Posted by Jess Harter on May 24, 2013 11:51 am
For the second straight week, Whole Foods Chandler is offering an extra edition of its popular Friday Beer Classes.
At 7 p.m. Friday, the regular weekly informal tasting will showcase Left Hand Brewing from Longmont, Colo. The highlight will be brewery’s Twin Sisters, a limited-release double IPA named for the nearby Rocky Mountain peaks.
Other beers will include its Milk Stout, 400 Pound Monkey English-style IPA, Polestar pilsner, and Stranger pale ale, along with two seasonals, Good Juju ginger ale and Warrior fresh-hopped IPA.
At 4 p.m. Saturday, another tasting will feature Arizona’s own Oak Creek Brewing and its new Double Nut imperial brown ale, along with its Crimson imperial red and several other ales.
Reps from each brewery will be on hand to give away swag. The classes are just $5.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 24, 2013 10:01 am
The Living Room, The Sushi Room, and Chop – sibling restaurants at Downtown Ocotillo in Chandler – will be raising money for tornado victims in Oklahoma and Texas on Sunday.
All day, $2 from every glass or bottle of wine (including sake) purchased will be donated to the American Red Cross.
The Valley’s six Humble Pie locations, owned by the same group, will donate $5 from every pizza sold Sunday.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 23, 2013 2:31 pm
SanTan Brewing in downtown Chandler has a personal connection with the Oklahoma tornado victims.
“One of our own employees, Jennifer Simson, has family that was affected by the devastation,” says SanTan owner and head brewer Anthony Canecchia. “This tragedy hits very close to home for all of us, and we are doing what we can to help.”
On Tuesday, the brewery will donate 100% of all proceeds from sales of cans of its Epicenter amber ale. From 11 a.m. to midnight, the brew pub will be selling cans for $3 and six-packs for $5.
All proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross of Oklahoma relief fund.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 23, 2013 10:49 am
Looks like Amy’s Baking Company isn’t the only Valley business getting a makeover on a reality TV show. Cameras also will be rolling this weekend at Rocky Point Cantina in Tempe.
Since taking over the old Dos Gringos Trailer Park on Eighth Street just east of Rural, Rocky Point Cantina has spiraled to the point where it now only opens for occasional events, mostly shows by extreme metal bands.
The production company asked MXSW not to use the show’s name or network, but there aren’t many that go to a bar and perform a rescue (hint, hint) so you probably can figure it out.
Anyway, anyone 21 or older is invited to attend the bar’s “stress test,” scheduled for 9 p.m. Friday (subject to change). That’s the pre-makeover portion when things typically go awry.
The makeover is scheduled to occur this weekend, followed by the “reveal” on Monday.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 22, 2013 9:33 am
Please welcome the El Rey Cafe as MXSW’s newest sponsor. Located in a converted house on the southeast corner of Sossaman and Queen Creek roads in Queen Creek, the El Rey offers made-from-scratch Mexican food.
The original El Rey Cafe has been a Globe institution since 1947. Numerous publications have named it one of the best Mexican restaurants in Arizona.
El Rey owner Libby Bracamonte, who now lives in Queen Creek, opened a spinoff restaurant there last year, run by her daughter, Marisa.
The menu offers an array of inexpensive tacos, burros, and enchiladas, as well as the El Rey’s signature housemade chips drizzled with butter.
Please thank El Rey for its support of local dining coverage.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 22, 2013 8:21 am
It’s Wednesday, which means deals on wine…
Today’s wine specials:
Posted by Jess Harter on May 21, 2013 6:55 pm
DownUnder, the Australian-themed bistro and wine bar in Gilbert, has closed, according to a notice posted on its door.
The eclectic bar and wine shop – originally called Red Kangaroo – was launched in a strip mall on the north side of Chandler Fashion Center. Owners Roger Carpenter and Phil Roberts gained renown for their stock of, and expertise about, Australian and New Zealand wines.
The wine list was paired with a small-plates menu featuring exotic meats like ostrich, kangaroo, and crocodile. The cozy venue’s decor included boomerangs and Aboriginal prints.
In 2010, DownUnder moved to bigger and nicer digs at McQueen and Warner in Gilbert and added new partners. By the end of last year, neither Carpenter nor Roberts were involved in business.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 21, 2013 5:30 pm
Wanna learn how to cook on a Himalayan salt block? Gilbert-based Go Lb. Salt is holding a 90-minute class at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Entitled “Cooking with Saltware,” the class includes the physics and chemistry of cooking on salt blocks, demonstrations of various foods being prepared, and sampling the results.
The class, held at My AZ Kitchen at Baseline and Val Vista, is $110, but you get to take home a 6-inch-by-8-inch block ($40 retail value).
Sign up here.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 21, 2013 5:16 pm
No holiday this weekend for Taiko. The Japanese restaurant on the southwest corner of Ray and Cooper in Chandler has a couple of events going on.
On Saturday, Taiko hosts another of its popular sake-tasting parties at 7 p.m.
Seating is limited, but if you can’t reserve a seat there’s another tasting June 1. RSVP: 480-855-8388.
On Sunday, Taiko continues its holiday tradition of offering an all-you-can-eat sushi deal. It includes appetizers and costs $19.95 per person. It’s available from noon to 8 p.m.
Posted by Jess Harter on May 21, 2013 5:06 pm
Summer is almost here, and Sleepy Dog Brewery in Tempe is cutting back its taproom hours.
The new hours: Closed Sunday and Monday, 4-11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 4-midnight Thursday and Friday, and 2-midnight Saturday.
The brewery’s recently opened pub and bistro in Gilbert remains open seven days a week.
