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!

Where to find yummy noodles in Flagstaff

Karma's Ramen

Noodles are a beloved staple in diets across the world. They come in many textures, made of a variety of bases depending on where you are. World-FoodHistory.com says the first noodles in history can be traced back to the Middle East in 5000 BC. That was a wheat noodle. Fast forward to the year 300 when the Chinese form their first version of noodles. Chinese noodles spread to Japan a few hundred years later. Then, as the story goes, Marco Polo brought back noodles to Italy in the late 13th century after a trip to China. And the love of these little strings of filling-goodness continued to spread across the globe becoming the food we now love with the multicultural background and wide variety of tastes. Here in Flagstaff, we have delish noodles in styles form across the globe. Here’s a sampling…

Pasto Cucina Italiano
19 E Aspen
Pasto makes their own pastas fresh in house. In many cases they use heirloom grains, then grind it in house to make the flour that they then turn into their homemade pastas!
Pasto has several types to try like spaghettini, which means “little strings” of pasta; pennette, meaning “little quills”; tagliatelle, which is spinach ribbons. These are served with a variety of their housemade sauces and other fine ingredients. Everything I’ve tried here I’ve enjoyed, so I don’t think you can go wrong with your noodle pick!

Pato Thai Cuisine
104 N San Francisco
Representing the plethora of top-notch Thai noodles in town are the dishes of Pato. They have the delicious classic Pad Thai, of course, which is served with a spicy sauce, ground peanuts, meat, bean sprouts and egg. They also have Pad-see-Eew, Kai Kua (a pan fried flat rice noodle with egg, bean sprout and peanut served on lettuce), Chow Mein (a stir fired egg noodle), Suki Yaki (a glass noodle soup with chicken, squid, shrimp), Rad Nar (a rice noodle with broccoli and carrots in a gravy sauce), Pad Woon Sen (a stir fried silver noodle) and Spicy Noodle (a flat noodle with pepper, onion, celery, basil, tomato and chili paste).

Karma
6 E Route 66
Karma takes on the traditional Japanese ramen dish... that’s nothing like those little packets of noodles with flavor packets you can buy for a quarter. Ramen traditionally features Chinese style wheat noodles served in a soy or miso flavored broth with pork or fish. Karma serves it up with pork or chicken plus a boiled egg. This is a delightfully different and filling dish, served in a nice sized bowl.

Taverna Greek Grille
2420 S Woodlands Village
If you want to go Greek with your noodles, Taverna has several options for “zymarika” (the Greek word for pastas). Try the Seafood Pasta Salad, made like many traditional Greek pasta recipes with shrimp and fish. This one has penne tossed in Greek dressing then mixed with grilled salmon, shrimp, kalamata olives, red peppers, red onions, tomatoes, pepperoncini and feta cheese.

Golden Dragon
2730 E Lakin Dr (off Steves Blvd)
Golden Dragon has several types of noodle dishes. They include several varieties of the classics… Lo Mein (which translates to “tossed noodles,” meaning string-like egg noodles tossed in a light sauce with meats and/or veggies) and Chow Fun (with wide rice noodles, meat and sauce) noodle plus Pan Fried Noodles (thin angel hair-like wheat-based noodles that are fried a bit crunchy and served with meat and sauce), Singapore Rice Noodles (which have a curry sauce) and Taiwanese Rice Noodles.

Karma in Flagstaff

Ramen with chicken.

Karma Sushi
Route 66 between leroux and san francisco, downtown
Menu online (though not completely up to date) at karmaflagstaff.com

Karma Sushi is a little gem of a spot downtown Flagstaff, just off the hustling Route 66 downtown. Walking into this dark red, black and pale yellow oasis is refreshing. There's booths, tables and room to eat at the massive bar, all with a comfortable ambiance. The ceiling stretches high above with a giant skylight towards the back of the restaurant. Up front, there are tables in the window with a view of passers-by.

While Karma is known as the best sushi spot in town, there's also lots of choices for non-sushi fans that give everyone plenty of reasons to head to Karma. Among them - tempura shrimp and veggies, real ramen noodles with chicken or pork, even a charbroiled burger. Desserts here are a MUST for kids' (or anyone else's) birthdays, as they put a super cool sparkler right on top and bring it to the table with quite a spectacular show!

Karma's burger and steak fries

Lucky Foods for the New Year (and where to find them at Flagstaff restaurants)

Would you believe that good luck in 2010 may be as simple as eating the right things to ring in the new year? All over the world, there are New Year’s customs that involve eating special foods to bring good fortune over the upcoming twelve months. Here’s a look at some of the customs and where you can find some of the foods in Flagstaff…

