Scottsdale Blog - Things to do in Scottsdale, Arizona » Digestif

Boy does SouthBridge Smell Good

Josh Kenzer — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:10:43 +0000

SouthBridge, the cool urban district along the Arizona Canal, is heating up with all the cooking going on. In addition to staples like Cowboy Ciao, Digestif and Kazmierz Wine Bar, check out these updates and openings:

Fred Unger’s restaurants announce plans for fall season:

Metro Brasserie, a friendly neighborhood eatery featuring New Orleans-style fare, plans Monday night “Pique-Nique d-ete” wine dinners beginning in August. The savory Plates de Deux (affordable daily cuisine specials for two) will change with the bounty of the autumn season and guests will be able to enjoy live music on “Stetson Park” from the restaurant’s outdoor patio.

Estate House, the beautiful multi-level dinner house with terraces overlooking the waterfront, will begin offering lunch service in September. Monthly wine dinners (featuring fine wineries such as Far Niente, Silver Oak and others) will also be offered in the fall. The restaurant’s casual uptown city lounge, Upstairs, will continue its popular Wine on Wednesday’s Happy Hour and plans live entertainment nightly.

Joseph Gutierrez Opens Three New Restaurants at SouthBridge

Tutto opened mid-July serving authentic Italian fare, including homemade pastas, cheeses and breads.
Acua has plans to open late summer and offer Asian-influence French cuisine.
Tapas Papa Fritas will offer Spanish fare with touches from Gutierrez’s European heritage. It is scheduled to open in the fall.

Other independently owned and operated businesses at SouthBridge:

The Chef’s Loft, offering culinary classes and private events, plans to open in the fall.

Master Mixologists Serve up Innovative Drink Options

Josh Kenzer — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:19:31 +0000

As a man who knows the true meaning of cocktail culture, Peter Kasperski has dreamt up some of Scottsdale’s most delectable drink items. You won’t see soda guns or bar blenders in any of his four downtown restaurants where emphasis is placed on fresh juices and ingredients. Try the absinthe-infused Nightfly at Cowboy Ciao or Digestif’s Pretty Ugli, a mixture of fresh basil, Nardini Acqua di Cedro and lemon. For more information, visit www.cowboyciao.com.

Bill DeGroot of the SouthBridge Restaurant Group is the mastermind behind two of Scottsdale’s most infamous cocktails, the Strawberry Smash at CANAL and Pear Alsace at Estate House. The mixture of strawberries, fresh mint and potato vodka makes CANAL’s drink a real palate pleaser, and one sip of the pear-flavored drink will make you think you’ve actually taken a bite into the fruit. It’s a blend of Grey Goose vodka, pear brandy and lemon juice garnished with a fanned-out Anjou pear. For more information on CANAL, visit www.canalaz.com. For more information on Estate House, visit www.estatehouseaz.com .

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa’s newest bar, edge, has a drink menu that’s as extensive as the list at award-winning restaurant, elements. Liquid Relations founder Ryan Magarian taught edge staff the skills behind “liquid cooking,” concocting items like the chamomile breeze, a fusion of gin, honey and lemon steeped with chamomile tea leaves. And we’d be remiss not to mention the innovative spins on classics like the Tom Collins and Sidecar. For more information, visit www.sanctuaryaz.com.

BRAVO TOP CHEF COOKS AT DIGESTIF DECEMBER 17

Mitchell Tay — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:46:12 +0000

BRAVO Top Chef Stephanie Izard will be coming back to Scottsdale! As an alumna from the Scottsdale Cunlinary Institute, she was the first woman to win this reality show. She will be making her appearance on December 17th to cook up an esquisite 8-course dinner at Digestif along with Chef Payton Curry and chef Tracy Dempsey. It wouldn’t be complete without some special Austrian wines and others delicious wines to pair with each dish by Sommelier Sariya Jarasviroj Brown. Want to find out what dishes Stephanie will be creating? Come find out on December 17th and don’t forget to RSVP!

