The legalization of marinara by locally-loved Oregano’s pizza will grow again soon with a new South Scottsdale location. Taking over what use to be Sugar Daddy’s on Scottsdale Road, just north of Thomas, Oregano’s will be passing on their Old Town joint after 18 years and moving south 800 yards to the new address where you can inhale the same delicious pies and pizza cookies for lunch, dinner or whenever you get the munchies. The new restaurant is set to open early April. Keep up with the details on Oregano’s pizza’s Facebook page here.

Oregano’s South Scottsdale | 3102 N. Scottsdale Road | Scottsdale, AZ 85251

It is that time of year where Z’Tejas unveils its new Spring menu, and because we love Z’Tejas, we couldn’t be more excited. Starting on March 27, all locations will be launching their new innovative menu ala local R&D Chef Matt Janiec. The new menu will also include specialty cocktails made with Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur, which is a blend of blood oranges and a refreshing lemon distillate. Sounds bloody delicious.

For you mouth watering pleasure, here is a sneak peak at the new menu after the jump. Bon appétit! »READ MORE

Breakfast for dinner is a beautiful concept. Pancakes and bacon and eggs in the evening is always a favorite feast around here. Elevate this idea to the nine’s, however, and we’ll never eat anything else again. At least, we won’t want to, especially after do-no-wrong Gilbert eatery Liberty Market’s five-course “Breakfast for Dinner” meal at 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 26. As part of the restaurant’s Community Dinner series, owner Joe Johnston and chef David Traina are planning on taking the breakfast-for-dinner notion and dressing it up using “ingredients and techniques from our kitchen,” (Chow Bella). So, the same techniques that bring us awesome fare like Griddled Bread Pudding and Apricot Glazed Chicken with whipped sweet potatoes will bring us our morning meal in the evening? We’re making a reservation right now.

Cost is $45 per person ($60 for breakfast cocktails); limited to 64 guests. For more information, click here or sign up for the evening by visiting the E61 Espresso Bar inside Liberty Market.

While many entered into Chef Eddie Matney’s “Cooking with Eddie” contest, only a handful were the lucky winners, and this April, each winner will get to cook with Eddie every Tuesday evening at Eddie’s House. The first winner, Ken Brissa, will cook 5:00 p.m. to close April 3.

“I’m a cooking junkie so for me, cooking with Eddie is like playing guitar with Bruce Springsteen,” Brissa explains. “I can’t wait to learn from him and integrate some of his ideas into my own family kitchen. Who knows, maybe I can share a trick or two with him!” Brissa, a Valley resident since 2006, is currently the Regional Director for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Mountain Pacific Region where he leads the Executive Directors that lead JDRF’s efforts in Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Washington and Hawaii. Because of his extensive cross functional experience, Ken has been selected to participate in a number of nonprofit, corporate, industry and community projects and boards. In honor of his involvement with JDRF, 10% of the proceeds from any guest who comes April 3 to specifically taste Ken’s four-course meal will go to the cause. Guests will be able to order these items a lá carte as well as items from the regular menu.

For more information or to book a reservation at Eddie’s House, call 480.946.1622 or click here.

Eddie’s House | 7042 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale, AZ | 85251

It is no surprise that we love desserts at DLT. And that’s why for this edition of 120 Seconds, we sat down with Jennifer and Karen, the lovely ladies making whoopie together at Whoopie Baking Co.

Some of you may be asking, what the heck is a whoopie? Let us enlighten you. A whoopie pie is a delicious baked good that is made of two, mound-shaped cake pieces with a cream center.

Jennifer and Karen have a love for their product that is unrivaled. They find inspiration from all walks of life and they are committed to only using the highest quality products, use only natural ingredients, and they live by and value the spirit of collaboration. The Whoopie Way of Life is an attitude that we all could learn from.

