If you love music almost as much as food, you'll love Fez, located at 3815 N. Central Ave. in downtown Phoenix.
Fez, which has the same owner as the Latin-influenced Phoenix resto-bar Ticoz, gives diners a chance to enjoy original dishes infused with sweet accents while attending compact disc and music video release parties and pre- and post- concert events.
Fez also hosts its own late-night disc jockey on select weekends. All of the eatery's events can be found on its Web site www.fezoncentral.com.
Fez is small, with a simple sheet of clouded glass separating its high-top tables in the tiny bar from the crowded dining room. The decor is bold and trendy with background music (of course) and dim lighting in the evenings.
Servers are friendly and attentive, and the drink menu boasts an extensive list of specialty martinis, such as the pomegranitini and the wild pear martini.
Tables could be considered intimate or cramped, but the debate will be quickly forgotten when your appetizer arrives; try the lettuce wraps - wrapped in long leafs of romaine that prevent messy spills, the filling offers plenty of tender white-meat chicken mixed with dried fruits and almonds, a flavor combination which is delightful. Hummus is another good choice, served with Fez's specialty kisra, an herbed flatbread used in many of the dishes on the menu.
You'd be wise to skip the soup, which I found bland and of poor consistency, and try a salad for your next course.
Fez's salads feature fruits like apples, dried cherries and fresh berries, with zesty dressings and a variety of nuts, and none are disappointing.
The sandwiches, on the other hand, are not much to speak of; the blend of cheeses, fruits and dressings battle in your mouth rather than meld.
Kisras, also the name of a flatbread pizza-like entree, are the best choice for the main dish, with options such as basil pesto and lemon field salad (perfect for vegetarians), spicy honey molasses barbeque chicken and spiced pears (the spiced and sweet flavors will dance on your tongue), and lamb, feta and spinach (a nod to Fez's Moroccan influence).
Don't pass up the innovative twists on french fries, either. The cinnamon-dusted sweet potato fries are a favorite, but ask your server if you can combine these with other variations, like the spicy harissa, each type comes with its own special dipping sauce.
Although most of Fez's dishes are nicely highlighted with hints of sweetness, Fez's dessert list is a bit of a letdown. It offers little more than basics like New York cheesecake and brownie a la mode, but a second cocktail can serve as a pleasing consolation.
Although drinks will spike your bill a bit, an entire meal can be had for a reasonable price.
If you're looking for a place to grab a cup of coffee after your meal, head down the road to Lux Coffeebar, where rotating photo art by local artists lines the walls, and patrons can attempt to lounge in the tiny space while flipping through art books or trendy magazines and sipping hot or iced java.
Reach the reporter at: jessica.kokal@asu.edu.
