Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen in Flagstaff

Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen
1300 S Milton Rd
Flagstaff
menu: picazzos.com

This Arizona chain has several locations around the state, all owned by Rick Freedman. In 2010 he made all of his restaurants all-organic, with menus featuring pizzas pastas, salads and soups, most of which have gluten-free options.
Flavor abounds in all the selections, whether you opt for the spicy Thai peanut with chicken pizza on a gluten-free crust or the chipotle elbows pasta with free range chicken, colorful sauteed peppers and green onions tossed in a spicy chipotle alfredo sauce or the watermelon mint mojito and everything in between.
Their daily happy hour features tasty drink specials - most of which also feature organic alcohol - as well as $5 plates to nosh with friends, including baked artichoke bottoms, dolmas and hummus, wings and more. The Flagstaff location is conveniently located within walking distance to Northern Arizona University and features a relaxed but artful interior space, bar area and covered outdoor patio. They'll even bring you a blanket to wrap up in if it gets too chilly for you.

Wine tasting event this week at Flagstaff's Cottage Place

Tomorrow (Tuesday, June 19th) enjoy a wine tasting event at Flagstaff's Cottage Place.

Starting at 4:30pm, Cottage Place will host Alliance Beverage for a Wine Tasting of about ten wines. 

"We are especially excited about the wines from Sbragio Family Vineyards.  Ed Sbragio was the winemaker at Beringer from 1984 to 2008 when he left to focus his efforts at the family winery.  We will be tasting the Gamble Ranch Chardonnay, the Andolsen Cabernet Sauvignon, and their Dry Creek Merlot," Cottage Place stated in an email. "From Beringer we will be tasting the Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay.  In addition the Cottage Place has a wonderful selection of older vintage Beringer Private Reserve Cabernets. . . Frank has decided to sample our guests on one of the vintages."

Other wines will include Stags Leap Napa Valley Merlot, Duckhorn Paradux, Belle Glos "Clark and Telephone" Pinot Noir, along with Caymus Conundrum, Calera Viognier and more.

As part of the tasting, Frank and his staff will be making appetizers too, including: Tenderloin Au Poivre flambeed to order, Smoked Gouda Gratinee Potatoes, Forest Mushroom Ravioli with Marsala Sage Cream Sauce, a selection house made pates and terrines, Brie en Croute, special cheese board featuring Campo de Montalban, Bucheron, and Pecorino Toscano, Caprese with local heirloom tomatoes plus wonderful selection of desserts.

Price of the event is $45. including food, wine tasting, tax and gratuity. Wines will be available for retail purchase at special event pricing. 
Reservations are limited. Call 928-774-8431 to hold your spot.

Mother's Day Brunch 2012 at Flagstaff's 1899 Bar & Grill

1899 Bar and Grill on the campus of Northern Arizona University is celebrating Mother’s Day during a brunch at 1899 Bar & Grill.

Executive chef Randy Walker has created an enticing menu featuring items like parmesan-crusted pork loin; grilled salmon with sweet chili sauce; made-to-order omelets and crepes; a fresh seafood selection and domestic and imported cheeses. The full menu is available here.

Mother’s Day brunch is offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 13. The restaurant is located in the historic North Union building on NAU’s north campus at 307 W. DuPont. Free parking is available at the High Country Conference Center across the street.

Brunch is $29 for adults and $15 for children and space is limited. Call (928) 523-1899 for reservations or more information.

Best veggie sandwiches in Flagstaff

Going veg but veggie burgers aren’t your thing? Check out these other veggie sandwiches to enjoy around town…

Stage Left Deli

15 W Aspen (Note the address is deceiving, as the restaurant is actually on Beaver St just off Route 66)

The Paisan is the veggie lovers sammy of choice at Stage Left. It features fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, basil plus olive oil and balsamic. This one is great for caprese fans like myself who enjoy the freshness of a delish salad on bread. Stage Left also makes a Flagstaff Veggie sandwich with red pepper hummus, feta, romaine, red onion, tomato, cucumber and avocado that’s a good, refreshing choice.

