beet salad with shrimp

In Phoenix, locally-based Hanny’s closed its final location at Scottsdale Fashion Square in 1994. The void at that mall was easily filled by a new tenant, but Hanny’s older Downtown store, closed since 1986, languished for much longer at the prime corner of First Street and Adams, just a block or two from the Washington / Central (westbound) and Jefferson /1st Avenue (eastbound) light rail stations. It took another trend, adaptive reuse, to bring the Downtown Hanny’s site back to life in 2008 — not as a menswear store, but instead as a bar and restaurant in Phoenix’s downtown core.

old Hanny’s sign

Adaptive reuse isn’t cheap, and it’s obvious that Hanny’s is the product of a big investment in renovating the old store. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that Hanny’s is owned by Karl Kopp, the proprietor of Scottsdale’s AZ88, and that the design is a product of Janis Leonard, who also designed AZ88. The makeover of Hanny’s was upscale but minimalist; from some angles, the bare bones look might make customers wonder if the place is even open. The restaurant has minimal street presence despite improvements such as new parking meters that double as bike racks.

combination parking meter and bike rack

Inside, the look is clean and almost clinical with the staff wearing white jackets and a meat slicer adorning the bar in the center of the room. Upstairs, the restrooms await down a mirrored hallway. Only one elevator is in use; the other shaft is unused with thick glass barriers providing an interesting opportunity to stand unharmed over a gaping hole leading to the basement. Provocative art such as a last supper of dolls or a futuristic figure behind glass can serve as conversation starters during the quiet daytime hours, and DJs fill the space with music later in the evening.

classic martini

The meat slicer at the bar says a lot about the menu at Hanny’s. Prosciutto and parmesan cheese both play key roles here. What do those ingredients, along with similar items like pistachios and olives, have in common? They’re salty, savory treats that stimulate the thirst and pair well with the flavors of vodka, gin, vermouth, and other traditional cocktail components. Remember, Hanny’s is as much a bar as a restaurant, but it’s not a place for a pint or a longneck. While there is a limited selection of bottled beer, the emphasis is more on wine and classic cocktails.

Moscow mule

Some customers may complain about the small size of those cocktails, but at $5 for a classic martini, the prices are equally small. It’s easy to enjoy one as a mini-aperitif or a prelude to a glass of wine later. The food choices are heavy on red meat — not only prosciutto, but also pork loin and roast beef. A sandwich of the latter comes accessorized not only with bacon, but also a fried egg. At the other end of the spectrum, there are plenty of meatless options, including a hearty vegetarian sandwich, entree-sized salads, and several pizzas, about half of which are made without meat.

vegetarian sandwich

The pizzas are built on a thin, crisp, elliptical crust. New York and Chicago pizza purists may be offended, but it’s a pizza style that works well for a casual nosh with a cocktail. The pizzas are best shared among two or three with combinations with any of the salads or either the snack plate or the bar plate, both of them simple combinations of cured meats, cheeses, nuts, and olives. The tomato sauce used on many of the pizzas is slightly sweet. Among the white pizzas, the Bianco adds goat cheese to the usual blend. It benefits from the addition of arugula, one of many optional toppings.

Bianco pizza with arugula

What’s missing from the menu? Poultry and fish. Shrimp, however, is featured in one appetizer with prosciutto and available as an added topping on any of the generous salads. The chopped salad is a deconstructed platter of ingredients such as artichoke hearts, avocado slices, and cherry tomatoes. The beet salad is colorful with slices of both red and gold varieties places atop a bed of arugula, seemingly the favorite green at Hanny’s. Besides salads, vegetables figure in appetizers such as the Cauliflower Calabrese in which  grilled florets are decadently augmented with fried onion strings.

chopped salad with ribeye

For dessert, Hanny’s take a break from salty bar foods for some sweet notes. The donuts are really donut holes, a plate full of bite-sized specimens with a choice of chocolate or strawberry dipping sauce. The key lime pie, actually a tart for one or two, has a graham cracker crust, green-yellow filling, and artistic swirls of whipped cream. Cannoli and tiramisu add some Italian-American options, and the Symphony Chocolate Crisp Cake not only has the longest name, but also the richest taste thanks to combination of a dark filling and a vanilla ice cream topping.

key lime pie

Because of Hanny’s location near the US Airways Center, Symphony Hall, the Herberger Theater, and other Downtown venues, it’s a good choice for a pre-event meal. Happily, the late hours (kitchen cooking until 1 AM and bartenders pouring until 1:30 AM each night) also make it a viable gathering spot after a show or a game — something that Downtown Phoenix has needed for eons. The clientele at Hanny’s may no longer wear sharp suits to either work or play, but the debonair aura of the bar and restaurant is a fitting legacy for a spot that used to clothe the businesspeople of Phoenix.

