Twelve draught beers are always served, with a good mix of ale, stout, Pilsner and Hefeweizen, plus a rotating tap. Owner Matt Pool, a neighborhood restaurateur, favors local and regional microbreweries in Arizona, California, Colorado and Oregon, but also includes international brews. The bottled selection numbers 43, and Pool pulls a different one each night for a “featured special” to build awareness. Of course there are also wines, with “by the glass” specials listed on a chalkboard. It was the beers, however, that fed the menu development. “These are all foods that I would have with beer,” Pool says. Simple foods. Short menu. But an interesting one that includes Campfire Beans and Franks (Niman Ranch hot dogs elevate the dish), grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup (an unexpected mix of fontina and Gruyère in Pullman Bread, accompanied by a richly textured soup), and a cheese plate of small-batch artisan cheeses and organic fruit. Ham and eggs are also offered, but they’re Not Your Breakfast Ham & Eggs: sugarcured bacon with Southernstyle deviled eggs. From the fried bologna sandwich to the Dagwood, the full menu is available until 11 p.m. six nights a week. Open 5 p.m. to midnight on Sunday and from Tuesday through Thursday; Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Kitchen closes at 11 p.m. The Roosevelt 816 N. Third St., Phoenix; 602-254-2561
Blue Wasabi Sushi & Martini Bar: Sushi Gone Wild our first hint might be the
Ymulti-colored light wall
behind the bar,instead of traditional shelves of sake boxes. Follow that with a perusal of the menu and it becomes clear: This is sushi gone a little bit wild. Blue Wasabi is as much bar as sushi joint, and its list of specialty martinis seems to go on forever. Cherry Bomb comes to your table smokin’, and Mello Jello has pieces of Jell-O floating in the glass. Most popular is the Berry White: berry vodka, blueberry-infused sweet and sour, white cranberry juice and an Asian twist—a Japanese peach called yamamomo. Try the Key West lime martini, with its thick, meringue-like foam. Or just lean over to the next table and ask about that gorgeous drink they’re having—the seating is conducive to interaction. The menu features “New Style” sushi with unexpected sauces: chili aioli on the Red Hot Chili Pepper Roll, a spicy tuna roll topped with sliced
Blue Wasabi offers cocktails, contemporary sushi and, yes, blue wasabi.
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