Filtering by Tag: North Scottsdale

RUBEE TUESDAY: Arboleda, Cafe Monarch, Ember at We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, The Mission Kierland, and La Famiglia

September 12, 2023 / Christina Barrueta

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.

Cappelletti pasta at La Famiglia in Scottsdale

Monday, August 21: Arboleda (Scottsdale Quarter). Back to one of our favorites! This time, we stopped by for sherry and an array of tapas, including gambas píl píl, and of course, WorldClass

Tapas and sherry at Arboleda in Scottsdale Quarter

Wednesday, August 23: Cafe Monarch (Old Town Scottsdale). I had made special arrangements with Ben Wald, Executive Chef of both Cafe Monarch and Reserve, for a Scottsdale City Lifestyle Magazine assignment. Keep an eye out for the Food issue to see what he created!

That night, we had reservations at Ember at We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort (Fountain Hills). I was already a fan of sommelier Dennis Payne, Chef Richard Pelz, and the team when we recorded this Taste of AZ podcast, but during our chat, I learned about their sold-out wine dinners. Since then, we’ve tried to attend every one.

Executive Chef Richard Pelz and team at Ember at We-ko-pa

Ember recently received Wine Spectator Magazine’s Best of Award of Excellence for the third year in a row, so it’s no surprise that their wine dinners are outstanding. This time, they welcomed Frias Family Vineyard of Napa Valley and special guest Fernando Frias for an unforgettable evening celebrating these exceptional Napa wines.

You can also watch my video reel here.

Frias Family Vineyard wine dinner at Ember at We-ko-pa

Thursday, August 24: The Mission Kierland (North Scottsdale). Acclaimed mixologist Christian Röllich is another podcast guest we’ve had on A Taste of AZ, where he told us about his new position as Beverage Director for Matt Carter’s stable of restaurants.

Röllich’s first menu overhaul was for Fat Ox, and now he’s done the same at The Mission, where we had a chance to sample some of his stellar cocktails, including: A welcome mamajuana (rum infused with herbs, roots, and spices, red wine, and honey); Rio Naranja (tequila, coconut, ginger, lemongrass and yuzu), Diosa Verde (tequila, arugula and cucumber); Little Tree (vodka, passion fruit, sarsparilla and turmeric); Chicha Sour (Pisco and chicha morada, a Peruvian purple corn drink), Mission Martini (Panamanian rum, honey, cinnamon and espresso); and Archbishop (bourbon and mole orgeat).

Stay tuned for my Christiaan Röllich feature in the next issue of Tasting Panel magazine!

Christiaan Röllich’s cocktail book, Bar Chef

Since we were so close to Famiglia, we wrapped up our evening at this hidden secret. This Italian gem owned by the talented duo of Sommelier Broc Chavez and Executive Chef Richard Rangel is one of my top restaurant recommendations. While it might fly under the radar, Famiglia is the kind of place that deserves more buzz and popularity, thanks to its warm, comfortable vibe and sophisticated Italian menu.

Yet another fantastic meal - this time, beet salad with gorgonzola, candied pecans, apples, and citrus, Calabrian cappelletti with ricotta, eggplant, and brown butter, and garganelli with braised chicken, peas, mascarpone, and lemon sauce. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we made reservations to return in two weeks for Arizona Restaurant Week.

Check back on next week’s Rubee Tuesday for visits to Merkin, Jade Palace for a Tequila Corrido dinner, Sweet Republic, Anhelo, The Rose Garden, Tia Carmen, Osteria Mia, and a rebrand launch party for Lauren Allen Culinary Events.

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categories / Rubee Tuesday
tags / Arboleda, Ember, We-Ko-Pa, The Mission, Mission Kierland, La Famiglia, Merkin Old Town Scottsdale, Old Town Scottsdale, North Scottsdale

Pane e Vino

November 06, 2016 / Christina Barrueta

Sometimes a longstanding Valley favorite can be lost in the buzz of the latest restaurant opening or celebrity chef, but Pane e Vino is a restaurant you don't want to overlook. Pane e Vino (Italian for "bread and wine") opened in 1997 and on Mother's Day 2017 will celebrate their 20th anniversary. Owners Gillian and Stuart Bailey bought the restaurant five years ago but are familiar with its popularity and loyal patrons - Gillian has been at Pane e Vino for 14 years and her husband has worked as general manager since it opened. Likewise, Chef Ramon has been a longtime member of the Pane e Vino family, as has Mark, our affable waiter on the night we dined. The Baileys are proud of their restaurant and team, and know the secret to continuing success. "Stuart and I are always on property and work really hard," Gillian tells me. Another important aspect to their work ethic is giving back to the community and you'll also find this industrious couple engaged in volunteer work throughout the Valley.

One of the first restaurants to open in its North Scottsdale neighborhood, Pane e Vino is tucked away in the La Mirada shopping center and worth seeking out. Stepping into this cozy, yet elegant, restaurant, you'll notice the inviting bar and lounge (home to a popular Happy Hour), a dining room with white tablecoths and luxurious cushioned booths, and walls puncutated with vibrant originals by artist Mark Brodie. There's also a pretty patio for al fresco dining. We settled in our plush corner booth, ordered pre-dinner cocktails (vodka martini for Ernesto, and a Negroni for me) and tried to decide what to order from the enticing menu.