Wednesday, December 17, 7 pm
$95 plus tax and gratuity
Phone 480-425-WINE to reserve or e-mail Pavle at info@DigestifScottsdale.com
Questions? Reach Mari at 602-790-5998 or ciaomari1@hotmail.com

Check out top Valley Chefs AND support the arts

Kelly Tope — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:03:52 +0000

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present Dine Out with the Chefs: A Celebration of the Culinary Arts on October 5, 2008, from 4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Created by author Pamela Swartz, the mouth-watering event celebrates the Valley’s exciting dining scene and is a must for anyone who loves food. Now in its third year, it has become one of the most prestigious epicurean events in Arizona, attracting the top chefs in the Valley.
Dine Out guests will have the opportunity to meet the chefs from 19 of the Valley’s finest restaurants and to sample their culinary creations, from delicious soups, salads and appetizers to some of their signature dishes and most decadent desserts

Dine Out with the Chefs will feature author Pamela Swartz signing her brand new edition of Dine Out Phoenix: Where to Eat from Chic to Unique as well as a wine tasting, premium vodka and tequila tasting, premium beer tasting courtesy of Hensley, live music by Rakata and a cash bar.

The participating chefs and restaurants include:

Executive Chef Jon-Paul Hutchins, L’Academie and L’Ecole (at Scottsdale Culinary Institute)
Executive Chef Eric Howson & Chef Salvador Prado, Alto ristorante e bar (at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch)
Chef/Owner Carolyn Ellis, Arcadia Farms
Executive Chef Justin Beckett, Canal
Pastry Chef Tracy Dempsey, Confection
Chef Payton Curry, Digestif
Executive Chef Gio Osso, Estate House
Executive Chef Matt Taylor, Foodbar
Executive Chef Michael Rusconi, Lon’s (at the Hermosa Inn)
Executive Chef Bernie Kantak, Mexican Standoff
Chef/Owner Erasmo “Razz” Kamnitzer, Razz’s Restaurant
Executive Chef Nobuo Fukuda, Shell Shock
Head Baker Jeffrey Yankellow, Simply Bread
Chef Juan Solorio, SWB, a southwest bistro (at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch)
Executive Chef Lee Hillson, T. Cook’s (at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa)
Executive Chef Mel Mecinas, Talavera (at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North)
Chef de Cuisine Robert Sanchez, Windows on the Green (at The Phoenician)
Executive Chef Matt Carter, Zinc Bistro

Scottsdale’s Fall Bounty to Excite Foodies

Josh Kenzer — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:16:58 +0000

Scottsdale is ready to wine and dine this fall with these huge culinary events.

Kicking off the festivities is Arizona Restaurant Week, debuting Sept. 20-26. The event gives patrons the chance to experience Arizona’s finest fare at a variety of quality restaurants for a special rate. Nearly 100 restaurants, including some of Scottsdale’s best such as Digestif, Sol y Sombra, Roka Akor, Olive & Ivy, and Taggia, will offer a three-course menu for $29 per person or $58 per couple.

On Oct. 7 and 8, travelers can savor fresh, straight-from-the-farm food at the latest installment of Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar’s dinner series, Locavore 4: Cultivation. Locavore is a term used to describe a person who only eats locally produced food, and every bite and sip of Tapino’s five-course dinner will come from an Arizona farmer, food producer, rancher or wine maker. For $65 a person, diners experience Chef James Porter’s globally-inspired creations while supporting local businesses. Locavore 5: The Hearth, will take place Dec. 1 and 2.

Savor Scottsdale, a group dedicated to increasing local pride and national recognition for the city’s culinary scene, is adding to the fall festivities with EATS³ Oct. 23-25. The event focuses on the three S’s – sizzle, sip and swizzle – and will showcase Scottsdale’s finest with a cocktail-infused ArtWalk, exclusive in-gallery dinners by famed Scottsdale chefs, a national Iron Bartender competition, a Grand Tasting featuring the finest chefs and wine makers, and the signature BBQ & Bubbles Finale. Among the event’s slated 40 chefs and special guests are Emmy award-winning Chef Ming Tsai and winner of Bravo’s Top Chef, Stephanie Izard. Arizona chefs will include James Beard award winners Nobuo Fukuda, Chris Bianco and Robert McGrath, and Iron Chef winning chefs Beau MacMillan and Mark Tarbell. Patrons may purchase tickets to individual events or buy the $500 Ultimate Savor Scottsdale Pass.