Posts Tagged ‘Arizona’

Scottsdale, AZ: RnR Gastropub

Posted: March 25, 2016 in Uncategorized
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We recently visited RnR in Scottsdale, AZ to check out their Bloody Mary.

RnR is a cool bar on the edge of Old Town Scottsdale with a large 2-story patio and a cool atmosphere.

However, be forewarned that it is often extremely crowded and noisy (both from the patrons and the blaring music). Not a great spot for conversation!

On the day we arrived, we squeezed in at the bar and ordered a Bloody Mary. We were told they were serving that month’s signature Bloody Mary. Here’s what that consisted of:

Mix: Clamato

Chaser: None offered.

Fixin’s: Lemon and 8 shrimp

Price: $13.89

It was a busy day and we received a mason jar with our drink but were told that they were cooking the shrimp… when it finally arrived, here’s how it was presented:

RNR (2)

Of course, we had to pretty it up for a photo:

RNR (1)

This Bloody Mary was the priciest of all the ones we’ve sampled in Arizona. We understand that there were eight shrimp included, but they were pretty small. Not sure the ends justified the means on this one.

RnR also offers a “bottomless” Bloody Mary on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-3pm for $18 with an entree or $28 without. At that rate, you’d have to drink at least two of these to make it “worth it” and we’re not sure if it is, unfortunately.

Arizona: The Windsor (Again)

Posted: March 25, 2016 in Uncategorized
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As I noted in my previous post, I’ve been traveling to Arizona recently and sampling Bloodies in the Southwest.

Last time I was here, I sought out the Verde Mary at The Windsor in Phoenix. The Verde Mary was very different, but tasted amazing.

 

 

My research indicated that the restaurant hosts a fully loaded Bloody Mary bar available Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., so I made it a mission to return, which I finally did a couple of weekends ago.

Windsor (1)

Tucked into its namesake historic Phoenix neighborhood, Windsor is a neighborhood bar and restaurant with a backyard-style patio,high-quality wine and beer on tap, a robust selection of prohibition cocktails and a menu that features casual bar food with an upscale twist.

Windsor (4)

The Bloody Mary Bar was very pretty-looking, but rather small compared to Midwest standards.

Windsor (5)

Garnishes include cocktail onions, pickles, olives, citrus, hot sauces and more.

Windsor (2)

For $5, this is a great deal, especially if you’re brunching at the Windsor, with its awesome menu. However, we did not see the Verde Mary on the menu this time and forgot to ask about–we’re hoping it still exists. Of the two, we highly recommend ordering that one if you can!
Cheers!

Phoenix, AZ: Dick’s Hideaway

Posted: March 25, 2015 in Uncategorized
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When researching the best Bloody Mary in the Phoenix area, Dick’s Hideaway kept coming up on a variety of lists, so we made it a point to stop in.

With a name like Dick’s Hideaway, what you get when you go there is not what you’d expect. Yes, it is a hideaway, a tiny hidden gem of a restaurant. But it serves authentic, traditional New Mexican cuisine, treasures from the Santa Fe Trail–not pub or island cuisine as I was guessing.

Looking over their menu then, you also wouldn’t expect them to have a decent Bloody Mary… but boy do they ever. Like many of their dishes, the bloody at Dick’s is made with a homemade mix containing a hefty dose of spice, Pinnacle vodka and garnished with lime, pickled asparagus, celery…. AND A CHASER!

Dick's Hideaway Bloody Mary

Mix: Homemade–and spicy!

Chaser: YES!

Fixin’s: Celery, asparagus and lime

Price: $?

We agree with many of the write-ups…Surprisingly, Dick’s has a great Bloody Mary and one of the best we’ve tasted in AZ. Along with the tasty drink, we enjoyed the Carne Adovada and left happy. This is all not so surprising, however, when you find out that Dick’s sister restaurant is Rokerij, a fabulous establishment we visited last year. Be sure to stop here and at Rokerij next time you’re in the area!

Scottsdale, AZ: Kelly’s at Southbridge

Posted: March 25, 2015 in Uncategorized
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We recently visited Kelly’s at Southbridge in Scottsdale, AZ. We stopped in here for a quick drink to kill time before a dinner reservation elsewhere, so we really kind of stumbled into this place.

It turned out to be really cool– a huge place with outdoor seating, eclectic furniture and decorations and a great menu… and, as it turns out, a tasty Bloody Mary:

Kelly's at Southbridge Bloody Mary

Mix: Lefty O’Doul’s!

Chaser: None offered.

Fixin’s: One olive, one lime

Price: $6

We loved the flavor of this Bloody Mary and we inquired about the mix; we were pleasantly surprised to find they use Lefty O’Doul’s mix, one we had run into and enjoyed at Lefty O’Doul’s pub in San Francisco. The rest of the fixin’s were pretty plain, but the flavor more than made up for it and the price was fair.

We’ll definitely come back to Kelly’s and see what else they have to offer in the future–we hear they are known for a great burger.

