Kitchen Doors: Where we ate this month
PURE SUSHI: This new staple is part of the feeding frenzy on 7th Street between Missouri and Bethany Home, located in The Colony. I’m a sushi lover but not a particularly adventurous one — cook my food, please — so I don’t need to be blown away by the exotic. Pure Sushi is ideal for my kind of sushi lover — it’s friendly, accessible, has all the old standards and gives you a chance to branch out when you are feeling adventurous. Dining companions went a little further into the menu and expressed satisfaction, so we can confidently report that Pure Sushi is a good option for the more conservative sushi enthusiast. — Tom Evans
KEEGAN’S KEEPS IT REAL: Keegan’s Grill on Camelback and 32nd St. in Phoenix was my go-to place when I first moved to Phoenix because it was nearby, the service was great and I didn’t know much else. Five years on, Keegan’s is my go-to place, the service is still great and I know of much, much else in terms of restaurant options. There are hipper options – places where you go to see and be seen. But most times you want a place where there are more knowns than unknowns, to awkwardly paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld. Keegan’s knowns: consistently excellent service; the most underrated chicken wings in Phoenix; a well-curated draft beer menu; a bustling happy hour; and reasonably priced lunch specials. The unknowns: none, which is why Keegan’s is the perfect go-to – you know what it is, which is unfailingly unpretentious. The retired set flocks there for dinner while lunch is more of a younger-older mix. The clientele keep coming back to Keegan’s for the clean, cheery, no-drama place with reliable service. – Mike Saucier
LOVIN’ FRANK & ALBERTS: Your humble Frontdoors owners were so dedicated to bringing you the new Frontdoors that we neglected to make Valentine’s Day reservations and ended up at Frank & Albert’s at the Arizona Biltmore thanks to a last-minute opening. And we’re glad we did. Along with their trusty menu of organic and garden-fed food, they had a special Valentine’s menu featuring two choices of appetizer, dinner and desert, anchored by entrees of filet mignon and scallops. We mixed-and-matched like a good couple and especially enjoyed the scallops — which were not only huge, but perfectly cooked — and the two desserts, one a lemon tart martini and the other a decadent chocolate cake that Andrea said “is like a Hostess Ding Dong on steroids.” Combine a great meal with the ambiance that only the Arizona Biltmore provides and it made for a great date night. – Tom Evans
MORA ITALIAN: The 7th Street restaurant scene gained another gem this past month, and Food Network fans are going to enjoy having access to Chef Scott Conant’s fabulous fare at the new Mora Italian. The menu has been set with seven categories, and it can be a bit difficult to decide just where to start. Here are my recommendations from several categories to consider on your first few visits:
Bread Cart: Just say yes! The stromboli with thin sliced salame and artichoke bomba is delicious.
For the Table: The foie gras & chicken liver pate is delicious and served with a buttery cippolini agro dolce.
Antipasti: Do not miss the polenta with mushrooms and the grilled octopus. I tried to find out the magic to this velvety, creamy polenta — but no luck.
Pasta for the Soul: One word — gnudi. These pillows of spinach and ricotta “in the nude” are perfectly with a concentrated tomato sauce.
Pizza Napoletana: For a spin on a classic, try the Mora margherita with burrata and blistered crust thanks to a brush of olive oil.
Oh, and the bar is stocked full of fun, playful cocktails — remember to try the Rose Snowcone this summer when the 100-degree-plus temps kick in! — Andrea Tyler Evans