The big whoop on Whoopie Baking Co. commences after the jump: »READ MORE

As we previously gushed about in January, SOL Mexican Cocina will officially open its doors at Scottsdale Quarter, today, March 20. This is the second location for the Newport Beach-based company and we couldn’t be more excited. This Baja-inspired Mexican restaurant has unique menu items, like our personal favorites the Carne Asada Street Tacos, the Coconut Calamari with spicy sauce and the Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita, sparking our newest flavor combination obsession, all courtesy of Chef Deborah Schneider. There are also plenty of vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan friendly items, so everyone will be able to enjoy this new spot. Calling it their “stealth health” approach, the restaurant features a menu filled with fresh, delicious food that is also low-fat and healthy. But not all of it is super healthy, their dessert menu includes a rich dulce de leche flan with caramel, dark chocolate-almond bark and whipped dubbed ‘Tres Pecados,’ or Three Sins. It sounds sinfully scrumptious.

Want to toast the opening of SOL at home with their amazing Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita? Recipe below:

Ingredients:
Kosher salt for rimming glass (optional)
1 slice seeded jalapeno, cut 1/8-inch thick
1 ½ slices peeled and seeded cucumber, cut ¼-inch thick
¾ ounce agave nectar
2 ounces Corralejo Blanco Tequila
1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
6 ounces (3/4 cup) ice cubes
Garnish: Cucumber wheel

Preparation:
Prepare a 12-ounce rocks glass with the salt rim. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the cucumber and jalapeno slices with the agave nectar. Add the tequila and lime juice. Add one scoop (about 6 ounces) ice. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously, then pour into the prepared glass and garnish with the cucumber wheel.

SOL Mexican Cocina  | 15279 North Scottsdale Road | Scottsdale, Arizona 85254   

Coming soon from our favorite local olive oil company, actually our favorite olive oil ever, the Queen Creek Olive Mill, Oils & Olives to Kierland Commons. The tasty boutique will carry its branded oils, olives, tapenades, balsamic vinegars and their own line of olive oil bath & body products at its newest location in North Scottsdale. Also available, a selection of wines. No opening date set yet. But keep up with the details of the opening on the Queen Creek Olive Mill Facebook page by clicking here.

As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories of ALL TIME  aka last week, just in case you missed them.

Upward Projects will kick the doors open a few days early for a first glimpse of Postino East, the sister project of Central Phoenix’s original wine café Postino, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 17. Open to the public, guests are encouraged to hop on their beach cruisers and pedal over to the event, which will benefit Gilbert Public School’s partnership with Arizona Brainfood, an organization that discreetly provides a backpack of food to feed hungry school children on the weekends. For a nominal donation, ($25 for adults, $10 for kids at the door or online), Gilbert residents and those that make the trek out East will be treated to an entertaining afternoon of wine, bruschetta, live music and neighborhood family fun. Tickets are limited. To purchase, click here.

Postino East’s official Grand Opening is Monday, March 19: expect thirty-six unique wines; simple, delicious food prepared with local ingredients such as bruschetta, paninis, salads and soups, and a warm, friendly culture that brings people together.

Postino East | 302 North Gilbert Road | Gilbert, AZ 85234

So this week we’ve been bringing you some of the best events around town to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today. Well, if you still haven’t decided how celebrate like an Irishman tonight, check out this last minute idea.

True Food Kitchen at the Scottsdale Quarter and Biltmore Fashion Park are offering 50% off select green items. From 3:00-6:00 pm both locations will be offering the deal. How do you get it? Easy, just head to their Facebook page and print off a voucher. The coupon must be presented at either location to receive the discount. A list of some of those featured items after the jump: »READ MORE

If you’re from Chicago, you’ve probably heard of Mia Francesca.

I’m not, and I hadn’t heard of the Italian restaurant with a cult (Illinois) following until a colleague invited me to dinner. And there’s one thing I learned — if Chicago transplants have a home away from home in Scottsdale, Mia Francesca’s is the place. The restaurant’s newest location in D.C. Ranch is jammed packed with Midwest accents all excited to have a slice of home in Arizona.

