RUBEE TUESDAY: Temecula Wine Dinner at Wrigley Mansion, Pyro, Prime, Mora Italian
A weekly feature, I publish Rubee Tuesday as a photo recap of my recent drinking and dining adventures. You can read past Rubee Tuesdays HERE.
Citrus and fennel-dusted tuna with WorldClass Caviaroli chili pearls, pickled parsnips, blood orange reduction, and butternut squash vinaigrette at Mora Italian
Friday, November 3: Wrigley Mansion (Phoenix). The wonderful folks from Temecula Winegrowers Association were back in town (I first met Devin Parr and the team here), and this time they hosted our group of wine and travel writers at the beautiful Wrigley Mansion.
Our private event began with sabering a bottle of bubbly before a wine tasting led by Samantha Capaldi of Samantha Sommelier, passed hors d'oeuvres with wine and bubbly, and this incredible tasting menu.
Afterwards, I joined the team for a kitchen tour led by David Brito, executive chef of Geordie's at Wrigley Mansion, and chef Vinh Nguyen, before a nightcap in Jamie’s Wine Bar.
Temecula is just a short 90-minute flight from Phoenix, and I fell in love with its excellent wines, beautiful tasting rooms, and welcoming community when I visited this past summer. I'm currently working on a few stories to spotlight the wineries, winemakers, restaurants, and activities, but for now, you can get a glimpse through my video reel - just click the photo below.
Saturday, November 4: PYRO Phoenix (The Grove). We were invited for a special Friends & Family preview before its official grand opening and were so impressed with everything about this stylish new spot - from the sleek decor to the delicious menu and warm and friendly service on such a busy night. The first restaurant to open at The Grove, a $400 million mixed-use development at 44th Street and Camelback Road, PYRO was brought to Phoenix by the Flagship Restaurant Group (founded in Omaha with 30+ restaurants across the country). PYRO introduces a brand-new concept to their stable of eateries - a chic Japanese bistro experience with a focus on live-fire and wood-grilled dishes.
We started with excellent cocktails - an Old Fashioned with plum wine and lapsang souchong black tea for my husband, and a Negroni (naturally) with Japanese gin and UME plum liqueur for me.
I would order any of these PYRO Phoenix dishes again, with my top three favorites being Ibérico pork skewers with pickled daikon and yuzu aioli, Dungeness crab noodles with Meyer lemon, crème fraîche, and smoked trout roe, and Branzino with pickled ginger shoots, Tokyo turnip & herb salad, and lemon-chili vinaigrette.
And so nice to see sommelier and GM Nisa Paris! Click the photo below for my video reel.
Monday, November 6: Prime at Gila River Resort and Casino - Wild Horse Pass (Chandler). Once again, the culinary and beverage team knocked it out of the park. This time, we were invited to experience Chef Michael Dei Maggi’s exquisite culinary pairings with Seven Apart, a Sonoma winery founded by Scottsdale resident Don Dady. Count me in as a new fan!
And, as always, no visit to Prime is complete without retiring to the bar to experience Camille’s cocktail talents.
Wednesday, November 8: Mora Italian (Phoenix). On Wednesday, we were invited to attend Scott Conant’s special autumnal dining experience, a one-night-only event featuring a special menu that showcased the fall flavors of pumpkin and squash.
Check back on next week’s Rubee Tuesday for visits to The Mexicano, a DAOU wine dinner at the Arizona Biltmore, 36 Below with Compa Spirits founder Abel Arriaga, and Vecina.
