Pub gearing up for Super Bowl Party

Looking for a great place to watch NFL playoffs or the Super Bowl? Check out Stadium Club, with its 24 screens set up throughout the pub that offers a great view of the game from any angle.

It’s like a tailgate party without having to do all the work, with great food, drink specials and great customer service. Keri Kruse, who has owned the Stadium Club for the past 3 1/2 years, says the pub has developed a big following of football and other sports fans despite changing its location in June.

The Stadium Club is one of Chandler’s original sports bars, opening 20 years ago in a strip mall on Chandler Boulevard and Alma School Road. Kruse bought the bar/restaurant and decided to make the move to a new location on Ray Road and Alma School about a year ago.

She took a site at a former Famous Sam’s restaurant and after a three-month remodeling project opened on June 8.

“A lot of our regulars followed us,” says Kruse, who is originally from Buffalo, New York, and uses an authentic Buffalo Wings recipe at Stadium Club. “We’ve gotten a lot of new customers too.”

The former Famous Sam’s was a big Green Bay Packers bar and Kruse says a Super Bowl featuring either the Cardinals or the Packers would probably be the best for her business. She’s working on some great Super Bowl food and drink specials to help entice patrons to come out for the game.

Kruse says the Buffalo Wings, which she calls the “real deal,” are the most popular items, along with the burgers, which are made with only fresh and never frozen ground beef. The carne asada tacos are also a big favorite.

Besides football and other televised sports, Kruse says the restaurant also has live music on Saturdays and karaoke on Wednesdays and Fridays. Also on Fridays, there is a Team Trivia contest with various prizes offered. There are also pool tables available.

The Stadium Club is located at 940 North Alma School Road (on the southwest corner). Call (480) 963-3866.

Written by Louis Sacco

La Calabria Ristorante offers taste of chef’s home

Do a Google search for Calabria, Italy, and you’ll find that the main tourist attractions are the coastline, with its rugged cliffs and sandy beaches, and its mountains.

But San Tan area residents who visit La Calabria Ristorante in Gilbert will crave to visit the area on the very south of the Italian peninsula for the cuisine, particularly as it’s cooked by Giovanni Spataro at its location at 1534 East Ray Road. The restaurant is hidden away in a strip mall behind a tire store at the northwest corner of Ray Road and Val Vista Drive.

La Calabria is a true mom-and-pop eatery with Giovanni running the kitchen and wife Clara overseeing the front of the house. Two previous restaurants have come and gone in this location, but Clara says they decided to give it a go because it’s been their dream to run a restaurant.

“We’ve had so many people come to dine in our home say that we should open our own restaurant,” Clara says. “So we did. We wanted to give an authentic taste of Calabria, which is where Giovanni is from.”

The restaurant has been open for 15 months now, but still is trying to overcome the hurdle of being stashed in the shopping center that includes a dance studio, karate studio and a dentist. There is no visibility from the busy Val Vista Drive or Ray Road streets.

“Giovanni creates different specials every night,” Clara says. “And we use only the freshest products.”

Some of the entrée selections include Chicken Amalfitano, a chicken breast topped with proscuitto, fresh mozzarella, red wine, demi glace, fresh mushrooms and fresh herbs; Gamberi Marinara, shrimp in marinara sauce; Veal Scalloppine Sorrentino, veal topped with proscuitto, eggplant, sliced tomato, mozzarella and light marinara sauce; and Filetto Di Manzo Al Pepe Verde with Shrimp Scampi, a filet mignon grilled to perfection served with green peppercorn brandy sauce.

Entrees are served with a side salad and vegetable of the day.

Desserts are also highlights, including the homemade tiramisu and homemade Italian cheesecake.

The restaurant also has great lunch specials and also offers catering and room for parties. La Calabria is open Tuesday through Friday for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and for dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. It’s open Saturdays from 4 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 4 to 8 p.m. It’s closed Mondays, with the exception of private parties.

Clara says the restaurant is family friendly and also offers a great selection of menu items for children. Those interested can call the restaurant at (480) 726-3537.

Written by Louis Sacco

Of course, you’d expect all of these components at a fancy country club eatery. A place that caters to its exclusive membership.

Bolero’s at Seville is all of this … and more.

It’s not only a great restaurant for its members, but it’s also open to the general public. And the prices reflect this, with nothing on the menu more than $15.

That is, with the exception of the 15K Burger, a great tasting burger made with all the traditional fixings and sides that include a membership to Seville Country Club. Cost, as the name suggests, is $15,000, and includes first 12 months of dues to the club.

