By Ryann Checchi

Evolve PR & Marketing

LAVEEN VILLAGE – Locally owned and operated Angry Crab Shack, a restaurant specializing in seafood boils with Asian-Cajun flavors and signature sauces, has opened a new location in Laveen at 35th & Southern avenues.

The restaurant is open 3-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday for takeout and delivery only. Angry Crab Shack operates 13 stores with 12 in Arizona, one in Orange Beach, Alabama, and a 14th location opening in Henderson, Nevada this month.

 “Angry Crab Shack has been growing and evolving quickly in Arizona and we’re excited to be able to open our 13^th location in Laveen,” said Ron Lou, founder of Angry Crab Shack. 

Angry Crab Shack’s features a menu of Cajun seafood boils as well as seafood-focused appetizers, sandwiches, soups and salads with its interactive, all hands-on deck dining experience where butcher paper covers tables, no plates are used and hands serve as utensils with cutlery available upon request. 

The restaurant offers a variety of new holiday seafood packages to-go including: a boil for two, family feast, neighborhood block party, and much more! Additionally, Angry Crab Shack is running a holiday gift card promotion through December 31 that could make for a great stocking stuffer, purchase a $25 gift card and receive a free $5 bonus card. In order to receive the free bounce back card, guests must purchase them in store. Gift cards are also available to purchase online without the complimentary bonus card option. 

Angry Crab Shack is experiencing rapid growth and is hiring at all locations throughout Arizona, in addition to Laveen. The seafood restaurant focuses on providing fresh, top quality taste at an affordable price point, sourcing lobster from the East Coast, Dungeness Crab from the Pacific Northwest, King and Snow Crab from Alaska, and crawfish from the Gulf of Mexico. 

The family-friendly Laveen restaurant will present a similar look and feel to the other Angry Crab Shack locations, incorporating its well-known, vibrant décor elements including live fish tanks, ocean life decorations and wood-boarded walls that guests can sign. 

Located at 6360 S. 35^th Avenue, the restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. To place an order for pick-up, call the restaurant at 602-975-1065 or order online at the Laveen location HERE. To place a delivery order via DoorDash click HERE.  Normal hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will resume at a later date. For more information about Angry Crab Shack and to stay up-to-date on business hours, dine-in service and new locations, visit angrycrabshack.com or follow on Facebook.

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Add a homemade pie to the Thanksgiving menu without spending a minute in the kitchen by ordering now from Amadio Ranch, known Valleywide for their made-from-scratch pies and their organic, farm-grown produce.

It’s a Thanksgiving tradition at the Laveen family-owned farm to bake thousands of pies in advance of Thanksgiving, sure to meet even the pickiest family member’s expectations for a delicious dessert.

“Everyone needs to be thinking about their holiday orders now,” says Eric Amadio, who owns and runs the farm with wife, Christina. “Deadline to order is Tuesday, Nov. 22, and we sell out very quickly. The only way to guarantee a Thanksgiving pie is to preorder.”

The Amadios, who run the ranch with assistance from a variety of employees and their young adult children, are introducing a brand-new flavor this year for those who can’t decide whether to go with a traditional pumpkin pie, or the newly introduced cheesecakes. The Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake layers pumpkin pie, then cheesecake, and finishes with a whipped cream topping.

“Though traditional fruit pies are our mainstay throughout the year, pumpkin is the traditional Thanksgiving dessert,” Christina said. “We spent two years and several thousands of dollars building a commercial kitchen just so we could do more pies, including the pumpkin pie, for Thanksgiving.”

Several fruit pies are on the menu, including apple, Dutch apple, peach, cherry, blueberry caramel apple, strawberry rhubarb, and Very Berry (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries). The fruit pies start with 2 cups of fresh fruit, and like all the Amadio Ranch pies, contain all-natural ingredients.

Other pies available include several variations on pecan pies: Pecan, caramel pecan, and bourbon pecan with Jim Beam whiskey. Chess Pies – a custard-style pie – such as buttermilk, buttermilk eggnog with rum, and sweet potato pie.

And, as mentioned before, Eric and Christina have added cheesecake to their repertoire. The cheesecake comes plain with a choice of toppings: strawberry, cherry, blueberry, or lemon.

