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🍺 Tempe brewery Catalyst Crafted Ales, which made its debut in October, has expanded by soft-opening a taproom in southeast Mesa. It takes over the former Cork Crush Wine & Beer House on the southeast corner of Ellsworth and Ray. Some remodeling work, including new signage, and Catalyst’s in-house restaurant, SALT (which stands for Sea and Land Tacos), are yet to be completed.
🌹 Condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of longtime George & Dragon bartender Haylee Hunsucker, who passed away from complications following May 2 surgery to remove a malignant pituitary tumor. Hunsucker, who was 37, had worked at the English pub in Phoenix for more than a decade.
🚗 Dragon Wok, a popular Chinese restaurant on the southeast corner of Ray and Cooper in Gilbert, is closed indefinitely after a vehicle drove into the strip-mall restaurant and the male driver died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident occurred around 9:45 a.m. today – about an hour before Dragon Wok was scheduled to open – according to the owners. No one else was injured. The restaurant, which opened in 2005 and has won numerous local awards for its cuisine, has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise $35,000 for repairs and to support its staff during the closure.
🚫 Peacock Wine & Book Bar, which opened in 2019 on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Baseline in Gilbert, is closing June 15. ‘‘This was not an easy decision but one that had to be made,’’ owner Tracy Schoenley posted on social media. ‘‘We hope you will join us over the next month for one last hurrah as we bid farewell to the memories, laughter, and stories shared within our beloved walls.’’
🇮🇹 Little Joe’s Italian Market, a bricks-and-mortar spinoff of the East Coast Joe’s food truck, has opened in the former Matcha Grove space on the southeast corner of McQueen and Elliot in Gilbert. The menu features pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches to go. Owner and Bronx native Joseph Gerace (pictured) imports the flour, tomatoes, cured meats, hard cheeses, olive oil, and dry goods from Italy, while making the pizzas, pastas, mozzarella, tiramisu (pictured), and more in-house.
🍗 Cogburn’s Big Wings, a country-themed sports bar concept, has closed its seven-year-old location on the southeast corner of Cooper and Warner in Gilbert. According to a notice on the door, the landlord locked out the restaurant for failure to pay rent. Cogburn’s still has two other locations in Gilbert and another in southeast Mesa, and sources tell me a new location is coming to Alma School and Ray in Chandler.
🍜 Cha Yen Pho & Boba, a strip-mall eatery offering Vietnamese and Thai food, has opened on the southeast corner of Seventh Street and Bell in north Phoenix. The menu includes 12 kinds of the namesake pho, plus rice vermicelli (bun), rice dishes (com dia), hot stone barbecue, stir fry, and more. Beverages range from Taiwanese milk tea to Vietnamese coffee to lemonades, but no alcohol is available.
👨🍳 Ravioli Euro Paeus and Milanesa will be the co-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
Spicy Lamb Potatoes: Gyro meat and potatoes with herbs and spices. Hand-formed and deep-fried. Served with yogurt and onions.
Chef Salad: Turkey, ham, swiss, provolone, bacon, olives, and artichoke hearts served over our classic dinner salad. Feta dressing on side.
Ravioli Euro Paeus (pictured): Cheese ravioli, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, asparagus, pepperoncini, basil, and sunflower seeds in a feta cheese white wine sauce.
🍲 BoSa Donuts, the local chain with 50-plus shops throughout the Valley, has launched its new concept, BoSa Kobe Hot Pot, near the northwest corner of University and Farmer in downtown Tempe. The restaurant, which takes over part of the former Dilly’s Deli space, offers pots of simmering soup stock at each table to which diners can add various meats, vegetables, noodles, and condiments. As a grand opening special, get half off your purchase from May 17-31.
