I was comparing salaries with a friend the other night and discovered that in one week, he earned more than 10 times what this lowly journalist makes in one week. (Sigh!) Though I love dusting off my faux Gucci shoes and that little black top to drink martinis, eat pretty food, drink good wine and more martinis, my wallet does not.
But rather than mourn my wee salary and confine myself to lonely nights of lentils and Keystone Light, I picked myself up, dusted off my paycheck and discovered the joys of weeknight and lunchtime wining and dining. Here's a guide to some of the best deals in Scottsdale, that gilded Mecca of posh delights, as well as a few in Tempe. Because poor students don't let other poor students pay $20 for an entree.
Scottsdale
Scottsdale is generally a haven for the rich and artificially endowed, but the good times and gorgeous settings can be had by the student set, too.
Furio, a beautiful, dimly lit bar filled with beautiful and sometimes lit people, offers its "Flight Night" on Thursday evenings. For a mere $10 you get a "flight" of wine (three 3 ounce pours of either red or white wine) plus an appetizer of bruschetta or grilled New York strip steak. Or, if you're a martini drinker and want to get more than just a good buzz, stop by the bar on Monday nights, when you can get a manicure and a martini, also for $10.
Ibiza Cafe, a relative newcomer to the Scottsdale scene, also offers some affordable weeknight delights. On Tuesday nights, all tapas are $5 and sangria is three for one, while on Wednesday all bottles of wine are half price. Don't miss the mushroom risotto croquettes, eight fritters of perfectly done risotto, or the Tunisian boreks (rosemary chicken wrapped in phyllo dough). At happy hour the tapas, which normally cost about $9, are again only $5.
Near the cafe is another nook, which will have you feeling fabulously happy if you arrive at the right hour. Kazimierz, a cozy wine bar, which is packed virtually every night, offers an "Hours of Joy" menu nightly from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. that will make you weep with joy. Five dollar martinis, cheap caprese, and bellinis, oh my!
Cowboy Ciao
7133 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale
480.946.3111
Furio
7210 E. Second Street, Scottsdale
480.945.6600
House of Tricks
114 E. Seventh Street, Tempe
480.968.1114
Vinoteca
717 S. Mill Ave.,Tempe
480.968.9463.
The award-winning wine bar has a sister restaurant, Cowboy Ciao, which serves up rich, gourmet food like the delectably belly-busting exotic mushroom pan fry: cremini, button and oyster mushrooms in ancho cream, over double-cooked polenta cakes, with grilled portabellini, avocado, tomato and cotija cheese. Though at dinnertime this dish will set you back $20, at lunchtime it can be had a mere $12, with the other menu items reasonably priced as well.
Tempe
House of Tricks, Tempe's best-loved, upscale restaurant, is also a great place to go for affordable midday dining. At night, entrees average $25, to be reserved for when mom, dad or an apologetic boyfriend is buying. However, at lunch it becomes as cheap as Chili's, and it is an infinitely classier and less soul-destroying dining experience. Sandwiches average only $7 and more exotic daily specials go for about $10. My favorite indulgence is the smoked ham and brie sandwich, which is broiled on a baguette and served with tart apple and whole grain mustard. If you're feeling a little more exotic, try their unique blueberry turkey burger on a ciabatta bun with goat cheese, cranberry Remoulade and chayote-apple slaw.
A few blocks from House of Tricks is Vinoteca, a wine store that should be getting a liquor license in a few months. Until then, it hosts monthly winetastings next door on Caffe Boa's patio. Though tastings in the Valley can often cost upwards of $30 a head, here - if you're willing to brave the extremely cramped setting - you can try a dozen wines for $7. You also get to munch on bruschetta and antipasti from Caffe Boa's kitchen. The tastings are held on the second Tuesday of every month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., but go early. The last time I went, I got there at 8:30 p.m. and a lot of the wines were gone.
Though the good life might be prohibitively expensive on a Friday night, with a little creativity, a good pair of shoes and these few suggestions, it doesn't have to be out of reach.
Happy posh noshing.
Reach the reporter at kathleen.heil@asu.edu.
