| rev:text
| - When Phoenix was just a one-horse town around the turn of the last century, city planners designed Roosevelt Street to be a grand, chic boulevard, destined to be the "silk stocking district" for the city's upper crust. Planning changed and Roosevelt Street never rivaled New York's Park Avenue nor Chicago's Magnificent Mile. Eventually expanding city limits and urban flight left the swank Roosevelt neighborhood a more than a little down-at-the-heels and those aged silk stockings with runs.
Now, a renaissance in the district attracts avant garde artists, quirky shops and boutiques and intimate cafés, giving the 'hood a much-needed transfusion. In the west end of the 'hood, an early pioneer in the 1914 home known as the Cavness House was Palatte. In 2009 Local Breeze took over, only to blow over. The Vig, originally a beloved (and somewhat guarded) secret in the Arcadia expanded their horizons, branching out to create The Vig Uptown at 16th Street near Bethany Home Road.
In September The Vig Fillmore remodeled the old Cavness home, fired up their ovens and set the table. News of their opening spread like wildfire. This location houses the official "Test Kitchen" for every Vig. Recipes are created by their youthful, enthusiastic Executive Chef Jorge Gomez (pictured top). Nothing leaves la cucina 'til he says, "¡Muy bueno!" He's honed his skills for 15 years, studying at the culinary institute of Puebla, Mexico and in Spain and other local eateries.
Okay, now what about the menu? For starters, the Sonoran Ceviche ($9) is a refreshing combination of pico de gallo, jalapeño and avocado with succulent, tender pieces of whitefish marinated in fresh lime juice. It comes with thick, tasty corn chips.
Their Daily Flatbread ($10) usually calls The Vig "home" for a week, since they're always a hit with regulars who hate to see them leave after only a day. Our naan bread was topped with tender chunks of grilled eggplant, tomato garlic sauce, carmelized onion, roasted cherry tomatoes, white cheddar cheese, parmesan and basil. Think "speciality pizza."
Carnivorous? Don't miss out on Chef Gomez' personal favorite, The Prime Vig Dip ($14), where Chef carves up medium-rare sliced beef, smoked gouda, grilled onions, chipotle mayo on a pretzel bun with a ramekin of stout, rich, hearty au jus.
Miss Manhattan? You won't after you have their NYC Reuben ($11). You'll lick your chops for their Guinness braised corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and housemade Russian dressing on rye bread. The meat is hand-carved for each sandwich order so that it's tender and juicy--never dry.. Five more sandwiches round out the selection, including a Black Bean Burger for closet carnivores who are vegetarians. Sandwiches come with a choice of side--don't miss out on the onion rings with a zippy batter.
Five creative salads, like the Southwesterner with Achiote Chicken ($13) and the Lean & Green Steak Salad are available, each one has its own flair you need to check out for yourself. Don't miss out on Chef's own specialties, like a variety of gourmet and street tacos or the fab Posole ($8) that's a "must," especially with cooler weather.
Looks like local restaurants are gonna be battling it out for "Best Bread Pudding." The Vig brings out an enormous serving (about the size of a brick. We're not kidding.) Their dessert includes bananas, walnuts, custard, a luscious butter-rum sauce and a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. More than enough to share--if you feel generous. Look for a Sunday Brunch coming this month.
The Roosevelt District may have been the stomping ground for the hoity-toity of the past, but nowadays at The Vig they just serve great food. Not attitude.
The Vig Fillmore
606 N. 4th Ave., Phoenix
602-254-2242 - TheVig.us
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)