A First in the Valley: A Traveling Cocktail Dinner Bus Tour

One of my favorite food trends is Pairing Dinners, be it beer or wine. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy an impeccable dinner and the perfect cocktail matched up by seasoned chefs and mixologists.

Crudo and NOCA are ready to bring the paired dinner to a whole new level. On Thursday, May 9th hop aboard the Cocktail Dinner Bus Tour.

Enjoy a five course cocktail dinner at both restaurants in the same night. The dinner is intended to be intimate and therefore will be limited to 32 lucky diners. Once the diners meet up at Crudo, half of the group will catch a ride on the Stolichnaya Vodka bus and head over to NOCA, with the other group starting their dinner off at Crudo. Both groups will enjoy their first and second course and then switch locations via the bus and then indulge in courses three, four and five at the opposite restaurant.

Dinner, Drink and a Designated Driver (to and from the two restaurants only) are all included in the $100 cost (tax and gratuity are not included.) Be sure to hurry up and make your reservations. The 6:30pm seating has already sold out, so they have decided to include a 7:30pm seating.

Here is the menu for the Cocktail Dinner Bus Tour

First Course

• Ahi – garlic affumicate with bread crumbs and tellicherry paired with tullamore dew scotch, lemon, ginger, shiso, champagne & bitter truth creole bitters
• Hamachi – corno di toro peppers, salina caper shoots, citrus, risotto al salto paired with reyka vodka, campari, passion fruit, citrus

Second Course

• Favas & Peas – guanciale, mint, pecorino di fossa, panciocco paired with hudson white corn, cocchi barolo chinato, basil, almond, lemon
• Roasted Eel – tomatoes, truffle, crispy potatoes paired with hendrick’s gin, aperol, lemon, thyme, egg white & angostura bitters

Third Course

• Gnudi – pork collar ragu paired with Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, house blend sweet vermouth & AZ bitters lab mas mole bitters
• Calamarata -blue prawns, mussels, clams, peekytoe crab, spicy seafood brodo paired with Hudson Rye, peychauds, angostura, st. george, lemon peel

Fourth Course

• Berkshire Pork Osso Bucco – mashed potato, arugula, fennel, tomato paired with milagro silver, ramazzotti amaro, fennel syrup, lime
• Grilled Albacore –  muscat raisins, salsa verde paired with raynal brandy, lime, moscato wine syrup & chervil
• Beef Shank – carrot, turnips, rosemary paired with hudson baby bourbon, montenegro amaro, bonal, zirbenz stone pine liqueur, aromatic bitters
• Skate Involtini – pine nuts, taggiasche olives, swiss chard In zimino  paired with sailor jerry, nix walnut, honey, lemon, orange peel

Dessert

• Neapolitan – macaroon

For reservations callCrudo (602-358-8666) or NOCA (602-956-6622)

Crudo is located at 3603 East Indian School Road. NOCA is located at 3118 East Camelback Road.