But forget Chicago dogs and deep dish pies. Mia Francesca’s takes the Windy City’s Italian culture and infuses it into its scribbled, err…handwritten, menu. We’re told the selections change every few weeks, hence skipping regular visits to the printer, but the look conveys a sense that chefs have a little creativity. And we liked how Mia Francesca’s rolls with the season’s ingredients instead of being bound by a menu.

However, we end up trying two of the few dishes that are mainstays — quattro stagioni ($10.99) and pollo arrosto alla romana. The quatto stagioni pizza, highly recommended by the manager, is served with proscuitto, artichoke, mushrooms, olives and an egg. Yes an egg! Now here’s the cool part. When the pizza is delivered piping hot from the oven, a raw egg is added to the top, tableside. The chef makes a cameo to the table to scramble the egg, which cooks itself solely from the heat of the pizza. Check our video below. The final presentation is perfection, and by far our favorite from the evening.

Pollo arrosto alla romana ($15.99), a roasted half chicken with garlic, shallots, rosemary, lemon and olive oil, is talked up to be a Mia Francesca classic but it unfortunately fell short. Salt dominated this dish and any hints of rosemary or lemon were lost. The server, however, did explain that a bite of dark meat tends to be saltier. True, but nonetheless, a bit too salty for our tastes.

We couldn’t resist trying one of the rotating entrees- salmon pagliacci ($22.99). Although it will probably be long gone by the time this is published, salmon pagliacci should be a staple, especially in the summer months. I always enjoy a colorful plate and this entree is just that. Jazzed up with some of the most surprising ingredients, the salmon is topped with avocados, cherry tomatoes and green veggies in a white wine and garlic sauce. Salmon pagliacci needs to find its
way to backyard summer barbeques, but until then, I’ll get my salmon fix (sans the boring lemon juice and dill that most restaurants default to) at Mia Francesca’s.

Mia Francesca’s in Scottsdale is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Visit www.miafrancesca.com for the full menu and happy hour offerings.

We’ve already announced the opening of Italian house Mia Francesca at DC Ranch, but apparently, there is more new life breathing into the primarily-residential North Scottsdale neighborhood. Anticipating a summer 2012 opening, Market Street Kitchen – a new restaurant concept created by Paul Keeler of Keeler Hospitality Group – will provide a provincial-yet-sophisticated menu featuring locally-sourced ingredients. The eatery will feature a selection of appetizers, steaks, chops, pork, lamb and chicken, grilled on a natural wood broiler  and rotisserie; fresh coastal seafood, pastas, risottos, hearty soups, salads, burgers, sliders and sandwiches on house-made baguettes. The horseshoe-shaped bar will offer vintage cocktails, local craft beers and an extensive wine list – not to mention a charcuterie and fromage station with terrines, cured meats, salamis and artisanal cheeses. The ambiance will be accentuated by an open display kitchen, wrap-around indoor dining, a board/wine room and a large alfresco patio to take in gorgeous views of the neighboring McDowell Sonoran Preserve.

»READ MORE

Upward Projects will kick the doors open a few days early for a first glimpse of Postino East, the sister project of Central Phoenix’s original wine café Postino, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 17. Open to the public, guests are encouraged to hop on their beach cruisers and pedal over to the event, which will benefit Gilbert Public School’s partnership with Arizona Brainfood, an organization that discreetly provides a backpack of food to feed hungry school children on the weekends. For a nominal donation, ($25 for adults, $10 for kids at the door or online), Gilbert residents and those that make the trek out East will be treated to an entertaining afternoon of wine, bruschetta, live music and neighborhood family fun. Tickets are limited. To purchase, click here.

Postino East’s official Grand Opening is Monday, March 19: expect thirty-six unique wines; simple, delicious food prepared with local ingredients such as bruschetta, paninis, salads and soups, and a warm, friendly culture that brings people together.

