Man cannot live on music alone, and occasionally a beer and smoke diet must be supplemented with real food and atmosphere. And while this blog is largely focused on the musical side of Phoenix night life, once in a while I like to visit the more civilized side of the street.
This time I checked out a cozy new restaurant downtown for a little cleansing of the palate. I don’t pretend to know anything about food and drink other than what I like, and I enjoyed myself here. If you want fancy-dancy culinary reviews look elsewhere. If you are interested in a good spot for a light meal and affordable drink, then come with me.
Carly’s Bistro is based upon a few simple concepts: People should be able to enjoy a healthy, tasty meal and a glass of good wine or beer in a comfortable environment with good things to listen to and look at. All without busting the bank.
Newly opened at a location that even five years ago would have seemed like suicide by address, the Bistro is right in the middle of all things downtown art at 128 E. Roosevelt. Co-owners Carla Wade and John Logan hope the art-hungry scene will also want to nibble on some light fare while enjoying downtown’s new art awakening.
The two should know. A kind of arty power couple, Wade has long been an art and culture fixture, not only because of her many years working in and around some of downtown’s coolest restaurants and bars, but for her advocacy of all things downtown culture. Logan has also been instrumental in helping the downtown artistic boon in numerous ways. His affiliation with the mysterious and lamented speak-easy Black and Tan and his band the MadCaP’s are a couple of the hipster feathers in his cap.
In fact, The MadCaP’s helped to realize the musical potential of First Friday’s over three years ago before music and visual art were so often offered together. The band earned a cult following by playing rouge shows out of the back of a truck, powered by a generator and a love of guerilla art. They continue to do this every month, as well as play traditional gigs around town.
Both Wade and Logan also love food and drink and long wanted to open a no-frills place where a person could get a light meal and a drink between destinations. They also wanted to feed the hunger and slake the thirsts of their downtown friends and artists, people that have a taste for the good life but not the resources as of yet. So after lots of planning, consulting and saving, Carly’s became a reality.
The Bistro opened on First Friday in May, in the space once occupied by the Paisley Violin, a coffee house. When I visited last Tuesday, the 50-person capacity place was pretty empty, but it was after the dinner hour. As my friend, local painter Steven Yazzie and I chatted with Carla at the bar, a few people came and went, mostly drinking Pabsts and some fancy coffee drinks, while the 12 tables and the banquette in the other room remained empty.
The space is basically two rooms. The square main dining area is simply painted and decorated at this point, though I imagine soon it will feature art by well-known locals as well as other decorative things that come with time. The bar room where we sat is a long rectangle with a 12-seat wooden bar centered by a huge painting by Yazzie, a playful take on a painting by Mucha.
Yazzie’s re-imagining displays a beautiful nude reaching longingly for something, in his version it’s a shirtless Native American with a head band offering a corkscrew and a bottle, with his boxers hanging out of his jeans. It sums up the attitude and experience nicely.
While it’s true that the Paisley Violin had sandwiches and exotic coffee as well as other fashionable drinks, Carly’s brings a gourmet-light flair to the location, as well as a full liquor license. I am no food critic, but I know what I like and I enjoyed everything I had at Carly’s.
We had an appetizer featuring a nice homemade hummus and olive tapenade with roasted root chips and warm grilled pitas. I had a Pain Bange sandwich that filled me up and a whole grain tabouli salad, something I normally wouldn’t order but it was recommended and I did like it. She also brought a few samples of their wine selection, and I didn’t feel like I needed to be a foodie to explore some new tastes.
We left feeling full, just what a good meal should supply. The place is relaxed enough that I could see myself bringing a laptop or pad of paper to write in the corner, or bringing a date before or after a show, exhibit or film.
So far Fridays are their busiest night, though even then it’s not a huge crowd, somewhere in the range of 40 people have dropped in on their late nights. I can see this place doing well, and I hope it doesn’t get over-run with the hipper-than-thou crowd, because I want to be able to go back with out having to wear an ascot.
I e-mailed Carla some questions about the establishment and she provided me with some more detail about the food and spirits available, as well as some cool future plans that involve, surprisingly, live music and art. If you’d like to check out the place, the hours are listed below and they can be reached by phone at (602) 262-2759.
JB – How did Carly’s come to be?
CW – John and I had been toying with the idea of opening our own restaurant/bar for quite some time, we always felt that there was a lack of affordable restaurants in the downtown area that were open late, catering to people that live in the area and not just the lunch commuter crowd.
JB – What hours is Carly’s open?
CW – We are open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday; 5-10 p.m. Tuesday; 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday; 12 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday; and we are closed on Sundays.
JB – What kinds of foods are featured at the Bistro? What are a few of your favorite items?