40 N. 1st St., Phoenix AZ 85004
(602) 252-2285
http://www.hannys.net

View Hanny’s in a larger map

Umami, a new ramen and sake bar, will open Friday on Sixth Street just east of Mill in downtown Tempe.

Chefs Jared Lupin (Republic Ramen, DownUnder Winebar) and Matt Marlowe won a restaurant-startup contest sponsored by the building’s landlord in March. The prize included six months of free rent and public-relations services.

Bowls of ramen will start at $8. There also will be udon, soba, and matcha noodle dishes. You’ll be able to add roasted chicken and pork, braised pork belly, or Spam for an extra dollar or two.

The bar will serve about 40 kinds of sake, as well as sochu.

Initial hours will be 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

As most of you know, I do most of my shopping at Safeway.  I love their selection, their Just 4 U digital coupon program, and their great customer service.  It doesn’t take much to make me happy, but some how Safeway does it right all the time, every time.  I also love their Escrip program, which allows me to do the same ol’ shopping I always do, but 10% of my Safeway purchases go back to my sons school.

10% can add up quickly, especially if every family from our school signed up for the Escrip program.  Escrip is easy to use–just add your personal information, choose your school, and shop the way you normally shop (at Safeway, of course.)  Once you are a member, you just have to update your membership settings each year to keep the program active; it took me less than two minutes to update my settings for this year. If you are already signed up with Escrip, make sure you update your information, so your school will keep receiving your earnings.

While shopping at Safeway, I purchased stuff to make the Fried Chicken Chopped Salad, one of my families favorite week night dinners. You can see my shopping experience here.  I heard that Tyson had a school earning program, Project A, and while at Safeway, I noticed signs about the program.  Since I already purchase Tyson products, I knew this was a program I could support.  Our school desperately needs every penny it can get, so another way to help earn more money for our school is a winner in my book!   

When I got home from my errands, I went to the Tyson Project A website to check out the program.   Like Escrip, the Project A program was easy to sign up for (I received permission from the PO President to sign our school up).  Each participating Tyson label collected will earn money for our school.  If we collect 100 labels, we can earn $24, 500 labels = $120 and so on….we can earn up to $12,000 a year (50,000 labels), all for eating dinner with our families!

Want to try my Fried Chicken Chopped Salad?  This salad can be made with grilled chicken, but as a special treat, I sometimes make it with Tyson Fried Chicken Strips.  From oven to table, it takes about 25 minutes, which fits in very nicely with my new schedule!

Fried Chicken Chopped Salad

• 1 Package Tyson Crispy Chicken Strips
• 1 (11 oz) Can of Mandarin Oranges, chilled
• 3 Eggs, Hard-boiled
• Romaine Lettuce, cleaned and chopped
• 1/3 c. Grape Tomatoes
• 1/4 c. Carrots, peeled and sliced 
• 1 Cucumber, peeled and cubed
• 1 Avocado, peeled and cubed
• 1/2  c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 c. Bacon Bits (I use the Hormel crumbled bacon bits)
• 1/2 c. Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles
• Favorite dressings (We like Honey-Mustard, Pear Vinaigrette, or Ranch)

Bake the chicken strips according to package instructions. Drain the oranges and place in a small serving dish.  Slice the hard-boiled eggs and place in another serving bowl.  Toss the romaine, tomatoes, carrots, avocado, and cucumber into a large serving bowl.  Place the avocado, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and chow mein noodles in separate serving bowls.  When the chicken is finished baking.  Let cool for about five minutes, then slice the strips into bite-size pieces.  Place the chicken in a serving bowl, and place all the serving dishes on the table.  Each family member can mix their own salad, according to their favorite “mix-ins”. 

How do you give back to your school?  Wouldn’t the Safeway Escrip and Tyson Project A programs be an easy way to give back?

For more information about the Tyson Project A program, visit their website.  You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.  

#CBias   #ClipForSchool

Once a year, Azucena takes a trip to her hometown of San Miguel De Allende in Central Mexico and becomes inspired to create new dishes based on her experiences. Her most recent trip has resulted in the addition of more than 20 items to the Los Sombreros menu; from starters, salads, soups and entrees.

