I'm chef Mark Tarbell.

Welcome to check, please, Arizona.

The show Arizona foodies recommend their favorite restaurant.

Coming up, we have guests who are passionate about their picks.

They dined at all three and are ready to share the reviews with each other and with you right here on check, please.

Arizona.

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I'm chef Mark Tarbell.

Welcome to check please Arizona.

In this episode we're visiting a casual steakhouse, a cozy Italian place and a funky joint known for its brunch.

Let's meet our diners.

Erica Frenette works in marketing.

She's born and raised i Phoenix, but has a wanderlust.

She's traveled to all seven continents, bu when she drops off her suitcase, she can't wait to hit up this Italian pizzeria.

Ben Kristof is a customer success manager.

He counts holding a koala in Australia is one of the coolest things he's ever done.

He and his girlfriend love to dine out, especially at this brunch centric restaurant.

But our first recommendation comes from running Aspen.

She's retired, but not slowing down.

She loves to travel and volunteer.

Her choice is a family run steakhouse in carefree.

This is Kayla's neighborhood steakhouse.

Keeler's Neighborhood Steakhouse is a neighborhood steakhouse.

There's neighborhood in the name because we wanted to really kind of bring the neighborhood of carefree into that.

The star is the steak.

We serve Prime certified Angus beef.

You can engineer the menu however you want.

The sides.

We've got anything from Brussel sprouts to asparagus to our famous Al Groton.

You know, obviously with a steakhouse, you got to have a great wine program.

Our cocktail problem, we have a beverage director that oversees all of our restaurants.

And we stick to the classics.

Really?

But just, you know, a little bit twist to those classics.

We wanted to make a social house.

If you will, where people can come and gather.

It starts with the bar scene.

You know, you walk in, you've got this big wraparound bar.

You know, I'm from Boston, so we're almost like a cheers where everybody knows your name.

But then you've got, you know our to semi-private dining area.

So if you want a little bit more intimate kind of dining experience you have that.

And then we got all of our alfresco dining.

We're blessed with three separate patio areas, our covered patio area.

You've got our courtyard area where you're surrounded by trees.

And then last but not least, you've got the Starlight Roof deck, where you can see great sunset over the Snowy Mountains and Black Mountain.

And I mean, it's just gorgeous up there.

We are a family run, family owned business, and it really started with our founder of Kula Hospitality Group which was my dad, Paul Keeler, and he he passed away during Covid two years ago.

And he's instilled so much in me and my family of just being a hard working man but also a very humble person, and that's taught me a lot and just really connecting with people.

Our mantra is really saying that the first time that you walk through that door, you become a regular of ours, and it's really kind of extending that hospitality and bringing you in like as a family.

So, Ronnie, what do you like about Keller Steakhouse?

Well, it's friendly, the atmosphere is great, and the food is delicious.

What do you have for starters?

Oh, I had, sorella and tomato but they chop up the mozzarella.

The tomato had a sauce on it.

Probably a balsamic salad.

Sweet, sweet.

It was delicious.

Usually I have steak but this time they had the spicy bass And I was in the mood for fish.

So I got the sea bass, and this side was mashed potatoes on top, the string beans, which were all a mashed potatoes.

So I'm not a saucier.

Okay, so I know.

So a straight.

Straight up.

Right.

This isn't the bomb.

What did you have, Erica?

I went with the prime rib, which was wonderful.

And you know how, like, prime rib.

Sometimes I get it medium rare.

And sometimes when you get it a little on the rare side, it can be chewy.

Not at all.

It was tender.

It was delicious.

Juicy.

And you got some horseradish with it.

And it was, a little bi of a thinner horseradish sauce, which is perfect.

And that with the prime rib out of this world.

What about for starters?

Starters.

We got the fresh bread.

So they let us know that the bake bread in house every day.

And so we had the bread and it had fresh rosemary like, mixed in the batter, which was great.

That too.

So good.

Yeah.

Got that fresh baked bread.

Right, right.

Oh.

Yeah, I had to I had to stop myself at two rolls.

Otherwise I wouldn't have finished.

And I didn't even finish all the food.

