196 B E ST W E E K LY S P EC I A LS Chula Seafood 100 E. Camelback Road 602-354-3599 And other Valley locations chulaseafood.com What started as a tiny Scottsdale fish shop with some poke bowls has evolved into a three-location restaurant group with a really nice fish case. But while the regular menu at Chula Seafood has received plenty of love, you could make the case that the team’s best work shows up in the weekend specials. Chef Kyle Kent, along with his head chefs at each location, develop a fresh slate — one special for each restaurant — that goes out via a newsletter every Friday. They’ve included bangers such as a lusciously complex scallop khao soi (Uptown), crisply fried strips of turmeric-scented salmon belly wrapped up with lettuce and herbs Viet- style (Grayhawk) and a pastrami-spiced scallop sausage Seattle dog with grilled onions and cream cheese (Roosevelt). Every once in a while, a weekend special will find its way onto the regular menu, but for the most part, come Sunday, they’re gone. Which makes for an agonizing decision every weekend: choosing a location. 22222 B E ST FAST FO O D Oscar’s Pier 83 18589 N. 59th Ave., Glendale 602-843-6820 op83.com Oscar’s Pier 83 answers a question that nobody asked: What if Long John Silver’s were actually pretty good? That might sound like a backhanded compliment, but consider it an acknowledgment that inexpensive, order-at-the-counter fare is a reality of everyday life, and there aren’t enough culi- nary wunderkinder to meticulously handcraft cheap, artsy dinners for everybody in town. Oscar’s isn’t going to make you feel like you’re at a seaside shack in the Keys — this is deep- fried, quick-service fare — but with most meals priced in the teens, it charges just a dollar or two more than the international megachains, and the modest premium is well spent. Choose from half a dozen types of fish for your chippy platter or fishwich, and you’ll get tender filets, freshly battered and fried, steaming hot with creamy tartar sauce or a nice cocktail sauce that actually has some kick. Plump fried shrimp are particularly good, hush puppies are well-seasoned, and the clam chowder is the inartfully thick and goopy sort that you hate to admit you kind of love. B E ST H A P PY H O U R Buck & Rider 4225 E. Camelback Road 602-346-0110 And other Valley locations buckandrider.com Whoever said you can’t find good seafood in a landlocked state has never been to Buck & Rider. It’s a stellar showcase of fresh catch flown in daily, and the good folks there spoil us even more with their lively and affordable happy hour. It runs a generous 3 to 7 p.m. (though not in the main dining rooms) and includes oysters with a choice of savory and spicy garnishes for $2.50, plump and sweet Sea of Cortez shrimp for $3 each, a smat- tering of top-quality dishes at the rock- bottom price of just $10 and dirt-cheap drink specials — even on high-end cocktails. Dishes include sushi rolls du jour and a heaping plate of Baja shrimp ceviche so good you’ll think you can walk outside to Médano Beach in Cabo. For that one kooky person in the party who’s anti-fish, Edna’s Picnic Chicken Snack holds its own against most other fried chicken bites around. And don’t miss the creamy smoked trout dip with watermelon radishes and saltines. It’s ideally paired with The Direct Martini, served tableside. 22222 B E ST B R E A K FAST Fàme Caffe 4700 N. Central Ave. 602-314-4660 famecaffe.com People have been lining up for Fàme Caffe’s breakfast since opening its doors on Central Avenue in 2015. The midtown counter- service cafe has a farmhouse aesthetic that’s cozy and comfortable. The eatery has been a perennial favorite thanks to a menu that seamlessly incorporates American, Mexican and French options. Fuel up with a breakfast sandwich of egg, bacon, cheddar and tomato on a buttermilk bun. Shake a few drops of housemade hot sauce onto chilaquiles. Or, find a seat at the broad community table and make plans to linger over pain perdu-style Frenchie Toast and a mimosa. No breakfast is complete without coffee; try Fàme’s horchata latte, a cinnamon-forward espresso drink made with house horchata. 22222 B E ST B RU N C H SugarJam The Southern Kitchen 15111 N. Hayden Road, #170, Scottsdale 480-948-6210 sjsouthernkitchen.com Chef Dana Dumas started serving at her North Scottsdale brunch restaurant in 2022. And while many brunch spots have opened around the Valley since then, no one can