“The restaurant is truly a hidden jewel,” says Mark Hussey, Director of Food and Beverage for Seville. “A lot of people still don’t realize we’re open to the public.”

Hussey, who has been at the restaurant for about a year, has brought a lot of ideas from his previous job at a Cabo San Lucas resort to Bolero’s. He says the facilities and dining room sell themselves. It’s just a matter of getting new people to experience the restaurant.

To do so, he’s recently implemented a number of daily specials. To assist with exposure, chef Kevin Glowacki will appear on NBC’s The Today Show in November as part of a Burger Challenge.

Glowacki will create his Crab and Whitefish Burger, a patty that consists of flaky, tender tilapia and jumbo lump crabmeat, tossed with capers, celery, onions and spices. It’s topped with provolone cheese and served on a Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato and a spicy chipotle aioli.

“That’s one of the most popular items on the menu,” Hussey says.

Other favorites include the Delmonico Steak, an 11-ounce cut of the rib loin, grilled to the customer’s degree of doneness served with fries and slaw; and the Spinach and Arugula Salad, which consists of candied pecans, bleu cheese, roasted beets, green apples, dried cherries and grilled chicken breast, tossed in a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Bolero’s has live music on Friday and Saturday nights and has an open mic night on Thursdays. Family Pasta Night

is on Wednesday and Friday Night Fish and Chips are popular as well.

Drink specials (nightly from 5 p.m. to close) are: $1 domestic drafts on Mondays; $2 Martinis on Tuesdays; half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays; $2 Margarita on Thursdays; and $2 well drinks on Sundays.

The restaurant, which is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, also recently started serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays.

“We also have over 200 bottles of wine to choose from,” Hussey says. “It’s a phenomenal wine list.”

Written by Louis Sacco

Murphy’s Law kicks Irish pub fare up a notch. Anything that can go right will go right at Murphy’s Law. The Irish pub and restaurant opened in December 2008 in downtown Chandler, 58 South San Marcos Place, in the historical Dougherty Building, built in 1914. For sure, owners Roger and Tresha Baldwin have tastefully juxtaposed the past with the present, providing this revitalized downtown another quality restaurant and meeting place.

The couple, who own 360 Physical Therapy locations in the Valley, have worked closely with longtime building owners, the Saba family. A Saba’s Western Wear was one of the former stores here; that family’s commitment to the life of downtown Chandler has continued through not-so-good times to today’s renaissance.

Of course, not everyone at this exciting venue is Irish or knows a Shamrock from Shamrock Foods, but there’s warmth and hospitality everywhere — in addition to food that far surpasses pub fare. Serving a diverse clientele, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily. Families are regular guests here, as are moms and dads on dates. You can even enjoy breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Live music is scheduled Mondays through Saturdays, starting at 8:30 p.m. on the weekdays and 9 p.m. on the weekends.

Jennifer Hintz, for example, is one of two to greet patrons at the front door with a spontaneous smile. The other to greet patrons is much taller than Jennifer and cracks a smile that would only warm the cockles of a vampire or werewolf, if ghouls have cockles. He’s called Murphy, and he sets his own laws at the front door; if you don’t abide and have a great time, you’ll see the back door for certain.

Murphy is a 40,000-year-old cave bear the Baldwins found in a museum just outside San Francisco. Standing on his rears, the skeletal bear welcomes you to his eponymous pub, growling gregariously.

Murphy is just one of the many antiques the Baldwins have decorated their new place with. They travel throughout the country to acquire them, says Roger, a Long Island, New York, native who’s also lived in Denver and Seattle and served in Iraq as a member of a security-training group.

You’ll find memorabilia on the walls of Murphy’s, so the café/pub is a museum, too. “Every time they travel, they’ll find new things,” says Chris Field, general manager and third-generation restaurant veteran. You’ll also see thousands of dollar bills on the walls. They’re charitable donations by visitors: Murphy’s regularly writes a check to ICAN as part of its community involvement.

Field is assisted by Assistant General Manager Craig Barela and an amiable and efficient wait staff. A recent addition to Murphy’s, Chef Chad Carnahan, has 22 years in the business and a degree from the Culinary Institute of California in San Francisco. A lifelong Chandler resident, he was formerly with the House of Tricks in Tempe, Big Four Restaurants and Teakwoods in Chandler.