For anyone with dietary restrictions, call ahead and talk to Christina or Eric to request sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan. “We’ll let you know which pies we can modify to meet your needs,” Christina said.

Pies can be picked up from four locations on Wednesday, Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving:

• Amadio Ranch Farm – 4701 W. Dobbins Road, Laveen on 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Uptown Farmer’s Market – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5757 N. Central Ave, Phoenix
• Ahwatukee Peach Truck Stop – 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at 3930 E. Chandler Blvd, Phoenix
• Gilbert Peach Truck Stop – 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 830 S. Higley Road, Gilbert

Amadio Ranch was established nearly a decade ago, at 4701 Dobbins Road, the ranch is a heritage farming venture, employing a traditional, small-family farm approach, emphasizing sustainability and all-natural farming techniques.

The farm produces heirloom vegetables, including vine ripe tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, non-GMO sweet corn, carrots, beets, gourmet onions and garlic.

There are also apricots, apples, pears, plums, figs, grapes, and peaches, of course. Enough produce, in fact, to supply nearly 80 percent of the family’s needs and offer true farm-fresh produce at the family farm stand.

Pie-making was a natural progression using from farm-to-table ingredients grown on Amadio Ranch.

ABOUT AMADIO RANCH

Amadio Ranch is owned by Eric and Christina Amadio in Laveen, AZ. The family has rural roots in the Midwest but are now firmly planted in Arizona. With a deep love of the farming life, the couple and their family have grown a local treasure in the Southwest Valley. Contact them  via email: happyamadios@yahoo.com or visit amadioranch.com

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Combining the perfect ingredients to create a made-from-scratch pie doesn’t require knowing the mathematical value of pi. But celebrating Pi Day on March 14 is the perfect equation for great-tasting dessert.

“We make a wide variety of pies from scratch,” says Eric Amadio, who owns and runs Amadio Ranch with his wife, Christina, and their young adult son and daughter. “If there’s a holiday called Pi Day, then it’s definitely an occasion to celebrate with pie.”

Amadio Ranch offers mouth-watering pies year-round including Apple, Peach, Cherry, Blueberry, Caramel Apple and Strawberry Rhubarb. For the holiday, the ovens will be baking some specialty pies, including Rhubarb, Very Berry, Buttermilk, Pecan, Bourbon Pecan, Buttermilk, Pumpkin, Chocolate Chess Pie and more. They have recently added a delicious Chicken Pot Pie to their lineup. 

Pi Day originated more than 30 years ago to pay tribute to pi, the infinite mathematical number that represents the ratio of the circumference of any circle to the diameter of that circle. (Pies are circles – another reason to eat pie on Pi Day!)

Physicist Larry Shaw started the celebration in 1988. He chose March 14 because the numerical date (3.14) represents the first three digits of pi. The date also happens to be Albert Einstein’s birthday.

Where and when to get your pies

Eric, Christina and everyone at Amadio Ranch are busily baking and getting pies ready in advance for the March pie date. Orders (which can be made online) will be delivered on or near March 14. Here’s the schedule for where to pick up your pre-ordered pie:

• Ahwatukee — 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 13 at 3930 E. Chandler Blvd.
• Uptown Farmers Market – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, March 14 at 5757 N. Central Ave.
• Gilbert – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 14, Made with Love Market, 388 N. Gilbert Road
• Chandler location – to be announced.
• Laveen – 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., 7 days a week, Amadio Ranch Farm Store, 4701 W. Dobbins Road

Christina said that all pies are made with simple ingredients such as flour, oil, milk and salt. Fillings include fruit with sugar, flour, lemon juice and wholesome spices.

Even if you can’t make it to the Laveen location, you can still get their fresh produce and pies around the Valley. The Amadios bring the ranch to you with their mobile farm trucks at several area farmers’ markets in Phoenix, Tempe and Ahwatukee.

Find them every Friday in Ahwatukee from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in front of the Century 21 offices at 3930 E. Chandler Blvd, Phoenix; Saturdays at Uptown Farmers Market, 5757 N. Central Ave. from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.; and in Gilbert – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Made with Love Market, 388 N. Gilbert Road; or every Sunday at the 6th Street Market in Tempe from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Established nearly a decade ago, the ranch is a heritage farming venture, employing a traditional, small-family farm approach, emphasizing sustainability and all-natural farming techniques.