The portions were huge.

So each meal comes with two sides.

When you order off the kind of the steak in the meat menu, that's great.

Yeah, because a lot o steakhouses, it's all electric.

It's all exactly.

And so that was definitely nice to see because you're like looking at the prices and it is a little bit more expensive.

But when you factor in the fact that you're getting two huge sides with your meal, it definitely offset that a little bit.

Then what did you have to start?

We started with the salad and the mussels.

I met with my girlfriend, so we got two appetizers.

The salad was great.

You know, people say salad as a salad, but it was great.

Had a lot of flavor.

But then the mussels came out and they were just.

There were so many of them.

It was very impressive in terms of portion.

It's very big.

And the sauce, it was like it was a Theresa's sauce, but it was you just mixed it in with the mussels.

It was just tastes so good.

What did you have for an entree then?

I had the filet with the Yukon potatoes mashed potatoes and asparagus.

And that's kind of my go to when I go to a steakhouse.

I like potatoes and asparagus with the steak master.

Medium rare.

It was perfect in the middle a lot of times, you know like you were mentioning, it's not necessarily medium rare when you ask for that, but, you know, it's a little bit brown on the outside and then get to the middle and it's absolutely perfect.

I was so impressed.

Potatoes were creamy.

You know, you couldn't tell they were if they were ever regular potato I mean asparagus is very big, very thick.

Very tasty.

I was, I was pleased, I like to mix the flavors together and it came out very well.

Awesome.

Ronnie, what?

Do you have?

Dessert?

Oh, God.

Yeah.

Tell me that we had the apple pie.

I love mango, and the crust was so thin and sweet.

It was so good.

We were fighting over the bread and flaky.

Yeah.

And my boyfriend and I were fighting over the crust.

It was delicious.

And they recommended Judy' Bloom, which was a lemon cello.

And I like to make lemon cello at home.

I wanted to taste had strawberries.

It had lemon in it fresh.

Of course.

It was so good.

Because I didn't quite get you like it.

Okay, Erica, what did you have?

We had the New York cheesecake.

It was delicious.

Really creamy crust was great.

And they did like a strawberry coulis, I think, on top of i with some fresh berries as well.

Then what did you have for dessert?

We had the creme brulée and I got the flowers.

Chocolate cake, both of them.

I was just really impressed with both desserts.

They tasted like I don't know exactly how they should.

I'm not a huge dessert person, but we took them home, both of them, afterwards because the meal was so big we couldn't finish any of it.

And then later on they were just.

I took them out of the fridge an hour later and they were just perfect.

Excellent.

And you had something to drink too?

Yeah, I had a drink called The Dandelion and.

That one too.

It was I don't I don't honestly remember what was in it, but it was so good, like refreshing.

We sat outside and it just felt like it fit perfectly with with the weather and the sun and everything.

Oh yeah I think there was basil in it.

It was like, exactly.

That is light, refreshing.

There is maybe a citrus in it, but the basil is what really came true.

And a drink.

I'm not a huge sweet drink fan.

So this was perfect.

Yeah, it wasn't very sweet.

Yeah, well, dandelion can have that lemongrass sort of basil a bit.

A little touch bitter, actually.

Dandelion.

So this is where we do the you know, takeaways and you know like what what's the one word or the one sentence you'd say as a pro tip.

That's your place, Ronnie.

What would you say is appropriate?

It's called a Spanish village.

So they want to give yo that atmosphere, a small little cut off place from everywhere else.

And they do have art studios and it's just magical.

You're.

Pro tip, Erica.

Don't sleep on the bread.

You do have to ask for it.

They don't bring it out unless you ask for it, which I' sure your server will tell you.

But definitely say yes.

Okay.

Say yes to bread then.

I would sa I really like sitting outside.

I think the environment was amazing and I'd say, give yourself some time beforehand to look at some of the shops because there are some cool stuff.

If you want to try Keeler's Neighborhood Steakhouse, they are in East Harlem Road in carefree, and average meal costs $54.

And they do take reservations.

Our next pick is Erica's.

She says she can't stop thinking about the food at her favorite pick.