Café Daily Fare

408 E. Route 66

Café Daily Fare has two delish veg sandwich must trys, both that come on Village Baker’s locally made breads. The Veggie-Batta is a ciabatta with cream cheese and chipotle Dijon mustard topped with grilled zucchini and balsamic eggplant, pickled red onions, brie and sprouts. The grilled portabella gives you that meaty substantial “steak” with the balsamic glazed portabella mushroom on a Kaiser roll topped with smoky onions, poblanos, roasted red peppers and sprouts.

Josephine’s

503 N Humphreys

Josephine’s Eggplant Veracruz Sandwich is warm and filling. They bread and bake the eggplant then top it with a tangy dressing and queso fresco, all served on a Kaiser roll. When the summer menu has a fried green tomato sandwich, get it. It’s a wonderful change of pace and taste on veggie sandwich options in Flagstaff. 

For a look at Flagstaff's best veggie burgers read THIS article.

Best veggie burgers in Flagstaff

Whether you’re trying to eat healthier, love vegetables, are a vegetarian or just a lover of all types of burgers, veggie burgers fit the bill. Here’s a look at some of the best veggie burgers in Flagstaff…

Pita Jungle
320 South Regent Street
Pita jungle makes some of my favorite sandwiches and pitas in town. They have a veggie burger and a black bean burger on their menu. Both are tasty and fresh but my favorite is the black bean burger, which is topped with roasted red bell peppers, mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. It’s got a nice level of flavor and spiciness. Gives a kick and is really filling and comes with a side of their deliciously different garlic new potatoes.

Diablo Burger
120 n. Leroux St
Diablo’s “The Netzky” is their take on a veggie burger. It’s made with locally sourced products including farm-fresh eggs, produce, and heirloom legumes. This veggie burger is dairy- and wheat-free and super high in protein. Add jalapeno jack cheese, grilled onions and guac on top for a feast. And yes it comes with the awesome DB fries. What’s not to love!

Mountain Oasis
11 E Aspen
Mountain Oasis is another haven of yummy veg entrees. Their home-made black bean burger is served on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onions and sprouts. Top it off with cheese, grilled mushrooms and grilled onions for a juicy, satisfying lunch.

Morning Glory Cafe

115 S San Francisco

Morning Glory has the market corned on a hemp take on the veggie burger. Their Hemp Burger Deluxe is made with a hemp-based vegan patty that is topped with organic greens, tomato, onion, avocado, and cheese or tempeh. It’s a reason to go vegan.

Taverna

2420 S Woodlands Village
Taverna’s Lentil burger give a Greek twist to Flagstaff’s veggie burger market. They house-make a lentil patty and top it with lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and onion plus a tomato vinaigrette sauce.

Check out some of Flagstaff's best non-burger veggie sandwiches HERE.

(This article was originally written by Angele for Flagstaff Live!)

Earth Day freebie at Flagstaff Chipotle

Get a free burrito on Earth Day at Chipotle here in Flagstaff (and everywhere else, for that matter). Here's how...
From now until April 14, burrito lovers can purchase a Chipotle lunch bag for $18.00 at store.chipotle.com made with “upcycled” outdoor advertisement materials to get an  eco-friendly card redeemable for a free meal on Earth Day at Chipotle. The bags are made from Chipotle billboards "given a second life by transforming would-be waste into a one-of-a-kind product using less energy than traditional recycling methods," Chipotle says. Plus, for every 20,000 bags made from retired Chipotle signage, landfills are spared some 78,000 square feet of billboard vinyl — enough material to cover 2.7 Olympic swimming pools!

When you buy the bag - inside is an eco-friendly card with a unique barcode that a customer can redeem for a free menu item on Earth Day. (BTW: The cards are printed on tree-free stone paper that is made from limestone salvaged from construction sites and quarry waste. Nice!)

