Now OUT
DELIGHT EACH NIGHT
Specialty dining events that deliver on flavor and fun While the Valley is still in high season, it’s no surprise that gastronomic adventures continue to abound in April. Whether you fancy a bottle of bubbly or are into all things Tiki, here are our picks of culinary curiosities that are well worth the reservation.
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
Champagne Saturdays On April 6 and April 20, The Phoenician will transform its Tea Room into an after-dark experience with Champagne Saturdays. Starting at 7 p.m., locals and guests alike can choose from three tiers of Champagne: Perrier Jouet Grand Brut, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, or Dom Perignon. The Champagne, which is poured throughout the evening, is paired with four courses: a cheese board; cold canapes; warm canapes; and a dessert tray with chocolate-dipped strawberries, shortbread and dark chocolate truffles. www.thephoenician.com. Sunday Supper Club At Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows’ Sunday Supper Club – offered one Sunday monthly – the only requisite for “club membership” is to show up and enjoy. Guests will savor four courses paired with a guest winery, distillery or brewery while conversing with executive chef Charles Wiley and the guest beverage purveyor. The evening of April 7 will highlight Oregon’s WillaKenzie Estate winery and Arizona farmer Pat Duncan of Duncan’s Trading Co. for one of his annual Farmer in the House dinners, which will utilize locally grown vegetables in each course. www.mountainshadows.com. Heritage Dinner III In 2017, chef Marcellino Verzino of Marcellino Ristorante was invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York City. Inspired by the farm he was raised on in Italy, Verzino focused on the dishes of his childhood in his Heritage Dinner-themed presentation. Each year since, he has hosted a Heritage Dinner that continues to pay homage to these recipes. Heritage Dinner III will take place at Marcellino Ristorante on April 9, featuring a culinary tour through the chef’s life with Italian wines paired by sommelier Dario Soldan. www.marcellinoristorante.com.
PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS
Arizona Tiki Oasis From April 12 to 14, Hotel Valley Ho will host Arizona Tiki Oasis, a Polynesian lifestyle event where guests will experience themed mixology, live music, retro-style DJs, educational seminars, book signings, shopping, art, vintage cars, fashion, and food. The weekend begins with the Tiki-Tiki Ho-Ho Luau, a stylish luau at Hotel Valley Ho’s hip OH Pool, complete with a traditional pig roast, a fresh poke bowl station, and grilled options including crispy Cola-marinated short ribs, Hawaiian-themed desserts, and an array of delicious Tiki cocktails. www.aztikioasis.com. Wood, Wine and Wagyu During the third annual Nirvana Food & Wine Festival April 24 to 28, culinary superstars will converge at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa. Among the festival’s highlights is Wood, Wine and Wagyu. Hosted by chef David Rose and mixologist Jason Asher, this all-new event will take place on April 24. It will feature an intimate, family-style dinner with wagyu beef cooked over a wood fire by local and national chefs, including the Sanctuary’s Beau MacMillan. The dinner will also feature craft cocktails made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, wines, a cigar reception, and live entertainment. www.nirvanafoodandwine.com.
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So Scottsdale! April ‘19