Artisanal pizzas and pastas.

Top the menu at this restaurant.

Housed in a historic bungalow, this is Chievo Pizzeria.

Tchibo is the Italian word for food and is also the name of our restaurant here in downtown Phoenix.

We opened up almost 19 years ago as a pizzeria.

Traditional Neapolitan woodfired pizzas are the backbone of our menu.

The Neapolitan pizza is going to be more elegant pizza than your traditional American style.

It's a little softer in the middle.

You're going to get that nice puffy crust.

The pizzas cook very quickly about 90s to two minutes in a wood fired oven.

It's about 900 degrees.

My personal favorite might be the Tata Fata, which is a truffle oil pizza with mushroom and speck.

We do charcuterie boards, traditional Italian antipasti, fresh salads.

We're in the heart of downtown Phoenix.

We're in a historic home.

Our house was built in 1913.

When you walk into Tchibo, even though we're downtown, it doesn't feel necessarily like you're in a downtown.

We have the garden here.

We have the beautiful patio.

It feels a little bit like southern Italy.

We want people just to feel comfortable.

You know, my partner, Guido Cicconi, and I've been working together very closely for 20 years and it just works because we've had the same vision.

We've had the same love of the restaurant.

Guido is very happy taking care of the kitchen and I enjoy the front of house, so it's just a perfect match.

My favorite nights are the nights where we're right on the edge.

When we're a full house.

It's just a joyful place.

And that's the thing that is the most joyful thing of working here.

So, Erika you've dined all over the world.

Why, Tchibo?

How'd you find.

It?

I went for the first time with a good friend, and I have not been able to stop going back.

I've had graduation partie there, I've had birthday parties there.

I've had any special event and any excuse that I can come u with to go to Tchibo.

I'm there.

What do you like there?

They're brick oven Woodfired pizzas are just so good.

They're a very, like, thin crust.

The dough is delicious and they have so many different options to choose from.

Granite.

I choose the same one every single time because it's so good.

Which one is that?

It's the prosciutto crudo.

And so, the sauce is like a really fresh, light, tangy tomato sauce, big chunks of melted mozzarella on top, and then after it's cooked, they stick fresh prosciutto on top of the pizza.

And that just like little bit of cool fresh on top of this hot kind of tangy pizza.

So so good.

And the salad too.

I am not a salad person.

And their house salad, which is a very simple salad with like a spring mix, a little bit of olive oi and vinegar and some pine nuts.

And boom.

And boom.

It is only need that.

A little bit of olive oil, a little bit of acid.

Then what did you have?

We had the salad as well.

But we wouldn't have if th bartender didn't recommend it.

I just want to give him a shout out because he.

I don't know if he's been there for a long time.

He knew everything about the restaurant.

He recommended the wine, the entrees, the market salad, which was amazing.

It had those little tiny red and yellow peppers.

They're kind of sweet.

They were just perfect.

They mixed in with the just a nice spring mix.

Very well.

I just really like those peppers.

What was your entree?

I had the No Che pizza, which he recommended.

And I just I'm not a huge like, nuts on pizza kind of guy, but it was a regular the walnuts and then cheese and it just worked out so well I couldn't believe it.

The flavors went together so well.

Just having a little crunc when you're eating the regular and then the rest of the pizza.

And like you said, the crust was incredible.

Everything felt very homemade.

It real.

Yeah.

Pizza all over is the chef.

He's he's actually traditional town style pizza.

Thin crust.

Perfect.

Got a little to invite to him.

So, Ronnie, would you have.

We didn' order pizza.

What did you have?

My boyfriend ordered a Fresca.

I thought he ordered a drink.

They came out with this crepe filled with ice cream and berries all around.

For our first, it was perfect.

Like we should start with dessert.

That's what we have for dessert.

Nothing wrong.

Starting with dessert.

I like this.

So we ate that first, and then I ordered the button that squash ravioli.

It was a special that night.

They don't always have it on the menu, which was delicious.

So you had the ravioli because it was only a one night only thing.

Maybe it's after this.

It'll be every night.

But tell me about it.

Tender.

It was.