An added bonus: All proceeds from each $18 purchase benefit the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, providing funding to support sustainable agriculture, family farming, and culinary education.

Where to eat in Flagstaff on Valentine's Day for a romantic evening

Love is in the air this month. With the big V-Day smack dab in the middle of the month, expectations for romance are high, even for those that don’t celebrate Saint Valentine’s memory. After all, long before there was a Valentine’s Day in February there was a pagan festival in the middle of the month called Lupercalia, a fertility festival dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture. (Read more about that at history.com. Here’s a look at where to wine and dine your beloved this month in Flagstaff…

Brix, 413 N. San Francisco

Brix is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a romantic evening designed around a four course affair. The meal is priced at $75 per person and includes a glass of champagne. The menu has two choices at each course. Highlights include a delectable sounding beef tartare, roasted butternut squash soup, pan seared elk medallions and a dessert of chocolate truffles and golden pippen apple bordeloux. See the full Valentine’s menu at brixflagstaff.com. Call 928-213-1021 for reservations.

Cottage Place, 126 W. Cottage Place

The Cottage Place is another cozy romantic setting with food that will ignite your love affair with more and more passion as you progress through the courses. They’re offering their special Valentine’s Day menu on Sunday the 12 and Monday the 13^th (for $80 per person) as well as on the big V-day itself (for $100 per person). These all include a glass of sparkling wine. The menu will include an appetizer, lobster bisque soup, a salad, sorbet, 8-10 different entrees including venison striploin, mahi mahi with mango malsa, beef wellington, stuffed jumbo shrimp and others plus a dessert like tiramisu, Irish cream cheesecake and other choices.  Dinners these days also come with Cottage Place Chocolate Truffles, a keepsake menu and other TBA special surprises. Visit cottageplace.com for the menu and more details. Call 928-774-8431 for reservations.

 Josephine’s, 503 N. Humphreys

The quaint stone house setting sets the scene for a lovely evening at Josephine’s which features a special Valentine’s four course menu, priced at $72.50 per person. Each course has several options. For your appetizer, opt for the Baklava Baked Brie. Then move on to the champagne vinaigrette salad. For the main course try the Oscar filet mignon topped with lump crab and béarnaise sauce or the walnut encrusted Australian rack of lamb. For dessert the black forest cake adds the perfect sweet, decadent touch to your evening. See the complete Valentine’s Day offerings at josephinesrestaurant.com. Call 928-779-3400 for reservations.

Karma, 6 E. Route 66

For an evening featuring Asian deliciousness, head to Karma. They’re handsome atmosphere with a red, black and yellow color scheme that adds a little whimsical romance to your evening. Make your own five course romantic evening by starting with the shrimp and veggie tempura, Karma Karpaccio sashimi appetizer, and ramen soup – one bowl is enough to share and is far from those ramen packets buried in the back of your cupboard. Then add your favorite sushi or grilled teriyaki dish. Put a dazzle in her eyes by ordering their dessert topped with a real sparkler! It’s such a fun touch to end your dinner on and one you will remember. See their full dinner menu at karmaflagstaff.com.

Flagstaff Cultural Partners Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 N. Fort Valley Rd

While not a dinner, the 5^th Annual Valentine’s Day Concert at the Coconino Center for the Arts includes a pre-concert wine and chocolate tasting at 6:30pm (with the concert – featuring local folk duo Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer - starting at 7:30) that will make for a romantic evening. Fine wines and locally made chocolates will be featured in the tasting event. Tickets are only $16 each. The show generally sells out each year. You can buy tickets at 928-779-2300 or online.

This story was originally written by Angele for Flagstaff Live!