Carnahan’s food is neighborhood pub-plus-plus-plus. This is food you’ll enjoy driving for from elsewhere in the Valley. Even standard items, such as Murphy’s Harp Ale Battered Fish & Chips, are singularly good. Just right for a cold Irish night, Murphy’s Own Shepherd’s Pie is served with Colcannon mashed potatoes and cheese — and it served me well even during a hot summer desert night.

The surprise: the new Dublin Coddle Pasta — an Italian/Irish marriage in a pasta bed, with grilled Irish sausage, a red wine cream sauce and lots of herbs. Carnahan regularly prepares these kinds of entrées: unexpected but outstanding juxtapositions of flavors. Another recent example: hot wings served with a blackberry sauce (the berries are an Irish favorite). “I thought he was kidding — until I tried it,” Baldwin says. Expect a new dish like this every week, he says with a smile.

Of course, spirits are stars here, too. More than 26 draft beers are served, including hard-to-find craft beers such as the superb Kilt Lifter from Tempe’s Four Peaks Brewery, and food and beer pairings are regularly scheduled. Even wine lovers will enjoy the small but hand-selected wines, such as the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, the Elsa Malbec Mendoza and the Fat Bastard Chardonnay.

And Murphy: He’s happy you’re happy at Murphy’s. Just buy him a pint of Harp or  Guinness — and Irish eyes will always be smiling on you.

Bill and Renee Warren opened the restaurant, 1451 East Williams Field Road, last October because they couldn’t find good food and music — in one place — in the southeast Valley. Married in November 2006, the Warrens finished building a home in Gilbert a year later.

Neither are restaurateurs or entertainers, but they share extensive finance and management experience, which has helped in starting and building the business. Bill was raised in Los Angeles but has been in Arizona since 1986, when he relocated with then McDonnell Douglas, now Boeing. Renee spent 18 years with Motorola.

“Renee and I have a penchant for good food and music and were tired of driving across town,” he says. “Hence, the bistro was born.”

Warren’s Jazz Bistro serves lunch, dinner and brunch as well as offers live music and dancing.

“It’s basically one-stop shopping,” Renee says.

Lunch includes a wide variety of soups and starters, salads, sandwiches and entrées, such as Pan Seared Scottish Salmon and Penne Pasta with Charbroiled Chicken. For Brunch, enjoy plates such as the Blackened Catfish. Dinners offer a selection of platters including Braised Osso Buco, Shrimp Carbonara with fettuccini and prosciutto, a charbroiled 10-ounce Rib Eye and Grilled Alaskan Halibut with sun-dried tomato pesto, Montana wild rice and seasonal vegetables.

Every Wednesday and Thursday, Warren’s offers performances of jazz and R&B with the in-house band, Smooth Groove, starting at 7 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, Renee and Bill bring in different guest bands from 6 to 8:45 p.m. These have included Elixir, Melloland, KoKo Mo and saxophonist Dominic Amoto. Smooth Groove closes these evenings from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Smooth Groove includes five players. Dowell Davis, drums, has toured and/or performed with musicians such as George Benson, Francine Reed, Stevie Wonder, Marion Meadows, Joanie Sledge, Winton Marsalis as well as the Valley’s Khani Cole. Lead singer Jennifer Browne, who lives in Gilbert, has toured nationwide with the Continental Singers.

On keyboards, Raul Yanez teaches jazz at Mesa Community College, Scottsdale Community College and Arizona State University and has worked with jazz artists Joey Defrancesco and Jimmy Smith. His innovative “Concerto for Turntable” premiered in Carnegie Hall. He was also awarded the Best Latin Jazz Ensemble in Arizona by the Latin Perspective in 2007.

Anthony Kinchon, lead guitar, can be heard on CDs with artists such as Nelson Rangell, Marion Meadows and Sister Sledge and has toured with the Drifters, The Platters, Sister Sledge, Natalie Cole and Khani Cole. The bass guitarist is Tony Contreras, a native Arizonan who has been playing in he Valley for 30-plus years and who has performed with Sister Sledge.

Closed Sundays and Mondays, Warren’s is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 3 to 11 p.m., Fridays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays from 4 p.m.–1 a.m. If you’re planning dinner, Bill and Renee suggest calling for reservations, (480) 899-5299. For more information on Warren’s Jazz Bistro, see www.warrenjazzbistro.com.Closed Sundays and Mondays, Warren’s is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 3 to 11 p.m., Fridays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturdays from 4 p.m.–1 a.m. If you’re planning dinner, Bill and Renee suggest calling for reservations, (480) 899-5299. For more information on Warren’s Jazz Bistro, see www.warrenjazzbistro.com.