The farm produces heirloom vegetables, including vine ripe tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, non-GMO sweet corn, carrots, beets, gourmet onions and garlic.

There are also apricots, apples, pears, plums, figs, grapes, and peaches, of course. Enough produce, in fact, to supply nearly 80 percent of the family’s needs and offer true farm-fresh produce at the family farm stand.

ABOUT AMADIO RANCH

Amadio Ranch is owned by Eric and Christina Amadio in Laveen, AZ. The family has rural roots in the Midwest, but are now firmly planted in Arizona. With a deep love of the farming life, the couple and their family have grown a local treasure in the Southwest Valley. Learn more at amadioranch.com

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LAVEEN, Ariz. – If you’re craving a taste of down-home comfort food, make a stop by Charlie Mae’s Soul Food in Laveen Village.

 The restaurant at the southeast corner of Southern and 51^st avenues officially opened on Aug. 27 with the intention of delivering the joy of a home-cooked meal without all the hassle of actually having to cook it. And the taste? Just like Grandma used to make.

 “I named the restaurant after my late grandmother, Charlie Mae,” said co-founder Marcus Moody. “She was a real inspiration to me and on of the best cooks.”

One of eight children, Charlie Mae grew up on a farm in Boswell, Okla. While her siblings helped run the farm, Charlie Mae spent her time in the kitchen cooking food to feed the family, and making sure it tasted good, too. Even as her health made it impossible for her to remain standing in front of a stove, she’d sit in the corner reminding everyone that “a good cook is a clean cook, and that’s good clean eating.”

 Moody and his fiancéco-founder Brittany Doheny partnered with Chef LaTonya Weaver to create a menu combining Charlie Mae’s influence and that of Weaver’s native Mississippi. Specialties include fried chicken, smoked pork chops, catfish ribs, meatloaf shrimp, collard greens, yams, black-eyed peas, fried cabbage, fried okra, desserts, macaroni and cheese for the little ones (and big ones, too) and much more.

 Weaver has degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, as well as 15 years of experience in a variety of successful restaurants. She says her specialty is Southern Cuisine and all food that feeds the soul.

 Moody, now an Avondale resident but formerly from Laveen, has been in the restaurant business for over 25 years and marketing manager for a National Brand for many years, and currently owns and operates Smoothie Run. Charlie Mae’s is adjacent to the familiar Laveen café.

 ABOUT CHARLIE MAE’S SOUL FOOD

Specializing in southern dishes and soul food, Charlie Mae’s is located at 6116 S. 51^st Ave., #204, Laveen, Ariz., 85339.Headed by Executive Chef LaTonya, Charlie Mae’s brings home to you with food to feed the soul. Learn more at www.charliemaesoulfood.com, or contact us at (602) 675-0865 by phone or email at info@charliemaesoulfood.com.

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Press Release from the Arizona Department of Transportation

PHOENIX – The Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway continues taking shape with the installation of bridge girders, together weighing more than two Boeing 747 jets, at the future interchange with 17th Avenue in the Ahwatukee Foothills.

The girders are the first placed for the Arizona Department of Transportation’s South Mountain Freeway project, which will require a total of nearly 1,100 girders on 40 bridge structures throughout the 22-mile-long corridor.

During three overnight closures for the work completed this weekend at 17th Avenue, two 450-ton cranes lifted and placed each of the 17 steel-reinforced concrete girders, which are 145 feet long and weigh up to 131,000 pounds. Each girder took about an hour to hoist and place.

Crews will return in August to pour concrete to form the bridge deck.

With girder placement complete at the 17th Avenue interchange, crews are set to place 16 girders this week at the 40th Street overpass, also in the Pecos corridor.

Overnight closures of 40th Street between Briarwood Terrace and Pecos Road are needed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday-Wednesday, July 10-12, to place bridge girders for the 40th Street interchange.

The South Mountain Freeway, which is scheduled to open in late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, it will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system.

You can stay informed about the South Mountain Freeway project and sign up for updates and weekly traffic alerts at SouthMountainFreeway.com.

