Yahoo Autos Arizona Restaurant Week is back. Here are the 18 best menus to try during the spring event
Arizona Restaurant Week is a twice-yearly culinary tour-de-force when chefs and restaurateurs flaunt their best creations in a multi-course, wallet-friendly format. For 10 days, more than 120 Valley eateries will offer three, four or five-course menus at set prices. It's a great opportunity to try a new restaurant or head to an iconic dining destination whose prices are usually well above the cost of a casual dinner out.
The spring event serves as a last push before the summer lull, so it’s also a good opportunity to show much-needed support to local venues.
A full list of participating restaurants is updated daily and can be found on the Arizona Restaurant Week website. But, if the lineup is overwhelming and narrowing down the choices seems daunting, we’ve got a few suggestions.
Whether because of the creativity of their dishes or the value for the price, these 18 restaurant week menus are worth adding to your dining calendar.
All menus are available from May 20 to 29. Menus that feature alcohol apply to dine-in orders only. Reservations are recommended.
The Larder + The Delta
- $44 per person
- 3 courses
- Takeout and dine-in
James Beard Award semifinalist chef Stephen Jones is serving a sampling of the dishes that earned him that honor this year. Start with either the early summer vintners salad composed of roasted beets, fennel, French beans and croutons in a red wine vinaigrette or try the cauliflower with pickled celery, smoked moody bleu cheese, scallions and Cutino’s Hot Sauce. There are two main course options: Nashville-style hot chicken served with dairy-free new potato salad, cornbread, bread, and butter pickles, and whipped honey butter or blackened salmon with braised turnip greens, smoked ham hock and hot water cornbread puree. Jones punctuates the meal with a buttermilk biscuit adorned with strawberries, raspberries, whipped yogurt and fermented honey.
Details: 200 W. Portland St., Ste 101, Phoenix. 480-409-8520, thelarderandthedelta.com.
What to order at The Larder + The Delta: And all the Arizona James Beard finalists
The Genuine
- $55 per person
- 3 courses
- Takeout and dine-in
Kick things off at this brand new restaurant with tempura-fried squash blossoms stuffed with local goat cheese served with a tomato emulsion and basil pesto or try the fire-roasted beets with arugula and smoky blue cheese or a gazpacho topped with poached shrimp. Main dishes options include fire-roasted flat iron steak accompanied by smoked fingerling potatoes, charred broccoli, and kicky Aleppo chili aioli; roasted Icelandic salmon with fennel and cauliflower puree; or spaghetti tossed with confit cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper and parmesan. Last but not least, dessert choices include local peach crostata and chocolate budino.
Details: 6015 N. 16th St., Phoenix. 602-633-1187, thegenuineaz.com.
Ocho Rios Jerk Spot
- $44 per person
- 3 courses
- Dine-in only
Go on a Caribbean flavor adventure with a build-your-own sampler plate of four meats and two sides. For the meats, choose from: jerk chicken, brown stew chicken, curry chicken, fried chicken, oxtail, curry goat, jerk shrimp, curry shrimp or coconut curry shrimp. Sides include rice and peas, white rice, mac and cheese, steamed vegetables, potato salad and coleslaw. Dessert selections include banana bread, grape nut ice cream, coconut rum cake or red velvet cake.
Details: 4220 W. Northern Ave. Ste 104, Phoenix. 623-248-5131, ochoriosjerkspot.com.
Tomaso’s
- $44 per person
- 4 courses
- Takeout and dine-in
Head to this classic Italian spot and start your meal with a choice of burrata and prosciutto or seafood salad with grilled octopus, clams, mussels and shrimp. Next, choose between Caesar salad or Tomaso’s salad before mulling over the main course options: shrimp parmigiana featuring herb breaded jumbo prawns in a San Marzano tomato, mozzarella, paccheri and tomato herb sauce; chicken and sausage scarpariello with Tuscan potato and rapini; pork loin saltimbocca; or eggplant parmigiana accompanied by ricotta-stuffed gnocchi. Sicilian cannoli and tiramisu or on offer for dessert.
Details: 3225 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-956-0836, tomasos.com.
More noodles: Try these 10 unique pasta dishes at metro Phoenix restaurants
Rito’s Mexican Food
- $44 per couple
- 3 courses
- Dine-in only
This local chain’s only full-service location offers a restaurant week menu featuring a shared appetizer and dessert and two entrees. Start by splitting queso blanco, avocado fries topped with tajin and cotija cheese or elote. All entrée options come with rice and beans. Try two enchiladas filled with chicken or cheese topped with red or green sauce; two chicken or beef tacos; or a burrito made enchilada-style, chimichanga, or chimi enchilada-style topped with red, green or combo sauce and filled with beef, chicken or beans. Share a dessert of tres leches flan, chamoy-covered watermelon with mango and pineapple covered with candies, or a milk chocolate truffle wrapped in churro dough and deep-fried.
Details: 5813 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-368-6726, ritosmexicanfood.com.
OAK on Camelback
- $33 per person
- 3 courses
- Dine-in only
At this swanky spot on Camelback Road, start your meal with crispy 'kung pow' brussels sprouts, crispy pork ribs or OAK roasted beets with goat cheese. Entree options include OAK fired butter chicken served with scallion coriander rice and charred broccolini; salmon accompanied by quinoa, black rice, squash, eggplant and roasted tomatoes; forbidden rice bowl loaded with edamame, carrots, snap peas, mushrooms, charred broccoli and brussels sprouts with coconut chili; and pork chile verde or Texas steak chili with cornbread. Warm brownie a la mode, blackberry cobbler with vanilla bean gelato or popcorn creme brulee are sweet ending options.
Details: 111 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. 602-200-8111, oakoncamelback.com.
Bandolero Cocina de Mexico
- $55 per person
- 5 courses and tequila digestif
- Dine-in only
This husband-and-wife run restaurant starts with a choice of guacamole or chips and salsa and either black bean or tortilla soup. For the third course, choose between bacon-wrapped shrimp in garlic sauce or mushroom empanadas. All main courses come with beans and rice and include the option of chicken enchiladas, mahi-mahi tacos with mango salsa or tacos al pastor. The meal winds down with churros and chocolate with a tequila digestif on the side.
Details: 8977 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-590-8180, bandoleroaz.com.
Campo Italian Bistro & Bar
- $44 per person
- 3 courses
- Takeout or dine-in
Chef Alex Stratta, who has worked in Michelin-starred kitchens, presents a restaurant week menu that starts with a choice of wild Mexican scampi with crispy mascarpone polenta, Seba’s meatballs with San Marzano tomato sauce and grilled bread, or grilled eggplant rollatini. Main dish options include: lasagne bolognese, crispy porchetta with fregola, apples, dates and almonds or roasted sea bass with fennel, lemon, tomato and olives. Dessert will be a tough decision with cannoli, tiramisu featuring Kahlua soaked ladyfingers and chocolate budino as choices.
Details: 8260 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-597-9195, campoitalian.com.
More about Campo: This awarded chef makes homey Italian food at this bistro
Grassroots Kitchen & Tap
- $44 per person
- 3 courses
- Takeout and dine-in