The emphasis on quality ingredients shines in dishes such as the Carne, Formaggio & Olive Bordo. It's a prime example of a perfect composed plate of cured meats and cheeses, including Pecorino Romano, creamy gorgonzola, prosciutto di Parma, sopressata, salami piccante and, my favorite, finocchiona flavored with fennel.

I always love to see a wide range of seafood choices on an Italian menu and Pane e Vivo didn't disappoint. My husband opted for Lumache alla Bourguignonne - buttery, garlicky escargot - while I enjoyed my Oysters Casino with baked Blue Point oysters garnished with peppers and strips of smoky bacon.

My husband is a huge Spaghetti Carbonara fan, especially those that fall into the extra-creamy category, and this homey dish was another winner.

Pane e Vino's Cioppino is a crowd favorite and it's easy to see why. Regulars know that while this won't be printed on the menu, it's a nightly special of a bed of linguine piled high with perfectly-cooked shrimp, scallops, calamari, clams, mussels, and salmon in a flavorful, briny tomato sauce. It will be hard for me not to order this again when I return.

My husband was just as happy with his choice. Another spot-on recommendation from our waiter Mark, Costoletta di Vitello arrived as a juicy pan-roasted veal chop festooned with an addictive sweet-and-savory medley of dried apricots and oyster mushrooms.

While we were afraid we hadn't saved room for dessert, Mark convinced us that we couldn't leave without a slice of Pane e Vino's famous tiramisu. Note to self: Always listen to Mark.

Thank you to the Baileys for the invitation and an introduction to a restaurant I'm happy to have found. I loved everything about Pane e Vino: The relaxing atmosphere, great service, friendly staff, and delicious menu. In fact we enjoyed it so much, we spent time afterwards getting to know these passionate, caring owners. Add us to the long list of happy fans.

Ernesto, me, Gillian and Stuart

Gillian and Stuart with a mutual friend, Chef David Duarte, and his wife Sherri

I was hosted by Pane e Vino and our meal was complimentary.

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tags / Italian, North Scottsdale, Pane e Vino

SOL Cocina

January 04, 2016 / Christina Barrueta

Recently I was invited to SOL Cocina as an introduction to the new menu. This spacious restaurant located in Scottsdale Quarter boasts an upscale menu of Baja-inspired cuisine in a setting of warm rustic colors with a large open kitchen with counter seating, an open-air bar, and patio.

Executive Chef and author Deborah Schneider's dishes are a modern take on traditional coastal Mexican with a focus on fresh seasonal ingredients. New additions to the menu feature seafood such as scallops with mango and jicama or a grilled agave-chile shrimp torta, vegetarian items of goat cheese enchiladas with salsa verde or spiced butternut squash tacos, and hearty fare including a 12-ounce grilled ribeye rubbed with garlic and smoky chipotles in adobo.

Our friendly server Taylor brought crunchy seasoned tostadas with flavorful salsa and bean dip, and also a condiment trio of juicy wedges of lime, chile de arbol and habanero salsa, and salt. The fiery arbol and habanero salsa was my favorite and I ended up using it to spice up my dishes throughout the night.

Our first order were grande margaritas, of course. A Cadillac Margarita for my husband with SOL’s house-made sour mix, Partida Blanco, orange juice and Grand Marnier, and for me the Casa Noble Reposado Margarita with SOL Single Barrel Reposado tequila, custom blended at Casa Noble’s distillery annually and exclusive to the restaurant.

Playa oysters are part of the new menu and they were just as good as described - plump oysters broiled with queso meñonita, chorizo, and garlic butter.

The shortrib barbacoa was my main course and for my side I chose grilled corn with cotija cheese, ground ancho chile and lime. Served with warm corn tortillas, the cazuela was piled high with tender slices of braised short ribs and accompanied by crispy sweet potato wedges and taco toppings of guacamole, onion, and cotija.

My husband opted for queso fundido as an appetizer and the version at SOL Cocina is one of the better ones we've had, with the gooey cheese generously topped with crumbled chorizo, mushrooms, and sliced serrano chiles (leftovers were great taken home and used in an omelet). His favorite Mexican dish is mole poblano so he was happy to see it on the menu at SOL Cocina. Here, this deep rich sauce is used to blanket a juicy half chicken roasted with tequila, with his choice of two sides being avocado and tomato salad and spicy slaw.

When I saw that a dessert making its debut was Pastel Tres Leches ‘1921’, I knew what I was going to order as a finale. I'm a big fan of tres leches, a traditional Mexican treat. Tres leches means "three milks" and is a cake soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream. At SOL Cocina, their version is made even more decadent with the addition of 1921 tequila liqueur and spiced with cinnamon and vanilla. The crowning touch is an addictive marshmallow meringue - be sure to get a dollop in every bite.

As I sipped on a mezcal, we made plans for a return visit when my parents visit later this month. I think the patio on a sunny day will be the perfect spot to entertain family visiting from snowy Massachusetts, or perhaps we'll grab a table on Taco & Tequila Tuesday when SOL offers special discounts on tacos, tequila, Mexican Beer, and margaritas all night long, with live music.

I was hosted by SOL Cocina and our meal was complimentary.

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tags / SOL Cocina, North Scottsdale