Sip and Tell By Sue Lukenbill, Encore Resident Welcome to the month of July, where summer has officially kicked off and days are mixed with monsoons and celebrations of freedom, hot dogs, swimming and barbeques. I actually love everything about this month except for the temperature! One of the nice things about this time of year is that I can use the heat as a reason to cook less. It’s a great time to get out and explore some of the new and hidden spots in our area! I recently lunched at Birdcall with Director of Communications Jennifer Sheets. It’s a fun little spot just behind Jason’s deli on the NE corner of Shea Blvd. and Scottsdale Rd. that has already received lots of great reviews. Denver-based chicken restaurant ‘Birdcall’ opened their first location in Arizona right here in Scottsdale in May. It marks the company’s ninth location since its debut in 2016, and just the first of ten they plan to open in the metro Phoenix area over the next three years. Their mission is to make natural foods more accessible, and they are constantly improving their technology to make foods more affordable and create a better dining experience. The menu features all things chicken including sandwiches, tenders, nuggets and salads. Garnishes include ingredients like bacon red onion jam, buttermilk herb mayo, and peanut slaw. They offer gluten and dairy free options, as well as a kids menus. Some of their ingredients are local, including the buns that are sourced from Phoenix artisan baker Noble Bakery. They also serve up a selection of house-made margaritas and beers on draft from local breweries like SanTan Brewing Co. and Greenwood Brewing; as well as Teatulia organic tea, Tractor organic beverages and milkshakes The most popular item here, whether strips, sandwich or nugget definitely appears to be their crispy chicken. However, both Jennifer and I were after something grilled and were both eyeing the Rancher. Jennifer kindly let me order that so we didn’t eat the same thing. I am glad she did. The Rancher was delicious! The all-natural chicken was topped with white cheddar cheese, bacon red onion jam and bird-b-q sauce. Next time I think I will order the Grilled Chicken Caesar, grilled chicken with parmesan cheese crisp, lettuce, tomato and Caesar dressing. Jennifer ordered the Deluxe with grilled chicken, bacon, pepper jack cheese, tomato, lettuce and buttermilk herb mayo. We both tried their fries, although next time we will try the Tater Tots which also looked really good. We both really enjoyed our lunch. Ordering is done on screens near the bar (yes, the bar!) and then put in a cubby for you to pick up. You just watch the TV screen to see an estimate on how long your food will take and then eventually, you will see which cubby you can find your meal in. It might take a little getting used to, but it was very efficient. Both the interior and exterior of the building are bright and fun, with a casual desert theme I really loved. I would definitely suggest stopping by Birdcall if you are hoping to try something new this summer. It’s fast, easy and delicious! Until next month…stay cool!
Birdcall 7204 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (480) 681-1060 • eatbirdcall.com 21