Postino East | 302 North Gilbert Road | Gilbert, AZ 85234

As there’s almost nothing better than delicious food coupled with delicious wine, and Scottsdale’s 5^th and Wine knows exactly what we want. Old Town’s classiest wine bar will collaborate with Cline Cellars with a special three-course meal at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20. The meal will feature dishes paired with a special wine, including the starter and dessert. Think seafood ceviche, pesto tenderloin roil and gold crab skewer with Cline Viognier, “Pig Pizza” with apple bacon, leeks, pancetta, brie and Andouille balsamic paired with “Cool Climate” Pinot Noir and ancho pork enchiladas with “Ancient Vine” Zinfandel. The meal begins at $50 and reservations are required. To make reservations or for more info, call 480.699.8001 or click here.

Make this St. Patrick’s Day historic – literally, record-breaking – by participating in Johnny Fox’s Public House 3-day St. Patrick’s Day event. While the event will officially begin at 2:00 p.m. Friday, March 16 with a ribbon cutting and reception, the real shindig begins on St. Patty’s with a breakfast from 6 to 10 a.m., live performances all day, and – drumroll, please – the biggest leprechaun gathering known to man.

The first seven hundred people to arrive at Johnny Fox’s March 17 will receive a free leprechaun costume; participants are encouraged to stick around to 4:00 p.m., when the event will hopefully beat the Guinness World Record, the previous of which were set by The Jay Leno Show on March 17, 2011 with 224 Leprechauns and then broken again in November 2011 in Dublin, Ireland with 250 in a lepracolony. So show up with your blimey-est spirit, receive an authentic certificate of participation from the Guinness’s Book of World Records and make this day a part of history. That’s not all, of course: one Lucky Leprechaun will win an all-expense paid trip for two in Ireland for seven days that includes airfare and hotel accommodations. Participants must register during the 3-day event for a chance to win!

The Emerald Society Firefighters and the United Firefighters Union will also be in attendance during the event, with a portion of all proceeds benefiting both organizations.

 Image via Guiness Book of World Records

Province at The Westin has become a hot spot for central Phoenix dwellers. The comfortable patio with a glass fire pit and wall of water is an urban oasis and the sophisticated bar offers a tasty menu that makes for an easy snack after work – perhaps during happy hour, which is daily from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. with special pricing on all the bar and lounge menu as well as draft beer, house wine and sangria.

From Venezuelan arepas with crispy pork belly, blue cheese and vanilla pear jam to Argentine empanadas of mushroom and manchego, Province’s menu is a voyage through Latin America. Flatbreads, meatballs and Tetilla fondue offer easy items for groups to enjoy. Salads and sandwiches entice even the most traditional of palates and handcrafted cocktails using fresh squeezed juices and boutique spirits create the perfect neighborhood vibe. Neighbors can wake up to enjoy the restaurant’s award-winning brunch every weekend from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., featuring cinnamon churros and coffee crema and a menu full of classics like waffles, pancakes, eggs benedict, lunch items and $6 cocktails.

While DJ Seduce mixes up Latin Eclectic grooves every Friday till 9:00 p.m., night owls can also enjoy reverse happy hour from 8:00 p.m. to close Friday and Saturday. For more information or to make reservations, call 602.429.3699 or click here.

Province | 333 North Central, Phoenix, AZ | 85004

This content sponsored by Province at The Westin

What a great way to spend an afternoon in downtown! Walk and eat your way through Phoenix with Taste It Tours, the city’s premier food tasting and cultural walking tour. Satisfy your cravings and your curiosity for Phoenix’s culture and cuisine on the guided 3 1/2 hour weekend tour of 5-7 downtown eateries ranging from fine cuisine to ethnic cuisine to ice cream. Book your tickets online for weekend tours. Fridays start at 1:45, Saturday and Sundays at 12:45. Bring a friend, kid older than 13 or your company for team building. First stop, Province at The Westin in Phoenix. And remember, Province has FREE valet parking!

To book your ticket, click here.

Taste It Tours, Stop 1 at Province | 333 North Central Avenue | Phoenix, AZ  85004

Cafe’ Bink, the little sister restaurant of Binkley’s Restaurant from James Beard Nominated Chef Kevin Binkley, is known for its use of exceptional ingredients that are “prepared with straightforward simplicity.” Because we can’t always make it to Carefree to quench our french fries cravings, we’re lucky enough to share (and we won’t tell if you won’t) Cafe Bink’s famous french fries recipe with you.

