RUBEE TUESDAY: Wren & Wolf, Trophy Room,Weft & Warp, Prime, Bluewater Grill, Osteria Mia
Caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella, beets, and lemon herb vinaigrette paired with Ronco del Gnemiz Lozeta Sauvignon Blanc Colli Orientali del Friuli at Prime’s Italian wine dinner
A weekly Tuesday feature, I publish Rubee Tuesday as a photo recap of my recent drinking and dining adventures. You can read past Rubee Tuesdays HERE.
Thursday, April 7: Wren & Wolf, downtown Phoenix. Happy to be back after a long overdue visit! (Video Reel of our last dinner here).
Executive Chef Ivan Gonzalez of Wren & Wolf and Chico Malo in downtown Phoenix
Recommended dish(es): Ahi tuna tartare on crispy rice cake with black yuzu mole and WorldClass caviar; za’atar man’ouche with artichokes, Gouda and manchego; New England sea scallops with Cinco Jotas Ibérico ham, corn foam, fennel, smashed potatoes, and hazelnut vinaigrette; Argentine ribeye (with optional black truffle) and whipped potatoes.
Chef Ivan also spoiled us with a sneak peek of a new dish coming to the menu, and you’ll want to order this too - rich, fork-tender beef shank for two with creme fraiche bone marrow.
After dinner, we had drinks in the Trophy Room, a hidden cocktail lounge in Wren & Wolf, and one of our new favorites. You won’t see pictures of cocktails, however, because there’s a no-phone policy to encourage guests to disconnect. Check out the library card catalog charging drawers to store your phone.
Friday, April 7: Spice of Life dinner at Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen at Andaz Scottsdale. This incredible wine dinner paired two of AZ’s best, Executive Chef Dushyant Singh of Andaz and guest chef Subash Yadav of Mr. Momo, for a celebration of their Tibetan and Indian culture.
We began our evening on the beautiful patio with rosé and passed bites such as samosas and scallops with hummus and roe…
…before sitting down in the dining room to savor this wonderful menu.
Tuesday, April 11: Prime at Gila River Resorts & Casino (Chandler). The latest wine dinner as part of their 2023 series celebrated Italy, and the team pulled out all the stops, including a limoncello welcome, poolside setting, and Italian musicians.
We already have our reservations for the next one, featuring South America. And stay tuned for more details in my upcoming article in SOMM Journal spotlighting this talented team and their superlative wine dinners.
Wednesday, April 12: Bluewater Grill (Phoenix). Our first time, but we’ll be back. A friend recommended it, and since I posted photos, others have shared their favorite dishes and that it also has a great Happy Hour. Recommended dish(es): Clam chowder and Cajun-spiced barramundi with jasmine rice, arugula and crab salad, and jalapeno-mango vinaigrette
And if you’re craving steak, try the juicy Argentine tenderloin with with scalloped potatoes and asparagus sauté.
Thursday, April 13: Osteria Mia (North Phoenix). When this chef-owned Italian restaurant opened 10 minutes from our home, it immediately became a neighborhood go-to. This time we had lunch after filming A Taste of AZ podcast with Luke Detraz and Justin Hege of Common Hospitality, one of Arizona’s best private chef teams. You can see my Reel of a special cocktail dinner Luke created for us last year below.
And I can’t believe I’ve never had the sandwiches at Osteria Mia! Loved the chicken parm on delicious housemade puccia, a traditional bread from Puglia, Italy.
Check back for my next Rubee Tuesday as I share photos of visits to Fabio on Fire, Sottise, Terra Tempe, Epicenter Agritopia, ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho, The House Brasserie.
And follow along on my Instagram for next week’s visits to the Foodist Awards, Hearth ‘61, Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey, Arboleda, Mora Italian, and Rene in Sedona.