Urge Taphouse Kitchen -- Scottsdale, AZ

Urge Taphouse Kitchen -- Scottsdale, AZ The Scottsdale Civic Center is located in the southern part of the city and backs up to an area known as Old Town Scottsdale. The grounds house lovely gardens where Kenny and Sarah Love enjoy spending time together. The Civic Center provides a whole cultural experience with eateries, a hotel, an outdoor theater, a museum, a performance hall, and a few small shops. On this particular day as we went to visit, we were greeted by the alluring aroma of the gorgeous flowers and the warmth of the mid-April sunshine. You will find beautifully manicured lawns and vegetation at the park in spring. Kenny removed his shoes and socks finding the soft, green grass to be his favorite, and took a moment to 'ground' himself.

Not long after Kenny's meditative experience, he and Sarah Love found a unique culinary shopping experience in which to engage. They meandered toward Old Town and ended up at The Spice & Tea Exchange of Scottsdale. The shop displayed a quaint hub of teas, herbs, and spices. There were countless tea leaf bins, all smelling quite different. There were spice racks that filled entire walls. And the herbs almost stretched from floor to ceiling. As they explored the merchandise, Sarah Love found one blend of spices named "Crazy Chicken Seasoning." It smelled so highly appealing, we had to buy it. Not only did they have spices and teas but there were other novelties, too. The roasted garlic linguine, an herb infused pasta, caught our eye and that went home with us as well. Although, it did not live up to expectations. The last thing we found ourselves gravitating towards was a Rosemary Basil Sea Salt. We have yet to try it, but the plan is to give it a whirl on a fresh caprese salad. The Spice & Tea Exchange of Scottsdale is a fun place to visit if you cook, enjoy new tastes, and have an extra dollar to spend. It definitely fits the bill as a specialty shop in Old Town Scottsdale.

04/13/2024

After a few hours of strolling we found a place to wet our whistle and satiate our growing appetites. The Urge Taphouse Kitchen was a few miles away and perfect for this sunny afternoon. Sarah Love and Kenny sat at their high top table deep in conversation, quite thoroughly enjoying one another's company. Out from the kitchen came the server, hastily approaching, yet politely setting the salty, twisted treat on our table. The pretzel was a light golden brown and the butter that coated the dough sizzled before the snack cooled. Decently sized, the regular braided pretzel shape was large enough for two. As we were getting ready to take a taste, we noticed a liberal amount of salt. In the first bites, we experienced a soft, doughy, and pillowy texture which was quite delicious. The taste itself was extremely reminiscent of what one would expect of a standard hard pretzel actually. Along with our delectable baked good was an accompaniment of beer cheese that was plenty thick and creamy and only added to the taste profile. This particular pretzel was extremely tasty and it is a shame that the Urge Taphouse Kitchen has closed its doors since. 4.2/5.0 Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love

Brat Haus -- Old Town Scottsdale, AZ

Mid-July 2022, we visited the Saguaro Hotel, which has been semi-recently renamed 'The Monarch'. In 2022, when we paid a visit to this treasure, there was a unique retro color scheme with curiosity shop furniture which was aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The furniture vibed quite well with the color scheme. That afternoon we spent some time taking photos around the hotel grounds.

This first photo pictured was taken outside the lobby of the hotel on the front patio. Standing over Sarah Love is the skeleton of a saguaro cactus which is highlighted with a vibrant monochromatic green silhouette.

The lobby felt much like a scene from a Wes Anderson film in which you would expect nothing less than to be greeted by an overly enthusiastic lobby boy. If you are not familiar, Kenny definitely recommends checking out The Grand Budapest Hotel.

After our photo adventure, we meandered out to the pool area. Unfortunately, we had to cut the refreshing plunge short; fortunately, we saw a spectacular lightening display that illuminated the night sky. The following morning we walked to JOJO Coffeehouse Breakfast & Brunch and then we went for an amateur photoshoot with what Sarah Love referred to as "the Wall". The image faces the east so, I suppose "the Wall" would depict the Sonoran sun setting in the west behind several saguaro cacti.

July 13, 2022

Brat Haus -- Scottsdale, AZ

When we got to the Brat Haus we ordered a pretzel right away. The color was extremely dark, similar to molasses. It almost appeared to have been made of pumpernickel. The morsel had a traditional shape, but it was also a little elongated. There was an overabundance of salt on the coffee brown crust according to Sarah Love, but per Kenny it was moderate.

Soon the tasting began. Sarah Love stated it was the "hardest soft pretzel I've ever tasted (excluding Philly pretzels)". Although it was hard to chew, the baked appetizer was surprisingly buttery and had a unique flavor and texture that made it pop. A delectable beer cheese accompanied the tough treat.

3.0/5.0

Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love