Schmooze

Unless you have been living under a rock you know we love Old Town and personally we think it has the best places for Happy Hour in town (Ok we admit, we might be a little biased here)! So we are always up for showing off our town and what better way to do it then by promoting Happy Hour every Thursday at 5pm. You can check Facebook and Twitter to find out where we will be next time. Here are the results of our recommendations; we will of course be updating this weekly so stay tuned! See the lengths we are willing to go for you to bring you these updates! I swear it’s a tough job!

Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen
Thursday, May 10

Okay by now you guys know the drill, it’s Thursday and that means your ‘expert’ Happy Hour crew is exploring yet another great place for you in Old Town… and what a sacrifice we are making on your behalf! Right…

So this week we find ourselves at Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen for a classy-upscale Happy Hour and just for the occasion we even dressed up! Did I mention we have a great looking crew! Tommy V’s took great care of us and started us out right with a few bottles of wine on the table, they know the way to our hearts! But that doesn’t mean we are easy, nope!

The wine was just waiting to be drunk, I swear!

But enough with the wine, you really came here to hear about the food, you discerning foodie you! Let me start by saying all the appetizers were great but we had our favorites, and they are as follows:

The Crostino Di Prosciutto, Toasted Bread capped with prosciutto & melted mozzarela sprinkled with fresh sage was simply delish! A big fan of prosciutto, this definitely didn’t disappoint and almost resulted in a fork to a hand as the crew fought over the last piece. I told you this job was dangerous!

Another favorite was the Mozzarella Caprese,  which features Fresh Mozzarella, Vine-Ripened Tomatoes, Basil, and an Extra Virgin Olive Oil Drizzle. It is a perfect compliment to a glass of wine, or two, and is definitely a good choice for the summer! I know it’s hard to eat when it’s over 100 but not having to give up taste, makes it easier!

Calamari is one of those appetizers that everyone loves to put on a menu and everyone has their own idea of what makes good calamari. For us personally, we enjoyed Tommy V’s version so much, we ordered another plate. The breading was light, the calamari not chewy and the sauce was perfect.

One of the best items on the Happy Hour menu is the Bistro Tender & Panzanella Salad with Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Drizzled with Balsamic Reduction, Organic Tomatoes, Red Onions, Olives, Romaine, Croutons, Chianti Mustard Vinaigrette. Wow, it’s that good and definitely worth the trip to Tommy V’s if it is for nothing else than this. The steak is super tender and flavorful and this salad will certainly qualify as dinner for those of you skipping a meal in favor of Happy Hour. Not that we have ever done that!

The Short Rib Sliders were amazing and very tender and featured short ribs instead of beef! Arugula, Pickled Caramelized Onion, Manchego & Cheddar Cheese and a bun that was just the right compliment all worked well together. These were also a favorite of the group and barely made it around the table, it’s a good thing we share well! No fork stabbing this time, I swear!

Now I have to admit, we did cheat a bit and ordered a few items off of the regular menu but please forgive us… we have very little self-control! The Lobster Bisque Fresh Diced Lobster, Sherry, Saffron and the Shrimp Salad (shown below) are very popular and definitely are not to miss items!

The details on Happy Hour are… Monday – Friday 11:00 AM – 6:30 PM and Tommy V’s has a special Happy Hour menu. They also have a very nice selection of wine for $5 a glass to compliment the selection of food. A Happy Hour menu can be found here!

Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen
7303 E Indian School Road
Old Town Scottsdale
480.427.2264

Website

Unless you have been living under a rock you know we love Old Town and personally we think it has the best places for Happy Hour in town (Ok we admit, we might be a little biased here)! So we are always up for showing off our town and what better way to do it then by promoting Happy Hour every Thursday at 5pm. You can check Facebook and Twitter to find out where we will be next time. Here are the results of our recommendations; we will of course be updating this weekly so stay tuned! See the lengths we are willing to go for you to bring you these updates! I swear it’s a tough job!

5^th and Wine
Thursday, May 3

Week three of our quest to find the Best Happy Hour spots in Old Town and boy did we stumble upon a great spot. 5^th and Wine was perfect last night, the patio was amazing (covered in bright awnings and ample misters it can be enjoyed long into the summer). If you have checked out our blog post on the best patios in Old Town, you know why we love it here.

Jack Young, a favorite of the locals, plays on the patio almost every Thursday and provides great music at a volume you can have a decent conversation with. And isn’t that why we love Happy Hour? To catch up with good friends!

