20 April 18th-April 24th, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | described Martinez as a “big kid” in the kitchen with immense talent and a high standard for his work and others. Although Ramos says he wants to update the menu, integrating new dishes and adjusting with the seasons, he plans to keep dishes that Martinez created in honor of his memory. Among those are a decon- structed banana cheesecake and a black lentil hummus paired with roasted carrots and sangak, a Persian flatbread. “Chris is part of the foundation of this place and that’s how we’re going to share love and respect and appreciation for everything he’s done for us,” Ramos says. Olguin says they will serve souffle pancakes – a dish Martinez created for Pretty Penny’s weekend brunch service – each year on the anniversary of his death as another way to honor the chef. Through its Instagram account, Pretty Penny has shared a GoFundMe created by Martinez’s mom to cover his funeral costs. Just a few weeks into processing their grief, Herrera says it has made him more committed than ever to making the restau- rant a success. Trying to keep up As the team moves forward, they have no shortage of ideas for the menu, drinks or special events they’d like to host. “The main challenge is keeping up with Sam and Brenon, because they don’t stop,” Ramos says. Sitting at Pretty Penny’s center table, the group feeds off of each other’s comments and jokes. Herrera says the partnership is one he has wanted to create for some time because he sees the same energy and dedication to hospitality in Stuart and Olguin that he and Ramos share. The duo also owns the catering and events company Carvão together. “Nobody is satisfied with anything less than excellent,” Olguin says. “It’s either perfect or we’re not doing it.” And, the team revealed that just a few weeks into opening Pretty Penny, they had more plans in the works. They opened a small, adjoining sister bar on April 12. Bar inside Pretty Penny opening soon For those who can’t get enough of the team’s cocktails, Legends Never Die is a 20-seat, reservation-free bar. “It’s kind of like our private extension room of Pretty Penny,” Olguin says, calling the cocktail lounge a juxtaposition to the warm, comfortable restaurant. The bar’s manifesto is heady, but certainly tongue-in-cheek. “It’s a social commentary on the collec- tive acquiescence into the financial chains imposed on us by our corporate overlords – and we make cocktails,” Olguin says, quoting the explanation that is also on the bar’s social media. “The idea is we’re going to sit here and have a cocktail party and pretend that everything around us isn’t going to shit. It’s watching the fall of Rome while complaining about the corporate consumerism that’s taken us all in, while buying into it.” Olguin says the experience is designed to ebb and flow, punctuated by music and video elements, along with a bright orange and electric blue color palette. “We want to take the cocktail bar idea and see how unconventional we can get,” Olguin says, “but still at the core is the most sophisticated, high-level cocktail program that we can possibly do.” While guests can expect plenty of leading-edge techniques to make those drinks and their garnishes, the bar owner says the menu plays on familiar classic cock- tails. Legends Never Die also has a small snack menu from Pretty Penny’s kitchen. And, it is a bar without a bar. “I don’t want you to come here to watch me work,” Olguin says. “I did all the work before you showed up so I can make sure it’s perfect. Now all I have to do is make sure you have a good time.” Pretty Penny 504 E. Roosevelt St. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. The Bluefin Duo uses toro and akami cuts of tuna. (Photo by Sara Crocker) Shiny and New from p 19