CW – We serve what you could call southern European or Medeterinian light fare. We serve grilled Panini sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. We make all of our dressings and bread toppings in house. Favorites include: the hummus and olive tapenade appetizer, which is served with grilled bread. The Ex-patriot Panini is a very popular selection. It consists of sweet onion relish, turkey, and Brie, grilled on a ciabatta roll. For those looking for a meatless selection the Europa is a good choice, it is a delicious combination of marinated artichoke hearts, tomatoes, spinach, roasted red peppers, and smoked mozzarella. All of the sandwhiches are served with a whole grain tabouli salad or terra chips (roasted root chips).
JB – Favorite drinks/beverages?
CW – We have a nice selction of wines at affordable prices $5 to $8 a glass. John and I both love wine and have often wished that there were somewhere casual downtown to go and get an inexpensive but good glass of wine. We have a weekly wine happy hour on Thursday nights from 5 p.m.-8 p.m., all glasses are $3.
JB – What about yourself and John’s backgrounds lend itself to opening a bistro?
CW – My father is a five-star corporate chef and I was raised in the food industry. Most of my parent’s friends were involved in the culinary arts. My mother is a big foodie, she is from the Rockridge/Piedmont area of Oakland commonly known as the gourmet ghetto. I was raised with the attitude that food should be an enjoyable social experience, that flavor and freshness are essentia,l and that music and art can and should compliment food.
John is a musician and long-time participant/supporter in the downtown art scene. Starting off locally running the sound at the Rhythm Room for a couple years, he has been involved in The MadCaPs who play shows from the back of a moving truck every First Friday for the past 30 months. In this time he has seen First Fridays go from a few galleries with shows of 20-50 people to dozens of galleries and shows with thousands. It’s ironic that he ended up with a business on the same corner he has been playing for 2 1/2 years.
JB – Why did you move into Roosevelt row?
CW – We have been a part of building up First Fridays and knew the potential this area has to put Downtown Phoenix on the map.
JB – What is your target audience?
CW – We are trying to appeal to a broad audience with our menu. We would like to provide a low cost meal and drink to artists/performers that cannot afford $10 entrees and $12 glasses of wine.
JB – The space used to house a small coffee shop called the Paisley Violin. When did it close?
CW – The Paisley Violin closed its doors on Jan 31 and we acquired the space Feb. 1.
JB – Bands? Other entertainment?
CW – We are planning on doing some “extension of premises” to do shows in the parking lot in the fall. We are also going to propose the idea that Roosevelt is closed down only to foot traffic for Art Detour so that we can do a “street fair” kind of event for Art Detour.
JB – What kind of environment can patrons expect?
CW – A clean, inviting environment with an approachable, unpretentious atmosphere.
JB – Why should someone stop in if they are downtown?
CW – People should stop in Downtown Phoenix to appreciate the metro experience. The view from our windows is a great cityscape… Bank One Ballpark on one side and the Westward Ho on the other.
JB – Any plans in the works?
CW – Three day, extension of premises shows in the back parking lot bringing in some national acts for some large shows in downtown.
JB – Why Carly’s not Carla’s?
CW – Carly is my nickname. It is what my family calls me, it is what John calls me. I liked the idea of having a name that was reflective of whom I am but slightly removed from my given name, Carla.
JB – Tell me about the large Stephen Yazzie painting that centers the bar room, and also your future plans for local artists’ sketches to be inlayed at the bar.
CW – We are very lucky to have Steven Yazzie as a good friend. We approached him when we were doing this project and asked if he could do “The” Carly’s painting. You know how the Bikini and other great establishments have central art pieces; Steven offered to do this piece. We floated some ideas back and forth and then agreed on a Mucha painting Steven found. Steven took it from there. We love it. We are setting drawings, sketches and pages from sketchbooks into the bar and tables from over 45 local artists. We have been collecting sketches along with friends for months. The resin will be poured May 29.
JB – When people think of Carly’s what would you like to come to mind?
CW – That they could be in any major city in the world. Step into Carly’s and be taken to SoHo in NY or Telegraph Hill in SF or a bistro in Europe. This is the corner pub with good, healthy food.
JB – This is a little off topic maybe but you worked for many years at Chez Nous and had a big part in the movement to keep the place open when it was threatened to be demolished by Osco drugs. You recently left Chez Nous to work at your place full time. How did that feel? How does it feel to bust your ass but be working for yourself?
CW – It feels great, but really natural. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time.
JB – Why should someone come to your place as opposed to the many light fare restaurants downtown?
CW – I think they should come to all of them. Just come downtown. Make our city an urban center, not urban sprawl. It will be great trying to be a part of making downtown something we can all interface with. There are just a few places downtown right now. Everyone should check them all out. Once people check our place out, we hope that people enjoy the atmosphere, service and good food and drink at a fair price.