It was delicious.

It was, soft and butternut squash inside the ravioli pieces, you know.

Very.

It was very good.

My boyfriend had the calzone that I can pronounce.

It was extra.

It had everything in it.

Cheese preserved.

And he loved it.

So, Erica what did you have for dessert?

So I actually did have the Fresca for dessert.

And what's really nice about it, it's a fruit grape.

The crepe is super light, super sweet, which is nice with the vanilla ice cream and the big, big dollops of whipped cream.

But the fruit that they do on it is kiwi and peaches, which is a very different fruit that you usually get.

It's so goo because the peaches are sweet, and then you have the tart kiwis.

I can't go to Cuba without getting that.

That is so cool.

You the really big.

And really big.

We were going to get two and he said no, I definitely don't need that.

And the atmosphere, I mean the little rooms, the patio.

The charming darling and the bungalow.

Yeah, absolutely.

I felt like I wa in the village, you know, like.

In the exact.

The big tre that's all decorated with the.

Light tables right next to it.

Very inviting, very warm.

Erica tips your place.

They have a lovely, like cottage in the back that you can rent for private event.

Oh, and so it's absolutely a wonderful.

We've done it a couple times.

And the servic and the food and the atmosphere is just wonderful.

Then make a reservation because we though people will be lucky at the bar.

Some people, we're told like 2 or 3 hour wait, man, if it's your first time, go to the bar because the bartender just can direct you in what to get.

Ronnie, what's your pro tip?

Finding a spot to par to go to this great restaurant?

Yeah.

Love the outside.

Yeah.

If you want to go to Tchibo Pizzeria, they are in downtown Phoenix, near Fillmore and Third Avenue and average meal cost about $18.

And they do take reservations.

Our las restaurant slot belongs to Ben.

He used to live near his pick and would often go for happy hour or brunch.

With an eclectic vibe and Mediterranean flavors, this place has something for everyone.

This is Fez on Central.

Fez is a wonderful, lively location.

Or a restaurant bar.

Fez is the ancient capital of Morocco, so we do a mediterranean American fusion style menu.

We serve amazing cocktails.

Our bar is very popular, especially during happy hour.

We're definitely known for our burgers.

Our Fez burger is well known as one of the best burgers in town.

Wonderful appetizers hummus, fried cauliflower wings.

We're kind of a retro moder feel as far as our decor goes.

Bright colors during the day and at night we dim the lights but our still our color scheme showcase is really nice and bright and lively and and upbea to keep that energy level high.

This is an amazing brunch.

We do a little bit of everything at brunch, from waffles to expanded to kind of Mexican inspired items like our brunch burro to a standard breakfast, as well to our American Breakfast fest just celebrated their 19th year anniversary.

We've been around because our wonderful locals, we create a safe space for anybody to walk through our doors from any background.

Not necessary.

So let's go economic level.

We're just welcoming to everybody and it really showcases to our service.

We allow our employees at fairs to kind of be themselves, and we allow them to showcase their personalities to where they're super friendly, where our servers really take service seriousl and bring it to the next level when our guests leave, as I really want them to say, the service was amazing.

The food was so delicious that they can't wait to come back again.

So Ben, why do you like Fez?

I mean, Fez was my spot when I lived downtown and work downtown.

You know you're on West Roosevelt Street.

It's that nice grassy tree area.

Lots of dogs playing around.

The atmosphere's fun.

There's a lot of lighting.

There's a lot of windows.

I love that.

And then the people are just very friendly and they've had some very long tenured staff.

What's your favorite thing to have there?

I actually go a lot an just have the cauliflower wings.

That and then the the other a the the panko breaded chicken.

Those are always my go tos.

And it's really the sauce.

I used to ask the if I could take the sauce back with me to my apartment.

They give me, you know, little cups of it, and I just dip other things into it.

It's really good.

On your last trip, would you have?

So we went to brunch.

I think brunc is one of the best times to go.

And I had the brunch burrow, you know, it's just basic kind of burrito potatoes, eggs, sausage.

And then they give you a couple different sizes to dip it in with a nice salad to mix it with.