For the love of cheese: Must-trys for cheese-lovers in Flagstaff

While it in no way helps meet New Year’s resolutions of dropping fat, cheese lovers can rejoice that this month celebrates National Cheese Lover’s Day (January 20^th). To mark the occasion, here’s a look at where to get your cheese on in Flagstaff…

Taverna Greek Grill, 2420 Woodlands Village

Definitely the best presentation of cheese in town, Taverna’s saganaki doesn’t disappoint. This dish consists of rich imported Kaseri cheese flambéed at your table. It’s served with pita sections for a fancy pants and yummy app that cheese fanatics must try.

Josephine’s Modern American Bistro, 503 N. Humphreys St.

Take your love of cheese first class with the baklava baked brie at Josephine’s. This appetizer wraps brie cheese, pistachios and orange cardamom in a phyllo shell with just the right about of honey. The result is a sweet but creamy treat to start your meal off right.

La Fonda Mexican Restaurant, 1900 N. Second St.

La Fonda’s cheese enchilada weekday lunch special(aka “G”) is a tasty bargain at $7.50 for two of the best tasting cheese enchiladas in town, rice, beans, a soda and sopapilla for dessert. Their enchilada sauce is full of flavor but doesn’t burn your mouth down. It’s a perfect compliment to the cheese melted inside the corn tortillas. It’s a must have weekly in my book.

Brix, 413 N. San Francisco

Enjoy a fine dining experience with the artisanal cheese selections at Brix. Try the French Brillat Savarin, Californian Seascape, Portuguese Palhais or one of the other carefully selected cheeses from across the world.  The plate of three to five of your choices comes with poached apricots and house made lavosh. Add a glass of one of their wonderful wine selections to complete your meal.

Beaver Street Brewery, 11 S. Beaver St.

Beaver Street has several must-trys for cheese devotees, two of which are fondues. The Beaver Street Brewery Fondue is made with sharp cheddar, caramelized onions and their Railhead Red Ale. The Whistle Stop Fondue is a classic Swiss style dish with gruyere cheese, white wine and cherry brandy.  Dip in the beer bread cubes and go to heaven. Beaver Street’s third cheese-centered app of pure creaminess is the pesto cream cheese dip made with fresh basil pesto and cream cheese baked in their wood-fired oven. Mmmm. It’s served bubbling hot with crouton rounds and sourdough bread slices.

Pizza Furiosa, 2500 S Woodlands Village

How could a cheese lovers roundup be complete without a cheese pizza. Pizza Furiosa serves up a classic with a twist to delight those who just want to enjoy melted cheesy goodness. The #8 tops their handmade crust with mozzarella, asiago and parmesan cheeses. The flavors combine perfectly for a salty, gooey gratification for your tastebuds.

Bisbee Breakfast Club named best cafe in the West

Bisbee Breakfast Club has been named "Best Cafe" in the West by True West Magazine.

True West says about Bisbee Breakfast Club:
Okay, so it’s technically located in Lowell, Arizona, not Bisbee, but owner Chris Reece was smart to tie his cafe to its extremely close neighbor. This place is usually packed, whether it’s breakfast or lunch time. We never go to Bisbee without stopping for a meal here. Not only are the huevos rancheros and the salads delectable, but also the ambience is fun, as the converted glass factory makes for interesting rooms to spread out the diners. When you stumble out of there with a full belly, just be sure you don’t fall into that mining pit.  

True West asked readers to name thier favorite cafe in the west as well. The winner: Rock Springs Cafe, just north of Phoenix and home of great pies! 

Others worth a try:

• Brandy's in Flagstaff, AZ
• La Bellavia in Flagstaff, AZ
• Pine Country Restaurant in Williams, AZ
• Mormon Lake Lodge, Mormon Lake, AZ
• Wagon Wheel in Needles, CA
• Matt's Big Breakfast in Phoenix, AZ
• Ruth's Diner in Salt Lake City, UT
• Silver Fork Lodge, Salt Lake City, UT
• Spotted Dog Cafe, Springdale, UT (Near Zion National Park)
• Jailhouse Cafe, Moab, UT.

What do you think the best cafe in the West is?

