21 Jan 25th–Jan 31st, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Opening Thyme Anhelo chef to open new casual restaurant in Tempe. BY GEORGANN YARA F lour & Thyme, the second venture from Anhelo chef and owner Ivan Jacobo, is slated to open its doors in Tempe at the end of January. Operating out of a 1,700-square-foot house built in 1933, the restaurant will open with an upscale menu serving break- fast and lunch, with Jacobo aiming to expand to dinner service in late February. Morning customers will find gourmet coffee and pastries. Later in the day, the menu will feature heartier brunch and lunch dishes such as salads, burgers and creme brulee french toast. For dinner, expect plates carrying foie gras, razor clams, elegantly prepared asparagus, tuna tartare, dry-aged duck pasta and a dry-aged burger. However, don’t expect a starter, sides or entree sections as the menu will instead feature small plates categorized by air, land, garden and sea. This format allows Jacobo to explore a facet of dining much different than how his downtown Phoenix fine-dining restaurant operates. “I want people to have a conversation and you can do that with small plates,” Jacobo says. “Everyone orders different things, passes them around and says ‘Let me try this… let me try that.’” Flour & Thyme has a Mill Avenue address, but it sits nearly two blocks south of the party district, nestled between long- standing neighborhoods, across the street from the Arizona State University Art Museum and steps from ASU Gammage. The simple and classic tables and chairs resemble those in a European cafe. Inside and outside dining areas will accommo- date about 55 guests with a private dining room seating 12. A double-sided fireplace greets walk-up guests. A side yard will be kid-friendly with turf and toys. This is a departure from Anhelo with its Orpheum Lofts location flaunting tall ceil- ings, grand windows, luxe furnishings and every bit of the elite ambiance it was meant to convey since it opened in 2021. The restaurant sits in the center of downtown and its high-end menu and Wine Spectator level 2 designation draw the special occa- sion crowd and out-of-town visitors. Jacobo calls Flour & Thyme the “little sister” of Anhelo. But with a more approachable menu, a concept designed to appeal to families during the day and the date-night crowd in the evening, and its humble building, Flour & Thyme is the product of a slightly older and wiser Jacobo, who is now 32. A restaurant that Tempe needs When Anhelo opened, Jacobo says he didn’t care about the lack of convenient parking. He didn’t think about whether it appealed to guests with children or who sought a place to dine more than once or twice a year. With Flour & Thyme, he loves that it has its own parking lot. He immediately envisioned patrons of all ages on the patio and imagined a space for toddlers, like his 3-year-old daughter. He longs for it to be a spot that draws weekly regulars in addition to the celebratory occasions. “Mentally, it’s 180 degrees different from Anhelo,” Jacobo says. “I wanted to open something where I can go with my daughter in the morning for brunch and then go on a date with my wife that’s within walking distance…Something casual but elegant enough.” But there are several connections between the two concepts, some of which elevate Flour & Thyme much beyond your typical neighborhood spot. Flour & Thyme’s staff trains at Anhelo before coming to Tempe, for one. Like Anhelo, it has a thoughtful wine selection. But no glass will be more than $20, and the hundred or so cherry-picked bottles will come with a price tag of no more than $350 each. A special reserve bottle list with $2,000-$3,000 price tags will be given to those who ask. Everything is made in-house, with several ingredients serving purposes at both restaurants. Flour & Thyme’s dry-aged burger is made with beef from Anhelo’s dry- aging program. The tuna tartare uses parts of the whole bluefin that don’t get used at Anhelo for its loin dish. And from a whole dry-aged duck, Jacobo uses the breast for a menu item at Anhelo, and the confit leg to make Flour & Thyme’s duck pasta. When Jacobo opened Anhelo, he felt like downtown Phoenix needed a place something different amid a sea of casual eateries and bars. “For me, I’m hoping to do the same thing in Tempe,” he says. A charming, perfect spot Two years ago, Jacobo moved to Tempe with his wife and daughter. They found a home less than a mile from the building that now houses Flour & Thyme. It met his requirement of not being cookie cutter and his wife’s desire for three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Anhelo chef and owner Ivan Jacobo plans to open his new Tempe restaurant Flour & Thyme in late January. (Photo courtesy of Flour & Thyme) ▼ Food & Drink >> p 23