Erica, you're shaking your head.

What did you.

Just sounded so good.

Thank you.

Are you getting hungry?

I know, I'm salivating.

Where's the food?

I had the cauliflower as well.

Portion size was massive.

Yeah, and it's like a very light breading on it, but perfectly crispy.

Cauliflower is very tender inside.

And then it came with the buffalo sauce, which was actually a little spicier than I expected, but it was perfect.

I like spicy things.

And then a, like, sour cream and onion dip as well.

Oh my gosh, dipping tha and the buffalo sauce together.

Oh fantastic.

I like that twist on Buffalo because it's usually like a blue cheese thing or ranch.

But that was really cool.

That was it.

It was a great pairing.

Great.

Yeah.

Ronnie, would you have to.

I had the salad as the appetizer and the burger, which had molasses sauce on it, was delicious.

So you were all Fez all the time?

Yes.

What's in the fez salad?

The fez salad is many greens.

They had pears, sliced pear.

And you like.

I love pears, I do everything tell me.

For the burger.

So this is really an unusual twist on it.

So it had a little molasses.

Tell me about what else was in it.

Very plain with everything else.

So.

And I like my burgers.

Well done.

It just the sauce, which was really good.

And, French fries.

It was delicious.

What was your main?

Wait here for the main.

I got the spice road wrap, and it had the panko chicken in it, which was also little spicier than I expected, but very good, but was really nice about it as you had the really spic panko chicken, which was crispy.

And then you had rainbow, carro and cucumber also in the wrap.

And so you've got the spice and then you got the cooling kind of vegetables in it.

It was a really good mix.

And the tortilla like usually that's like the vessel to get the food in your mouth.

This tortilla was the star.

It was like kind of translucent and chewy and just such such a good tortilla for a wrap.

I'm going to Fez for tortillas for.

That is.

Awesome.

You're doing the food much more justice than I did.

All right.

Desserts.

So there's a local bakery, I guess that they bring in some of the desserts from.

And I got a pumpkin ricotta cake and it was, it felt like fall.

Like it was just so spiced, cake like.

And the ricotta made it really tender and soft and creamy.

Oh, yeah.

Then what did you have for dessert?

I guess the drinks that I've had would be the dessert, because there you go.

You have very big drink menu and then handful different martinis.

They have a martini of the day.

My personal favorite is the lychee martini, which I've never had before.

Before I went there I didn't even know what it was.

It's sweet, but it's not too sweet.

It's.

It was just so good.

And then sitting at the bar.

I love the bartender.

She's one of the main reasons I go there.

Very conversational, very friendly.

What did you have for dessert?

We didn't have dessert, but w drank martini, a dessert pear.

Again, it had the terra infusion vodka and lime juice.

That usually comes with a little black pepper.

Did you have.

That?

I no, I can't you pepper.

Oh, they held the pepper.

Held the pepper for you.

Oh.

Very accommodating.

Yeah.

I had a lavender margarita and that was phenomenal.

And it was a little funky because I'd never even seen a lavender margarita on a menu before.

It was wonderful, very floral.

And then you've got that, like, lime from the margarita in there, which I would have never put lavender and lime together, but it worked, and I probably could have drank three of those if I wanted.

Yeah.

Then this is your poll.

What are your what's your pro tip for Fez?

Yeah.

Go during pride week if you can because are very LGBTQ friendly and they do really cool events, special drinks.

They have merchandise.

They dress up for Halloween, so that's always fun.

Erica, the menu is so diverse and there's so many different cuisines on it.

If you've got dietar restrictions, things like that, anyon can find something on this menu because there's so many different options and so many different types of food.

What's your pro tip?

And they're happy to change.

If you don't like something or if you can have anything, they are quick to do that.

So it's a good one.

Flexible.

Flexible if you want to try Fez on Central, it's located on Portland, just west of First Avenue in downtown Phoenix, and average meal is about 20 bucks.

And they do take reservations.

I want to thank Ronnie, Erica, and Ben for joining me at the table, and thank you for joining us on check.

Please.

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Arizona I'm Chef Mark Tarbell and have a delicious life.

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