n e a r a r c a d i a La Fontanella Italian Restaurant Award-winning rack of lamb, ossobuco, homemade gnocchi, manicotti and ravioli, great Dover Sole, and homemade Berto’s Gelato. Served in an Italian villa- like dining room. Serving dinner every night, 4:30- 9:30 p.m. See our ad in the dining section 4231 E. Indian School Rd. • 602.955.1213 La Fontanella $44 Italian Treat Tee Pee Mexican Food Tee Pee’s Wall of Fame tells you everything you need to know about this family owned and operated eatery, which has been woven into the fabric of Phoenix for nearly 40 years. Tee Pee has served its home-style Mexican dishes to world-famous comedians, athletes and even Presidents, and they all come back for more. See our ad in the dining section 4144 E. Indian School Rd. • 602.956.0178 3647 E. Indian School Rd. • 602 957 2112 Zipps Sports Grill Arcadia Zipps has plenty of parking, cold beer and scratch food to satisfy thirsts and hungers for miles around. Zipps Arcadia offers a huge outdoor patio fully equipped with misters, gas heaters, a fi re pit and of course plenty of TV's. It’s the ideal spot for dining or drinking on a nice sunny day. See our ad in the dining section 4121 N. 44th St. • 602.840.0630 Pete’s Fish & Chips Pete’s Fish & Chips has been serving up tasty burgers and their famous fi sh and chips since 1947! Family owned and operated, Pete’s has eight convenient locations throughout the Valley waiting to serve you and has earned the title of Phoenix’s fastest fi sh! See our ad in the dining section 3 locations to serve you • www.humblepieusa.com Humble Pie Experience our amazing ‘wood- fi red’ pizzas with unique and traditional ingredients, fresh starters and salads, a truly great wine selection, seasonal cocktails & beers, and polished yet unpretentious service. See our ad in the dining section 3961 E. Camelback Rd. • 602.95.GRIND (47463) The Grind The Grind serves American coal fi red cuisine, featur- ing quality burgers, fi sh, chicken, steak, weekly spe- cials, salads, appetizers and desserts. You’ll also fi nd craft beers, an extensive wine list, classic cocktails and milkshakes. www.thegrindaz.com. See our ad in the dining section 7051 E. 5th Ave. • 480.699.8001 5th and Wine Downtown Scottsdale’s favorite restaurant disguised as a wine bar, located in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale. We pride ourselves on serving a wide array of simple, fl avorful, food at moderate prices. Our atmosphere is comfortable, warm and equipped with an extensive wine bar, complete kitchen and fabulous dining space. Open at 11am daily. www.5thandwine.com . See our ad in the dining section Revo Burrito Another delicious concept from Lenny Rosenburg’s Restaurant Group, creators of Zen32 and Delux. It is our mission to provide all-natural, delicious, Mexi- can food in a fast-paced, yet casual dining atmosphere. You can call-in your order and pick it up at the takeout window, which has its own parking spaces right in front. See our ad in the dining section 3154 E. Camelback Rd. • 602.522.6255 El Chorro Lodge Capture the romance of El Chorro’s iconic setting at the base of Camelback Mountain by celebrating Valentine’s Day with beautiful views and charming surroundings. Enjoy a special three-course menu featuring a choice of desserts including Chocolate Hearts, a delectable combo of dark chocolate cake, white chocolate mousse and milk chocolate ganache. See our ad in the dining section 5550 E. Lincoln Dr. PV • 480 948 5170 J & G Steakhouse Elevate your evening at J&G Steakhouse, located atop the Phoenician. Enjoy spectacular cuisine from Jean- Georges Vongerichten and stunning views that capture the Sonoran Desert’s twilight glow. Intimate or spacious Private Dining Rooms are available for celebrations and corporate events. For more information call 480 214 8000 or visit www.jgsteakhousescottsdale.com. See our ad in the dining section 6000 E. Camelback Rd. • 480.214.8000