Southerners eat up black eyed peas and collard greens to bring luck in the new year. Tinderbox (34 South San Francisco Street, 226.8400) is your best bet in Flagstaff for some Southern charmed foods. (If you were wondering, the legend of the lucky black eyed peas comes out of Vicksburg, Virginia during the civil war. The town supposedly ran out of food but was saved when they discovered black eyed peas.)
Southerners also add corn bread to their New Year feasts, corn bread symbolizing the wealth of gold. You can find corn bread at Big Foot BBQ (120 N. Leroux, 226-1677), Beaver Street Brewery (11 Beaver Street, 779-0079), and Satchmo’s (1924 East Arrowhead, 774-7292).
Another on the lucky list: noodles. The Japanese find good fortune in them. Get served a tasty helping of Japanese-style noodles at Karma Sushi (6 E Rte 66, 774-6100) and Sakura (1175 Old Route 66, 773-9118).
Cabbage and sauerkraut are considered to bring luck. You can find authentic German sauerkraut at the Matterhorn Grill (103 S Birch, 226.7388). For cabbage, check out the Corned Beef and Cabbage at Collins Irish Pub (2 N Leroux, 214.7363). They’ve also got you covered with their Fish and Chips – made with lucky cod.
If all else fails – anything green from broccoli to lettuce to grapes, even green jello will supposedly buy you some new year’s luck, as green represents money. On that note, a salad’s got you easily covered with all the green. Add an extra blessing by adding shrimp (a Japanese food eaten at the new year to represent long life). So for that extra lucky, long life salad try the Southwestern Shrimp Caesar at Oregano’s (605 Riordan Road, 773.8600). Speaking of green things, keep 12 grapes in your pocket to eat at midnight. In Cuba and Spain, this is considered to bring good fortune in the 12 months ahead.
For your sweet tooth – consume your luck by devouring a filled donut, as is the tradition of several European countries. Stock up ahead of your New Year’s Eve bash with good ones from Malone’s Bakery & Deli (1490 S. Riordan Ranch Road, 913.0133) or Mountain Delights Bakery (inside the Flagstaff Mall).
Whatever you do – don’t eat lobster or chicken to ring in the new year, both are considered to bring bad luck.
But do leave a little something of each food on your plate, no matter what you order. It’s considered to symbolize a well stocked pantry and luck for the year ahead, at least according to the Germans.

Sources for background on lucky foods for the New Year: epicurious.com and fabulousfoods.com.


This story also will appear in Flagstaff Live's December 31, 2009 issue.

Flagstaff's Finest Dining Establishments

(*Note: This story first appeared (also written by me) in Flagstaff Live! on February 12, 2009*)

Romance (and snow) is in the air these days. Celebrate it at Flagstaff’s finest dining establishments, where the atmosphere compliments the mood of love and the food is elegant and decadent. The menus vary with the season to bring you the freshest ingredients possible, so sample the flavors of the season of love.
It’s hard to go wrong at any of these three restaurants, unless you’re looking for a bargain. The fab food and ambiance come with a price to match, of course. But at least you’ll leave satisfied, so go ahead and treat yourself.
If you go at lunchtime to either Josephine’s or Brix, you can still get great food but at slightly more wallet-friendly prices. Just something to keep in mind, but who can put a price on love?

Josephine’s Modern American Bistro
503 N. Humphreys
779-3400
www.josephinesrestaurant.com
Josephine’s is the kind of restaurant that catches your eye from the moment you drive up. With its dark, volcanic rock columns and beautiful, inviting stone patio, it’s a romantic setting anytime of the day. The ambiance increases in the evenings with twinkling lights draped around the historic building. Josephine’s is my favorite fine dining establishment in Flagstaff. They’ve got a unique blend of flavors, as well as variety, and a comfortable atmostphere. The modern menu features bold and flavorful combinations to delight both the eye and the stomach. Josephine’s proclaims on their menu to be free of “ethnic constraints,” instead blending “ingredients and techniques from many different cultures.” This is the place to go for flavors that will dance through your mouth, popping with originality in their combinations.
For dinner on Valentine’s Day they’ve got a special menu, which you can check out on their Web site, along with their everyday lunch and dinner menus.

Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar
413 N. San Francisco
213-1021
www.brixflagstaff.com
Brix is anything but everyday, not that you wouldn’t want to eat here everyday if your bank account could stand it. The food is fantastic. So fab in fact that Condé Nast Traveler named them among the top 95 restaurants in the world in 2007. That’s a pretty good rec if I’ve ever heard one.
Brix describes themselves as “a casual fine dining restaurant serving seasonal, farm focused, contemporary American cuisine.” The food is fresh and fanciful, but the place is still relaxed enough to wear shorts at lunch in the summer without getting dirty looks. Still, it’s chic enough to serve as a great spot to go and enjoy vino with or without the food.
They too have a special V-day menu for l’amore. You can check it out, along with their everyday lunch, dinner and wine menus, on their Web site.

The Cottage Place Restaurant
126 W. Cottage
774-8431
www.cottageplace.com
The Cottage Place is a romantic little house with food to compliment the atmosphere, Valentine’s Day or not. They’re only open for dinner Wednesday through Sundays, so no getting in on the delightful menu at lunch for a little less dinero. But this is a place worth saving up for. Your taste buds will thank you for sure.
The menu includes everything from classic filet mignon to more unique creations including hazelnut encrusted pheasant breast, forest mushroom ravioli, and chef tableside specialties for two like rack of lamb and chateaubriand.
They have a special Valentine’s Day menu from Thu, the 12th through Sat, the 14th, but reservations are already booked full on V-day. Cottage Place also offers a different kind of fun evening out for a date with specialty cooking classes. You can check their Web site for info on when they are offered, as well as peruse their menu.

Japonais, Je t’aime
Wanna take your sweetheart somewhere upscale but not overly fancified? Check out these great Flagstaff Japanese food gems.

Sakura Sushi and Teppanyaki
1175 W. Rte. 66, inside the Radisson Woodlands Hotel
773-9118
www.sakuraflagstaffsushi.com

Karma Sushi Bar and Tapas
6 E. Rte. 66
774-6100
www.karmaflagstaff.com

Hiro’s Sushi Bar and Japanese Restaurant
1312 S. Plaza Way
226-8030
www.hiroflag.com