place at the party, call 480-614-9400.

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El Chorro Lodge

A romantic setting to woo your sweetheart

Remember last year when you swore you'd make Valentine's Day plans way ahead of schedule so as not to repeat the twelve-hour scramble of years past? It might be too late to get a reservation at the top spots in town, but you haven't missed the window entirely -- not yet. But put off calling around (or, let's be honest, browsing on OpenTable) too long, and you'll be left throwing together a DIY shindig or trying to make up your mishap to an angry date.

See also:
- 14 Valley Restaurants to Take Your Sweetie Pie to on Valentine's Day
- 5 Sweet Spots for Valentine Treats in Metro Phoenix

El Chorro

This Valley classic, which originally opened in 1937, is offering a "Romance in the Desert" menu to be enjoyed in the picturesque setting at the base of Camelback and Mummy mountains. The three-course dinner options include a salad of hearts of Romaine with lobster vinaigrette, a Lovebird Duo of pan-roasted chicken breast and leg confit with herb crust, center-cut filet with sweet(heart) potato gratin and asparagus, and Chilean sea bass with wild-for-you mushroom ravioli and haricot verb. Dessert is a choice of chocolate hearts with dark chocolate cake, milk chocolate ganache, and white chocolate mousse or strawberry shortcake with berry compote. The Valentine's menu is $105 for two and includes El Chorro's famous sticky buns, bread and butter, coffee, and tea. Wine pairings are an additional $25 per person. For reservations, call 480-948-5170.

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Julia Baker Confections Facebook

The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and for the anxious holiday planner that can really only mean one thing: Valentine's Day is right around the corner.

Rather than half-assing it with some predictable drug store purchase of candy and a card, we suggest you show a little love to local business this year and give your sweetheart something his or her taste buds will truly remember. Here is Chow Bella's guide to five creative confections around Metro Phoenix.

See Also:
Fourteen Valley Restaurants to Take Your Sweetie Pie to on Valentine's Day
Matthew Weston of the Royal Palms in Phoenix Talks Dessert Wines

Julia Baker Confections

Putting the class in classic, Julia Baker Confections is your home for high-end chocolates. Along with her national acclaim and growing celebrity client list including Oprah, Elton John, and U2's Bono, Executive Chef and CEO Julia Baker recently opened a flagship store at the Biltmore Fashion Park. There you can find boxed gifts of assorted luxury chocolates (18 pieces for $45 or 48 pieces for $120) and decadent cake truffles (box of 9 for $35) For more information or to order through the website, visit Julia Baker Confections online.

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Love is in the air -- and as with other airborne pathogens, you'd prefer to keep a safe distance. For the Hallmark haters and the Valentine adverse, Chow Bella has put together a list of the 5 least romantic cocktails around. Order one for yourself or send some over as a gritty gesture to the PDA couple at the bar -either way, the satisfaction will feel a lot like stepping on Cupid's arrow.

See Also:
- 3 Hot (Literally) Cocktails in Downtown Phoenix
- Dwayne Allen of Rum Bar Gives a Tasty Tutorial on Rum

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