Written by David M. Brown

The Keg is more than just a steakhouse.

Want to enjoy a Keg with friends — even family? Menus are constant at all locations — fine cuts of steaks, prime rib, seafood, starters, desserts and a good spirits selection — served in pleasant atmospheres by hospitable, knowledgeable wait staff.

This month’s featured dish is courtesy of The Keg Steakhouse and Bar. Tender New York striploin. The King of steaks. Hand-carved and served with a baked potato.

 “Quality, comfort and value are three key ingredients that make The Keg Steakhouse & Bar experience like no other,” says Steve Ova, general manager in Chandler location, which opened in November 2003. The Tempe and Gilbert locations debuted, respectively, in March and October 2008.

Owned by David Aisenstat, the restaurant group was founded in Vancouver, Canada, in 1971 and now operates 102 restaurants, about evenly divided between corporate stores and franchise locations. The four Phoenix locations are among 17 locations in the United States, including Texas, Colorado, Florida and Washington. 

Although The Keg is primarily a steakhouse, you and your group will enjoy a wide variety of offerings. Starters include some interesting originals such as the Tempura Snap Peas & Asparagus; Baked Garlic Shrimp; and Scallops & Bacon. Of course, you can also enjoy a traditional French Onion Soup as well as side salads such as Spinach and Keg Caesar and Entrée Salads such as the Top Sirloin with a full steak cooked to order.

All New York striploins and sirloins are aged 28 days, and all steaks are cooked with a proprietary blend of seasonings. You can order from Blue Rare to Chicago to make sure it’s just right. Choose from steaks such as the Top Sirloin, naturally cooked, or in teriyaki sauce; a Filet topped with Applewood bacon; the Sirloin Oscar, with shrimp, scallops, asparagus and Béarnaise; or a classic 10-ounce Prime Rib, served daily. Enjoy, too, traditional offerings such as a Rib Steak and Filet Mignon. Seafood, chicken and ribs dishes are also plentiful — as are combinations for creative dining.

Good food combines with comfortable settings. Dining rooms offer tables and booths — equally enjoyable for dinner for two or the family. 

“The Chandler Keg is a great place to meet friends before or after shopping,” Steve says. “You’ll love the rich wood accents in our bar and the comfortable and contemporary feel of our dining room.”

Adds the Gilbert Keg general manager, Sheri Ova: “Our stunning patio sits over looking the entire shopping complex. Sitting by the patio fireplace and people watching is a great way to enjoy dinner.”

The Keg also offer specials: The Lobster Summer menu, June 15 to August 23, will showcase items such as a Lobster Gratinée starter — with garlic, herbs and melted Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses. Entrées include a two-pound Whole Atlantic Lobster; a Steak & Half Lobster; the Seafood Sirloin — with garlic sautéed shrimp, lobster and asparagus; and Grilled Chicken & Seafood. 

Each location features Happy Hour, Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., with half price on all bottled and draft beers and wines by the glass and complimentary bar snacks. For the more sprituously inclined, try the signature Grand Margarita or Orange Slice Martini.

“The Keg is the perfect place to enjoy a fabulous dinner date, or cocktails with friends or co-workers,” says Doug Smith, the Keg’s director of operations. “Guests who come to visit us in Chandler, Gilbert, or our other Arizona locations will be thrilled with The Keg’s upscale casual atmosphere, delicious steaks and seafood and friendly, professional service.”

Written by David M. Brown

Kai — Sacred Seed Grows to Great Bloom.

How good is Kai, in Chandler? The signature restaurant at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, on the 372,000-acre Gila River Indian Community, is very, very good: three years running with Five Diamonds from AAA and, this year, Five Stars from the Mobil Travel Guide — superlative honors from two of the world’s most respected hospitality-industry rating services.

Few places anywhere achieve either of these stellar marks; fewer still achieve them simultaneously. A Native American word for “seed,” Kai is the first Native American owned or themed venue to receive both. Kai is the only Five-Star recipient in Arizona (in any category) and is one of only four in the United States to be added to the prestigious list; it’s the first time any Sheraton property has received the award.