Page 35 February 2012 TAGGIA 4925 North Scottsdale Road www.taggiascottsdale.com Long wait proves worth it for fi rst dinner visit to Taggia By Gabe Bertaccini I had been waiting a long time before visiting Taggia and, it turns out, dinner was worth the wait. Formerly Claudio Urciuoli’s right- hand man, chef James Siao and his team are turning out some wonderful country cooking in the city. You just have to fi nd your way past the entrance of Scottsdale’s FireSky Resort and Spa to reach Taggia. No stranger to Taggia’s kitchen, Siao worked his way up through the ranks, fi rst as line cook and then taking on different roles until he was asked to head the kitchen in January 2009. He launched his career at an early age, whetting his appetite for cooking in his family’s Ohio restaurant. Siao is dishing out in the kitchen, and that is how it should be. Skill and passion are in the details, starting with the quality of the ingredients. Meals are served simply and plated with an artist’s eye. Despite its tagline, Taggia is not strictly Coastal Italian Cuisine, but rather a fairly authentic snapshot of what Italian cuisine is about. The kitchen turns out some Apulia- accented antipasti and most especially pasta dishes. At Taggia, Siao does the whole elegantissimo thing with an ambitious menu and polished and subtle cooking without forgetting the rustic cooking with grandmotherly pasta dishes and lusty antipasti, many of them from Apulia and Sicily in the south of Italy. During one visit, appetizers include a beautiful hearty caponata with fresh burrata and grilled bread. There is a sumptuous pan-seared scallops with fried capers, brown butter and grapefruit dish. Brilliant. Apulian cooks take great pride in their homemade pasta, and here it’s all made from scratch and it’s very, very good. Hearty orecchiette (little ears) is doused with olive oil, peppery rapini and the housemade sausage. Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter and sage. And potato gnocchi. Marvelous little bites blanketed in duck sugo and wild arugula. Stunning. Pace yourself, though. There might be some pan-seared duck breast with soft polenta and fruit mostarda or, if you are lucky as I was, the chef is letting a perfectly cooked cotoletta alla Milanese out of the kitchen to your table. The veal is as tender as I remember eating it when in Milan. The arugula salad absolutely balances the dish. For the steak lovers, an all-natural strip loin with sweet onion agrodolce and potatoes. Simple, delicious and to the point. The wine list is impressive, with a vast selection of great Italian wines. I can’t help but order my favorite Barbera, which I was surprised to fi nd on the list. In this neighborhood, Taggia is a gift. l Garden • Arcadia High • Peo op p p p s o o • St. Theresa • Basketball • Ki id d ds i se e eu ums • Softball • Shemer Art • Ch hr r ri r Vo o o ol lleyball • Neighborhood News • Sp po o or N te e e er rtainment • Ingleside • Football • N N N a en n n nt ts • Squaw Peak • Recreation • Dram m m ma a d Da a an nce • Church News • Hopi • Arc ca a a n l lt t th & Fitness • Arts & Entertainme e en n a s s • Hopi • Football • Desert Botani ic c c ca S a ad d d dia High • People • Phoenix Zoo • S S a as s sketball • Kids • Tavan • Museums s h h er A l w w w Peak • Recreation • Drama • Baseb ba a a hu u ur rch News • H i Plan your next date night. Visit Arts & Entertainment at l h h hem em emer er er er A A A A Art rt rt rt rt • • • • Ch Ch Ch Ch Chri ri ri ri rist t st st st L L L Lut ut uth he he her ra ran n • • V Vo V l ghborhood News • Sports • Arts & Ent ngleside • Football • Neighborhood w w Pe Peak ak • • R Re ecr t ti i w Peak • Recr ti hemer Art Ch i orts • A l • Nei V rts & En ghborh h he A l l hemer Art • Christ Lutheran • Vo e d d w w Pe Peak ak • • R Rec ecre reat atio ion • D D l d ARCADIADAILY COM i i i i i i i i ig g g i i i i i i i i i i i ig g g g Visit Sportsman’s Wine Bar and discover the knowledgeable and friendly service that makes Sportsman’s a local favorite. Add a little sparkle to your life and stock up in style. SE Corner of 32nd St. & Camelback • (602) 955-7730 www.sportsmanswine.com For the LOVE of Bubbles.