You now have the opportunity to take a culinary journey for 2 for only $50. The new 10 course tasting menu gives you culinary insight to Azucena’s hometown, and truthfully made me want to ask if I could join her next time. While tasting portions are small, the flavor held within those bites was just the right size to give you the right amount of flavor and ‘wow’ to ensure that you’ll be back and looking for the full portions on the menu.

The tasting menu consists of the following:

• Pozole Soup

Pozole Soup

• Crispy Hibiscus Taquitos

Crispy Hibiscus Taquitos

• Fig & Panela Cheese Salad
• Shrimp & Papaya Salad

Shrimp & Papaya Salad

• Salmon with Mango Pico de Gallo
• Trout with Almonds in Lemon Butter with Capers
• Chile Relleno with Beef Picadillo
• Pechuga Rellena
• Pork Loin served with Tamarind Mole
• Piloncillo Ice Cream

Piloncillo Ice Cream

I also enjoyed a special Tamarind Margarita ($5) that is a must have!

Tamarind Margarita

While all of the dishes presented were quite lovely, my absolute favorites of the evening were the Pozole, Crispy Hibiscus Taquito, Pork Loin with Tamarind Mole and of course the Piloncillo Ice Cream. The ice cream tastes like some sort of love child of chai and maple syrup – amazing!!

You may have your long standing favorite dishes, but you owe it to yourself to give these new items a try and the tasting menu is the perfect introduction. Go visit Los Sombreros at 2534 North Scottsdale Road. Call 480.994.1799 for reservations or more information.

The Arrogant Butcher has announced that the final craft beer dinner in the Brews & Banter series will feature not only an exceptional menu but the intoxicating brews of Four Peaks Brewing Company on August 29th at 7pm. For only $45 per person, you can immerse yourself in a four course dinner all the while interacting with the brewers, who just so happen to be a very fun bunch!

Check out the menu masterfully created by Executive Chef Zack Randol below and make sure to get on the phone and make your reservations, as seating is limited!

• First Course| Fried Chicken Livers, pickled vegetables, rogue blue

Paired with Sunbru Kölsch-Style Ale

• Second Course| Pork Rillettes, mustard, stone fruit, grilled bread

Paired with Peach Ale

• Third Course| Scallops, cauliflower, curry, raisin, pistachio

Paired with Raj IPA

• Fourth Course| Donuts, lemon curd, spiced fruit

Paired with Hefeweizen

The Arrogant Butcher is located at CityScape, 2 East Jefferson in Downtown Phoenix. Call 602.324.8502.

I am out of just about every food imaginable at my house. Yesterday I had frozen enchiladas for breakfast, and today I started a fire in my microwave trying to spice up my oatmeal. Maybe I should explain. I really like drippy peanut butter (or almond, or whatev) on my oatmeal, and I’m completely out of all butters except for a 1 tablespoon packet of almond butter. You know? The kind you have to knead first and it never really gets drippy like the stuff from a jar? So I thought it would be brilliant to put it in the microwave for 10 seconds. It was not the first time I’ve ever made that type of mistake, but it was the first time anything has actually caught on fire.

I stared at in in disbelief for a moment, then I blew the fire out. It was mildly scary, and also a little funny. You know, one of those times where you’re really glad no one else is at home and has to see how dumb you are, but then you tell the entire internet, and the whole idea of any discrepancy is completely lost.

It’s funny. You go away for a weekend leaving the man in your house to his own devices, and you come home to find no new groceries, just lots of receipts from Chipotle. And somehow I can’t find the motivation to go grocery shop. Or make more muffins. Or get off the couch? Post adventure hangover is apparently still in play.

Basically, I wish these muffins had lasted more than 48 hours and magically withstood the 3 months that have now passed since I made them. I would eat the crap out of them, and I wouldn’t even have to burn the house down to do it.

I’d been eyeing my girl Sally’s blueberry muffins for a good long time, and been dyyyying to try to make some muffins as tall and beautiful as her’s, so one day I had some leftover blueberries in my fridge, and just decided they needed to happen already.

The result was the tallest, most gorgeous muffins I have ever seen come out of my oven! Sally uses extra baking powder and starts with a high oven temp which is the secret to these perfect muffin tops. So much better than my usual muffin top (#whatisgoingonwithmymuffintop)<–Inside joke from Hood to Coast just for you, Laurel.