Cafe Bink | 36889 North Tom Darlington Drive | Carefree, Arizona 85377

Cafe Bink French Fries

Ingredients
2 each Potatoes (alturos or kennebeck)
1 oz Thyme
5 cloves Garlic, smashed
Salt
Water
1 gallon Fry oil »READ MORE

For those of us who don’t wake up in time to grab anything for breakfast besides a granola bar or for those us who wake up so early it’s time for lunch at 11:00 a.m., brunch is the perfect mealtime solution. And with only two months of gorgeous weather ahead, what better way to enjoy brunch than on the patio, basking in the breeze and the best temperatures around? Don’t have a patio? Then follow our list below for eight of the best patio Sunday brunch specials the Valley has to offer.

1) Petite Maison: the Scottsdale eatery is bringing back their much-acclaimed Sunday Brunch du Champagne from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Guests sip on never-ending champagne and mimosas and can choose from three courses or one or two dishes a la carte.

2) Province at Westin: from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. the Central Phoenix hotspot shares an extensive brunch menu with specials such as breakfast tacos, fresh granola or for the lunch fans, a grilled burger on a house-made brioche roll.

3)  Chelsea’s Kitchen, Phoenix: Chelsea’s Weekend Brunch is as extensive as they come, featuring everything from baked mac ‘n’ cheese to Chelsea’s famous hotcakes to a lengthy selection of white and red wines.

4)  Sanctuary Resort & Spa, Phoenix: Chef Beau MacMillan’s Seasonal Chef’s Buffet and Sunday Brunch may be the best meal of the week, not just the weekend. MacMillan’s personal creations include inventive dishes like Pumpkin Zucchini Five-Spice French Toast, Filet Steak Benedict, and Dungeness Crab & Avocado Salad. Champagne, coffee and tea included with meal.

5)  From 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Sunday brunch at The Herb Box in North Scottsdale and The Scottsdale Waterfront is an event to write home about. See: Red Velvet Pancakes topped with mascarpone crème, a side of slighty-sweet gran marnier syrup and applewood smoked bacon. While the Good Morning Eggs with white cheddar and Cinnamon Buckwheat Pancakes are just as delectable, we’re guessing that that we had you at Red Velvet.

6)  Nellie Cashman’s, Westin Kierland: The North Scottsdale café shares a relaxing Bubbles and Brunch event every Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with scrumptious comforts like house-cured white tea smoked salmon, iced shrimp, crab legs, omelets-on-demand and organic cheeses from all over the world. Each Sunday features new entrees, as well.

7)  The El Chorro Sunday patio brunch is a Phoenix tradition, much like their famous homemade Sticky Buns. From 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., patrons can enjoy items like Crème Brulee French Toast, a Giant Shrimp Cocktail or even the El Chorro Buffalo Burger. Gluten-free menus are always available.

8)  NCounter, Tempe: a breakfast, lunch and brunch menu – highlighting awesome smoothies and dishes like The Pear omelet or the Ultimate BLT – is available daily from 7:00 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. (when the last light rail train takes off).

Listen Read up: this one’s for the kids. Starting this month, local kids can join the spring break Bueno Book Club at Bueno Burger Mex American Grill in Scottsdale. Families may stop by and pick up a Bueno Book Club membership card at any time; participants will then have a month to read as many pages as they can. At various benchmarks in each book, parents will certify the reading efforts, and kids will be rewarded with treats and prizes. In addition the Book Club, Bueno Burger has a weekly Wednesday Study Hall – featuring treats and free lemonade – from 3 to 4:30 p.m. every Wednesday.

“Whether games or homework are on the agenda Wednesday afternoons, Bueno Burger loves our neighbors and we wanted to offer a fun after-school environment for parents and children to bond,” said Owner Gary Shaw.

Also, during the month of March, Bueno Burger will send thousands of bookmarks to Valley schools to promote reading and to reward kids in their classrooms. The bookmarks include a coupon for Bueno Bites. For more information, click here.