Here in the Valley, the resort’s Executive Chef Michael O’Dowd was last year’s Best Local Chef in Azcentral.com reader’s poll, and Chef de Cuisine Jack Strong was Best Chef in the New Times Best of Phoenix Awards. Kai server David Nezzie was recently honored as Associate of the Year at the Arizona Hotel & Lodging Stars of the Industry gala, and Mason Malesevich was just named Manager of the Year at the resort’s annual awards ceremony. 

That’s how well regarded this world-class restaurant is — and it’s right here in Chandler. 

Opened in October 2002, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass is owned by the community and managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide of White Plains, New York. Between the South, Estrella and Santan mountains, it’s just off Interstate 10. And, yes, 1,500 horses or so still run wild here as they have for centuries.

Chefs O’Dowd and Strong, who is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians in Oregon, work closely with local Gila River Farms and Gila Crossing Elementary Schools to incorporate locally grown and ingredients into the menu. The school maintains a garden as part of its agricultural program. From here, the resort receives produce, including garden vegetables, eggplant, lettuce mix, herbs, squash and amaranth. 

In addition, the culinary team will, depending on the menu, buy food from other Native America groups: buffalo from the four Lakota bands of the Cheyenne River Sioux (the Mnicoujou, Itazipco, Sihasapa, and Oohenumpa); salmon from the Quinault Nation of northwest Washington, who had been fishing long before they greeted Lewis and Clark two centuries ago; and wild rice from the Ojibwa band of Minnesota. Just recently, for example, the kitchen acquired an outdoor mesquite stucco oven to initiate traditional cooking methods such as the slow roasting of its Navajo Churro Lamb.

In addition, from the community-owned 15,000-acre Gila River Farms in Sacaton, about 10 miles south of the resort, they also buy citrus; olives and olive oil come from the nearby Queen Creek Olive Mill. In southern Arizona, for instance, they buy tepary beans, Pima yellow watermelon, and saguaro blossom syrup from Tohono O’odham Community Action near Tucson. The restaurant also works closely with the Tucson-based Native Seeds/SEARCH, a nonprofit conservation organization that conserves, distributes and documents indigenous agricultural seeds. One of the new Kai dishes, for example, is “Potpourri of Ancient Pima Tribal Herbs and Plants Dancing with Chippewa Walleye.”

The restaurant features watercolor paintings by community artists, with images of squash, prickly pear and fruit, and items from the Pima and Maricopa culture, including artifacts and treasures, seed jars, baskets and harvesting tools. Even the menu is hand-crafted: Each carries a watercolor by a Native American. The five parts of the menu represent the five parts of the life cycle, from birth to the after-life, and, before the courses, your server will provide insights into the food, referring to Native American history, legends and myths.

Even in these economic times, find a way this year to dine here with someone, or a number of people, close to you: Kai is a culinary experience that transcends dining.

The restaurant is open 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, and 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Reservations are encouraged; denim, shorts and hats are prohibited.  

Written by David M. Brown

Owners Paul and Kristina Grako are the couple who have concocted this winning recipe along with a great staff, many of whom have been with the restaurant since it opened six years ago.

“I grew up in the businesss,” says Paul Grako, whose father was a long-time pub owner in Utah. “I learned the business from the back up. My father’s place was the ‘Cheers’ of Price, Utah.”

The Grako’s previously lived in Ahwatukee when they decided the Ocotillo area was prime for a family-friendly, sports-themed restaurant. They had the foresight to see the area around Alma School Road and Queen Creek Boulevard was going to be a major thoroughfare and quickly moved in.

It didn’t take long for the Grako’s to pack up and move to Chandler as well.

The restaurant has been a success since the beginning. In 2003, Kristina quit her job to run the business full-time, along with her mother, Karen, as general manager.

Sidelines features three 60-inch plasma screen monitors and numerous 50-inch screens that show games from all angles of the restaurant. Paul says all NCAA tournament games will be available at Sidelines. Ultimate Fighting cards an NFL football are also big draws at Sidelines.

Besides the sports, it’s the food that keeps people coming back.

Kitchen manager Marco Tovar has been with Sidelines since its inception and has delivered a quality menu. Kristina says the steak tacos, meat loaf, wraps and salads are items on the menu not typically associated with a pub.

Some of the favorite items, however, are the burgers, wings and chili. Sidelines also offers great happy hour specials from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and late-night reverse happy hour specials from 10 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday as well.

Sidelines is located at 2980 South Alma School Suite 2. Those interested can call (480) 792-6965 or e-mail info@sidelinesaz.com. Its website is www.sidelinesaz.com.

Written by Tim Maya,  Photography by Kirk Kern