GREAT expectations
Three first-time restaurants we are looking forward to visiting at azcentral Wine & Food Experience
Every year, azcentral.com Wine & Food Experience is a chance for Arizona chefs and food fanatics to get together, learn from each other and enjoy a whole lot of tasty bites.
The fourth annual festival, set for Nov. 3-4 at Westworld of Scottsdale, also is an opportunity to see how the participating restaurants reflect trends and changes in the Valley’s dining scene.
This year’s lineup features more than 50 restaurants. About half of them are joining the event for the first time, demonstrating their skills and presenting delicious dishes for guests to sample.
A few, in particular, provide a look into the evolution happening in the broader Arizona restaurant industry. Here are three of them.
Chula Seafood
Now coming up on its second birthday, the little Scottsdale seafood shop that could has become one of the most influential restaurants in the Valley.
“We didn’t know how the public would react,” Mandy Heflin says. “It was a total gamble.”
Mandy and her husband, Jon, didn’t set out to change how Phoenix sees seafood, but that’s exactly what’s happening.
“I’m originally from Seattle, so I always kind of harassed Jon, saying that there isn’t any decent seafood here beyond what was available at the high-end grocery stores,” she says.
Jon’s father, Jim, runs a swordfish boat out of San Diego, and the couple decided to take a chance to see if they could fill a void in the Valley’s food scene.
“Jon and I looked at each other and we’re like, why aren’t we bringing this amazing fish that your family has access to over to Arizona? There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to,” Mandy recalls.
azcentral Wine & Food Experience
When: Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 3-4. Where: Monterra at Westworld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road (Loop 101 and Bell Road), Scottsdale. Use north entrance at 94th Street and Bell Road. Headliners: ❚ Nov. 3: Chef Marcus Samuelsson. ❚ Nov. 4: Chef Aarón Sánchez. Tickets:
❚ Grand Tasting: Enjoy bites from the best Arizona restaurants, along with fine wine, craft beer and spirits sampling. Meet chefs, taste their creations, see cooking demonstrations. 1-4 p.m. Nov. 3-4. $65 through Oct. 28; $85 from Oct. 29 until the festival; $100 at the gate.
Fast-forward a few years, and Chula Seafood is selling retail fish and chef Juan Zamora’s creations from the Scottsdale storefront; scads of local restaurants use Chula’s product; and a second, larger branch is opening soon in central Phoenix.
Those who have been watching have seen the change.
“We hear from customers, retail, wholesale that they ask questions when they go to eat now, they’re more aware of the quality that they’re buying and looking for,” Mandy says. “I think it’s creating higher standards among the community as well, being sustainable, looking out for healthy farming practices when it’s not a wild product.”
Last year, Chula Seafood supplied fish to many of the restaurants participating in azcentral Wine & Food Experience. This year, they’ll be participating themselves.
Details: 8015 E. Roosevelt St., Scottsdale. 480-621-5121, chulaseafood.com.
West Alley BBQ & Smokehouse
The Valley is in the midst of a barbecue boom, but nobody in town does it AJ’s VIP Lounge: All the benefits of the Grand Tasting, plus exclusive food and wine samplings provided by AJ’s Fine Foods. One-hour early entry and private restrooms, patio and lounge. Noon-4 p.m. Nov. 3-4. $120 in advance; $135 at the gate.
Chef’s Package with Marcus Samuelsson (Nov. 3) and Aarón Sánchez
(Nov. 4): All the benefits of the Grand Tasting and AJ’s VIP Lounge; private meet-and-greet and book signing with Samuelsson and Sánchez. 11:30 a.m. Nov. 3-4. $180.
Subscriber discounts: Arizona Republic and azcentral subscribers, join Insiders and enter promo code insider18 to save $15 on Grand Tasting/ AJ’s VIP Lounge.
quite like Bardo and Christian Brantley.
Hailing from Tennessee, the father-and-son duo learned about the exploding Phoenix barbecue scene while visiting family in Chandler.
“We noticed that trend coming down to the Valley,” Christian says. “We understand how tremendous it is, but there’s still so much room for different styles. There are so many different regions.”
So, with a barbecue joint in Jackson, Tennessee, already under their belts, the Brantleys decided to jump into the brisket-rich environment of Phoenix, Arizona.
“We understand that Texas is very close to the state of Arizona, so Arizona people love their brisket,” Christian says. “We wanted to be a different style of barbecue, and be able to offer that Memphis-style competition barbecue.”
The new West Alley BBQ & Smokehouse in Chandler offers brisket, and it’s good, but pork is the critter of choice here, where it’s dry-rubbed, smoked over almond wood and served with a thin, Tennessee vinegar-based sauce.
Having opened in late 2017, this will be the first year the Brantleys have been able to participate in azcentral Wine & Food Experience. For them, it’s about spreading the gospel of barbecue — all kinds of barbecue.
“I believe that Phoenix and the Valley are starting to educate themselves on the different style,” Christian says. “We’re definitely looking forward to the festival. For us, the food experience is doing what we can to educate. It’s going to be a great platform for us to flex our muscles and show what we can do.”
Details: 111. W. Boston St., Chandler. 480-248-8819, westalleybbq.com.
Mingo’s Louisiana Kitchen
Sometimes, a food truck is an end to itself. But more often than not, it’s practice for bigger things, and more Valley chefs are making the jump.
Take Cory Mingo. The New Orleans native ran a popular food truck for years, but that was never his long-term plan.
“It was always a stepping stone,” Mingo explains. “It’s always been my goal to open a restaurant, and the food truck gave me the ability to test my product out and make sure there was a demand for it. It was always that endgame to have a restaurant.”
In February, Mingo achieved that goal, opening Mingo’s Louisiana Kitchen in Laveen. Like Crepe Bar, Short Leash Hotdogs and Welcome Diner before him, Mingo has successfully made the transition from mobile to brick-and-mortar. And there are more coming down the pike.
“It’s going to continue to grow,” Mingo says. “You have a lot of great chefs who run food trucks, they just don’t have the resources to be able to open a freestanding restaurant because of the exorbitant cost of restaurants. There’s a lot of talented chefs who are running food trucks right now.”
For his part, Mingo is enjoying the increased freedom that comes with a permanent space. In addition to his fried seafood and po’ boys, he can now offer specials like barbecue-braised short ribs over Cheddar grits or salmon stuffed with three cheese.
It’s those types of expanded offerings he hopes to show to the public at azcentral Wine & Food Experience.
“At some point, frying catfish and making po’ boys gets a little old, and so I use Fridays and Saturdays to show some of the skills that I’ve learned working for French chefs and working at some of the finest restaurants and resorts in the Valley,” Mingo says.
“It’s kind of like my expression.”
Details: 3424 W. Southern Ave., Phoenix. 480-8654212, mingoslouisianakitchen.com.