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🍸 Bar Louie, a Texas-based chain of gastropubs with two Valley locations, has overhauled its menu with 32 new dishes and drinks – including one created by Elyse Perez, a bartender at the Tempe location.
Perez’s drink – the Wake Up Call Martini (made with 21 Seeds Valencia Orange Tequila, Aperol, peach, pineapple, and lemon) – beat out drinks from seven other Bar Louie bartenders in a nationwide contest.
The martini is now offered at all 65 Bar Louies in 21 states.
Other new menu items include a Truffle Crunch Burger (topped with house-made potato chips), Kickin’ Fried Chicken Sandwich, Hot Honey Bacon Flatbread, and Pineapple Upside-Down Margarita.
🇰🇷 Manna BBQ – an all-you-can-eat, grill-it-yourself Korean BBQ concept out of San Diego – has opened its fourth Valley location at the Chandler Crossroads on the northwest corner of Gilbert and Germann..
It takes over the space formerly home to the short-lived Sushi Green, which opened in July 2022 and closed three months later.
Other Valley locations of Manna BBQ are Mesa, Peoria, and Glendale.
If you go
📌 Manna BBQ, 2990 E. Germann Road #5, Chandler, 480-699-2223. Open 11:30 a.m.-9:30 Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 11:30-9 p.m. Sunday.
🇮🇳 Tikka Shack Indian Grub, a Texas-based chain of north Indian restaurants, has opened its third Valley location in the former Mici Italian space near the southwest corner of the 202 and Power in southeast Gilbert.
The menu offers a variety of traditional Indian dishes and also has build-your-own masalas and curries.
Other Valley locations are at Norterra and Desert Ridge in Phoenix..
If you go
📌 Tikka Shack Indian Grub, 5498 S. Power Road #101, Gilbert, 602-639-0793. Open 11 a. m.-10 p.m.daily.
☕️ Oregon-based Black Rock Coffee Bar celebrates the recent opening of its latest Valley store on the southwest corner of Hunt Highway and Bella Vista in San Tan Valley with $2 medium-sized drinks all day today.
Various daily promotions continue for the next week, including free mugs for the first 200 customers Saturday and free T-shirts for first 200 Tuesday.
The store, which opens at 5 a.m. daily, is Black Rock’s 38th in the Valley.
🍣 Full Moon Izakaya, a casual Japanese bar offering ramen, sushi, and rice bowls, has opened in the former Komodo Asian Fusion space on the southwest corner of Northern and 12th Street in north Phoenix.
The menu boasts six kinds of ramen and 17 sushi rolls (seven house specialties), as well as nigiri and sashimi.
Cocktails include a Tsaki Fusion (whiskey, soda, yuzu pureee, and lime), Kyoto Mule, Kappa’s Long Island, and Mimosake Sunrise.
If you go
📌 Full Moon Izakaya, 7810 N. 12th St., Phoenix, 480-694-8850. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
🍺 Pinnacle Brewing, the Valley’s newest craft brewery, has announced its grand opening to the public will be Friday, May 3, in north Scottsdale.
The family-owned, 4,300-square-foot brewery is located at The Corner Center at Hayden Road and 82nd Street, just east of Scottsdale Airport.
Pinnacle will not serve food, but plans to bring in food trucks. It also will partner with a local catering chef on charcuterie boards and other spreads.
👨🍳 Sainte Victoire and Tortellini Gianni will be the entrees when Romeo’s Euro Cafe in downtown Gilbert holds its weekly ‘‘Taste of Romeo’s’’ dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
The dinners, held in a private dining room, feature five courses selected from the restaurant’s regular menu.
This week’s courses
Broccoli Melts: Cheddar cheese and fresh broccoli, breaded and fried. Served with homemade ranch dressing.
Broiled Chicken Salad: Chicken breast, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, black olives, green onions, and walnuts tossed in lemon mustard vinaigrette over mixed greens.
Sainte Victoire: Broiled chicken topped with kasseri cheese and a raspberry-honey-Dijon sauce. Served with sautéed vegetables.
Tortellini Gianni (pictured): Italian sausage, cheese filled tortellini, scallions, fresh garlic, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in Marsala cream sauce.
Chocolate Bread Pudding
Cost is $44 per person plus tax and tip. You can add five wine tastes for $10. RSVP: 480-962-4224.