Flagstaff's Sweet Spot: December food holidays and where to celebrate in Flag

Get ready to get your sweet on. December is filled with holidays for your sweet tooth from ‘Anything Dipped In Chocolate Day” on the 16^th to egg nog (it’s National Egg Nog Month) to candy canes and maple syrup, to the delight of Buddy the Elf and his kindred spirits. Here’s a look at where to celebrate your sugar-love in Flagstaff this month…

Dec 1: National Pie Day – Start things off right this month with a big slice of pie from Pine Country Restaurant (107 N Grand Canyon Blvd, Williams). Pies range from traditional flavors like apple, pumpkin and double chocolate to more exotic delights like double butterscotch, banana chocolate peanut butter and Hawaiian delight. Let’s just say it’s a good thing there’s about 30 miles in between Flagstaff and Pine Country for your waistline.

Dec 4: National Cookie Day - Get a cookie alongside your cup o Joe today at Macy's (14 S. Beaver) to celebrate this day. Can’t go wrong with their classic homemade chocolate chip, but then I haven’t met a cookie at Macy’s that I didn’t like.

Dec 9: National Pastry Day – The cinnamon jammers at Bookman’s Café (1520 S Riordan Ranch St) is my new favorite pastry to nosh when I need a sweet treat.

Dec 12: National Cocoa Day – Brandy’s Restaurant and Bakery (1500 E. Cedar Ave #40) makes a mean hot cocoa. Try their Mexican spiced hot cocoa with steamed milk served up piled high with whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add a little extra buzz by adding espresso and order the Baja Mocha.  Or go for the white chocolate mocha made with white chocolate, steamed milk and espresso drizzled with dark chocolate.

Dec 17: National Maple Syrup Day – Buddy the Elf’s favorite day of the year, after Christmas, I’m sure. Enjoy flapjacks covered in maple syrup at the Mormon Lake Lodge Steakhouse (Main Street, Mormon Lake), then go for one of their guided snowmobile rides though the beautiful winter trails (if there’s enough snow by then).

Dec 20: National Sangria Day – This one is sure to take a bite out of holiday stress. Head to The Lumberyard. They have a refreshingly different white sangria made with white wine topped with whole grapes, lemon slices and a splash of apple juice. They also offer a twist on a traditional sangria sans brandy but instead has blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and a splash of lemon-lime soda.

Dec 25: Christmas – While not an official “food holiday,” Christmas is a day in which eating with your family can create lots of joyful “sweet” memories. Do so, without dirty dishes at the Little America Hotel (2515 E Butler), which is serving up their annual champagne brunch from 9a-2p. They’re also hosting a four course prix fixe Christmas Dinner from 5-9pm. Call for more info: 779-7900.

Dec 26: National Candy Cane Day – Brookside Chocolate Company (120 N Leroux) makes Oreos dipped in white chocolate and crushed candy canes that is sure to fill your sweet tooth quota of the day. Hopefully they’ll have some left after Christmas rolls around.

Get more December food holiday info from TheNibble.com.

This story was originally written for Flagstaff Live!

Flagstaff's new Aloha Hawaiian BBQ (includes full menu)

Aloha Hawaiian BBQ
16 E. Rte 66 (Across from Black Bean and next to Flagstaff Brewing Co.)
Downtown
Flagstaff, AZ
928-774-3922
Menu: see the bottom of this story
Aloha Hawaiian BBQ is Flagstaff's only current Hawaiian restaurant. This small but friendly fast food join puts everything in wasteful styrofoam containers, cups and uses all plastic silverware. That might be great for their cleanup but not so great for the environment. Most Flagstaff restaurants are very eco-concious so it is shocking to see a brand new Flagstaff joint have these types of policies that aren't really inline with community values. That said the food has a good flavor and is decently priced.

