Scottsdale Blog - Things to do in Scottsdale, Arizona » Sol y Sombra

More Delicious Dining Options Hit Scottsdale Culinary Scene this Year

Josh Kenzer — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:33:04 +0000

Scottsdale’s dining menu continues to evolve as the following eateries are set to open their doors this season – bringing a new flavor to Scottsdale’s already sizzling culinary offerings.

A new venture by local culinary master Aaron May, chef and owner of Sol y Sombra, is a contemporary Italian osteria that will offer all-day dining seven days a week. Autostrada, set to open in November 2008, will serve updated simple Italian fare in a family friendly, sleek and casual setting. The restaurant will feature a full bar with refreshing Italian cocktails in addition to a chosen wine list of Italian varietals. Guests will enjoy antipasti, panini, primi secondi and contorni including fried baby artichokes with mint pesto and lemon, broccoli rabe with toasted garlic and pine nuts, and more. For more information, visit www.eatatautostrada.com.

The Mission will focus on Latin flavor and is the vision of partners Terry Ellisor and Chef Matt Carter of Zinc Bistro in Scottsdale along with Brian Raab of the Merc Bar in Phoenix. Dishes will include guacamole prepared tableside and Carter’s longtime “secret passion” recipe – slow roasted pork. The interior look of the restaurant, created by local designer Charlie Morrow, will include palm wood floors, a marble bar, faux rainwater walls, ornate chandeliers and a wall of salt blocks.

A new high-end, high-energy restaurant, J&G Steakhouse will open at The Phoenician in December 2008 and feature premium cuts of meat and fish. The restaurant is a member of Jean-Georges’ Culinary Concepts team and is the first of his restaurants in Arizona. It will incorporate an individually designed dinner menu with a distinctive selection of appetizers and side dishes as well as sauces and condiments from around the world. Design elements will incorporate stunning city views into its elegant, soft modern look and utilize wood and stone material throughout the space. Jean-Georges Vongericthen, a world-renowned chef and businessman, has established nearly 20 restaurants in United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.jgsteakhousescottsdale.com.

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.

Tomato Tossing Festival in Scottsdale

Josh Kenzer — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:22:34 +0000

This looks like it was a fun event, if not a little dangerous. It was held at Sol y Sombra. It’s a recreation of the Tomatina festival held in Buñol, Spain every year on the last Wednesday of August.

From the video’s creator, Allen Weiner: What better way to spend a hot Sunday morning in August in Scottsdale—throwing tomatoes at one another. Sponsored by Sol y Sombra, a local restaurant, this event is a replicable of one that happens in Spain at the end of the tomato harvest. It’s supposed to be all in fun, but it sure was a great way to get out a lot of aggression. Splat!