They all brought their A Game, but one guy in particular brought his A+ Game at the Devoured Cocktail Competition last week. Nine local bartenders and restaurant owners took to the shakers for elimination rounds of making the best cocktail possible with Finlandia vodka. The event took place at the St. Francis bar, where four judges sat in a pit surrounded by over 75 eager spectators vying for their samples of the competition drinks. The Judges: EATERAZ’s Rick Phillips and David Tyda; Bill DeGroot, who created the cocktails for Metro Brasserie and the Estate House; and Camelback Inn’s Director of Beverage, Trudy Thomas).
The competitors started off with cocktails that do well in their respective restaurants – for instance, Modern Steak’s bartender mixed up a “Retail Therapy” Martini, while the District at the Sheraton sent some herbs grown in their garden along with their guy.
For the final round, emcee Megan Finnerty of AZRepublic.com presented a surprise ingredient–Orange Flower Water. The winning cocktail? A Finlandia/Maker’s Mark concoction from Mac Gregory, Director of F&B at The Phoenician.
This whole shabang was planned to publicize:
Devoured
March 13-14, 11am-4pm
Phoenix Art Museum
http://www.phxart.org/devoured
On a recent trip to the new Mad Chef Gastropub in Ahwatukee, we dined on Poutine, a dish we haven’t had since a trip to Quebec last year. Poutine is a dish consisting of french fries topped with cheese curds, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients. Mad Chef’s was decadent and deadly, only instead of curds, they used aged cheddar–good move for our less-Quebecois taste buds.
As we dug in deeper to explore this heart-stopping dish, we stumbled upon a much greater secret — SECRET MENUS! Bet you didn’t know that Putine (as KFC spells it) is available there as a “secret menu item” here in the States. We found a website with secret menus from 24 restaurants at a corner near you. Ranging from In-and-Out Burger to Arby’s to Mickey D’s!
Check the full list here.
Wanna know what warmed our hearts, though? Number 14. Back when Tyda was a tyke, he’d head to Long John Silvers with his grandparents and he’d always ask for a “bag of crumbs,” basically fried pieces of fried pieces. They’d look at him like he was crazy (or low on cholesterol) every time he’d make this request. So, Mr. Silver, Tyda’s glad his incredible ability to set trends has affected your business so well. He’ll be by later to pickup that royalty check.
Meanwhile, EATERAZ’s other half, Rick Phillips, has long been one of the select few who know to ask for the Peel & Eat Shrimp at Houston’s. Although they’re almost never available, these giant fatties come with a side of remoulade. If you keep comin’ up denied, then impress your server only on Saturdays by requesting the secret Texas Burger. It’s a Chiliburger that has long been a weekend staple of Mr. Phillips’ for a while. Hey, secrets are meant for sharing, right?
You know, if somebody were to say “Name one thing EATERAZ has in common with Outback Steakhouse,” we might reply: “Fresh Tilapia with Pure Lump Crab Meat!” in an obvious attempt to avoid the question. But now we do have something in common—we’re both trying to provide financial support for Operation Homefront, a charity that makes life a little easier for the families of our troops overseas. Gotta move but Dad’s in Iraq? Homefront’s got you. Need a computer to Skype with your son in Fallujah? They got it.
Although we’re supporting the charity by throwing a giant barbecue festival on April 10 in the middle of downtown Scottsdale, complete with cooking demos, a farmer’s market, poker tournament, VIP tent, live music, and tons of barbecue, Outback’s taking the simpler, more sane approach—they’re rolling out a special menu. Their “Red, White, and Bloomin’ Menu” is good through March and portions of every order from it benefit Operation Homefront. They’re hopin’ to raise $1 million. (So are we, but truth is, we may fall $975,000 short.)
On their menu: the calorie-free bloomin’ onion, sirloin steak with shrimp, baby back ribs, ribeye, filet, carrot cake, and Fresh Tilapia with Pure Lump Crab Meat! No, we’re not trying to distract you, we’re just trying to get you loca-whores out to a big fat chain. Just once. And maybe twice, you know, for the troops.
Phoenix New Times’ Chow Bella reports that only after a few months, Joseph Gutierrez’s Tutto has shut its doors over at the never-ending revolving restaurant door at SouthBridge. Maybe R&R has a new meaning in these parts: Reaper n’ Reincarnations.
Check it:
• Food Bar became Metro Brasserie
• Digestif became Tutto to which is becoming (read below)
• Canal became Acua
• Mexican Standoff never opened and made way for also-probably-not-opening Tapas Papa Fritas.
• Sea Saw became Digestif which became FnB
Although Chow Bella did not report who is going into the Tutto space, EATERAZ hears it is the folks at Marcellino Ristorante over on Northern & 13th St. in Phoenix.
Seems like Revolver owner Steve McDonald is not wasting any time getting back into the swing of things and making sure that his A-List friends have a new place to be and be seen.
In this picture: Dave Stewart, Ex-MLB player and now sports agent for LA Dodgers’ Matt Kemp, who’s pictured between his girlfriend, Rihanna, and Stewart’s fiancee, Lonnie. The group was celebrating Rihanna’s birthday.
The very next day, McDonald directed them to take in a brunch at Chef Beau MacMillan’s elements restaurant in Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain. Beau Mac said it all with his Facebook status:
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