But enough with the social stuff lets get to the real reason we love 5^th and Wine and recommend it to anyone that asks, the appetizers and wine specials for Happy Hour are some of the best in town. Let’s start off with the fact that every glass of wine on the wine list, that’s right every glass, is just $5 during Happy Hour until 6pm. Now it’s sad that as soon as I walk in they all start pouring me a glass of the Marietta but that’s not because I’m predictable right? The wine list has something for everyone and is one of the best in town. Don’t take our word for it though, feel free to check it out for yourself!

Did someone mention appetizers? Yep, 5^th has you covered there too. Ever tried Fried Pickles? Love them! But I have to admit it took some convincing to win us over… thanks Scott! The fried pickles are thinly cut, fried to perfection and served with a creamy horseradish sauce for dipping.

But what 5^th and Wine is really known for at Happy Hour is their Bruchetta. They have 6 types to try but may we recommend this selection of our favorites: Apple and Brie; Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella; and the Steak and Horseradish. It’s a great threesome! As someone mentioned last night, the bread is not too hard, very flavorful and toasted just right.

If you want some fun finger food, try the Prosciutto Wrapped Breadsticks. These are as fun to eat as they look, the prosciutto is thin and delicious and the breadsticks come with a sauce for dipping.

As usual, your expert Schmooze Crew finished every crumb. Did I mention these are trained professionals?

5^th and Wine
7051 East 5th Ave
Old Town Scottsdale
480.699.8001
http://www.5thandwine.com/

Next up Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen

Unless you have been living under a rock you know we love Old Town and personally we think it has the best places for Happy Hour in town (Ok we admit, we might be a little biased here)! So we are always up for showing off our town and what better way to do it then by promoting Happy Hour every Thursday at 5pm. You can check Facebook and Twitter to find out where we will be next time. Here are the results of our recommendations; we will of course be updating this weekly so stay tuned! See the lengths we are willing to go for you to bring you these updates! I swear it’s a tough job!

Citizen Public House
Thursday, April 26

Week two of exploring the “Best Happy Hour” in Old Town and your expert crew (ok we found some friends who had nothing better to do on Thursday night) spent another night sampling some of the best appetizers this town has to offer. Where might you ask were we this week? Citizen Public House of course! Long known among locals for it’s great blend of ambiance, great drinks and adventurous appetizers it’s no wonder this was on our list of places to recommend.

For those of you not in the know, Citizen Public House’s success is the result of its three wonderful partners. Andrew Fritz is the mastermind behind the smooth operation, Chef Bernie Kantak is the creative force behind the amazing food and Mixologist Richie Moe is the person responsible for the wonderful cocktails served up at Citizen Public House.

Entering the door you immediately realize this is a place you want to hang out with friends. Comfy couches, a dark wood bar and welcoming staff immediately make you feel right at home. Nothing stuffy here, the place practically screams comfort at you, just resist the urge to kick off those shoes!

Happy Hour has some unusual items on the menu, this is when I should warn you that your typical menu. Many of the appetizers come served in bell jars and are meant to be shared and explored. Looking for more standard fare, don’t worry, all the regular appetizers are ½ off during Happy Hour as well and you can still find some signature items here to try also.

Two of or favorites from the Happy Hour menu were the pickled eggplant and the pickled eggs. The Pickled Eggplant is a mixture of curry, greek yogurt and comes with Lepinja Bread for dipping and spreading. The eggplant is delicious and the bread is wonderful, give it a try for a new taste adventure!

The Pickled Eggs are also served with bread and Ghost Chili Salt. They have a slightly sweet taste, which was unexpected but very pleasant!

Now for our tried and true recommendations for Happy Hour; do you like bacon? Well Duh, who doesn’t! May we suggest the Tender Belly Bacon Fat Heirloom Popcorn? Once again remember that all regular appetizers are half off during Happy Hour. Dig yourself some comfort food? How about Chicken and Waffles? Buttermilk-marinated fried chicken on oat waffles covered in almond butter and blue clover honey. Another must try item on the menu is the Kiltlifter Fondue. It is served with bread, sausage and apple slices for dipping with those cute little forks. Yeah what’s not to love about a great fondue?

After all was passed around, sampled and commented on your ‘Expert’ Happy Hour crew left nothing to go to waste and here is the proof! Hey we told you it was a tough job!

Citizen Public House
Happy Hour
3pm – 6pm daily
Craftsman Court & 5th Ave
Old Town Scottsdale
480.398.4208

http://citizenpublichouse.com/food/

Check Out Week Three Here!

Unless you have been living under a rock you know we love Old Town and personally we think it has the best places for Happy Hour in town (Ok we admit, we might be a little biased here)! So we are always up for showing off our town and what better way to do it then by promoting Happy Hour every Thursday at 5pm. You can check Facebook and Twitter to find out where we will be next time. Here are the results of our recommendations; we will of course be updating this weekly so stay tuned! See the lengths we are willing to go for you to bring you these updates! I swear it’s a tough job!