Print Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 12 muffins

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Ingredients

• 3 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup reduced fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/4 cup fresh blueberries (preferably organic)
• coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray, or line with paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until combined. Mix in buttermilk, applesauce and vanilla until well combined.
4. Gently, fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix. Gently fold in blueberries.
5. Evenly divide batter between 12 standard muffin tins. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a nice pinch of coarse sugar. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and continue to bake for an other 17-20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (with just a few crumbs).
6. Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve or transfer to a wire rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin 2.2 http://arismenu.com/blueberry-buttermilk-muffins/

Is Tempe big enough for two Detroit-focused eateries? We’ll start finding out Friday when Detroit Coney Grill opens on Broadway just west of Hardy.

Michigan native David Najor will offer his home state’s signature Detroit-style coneys – beef hot dogs topped with all-meat beanless chili – as well as burgers, pitas, and salads. He plans to grind Angus beef in-house, hand-cut fries, and import natural-casing dogs from Detroit.

Like Sunshine’s Motor City Cafe, which opened last year in south Tempe and also serves coneys, Detroit Coney Grill will serve Michigan faves like Better Made chips and Faygo pop.

Detroit Coney Grill will be open 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Earlier: Sunshine’s Motor City Cafe offers favorite foods of Detroit

Sprinkles is introducing their Maple Bacon Cupcake which will be available for purchase from August 30th until September 15th. The cupcake will feature thick, smoky bacon woven into their Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cake and topped with rich, buttery maple cream cheese frosting.

Looking for a sweet and savory taste before the cupcakes are available for limited purchase? Today, August 27th from 7pm-9pm you can head into the Scottsdale location for one FREE cupcake (no purchase necessary and only one per customer).

The Scottsdale Sprinkles is located at 4501 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 85251, across from Scottsdale Fashion Square.

For more information call 480.970.4321

{I was sent a bottle of Lolailo Sangria to sample, but received no monetary compensation.  My opinions are 100% my own.  Please drink responsibly.}

Labor Day…The last “official” summer weekend, where we claw at the last vestiges of summer fun.  We swim, grill, and entertain with careless abandon, all the while aware that Autumn, and all it represents, is peeking at us just beyond our beach ball.    

Are you ready for this weekend?  It’s up to you to make sure your summer ends with a bang, and that your weekend be as festive and carefree as possible.   Are the steaks purchased and marinating?  Smores supplies ready to use?  Pool toys blown up and sitting by the pool? 

Check, check, and check! 

One more thing you need is a great summer cocktail, to properly bid adieu to all summer meant to you.  Lolailo Sangria spritzer, made with Lolailo imported Spanish sangria, is the perfect Labor Day cocktail-a perfect blend of red wine and fruit juices, a little sweet, a little sassy, with hints of summer citrus in each mouthful.  Lolailo is chilled, so adds just the right amount of refreshment to your festivities, and the bubbly ginger beer adds the right bite. 

Lolailo Sangria, found in both red and white, is made from grapes from Spain, with extracts of orange peel, Mediterranean cherries, and grapes.  Did you know that Lolailo Sangria was named Impact Hot Brand award winner for 2012, for being one of the fastest growing brands in the US?  Perhaps it’s because Lolailo is so delicious, or perhaps its because at $5.99 a 750 ml bottle, or $9.99 for a 1.4L bottle, Lolailo is a steal!

And if you can’t let go of summer?  Do yourself a favor and buy a few bottles of Lolailo, so you can stretch  summer out until Christmas!  

• 1 Bottle Lolailo Spanish Sangria
• 1 Bottle Non-Alcoholic Ginger Beer
• Sliced oranges, lemons, apples, and limes

Mix the Lolailo and ginger beer together in a pitcher.  Add the fruit and mix together.  Set in the refrigerator for about one hour to blend the flavors.  Serve over ice, or make your own “adult slushie” by crushing the ice, then pouring the Lolailo spritzer over the crushed ice.  Enjoy! 

  
For more information about Lolailo sangria, visit them on Facebook and Twitter.   
For more information about Lolailo sangria, visit them on Facebook and Twitter.  

5 Star BBQ in Mesa is celebrating its first anniversary with a week of $5.55 daily deals starting today. All the deals include a side and a drink.

$5.55 Anniversary Specials

• Today: Pulled pork combo
• Wednesday: Brisket combo
• Thursday: Smoked turkey combo
• Friday: Ribs combo
• Saturday: Rib tips combo (also $3.55 hot dog meal for kids under 12)

There also will be free giveaways every day this week.