December 2013
“Tuna drives a sushi bar. Without it, you’ve got nothing,” said Steve Scully, owner of Karma Sushi Bar Grill. He would know. Scully logged 15 years in the food business before opening Karma seven years ago. While Scully was schooled in finer European cuisine, he is a Jersey guy. He also headed north to work in restaurants in Cape Cod, which he explained means he knows good flavors and good seafood. And when Scully aimed to position his sushi spot, he worked with Tokyo chefs. He said, “Their training has more guts to it.” Continue reading “Rolling With It”
When Beverly was rescued from a local Houston shelter, she was a brown, matted mess. Poodle Rescue of Houston (PRH) cleaned her up, and two hours later, she looked like a fluffy, cream dream. The non-profit haven assisted 800 distressed and homeless poodles last year alone. “Once we rescue dogs, we rehabilitate them and offer them for adoption to carefully screened families and individuals,” says PRH Executive Director Guinette Peebles. 
Location, location, location. Is it a hackneyed phrase or premium advice for a business? If Cuveé 928 Wine Bar is the example, its strategic setting on Heritage Square has garnered some serious foot traffic, but it’s their business strategy that has garnered them ongoing success. Seven years ago, owners Jennifer Shafer and Taryn Beveridge enjoyed socializing in town, “but there was nowhere to go for wine that was kept at a proper temperature and also offered a menu of light food,” Shafer said. “Surely there were more people like us—we saw a niche opportunity.” 
104th Edition, 24 October 2013
When good people work together, great things can happen. This is the overriding mantra of Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort on I-40, about 20 miles east of Flagstaff. In the 1950’s, the exit—with its iconic two arrows piercing the ground—served as a popular rest stop. Now, like a turnaround story, the casino and hotel complex sits on the opposite side of the interstate, with its logo arrow duo pointing skyward. 
While Richard Fernandez was in a farmers market, he had an epiphany about where food comes from and how it is prepared. He wanted to share it with others. Concerned with the way society accepts food processing and technology, he said, “I want to get people to think differently about the world they live in.” The owner-chef of Pizza Furiosa calls it a conscientious agenda and extends this to the next generation, teaching kids about nutrition and cooking. 
When Tom and Amanda Wilson bought Pasto Cucina Italiana in 2007, they employed a vision of “Old World flavors with a modern flourish.” They achieved that goal in the urban, glass-fronted store on Aspen as wells as with their crossover cuisine. Architectural amenities, like the copper ceiling, exposed brick, hardwood floors and wrought iron, give an Italian feel to a meal eaten at a window table within view of our own historic piazza—Heritage Square. And Pasto boosted the palate presentation with traditional fare that channels a contemporary vibe. 
Since Mitch Wiewel and Itzel Arvizu opened Madrid Tapas y Sangria over a year ago, a number of Spaniards have passed through. While en route to the Grand Canyon, the travelers were lured by the menu of familiar offerings: Gambas al ajillo—or garlic shrimp—served in an earthenware ramekin called a cazuela; stuffed piquillo peppers, an imported sweet and slightly piquant chili filled with manchego; and melon con jamón, fresh cantaloupe wrapped in Serrano ham. The caliber of dishes caused guests to insist Wiewel speak to them in Spanish. “I’m going to have to work on that,” he said.