Dine Out Diva

Join Pam Swartz, founder of Dine Out, LLC and author of Dine Out Phoenix, Arizona's leading dining guide, on her culinary adventures.

Your insider's guide to solving your dining dilemma in-and-around Phoenix and Scottsdale with restaurant reviews, mouth-watering photos, plus culinary events, trends, and musings you can chew on!


Contributer Barbara Toombs:

Barbara Toombs has always secretly yearned to be a chef, even working as a chef's assistant at a cooking school for a period of time! But she followed her initial instinct (and education) to be a writer and editor, and after living and working on three continents, she eventually discovered how to blend her passion for food with her passion for writing, and is now content to write about great food, great chefs, and great restaurants...while dabbling in gourmet cooking in her own kitchen.


Blog


HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Do you banish your mother or wife from the kitchen on Mother’s Day? Well-meaning kids often want to serve their mothers breakfast-in-bed. But this may not be the break mothers are looking for. 

If you’re scouting out places to take Mom out to eat this Mother’s Day, read more. Continue reading “HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!” »

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Let’s Talk Truffles (no, not the chocolate kind)

A truffiere, or truffle orchard, could one day become a reality here in Arizona.

I think I first became fascinated with truffles after reading A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle, intrigued that this curious fungus was so unbelievably sought-after in France that specially trained pigs had to dig them up, and they only grew underneath certain trees.  And then I bought what has become my absolute Bible of Italian cooking: Marcella Hazan’s The Essentials of Italian Cooking, which I dutifully read, cover to cover, devouring every delicious word.  In it, she described the Italian white truffle like it was manna from Heaven itself.  I was determined to get some. Continue reading “Let’s Talk Truffles (no, not the chocolate kind)” »

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And The 2012 Arizona Culinary Hall Of Fame Winners Are…

Since 1992, the Scottsdale League for the Arts has honored the ‘best of the culinary best’ at this annual ‘invitation only’ soiree, recognizing top chefs and restaurant industry professionals from across the state.

Talented chefs, restaurateurs, mixologists, industry insiders, culinary students, food critics and bloggers, all gathered at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale on April 12, 2012 to see who would win the coveted Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame Awards. Winners are chosen by a public vote.

And the 2012 Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame winners are:

Pastry Chef Extraordinaire:  Tammie Coe, Tammie Coe Cakes

Chef Extraordinaire: Nobuo Fukuda, Nobuo at Teeter House

Exceptional Establishment: Binkley’s Restaurant

Congratulations to this prestigious group of inductees!

Additionally, a “garden-to-glass” bartending competition took place early in the evening. Guests had the opportunity to vote on one of three fabulous cocktails, all prepared with local ingredients by members of the U.S. Bartender Guild.

All of the drinks were crowd pleasers, but Flor Fluer, created by Tony Tuttle, took the lead.  Memories of his mother’s lavender seasoned carrot dish that he had as a child was the driving force behind this cocktail. Thanks Mom!

Flor Fleur
0.5 oz Rosemary lavender honey
0.5 oz carrot juice
1 oz ruby red grapefruit juice
0.5 oz St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
1.5 oz Flor de Cana 4 yr white rum
Dash of Old Fashioned Bitters

Shake, pour and garnish with lemon peel, a carrot stick and lavender flower.

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KUDOS TO CRUDO!

There’s an exciting crop of restaurants popping up all along Indian School Road between 36th and 56th Streets, adding to the already well-established eateries in this trendy Arcadia neighborhood. It’s definitely the happening place to be these days with spots like Beckett’s Table, The Vig, Over Easy, and O.H.S.O Brewery. But the newest venture, Crudo, by Chef/Owner Cullen Campbell really caught my attention. For now, it’s a hidden gem. But I expect it won’t stay this way for long. Culinary pro, Cullen Campbell, revamped the former Backstreet Wine Salon at 36th Street and created a hip restaurant with a full crudo menu. Hence, the name Crudo!

Crudo literally means “raw” in Italian cuisine. Campbell adds his own twist to the Italian take on sashimi – think less ginger and more basil vinaigrette. He marries quality exotic sushi fish or the highest grade of meat with whimsical condiments. Everything on his menu is fresh, seasonal, and made by-hand. Whenever possible, products are sourced from the best local purveyors. The beauty of the dishes are that they are intelligently composed and unforgettably tasty.

 

The limited menu changes frequently with offerings of small raw bites and cooked dishes. The ‘must-have’ item you can’t leave here without trying is the risotto with squid ink, tuna and chilies. I don’t think there is another place in town that serves squid ink. Having never had it before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Delicious. Decadent. Exotic. Exceptional. I think that about covers it!

But for those of you less adventurous, small raw bites include albacore with thinly sliced apples, truffle and black garlic; ahi tuna with smoked olives, lemon, and egg, or butterfish with dried tomato, lardo, and arugula.

Mozzarella dishes are made with burrata, breadcrumbs, arugula and beets; or pickled veggies and salsa verde; or caramelized onions, bacon, and relish. His unique dishes don’t stop there. If you’re looking for something a little heartier, you might try grilled pork belly with smoked tomato agrodolce or melt-in-your-mouth short ribs with grilled root vegetables and horseradish. For sweet endings pastry chef extraordinaire, Tracy Dempsey of Tracy Dempsey Originals, provides the desserts.

The space is large with high ceilings and lots of windows, but only boasts 40+ seats. This allows for a range of seating options, including tables for 6 or 8 tucked away in small alcoves, intimate candlelit tables for two, or a large communal table in the main room perfect for sharing with friends or meeting new people from the neighborhood.

Combine Campbell’s business savvy (he has a degree in business management from the W.P. School of Business from Arizona State University), and his culinary experience with stints at Gregory’s World Bistro, House of Tricks, La Grande Orange, Camus, Fine’s Cellar, and Crudo’s Café prior to opening Crudo, it’s no wonder he has received praise from food critics and patrons alike.

Tip: If you don’t want a sit-down dinner, but still want to experience Chef Cullen Campbell’s culinary creations - Bar Crudo – adjacent to the main restaurant – shares the kitchen. Come for happy hour or late night drinks. Either way, the restaurant or bar – you can’t lose.

Off-site catering is available. Call the restaurant for details.

Crudo, 3603 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, 85018   (602) 358-8666  www.crudoaz.com 

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A TASTE OF BAJA COMES TO THE VALLEY! WELCOME SOL MEXICAN COCINA

Chef Deborah Schneider’s restaurant has been a huge hit in Newport Beach, so it was no wonder that people were getting excited when they heard she was opening her second SOL Mexican Cocina in Scottsdale. Dubbed by Bon Appetit as the ‘reigning queen of San Diego chefs’, a new cookbook on the way (#6), and a big spread in the February 2012 issue of O, Oprah’s massive-circulation magazine, Schneider opened SOL’s doors with a recipe for success.

Schneider adds her modern interpretation to traditional Mexican flavors with her inventive Baja-inspired dishes, in part as a result of her extensive travels throughout Mexico. She finds inspiration from street-side food trucks to roadside stalls, in small dusty towns just south of the U.S. border all the way to Cabo San Lucas.

Built around fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables, and premium meats, everything on the menu is made from scratch daily. Items change seasonally.  You can count on 17 different kinds of salsas. And you can’t leave here without trying the strawberry and Serrano guacamole with cucumbers and candied walnuts.

Or the shrimp and bacon guac with chipotle, green apple and chicharron.

Continue reading “A TASTE OF BAJA COMES TO THE VALLEY! WELCOME SOL MEXICAN COCINA” »

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