Glendale, AZ: Saddle Ranch Chop House

Posted: March 25, 2015 in Uncategorized
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While it is a chain, we enjoy visiting the Saddle Ranch Chop House in Glendale, AZ. We may or may not have even ridden the bull inside this country/western themed bar and restaurant…

They have an great selection of food and beverage options and we were especially excited to note that they have a special Bloody Mary menu featuring a variety of Bloodies for just $2.99 until 3pm daily:

SRCHDuring our stay, there was just one day that would work for us to take advantage of this, so we planned to hit it up one Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, we arrived at exactly 3pm and were told the special had ended. That’s okay, we said, can we still order a Bloody Mary at full price?

Yes, they said… but here was our only option:

Saddle Ranch Chop House Bloody Mary

Mix: They make their own, we think.

Chaser: None offered.

Fixin’s:  NONE

Price: $7.50

We were highly disappointed that not only did we miss the five specialty bloodies, but that we also had to pay over twice the price for what was, in our opinion, a below-average drink.

Next time we’re in the area, we’ll give them another shot and make sure to get there as early as possible.

Phoenix, AZ: Seasons 52

Posted: March 25, 2015 in Uncategorized
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We stopped by Seasons 52 in Phoenix on a recent trip. Seasons 52 is a restaurant that is known for serving dishes made with seasonally inspired ingredients at their peak of freshness. We’d previously visited an Atlanta location and enjoyed their food, but we had never tried their Bloody Mary, so we popped in here for Happy Hour.

Seasons 52 Bloody Mary

Mix: Homemade

Chaser: None offered.

Fixin’s: NONE

Price: $7.75

This Bloody Mary had good flavor, but it was WAY too plain for our taste, especially given the asking price (we thought we might get some sort of break during Happy Hour). Next time, we’ll stick to ordering their delicious seasonal fare.

Scottsdale, AZ: Don & Charlie’s

Posted: March 24, 2015 in Uncategorized
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If you are a sports fan, you’ll want to make sure you pay a visit to Don & Charlie’s, a Scottsdale, AZ institution.

Almost every inch of wall and ceiling space is covered with some sort of sports memorabilia and this restaurant is also a go-to spot for Spring Training. From the menu: “In 1959 our family moved to Arizona and I discovered Spring Training. I was in baseball heaven watching Ted Williams, Willie Mays and the rest of the players get ready for opening day. Spring Training is still the best. Every day I hit a different park, watch drills, batting practice, and just realize that I am the luckiest guy on the planet. Since 1959, I have met childhood heroes, met great folks from all over the country, and have been lucky enough to become part of the community and able to make a living. It doesn’t get better than this.”

The atmosphere is fantastic and you never know who you might see dining at this hot spot.

The menu boasts an array of burgers and BBQ and an extensive wine list, but I, of course, ordered the Bloody Mary.

Don and Charlie's Bloody Mary

Mix: Homemade

Chaser: None offered.

Fixin’s: One lime, celery

Price: $?

This Bloody Mary had good flavor, but was pretty plain by our standards. We suggest you stick to one of their specialty martinis, cosmos and cocktails with your meal when you make it to Don & Charlie’s.

Glendale, AZ: Kabuki’s Bloody Yoko

Posted: March 24, 2015 in Uncategorized
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While it is a chain, we enjoy the sushi at Kabuki when we visit Arizona.

While we typically stick with sake to accompany our Omakase special, this time we sampled their Bloody Mary–called a Bloody Yoko— for the sake of the blog:

Kabuki Bloody Mary


Mix: They make their own with premium shochu

Chaser: Miller Lite

Fixin’s:  Olive and lime

Price: $8.50

Surprisingly, this Bloody Yoko was one of our favorite bloodies in Arizona this time around!

The addition of the shochu, which is a Japanese distilled beverage, gave it a distinct Asian flare, that was very different but in a good way. If you like bloodies (and I’m guessing you do since you’re reading this blog), I recommend trying one of these the next time you have the chance!

 

Scottsdale, AZ: Boondocks

Posted: March 24, 2015 in Uncategorized
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We recently visited Boondocks Patio & Grill in Scottsdale, AZ to check out their Bloody Mary.

Boondocks is a cool bar in the heart of  Old Town Scottsdale with an awesome patio and cool atmosphere, but when it came to their Bloody Mary, it was a little plain Jane:

Boondocks Bloody Mary

Mix: Homemade

Chaser: None offered.

Fixin’s: One olive, one lemon

Price: $8.50

This Bloody Mary had good flavor, but it was too plain for our taste, especially given the asking price. Next time, we’ll stick to beer or try one of their specialty drinks!

Glendale, AZ: Yard House

Posted: March 22, 2015 in Uncategorized
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While it is a chain, Yard House is one of our favorite spots to hit in Arizona.

They have an amazing selection of food and beverage options and we’ve yet to try something we don’t like.

A favorite? The BBQ Chicken Salad–so good you’re almost afraid to try anything else because it might not live up to how good that salad is and you’ll regret not ordering it in the first place.

But we’ve also tried tacos, dips, flatbreads, etc., so don’t worry, we’re pretty sure you can’t go wrong here.

They are well known for their beer selection of course, but we had to try a Bloody Mary for the sake of the blog:

 

Yard House Bloody Mary

 

Mix: They make their own

Chaser: Miller Lite

Fixin’s:  Bacon, olive and lime

Price: $?

This Bloody Mary was pretty good, but here, we’d rather explore their beer offerings, or have another Old 43, a specialty drink that we highly recommend.

 

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