Eddie’s House
Thursday, April 19

Eddie’s House has always been at the top of our list of recommendations when we are asked about Happy Hour and so it is only fitting to start here. If you haven’t experienced Eddie’s -  what are you waiting for? Seriously. What do you ask, is so good about it? The Lamp Popsicles as we fondly call them, they are to DIE for and a must not miss item on the menu. The real name is Mint Pesto Grilled Lamb Chops and they are served on mint cumin humus. The secret here is that they come with three but you can always ask the server for an extra chop if you are sharing among an even number. We don’t want any food fights to break out over that last chop. We are wiling to bet that you have never tasted lamb so tender and scrumptious, they really do melt in your mouth.

Another personal favorite of ours is the daily Flatbread special. This week it was pepperoni covered in pecorino cheese and red cabbage. It was good but we have to admit feeling a bit disappointed that it was not the BLT Flatbread. But we quickly go over our disappointment after a few bites. Yep, it was as good as it looks!

A few other notable appetizers were the Mediterranean Quesadilla  and the Humus Plate, both excellent. If you are a shrimp fan, be sure to try the Mo’ Rockin Shrimp, it is a house specialty.

The details are as follows:

Happy Hour runs Monday – Saturday 4:00 to close in the bar only.
Half off all First Flavors and some drink specials, ask your server.
Happy Hour can get busy, get there early to get a table or seat.
480.946.1622

Part Two - Citizen Public House

Never content to do anything on a small scale,  Pavle Milic and Charleen Badman, the talents behind Old Town favorite FnB have recently opened up not one, but three new ventures. And we couldn’t be happier! A long time fan of FnB’s contribution to the Old Town Farmer’s market, now I don’t have to wake up early on Saturday morning to get my fix. Located in the Kiva Center on 5^th Avenue, this threesome offers up my favorites, donuts (with holes), Meyers Lemonade and tasty sandwiches, whenever I want them!

Baratin

This European style wine bar and eatery offers a simple 5 item menu which has all the tastiness that FnB is known for, at a scaled down price (current prices were all around $5-$10). The menu, which changes frequently to reflect the whims of Charleen and what is currently in season, is bold in its simplicity. Never overwhelmed, guests can focus instead on the specialties of the chef. The five item menu features a sandwich plate, a cheese plate, pate, a veggie plate and of course a sweet. When we stopped by for lunch, we were delighted to see that the featured sandwich was the Jidori Chicken Sandwich, roasted Jidori chicken, tomato, grilled onion, arugula and manchego served with a selection of delicious veggies on the side. Now if you have never been to the Old Town Farmer’s Market and tasted FnB’s Meyer’s Lemonade, do yourself a favor and try it with your meal, you can thank us later!

Also on the menu was a Carrot and Couscous Veggie Plate topped with Limequat Salsa Verde. Our only regret was that we were too full to try the sweet, a bowl of Butterscotch Pudding.

Charleen and Pavle were both bustling around Baratin, so don’t be too surprised to run into them, literally. Baratin is open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m and serves an impressive wine selection (not just from AZ) They also offer wines by the half bottle.

Bodega

Can we just say that Bodega won our heart from the moment we first stepped foot inside (maybe it was the rack of donuts and holes just inside the door!). Foodies will love this place, now you can purchase the ingredients that make FnB so fabulous. Some of what you can find on the shelves are bread, salsas, sauces, fresh produce, chickens and steaks, and local cheeses. Don’t forget to stock up on Charleen’s delectable donuts and some fresh squeezed lemonade. Need Olive Oil? Just bring your own jar and you can fill it up with Queen Creek Olive Oil for .50¢/oz. Looking for homemade pasta, salsa or the fixin’s for a great dinner, stop on by and dazzle your friends and family with new-found culinary greatness, or at least impress them a bit!

AZ Wine Merchants

The real hidden gem of the trio is AZ Wine Merchants. Pavle has been a long-time supporter of Arizona Wineries and now you can sample his personal choices for yourself. Skeptical of AZ wines? Yeah we were too but I after being educated on the virtues of Arizona for wine growing and sampling a few selections, I have to admit to being a convert.

Baratin, 7125 E. 5^th Avenue, #31, Scottsdale (open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.), Tel.  480-425-9463

Bodega, 7121 E. 5^th Avenue, #16a, Scottsdale (open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Tel.  480-284-4777

AZ Wine Merchants, 7125 E. 5^th Avenue, #29, Scottsdale (open Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Tel.  480-588-7489