Bueno Burger Scottsdale | 6977 North Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ | 85250

Correction: The following nominees were incorrectly reported (perhaps an early vote of confidence!) as winners in the first run of the article. The following are in fact, nomiees. Winners announced March 19.

Wouldn’t you like to pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of wine and chat with all seven of the James Beard Foundation nominees from Arizona at once? Well, we would. So we did. And luckily, our virtual table allows us to skirt around the awkward “party talk” and get straight to the facts on this impressive group. Find out more about the nominees, their awards and where you can pull up a seat to any one of their tables below:

 Janos, Tucson. Award: Outstanding Chef, Janos Wilder. Facts: Wilder got his start cooking at a local pizza parlor as a teenager. He has three restaurants, Downtown Kitchen & Cocktails (a Southwestern-French fusion), J Bar, a Latin grill, and Janos, a luxurious desert restaurant of local flavors and many accolades.

ShinBay, Scottsdale. Award: Best New Restaurant. Facts: Chef Shinji Kurita pays great attention to detail, from creating a tranquil, traditional Japanese setting to crafting authentic Japanese gourmet with established techniques and a modern aesthetic.

Vincent’s on Camelback, Phoenix. Award: Outstanding Restaurant. Facts: Owner and chef Vincent Guerithault brought a deep knowledge of French cooking to the Southwest in the mid-1980’s, blending the two cuisines to create a very unique, upscale synthesis of flavors.

Fox Restaurant Concepts. Award: Outstanding Restaurateur, Sam Fox. Facts: Fox Restaurant Concepts began as a way to combine innovative cuisine with meticulously designed, modern settings. Today, Fox has twelve flourishing boutique restaurants and continues to grow.

John Sharpe of The Turquoise Room at La Posada Hotel & Gardens, Winslow; Kevin Binkley of Binkley’s Restaurant, Cave Creek; Silvana Salcido Esparza of Barrio Café, Phoenix. Awards: Best Chef Southwest. Facts: John Sharpe not only grows heirloom vegetables and herbs for the restaurant, but he encourages local farmers to grow food to use as well and is involved with the Slow Food movement and the Chef’s Collaborative. Kevin Binkley, who also strives to use local ingredients at his eatery – which has been compared to the finest restaurants in New York and Paris – is known for crafting very original, imaginative dishes like the Golden King Crab salad, which is stuffed into a blood orange crepe with water chestnuts, radishes, arugula and red onion marmalade. Salcido Esparazais also known for her ground-breaking cuisine, which is highly authentic Mexican fare blended with fun, unexpected ingredients, like guacamole with pomegranate seeds.

Janos and J Bar | 3770 East Sunrise Drive | Tucson, AZ | 85718

Downtown Kitchen & Cocktails | 135 South 6th Avenue | Tucson, AZ | 85701

ShinBay | 7001 North Scottsdale Road | Scottsdale, AZ | 85253

The Turquoise Room | 305 East 2nd Street | Winslow, AZ | 86047

Binkley’s Restaurant | 6920 East Cave Creek Road | Cave Creek, AZ | 85331

Barrio Café | 2814 North 16th Street | Phoenix, AZ | 85006

Vincent’s on Camelback | 3930 East Camelback Road, Suite 202 | Phoenix AZ | 85018

Celebrate National Nutrition Month from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday March 3 at both True Food Kitchen locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Dine at the restaurant for Saturday brunch and they will donate give 50% of proceeds to Kids@Core, a non-profit organization founded by CoreCrossFit to provide free exercise training and nutritional guidance to low-income children in downtown Phoenix. The children participate in structured workout programs that involve aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening and flexibility routines. They are also taught the nutritional value of different foods so they can make healthy choices. For more information, click here.