On our first visit, we tried the recommended (and one of the most ordered, along with the BBQ mix of chicken, beef and short ribs, we were told) Aloha plates: Chicken Katsu. It comes in two sizes - regular and mini. The mini is plenty big for lunch. The chicken isn't all white meat, which was disappointing but it was tastily breaded and fried. It comes with a tangy islandy-tasting sauce that compliments the crust nicely.

We also got the regular size of the BBQ beef. It has a wonderful flavor, which reminded us of Thai beef sticks. I'd definitely order that again. Both plates comes with a tiny scoop of plain jane white rice that is nothing to write home about and a scoop of macaroni salad that is basically mac pasta with mayo. It's only but again, nothing special. These seem like perfect dishes to serve some sort of fruit or vegetable with but most dishes don't come with either. The menu does show veggies with the bowls - so I would try that next time instead. Also for veggie lovers, they have an off menu plate of mixed vegetables with rice and mac for sides.
All in all, I like the friendliness of the folks at the restaurant and I like the unique (for Flagstaff) dishes but I'm not overly impressed with the restaurant. It will be a good occasional stop on the out-to-eat circuit but most days I'd rather go to one of the many wonderful Thai restaurants nearby.
MONEY SAVING TIP: Be sure to pick up one of their menus posted outside the doors. They have several good coupons!
Take a look at their menu below:

November national food holidays & where to celebrate in Flagstaff

November is *the* month when it comes to national food holidays – as it has the biggest of them all: Thanksgiving, a day dedicated to sharing delectable foods like oven roasted turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie. What’s not to love. There are several other food holidays this month too that you can eat your way merrily through. Here’s a list of a few of them and where to celebrate in Flagstaff…
 

Nov. 6: National Nachos Day – Go deluxe on your nachos today and eat the fire roasted jalapeno and bacon nachos at Criollo (16 N. San Francisco). These bad boys have cherry wood smoked bacon, asadero and jack cheese, roasted jalapeños, black beans, and house-made salsa. 

Nov. 11: National Sundae Day – While I think Sundae Day should always be on a Sunday, it’s not. That’s okay, try Flagstaff’s new sweet spot that lets you create your own sundaes with anything you want: YogurtU (1061 S. Plaza Way – behind Panda Express). This place lets you serve yourself to however much frozen yogurt you want (try the cake batter flavor) and top it with a salad bar of ingredients from sprinkles to gummy bears and everything in between. Genius!

Nov. 14: National Pickle Day – Celebrate right with a fried pickle from none other than Café Pickles (7 N. San Francisco). Order ‘em as an app for a different but delish dish that will satisfy the taste buds.

Nov. 16: National Fast Food Day – No need to go to a national chain, pop on in to the locally owned and operated Louie’s Chicken Shack (2116 E Route 66 and the new location on Milton). These guys do a nice job on their chicken strips. They’re fresh and well-seasoned. They just opened up their second location in October, about a year and a half after opening their first location, so they must be doing something right!

Nov. 17: National Baklava Day – Eat this Mediterranean dessert made with phyllo dough, nuts, butter, sugar and a sweet syrup at Greek Islands (109 E. Phoenix Ave.). This hole in the wall serves up a nice sticky layered dessert that makes the perfect ending to your meal here.

Nov. 21: Gingerbread Day – Have none other than a gingerbread man for a treat today. Bookman’s Café (1520 S. Riordan Ranch St.) sells soft, chewy and oh so sweet gingerbread men that will delight your inner child spirit and your taste buds.

Nov. 24: Thanksgiving – If you’re looking to give mom and break and go out to eat, The Cottage Place (126 W. Cottage Ave.) does a fabulous upscale Turkey Day five course feast. Do make reservations early, as they do book up quickly. Call 928-774-8431 to reserve.

Nov. 28: National French Toast Day - Being this falls on a Monday, celebrate a day early with Sunday brunch at Josephine’s  (503 N. Humphreys St.). Order the brioche french toast topped with bananas flamed in rum brown sugar sauce topped with pecans.

(This article was originally written by Angele for Flagstaff Live!)