There is a common misconception amongst my "friends" that I may be gainfully UNemployed. They reason that all of the travel and dining I am known to do would not be possible for one who actually had a job. This notion is both deeply hurtful and patently untrue (well...it's at least untrue). I like to think of my self as a Travel and Luxury and Food and Wine opportunist. Having said this, the last few weeks I have been "on my hop", more than normal, so my normal pattern of eat, drink play suffered...a little. Fear not, "I been gettin' it in" of late! Here here are some absolute pearls from last week.
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Old Blowhard at AZ88
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Happened into AZ after a swing shift last Thursday and made the excellent decision to cede my drink choice to Steen, one of my favorite bark keeps in all the lands. He good. He REAL GOOD! I was feeling like a bourbon and he chose Old Blowhard 26. This small batch bourbon has the perfect balance of up front heat and smooth, caramel finish. At about $150 a bottle, if you like Hirsch and Four Roses and Pappy this will add to your bourbon collection wonderfully.
Dicks Hideaway:
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| Tap at Dicks Hideaway |
Phoenix cool will likely NEVER be LA, San Fran, NYC cool...at least not it my life time. Phoenix cool, is more quirky, eccentric, charming cool. Cool happens more in strip malls here than I ever thought possible. Enter, Dicks Hideaway. This place stays out of it's own way and in it's lane better than any 5 places I know. They have perfected hardy, belly filling New Mexican Fare like Nun Utha My Brutha! On Friday, I met Claude (one my best homies and a great golfer) there for lunch. Claude had the same reaction to Dick's EVERYONE I'd ever taken there has, "This is the coolest place I've ever been." I feel you buddy! Green Chili Meatloaf and Eggs and a perfectly poured Lagunitas IPA made for a stellar lunch.
OHSO:
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| Canal Spin to OHSO |
The sheer caloric load of lunch made me yearn for a little spin to "work it off" Fear not, this was not exercise for sheer exercise sake. This was exercise with a carrot at the end! OHSO. While the food can sometimes be...meh, the beer at OHSO is destination worthy.
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| Back Patio at OHSO |
This place single handedly made me appreciate the brilliance of the Session IPA (High in Hops Low in ABV...beer nirvana). Met a buddy there who, after a pint or two really wanted pizza. I know a place....
Bianco:
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| Bianco at Town and Country |
Fact: If I wrote about the pizza at Bianco as often as we went there it would be 90% of what I write about. I will spare you MOST of the details of this trip to pizza Mecca. Yes, a Sonny Boy and a Wise Guy were had. Yes, we had perfectly al dente pasta with finger licking good red sauce and fall of the bone braised pork. BUT, the stand out this time was a lowly bottle of Pinot Noir...not typically my varietal of choice.
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| Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir at Bianco T&C |
But, a friend who works there highly recommended it and I am glad she did. After 20 minutes of aeration this thing popped! Bright, light fruit with a killer nose. Medium to long finish, it was perfect with the pizza and pasta. It went down with the quickness.
The Welcome Diner:
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| Welcome Diner |
Keeping with my eccentric theme of the weekend Saturday night was dinner with Bishop Steve at Welcome Diner. 9 Seats at a Counter (outside seating if you don't mind the summer heat), single wide trailer that began it's life in Kansas, was moved to Williams AZ in the 50's and to 9th and Roosevelt in the 2000's. Anyplace that has been around that long has to be good.
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| Pork Fries |
The theme is modern plays on Louisiana Classics. We started with pork and gravy fries and I moved on to Buffalo Fried Chicken with Bacon on a Biscuit. Bishop went with the Catfish Po Boy. Great beer on tap and and they make a solid Hurricane. Open from 5pm-2a most nights, we will be back...often.
The Nash:
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| JMS and the Bad Cactus Brass Band at The Nash |
We kept that "downtown flo" goin' by enjoying a performance by a friends Brass Band at The Nash. Fantastic BYOB venue at the corner of Roosevelt and 1st Street. Saturdays are "straight ahead" jazz night...not sure how a NOLA themed brass band snuck in with that caveat...but they absolutely DESTROYED it. Immensely talented, local, white boys who brought the damn house down! Thanks for the invite John Michael Sherman...you are THE man.
I'm learning of more gems in this town (that are weather independent) all the time. Nash and Welcome Diner will now both be in regular rotation. These are the kind of places that make an adopted town a home. Check them out soon and often!
Thanks for Reading!
Doc Jay
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