National Nutrition Month is an education campaign aimed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

True Food Kitchen | Biltmore Fashion Park | East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ | 85016

Scottsdale Quarter | 15191 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ | 85254

The Devoured Phoenix Culinary Classic returns for the third year in a row. Local chefs, purveyors, and wineries from some of the Valley’s best restaurants, eateries, and vineyards are getting ready to go head-to-head, showing off their delicacies at the Phoenix Art Museum. On March 10 and 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, culinary experts, from a long, mouth-watering list of local favorites will bring their best to the table (get it?).

Kicking off the weekend of edible festivities is the 3rd Annual Bartending Competition at The Vig Uptown on March 7 at 6 p.m. We’ll be there trying to sneak in as judges. For more info and for our interview with competi-tender Joshua James of Parlor Pizzeria, click “120 Seconds with Joshua James.”

Restaurants include: Arizona Culinary Institute, Betty’s Nosh, Chelsea’s Kitchen
Cheuvront Restaurant and Wine Bar, Lon’s at the Hermosa, Province, Roka Akor, St. Francis, Windsor and many more. For the full list of restaurants and wineries, click here.

Your ticket to eat is also your ticket to see inside the Phoenix Art Museum, the southwest’s premier destination for world-class visual arts, with a general admission pass. View the latest exhibitions including Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century.

Tickets starting at $59 are selling fast so get yours quick. To purchase, click here.

Phoenix Art Museum | 1625 North Central Avenue | Phoenix, Arizona 85004  

With Lent in swing, the sacrifices are aplenty, from sweets to liquor to that addiction we have to shopping at Target every day for things that we “need.” We may not be able to help you in that department –in fact, we can probably help make it worse – but if what you’re giving up is meat (even just on Fridays), we’ve got you covered. For the new vegan or vegetarian as well as the expert, follow the jump for ten of the Valley’s best vegan- and vegetarian-friendly restaurants that we’ve rounded up for your eating pleasure year round.

»READ MORE

If you live in the North Scottsdale area and you haven’t gotten your Humble Pie fix lately, then you’re in luck. As of today, the gourmet American pizza geniuses have a new location open at Kierland Village. Featuring delicious pizza creations like the B.L.T, which comes with house-made mozzarella, pancetta, prosciutto, chopped lettuce, tomato AND mayonnaise (trust us: it’s awesome!) and the simple-but-delectable Pistachio pizza with red onions and leeks, Humble Pie is definitely a DLT fave. Good thing they’re open in at 11 a.m.! We’re lining up ASAP!

If National Pancake Week just sounds like an excuse to gorge on one of the greatest meals ever…all week long….think again. While this is a great idea, National Pancake Day – AKA, Shrove Tuesday – has origins that date back several centuries to when people prepped for fasting during Lent and had to rid of rich foods such as eggs, milk, butter and other dairy products. Though it is traditionally celebrated on Fat Tuesday, a few eateries around town are continuing the practice with specials and events this Tuesday, February 28. So set aside some eating room, grab a fork and click past the jump for a list of places celebrating the greatest breakfast and breakfast-for-dinner meal ever, pancakes.

Scramble, Phoenix: Though the popular breakfast joint has been celebrating since Pancake Week began last Tuesday, flapjack lovers have through today Monday, February 27 to fill up on the restaurant’s “unending pancake refill” deal. That’s right, purchase a plate of pancakes and the stacks will keep comin’ till you pass out from…happiness.

Orange Table in Scottsdale will offer two scrumptious peanut butter and jelly pancakes and a choice of bacon, sausage, prosciutto or fruit for $10 February 28. Forget bread…pancakes might be the only new way to enjoy PB&Js now.

Of course, the celebration of pancakes would not be complete without the world’s pancake masters doing their part. From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on February 28, all IHOP locations in the Phoenix area will offer each guest a free short stack of its famous buttermilk pancakes. In return, guests are invited to make a voluntary donation to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which will benefit Phoenix Children’s Hospital. IHOP hopes to raise $2.7 million this year, which added to $8 million it has raised with National Pancake Day since 2006 would raise total funds to more than $10 million. Oh, and just in case you’re wondering (because we were, actually) all of the free pancakes served on National Pancake Day 2011 would create a stack nearly 16 miles high.