10 May 18th–May 24th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | music | cafe | film | culTuRe | NighT+Day | feaTuRe | NeWs | OPiNiON | feeDBacK | cONTeNTs | Prix Fixe Menu Mania Is Here Everything you need to know about Arizona Restaurant Week, which opens on Friday. BY GEORGANN YARA ‘T is the season when Valley chefs and restaurateurs strut their stuff to both new and familiar audiences while prix-fixe menu fans salivate with anticipation of the mix-and-match possibilities. Arizona Restaurant Week celebrates its 16th year with more than 140 restau- rants expected to participate in the spring rendition of this biannual 10-day culinary extravaganza. This season’s event takes place from May 19 through 28. Should you find yourself road-tripping during this time, the lineup includes a few restau- rants in Tucson, Flagstaff and Wickenburg as well as destinations all across the Valley. A quick primer for anyone who needs one: During Arizona Restaurant Week, restaurants offer a three- or four-course menu for $33, $44 or $55 a person. Some do a per-couple rate. Meals usually consist of a starter, entree and dessert, with a few restaurants adding an extra appetizer or beverage as part of the deal. While the fall Arizona Restaurant Week serves as a way to welcome diners back into the fold after summer vacations and usher in the peak season, the spring event is a push by independent eateries aiming to make the most of it before the summer lull. “It always occurs when it’s slowing down,” says Patrick Dains, co-owner of Ajo Al’s Mexican Cafe. “It does give us a nice little boost going into summer.” Dains and his brother Daniel own the local chain their family started in 1986. Today, Ajo Al’s has four stand-alone restau- rants with locations in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Glendale, plus one at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. They have participated in every restaurant week event since 2015. Publicity was the initial draw. The Arizona Restaurant Association hosts the event and its marketing campaign gener- ates results yielded from big-budget adver- tising, often out of reach for mom-and-pop businesses. “It’s shared across multi-media and gets exposure worth thousands of dollars,” Dains says. Over the last eight years, Dains has seen his customer base expand after each event, he says. His restaurant also experiences a 10 to 15 percent bump in business over those 10 days. Ajo Al’s is one of the spots offering one set price per couple. This spring, the menu is $55 per couple for a three-course dinner. That includes two alcoholic beverages, making it a screaming deal among a sea of deals. Dains’ Restaurant Week menus always feature customer favorites — this time, jalapeno poppers and mushroom or spinach enchiladas — and a new item to test the waters. “This year, we’re throwing on birria tacos to see how it goes,” Dains says. Serving a brand new dish, or one they’re considering adding to the menu, is a common practice among chefs partici- pating in Arizona Restaurant Week while boosting sales before the summer, says Steve Chucri, Arizona Restaurant Association president and CEO. How Arizona Restaurant Week began The event’s roots date back to when American Express approached Chucri wanting to partner in starting a restau- rant week in Arizona, as it did in other states. When the inaugural event launched in 2008, it was the first of its kind here. Not only did the public find the concept difficult to grasp, but marketing tools such as email and social media were also rarely used. “How are you going to get the word out about this? And at a time when most didn’t understand it,” Chucri says of the obstacle at the time. In that initial year, 80 restaurants participated in the event, which was held in the fall. It proved popular enough that more establishments got on board. And once the concept was put into motion, diners embraced it. A few years later, the restaurant participation list grew to more than 200. During the event’s fourth year, restaura- teurs asked Chucri if they could hold a second event in the spring. He was skep- tical and thought the event itself was still too new to expand. But Chucri kept an open mind and agreed. Only 23 restaurants participated in the first spring event. But that number progressively grew and this spring, he expects close to 150 restaurants to be in the mix. Restaurants do not have to be part of the association to participate in Arizona Restaurant Week. Today, American Express is no longer associated with the event, but Chucri gives the financial institution credit for making it happen. Also, Arizona Restaurant Week is one of the few events of its kind in the country that is owned by the state’s restau- rant association, Chucri says. Similar events in other states are typically owned by a visitor’s bureau or a non-profit organization. The association partners with the Arizona Office of Tourism, and the event has caught on with out-of-state visitors. Some plan their vacations to make sure they are in town during those 10 days, he says. In 2022, for the first time in a long time, restaurant sales nationwide outper- formed grocery store sales, Chucri says, adding that bodes well for the local restaurant industry. However, he acknowledges that inflation and other economic factors causing consumers to do some penny-pinching will force them to be more discriminating about how they spend money. With the prix-fixe format, restaurant week menus serve as budget-friendly ways for restaurants to attract guests and hope- fully stay on their radars as they make these decisions, Chucri says. “Right now, discretionary income is shrinking and people’s ability to go out to restaurants shrinks as well. The idea of the week is not only to showcase restaurants but to gain new business,” he says. New restaurants and new customers Arizona Restaurant Week veterans may notice this spring’s lineup includes roughly a dozen newcomers spanning luxe resort locations such as The Phoenician’s Mowry & Cotton and Prado at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia to more approachable spots including Zu & Pocha and Fire at Will. National chains such as Claim Jumper are also on the list. Known for its wood-fired grill, Italian- influenced dishes and creative cocktails, Thompson 105 is also among the first- timers. Operating partner Ric Gordon is making his debut with a four-course, $44-per-person menu. By participating in the event, Gordon hopes to attract new customers and broaden the restaurant’s client base. Currently, patrons hail from a 3-mile Ajo Al’s Mexican Cafe Ajo Al’s is offering one set price per couple for a three-course dinner. >> p 12 Tirion Boan Tempe’s Zu & Pocha serves Korean- inspired cuisine and will be participating in Arizona Restaurant Week.