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PHOENIX – Much-needed traffic relief is in store for motorists in Laveen and the southwest Valley when the Arizona Department of Transportation completes Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway bridges over the Salt River at 59th Avenue.

 In February, Connect 202 Partners, the developer responsible for construction of the South Mountain Freeway, started work in the Laveen area on foundations for northbound and southbound spans that will open with the freeway by late 2019.

 The Salt River bridges are two of 40 planned for the South Mountain Freeway, and they are by far the longest on the project at approximately 2,700 feet, or about a half-mile long. More importantly, the bridges will provide another all-weather link to and from Laveen when the Salt River flows while also reducing congestion at current crossings.

 “Building another grade-separated crossing over the Salt River has been a critical transportation need in the growing Laveen area,” said Adam Brahm, the ADOT resident engineer who oversees construction from Lower Buckeye Road to 51st Avenue. “When nearby low-flow crossings over the Salt River have become impassable, it’s often created significant traffic delays in the area. The new Salt River bridges will make it easier for Laveen motorists to get where they need to go.”

 The city of Phoenix’s 51st Avenue bridge is already heavily traveled and is the lone all-weather crossing over the Salt River between 35th Avenue and Avondale Boulevard, which is approximately 10 miles west of 35th Avenue. When low-flow crossings at 67th and 91st avenues are unavailable, the 51st Avenue bridge is the only available crossing in the area. 

 This occurred earlier this year when the Salt River Project released excess water from its two reservoirs due to heavy rain and early snowpack melting.

 Progress on the bridge foundations along the Salt River has been swift. Large drill rigs have bored holes up to 100 feet deep and towering cranes have lifted steel bar cages weighing more than 14,000 pounds that will create bridge piers.

 The remaining work will occur after ADOT receives permit approval from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees construction in designated waterways.

 The South Mountain Freeway will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix as it runs east and west along Pecos Road and then north and south between 55th and 63rd avenues, connecting with I-10 on each end.

 Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

 For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

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Information provided by the Arizona Department of Transportation

Friday, May 12, 8 p.m. to Saturday, May 13, 5 a.m.

• I-10 westbound narrowed to three lanes between 67th and 79th avenues

Friday, May 12, 10 p.m. to Monday, May 15, 5 a.m.

• 59th Avenue eastbound I-10 on-ramp closed

Sunday, May 14 to Thursday, May 18, 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• I-10 eastbound and westbound narrowed to three lanes between 43rd and 75th avenues

Monday, May 15 to Wednesday, May 17, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• 67th Avenue northbound and southbound lane restrictions between Van Buren Street and I-10 (Papago Freeway)

Monday, May 15 to Friday, May 19, 8:30 a.m. to 5 a.m.

• Lower Buckeye Road eastbound and westbound lane restrictions at 59th Avenue
• Buckeye Road eastbound and westbound lane restrictions at 59th Avenue

Monday, May 15 to Friday, May 19, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• I-10 eastbound and westbound shoulder closures between 43rd and 75th avenues

Wednesday, May 17 to Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. 

• 51st Avenue northbound and southbound lane restrictions between Van Buren Street and I-10 (Papago Freeway)

Tuesday, May 16 to Wednesday, May 17, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Broadway Road eastbound and westbound lane restrictions at 60th Drive

Sunday, May 14, to Thursday, May 18, 7 p.m. to 5 a.m.

• Pecos Road eastbound and westbound truck traffic between Interstate 10/ Loop 202 (Santan Freeway) interchange and 40th and 32nd streets

Monday, May 15, to Friday, May 19, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Pecos Road eastbound and westbound lane restrictions between 24th Street and 17th Avenue

Monday, May 15, to Friday, May 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• 40th Street northbound and southbound lane restrictions at Pecos Road – watch for flaggers

Thursday, May 18, to Friday, May 19, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Pecos Road eastbound lane restrictions between 40th and 24th streets

 Dates and durations of closures and restrictions are subject to change due to inclement weather. 

Drivers should proceed through the work zones with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or other factors. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

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Arizona Department of Transportation

PHOENIX – A stretch of northbound 59th Avenue approaching Interstate 10 will be closed for several days starting Wednesday, May 3, for the relocation of a city of Phoenix sewer line. The work is part of the Arizona Department of Transportation’s project to build the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway.

Northbound 59th Avenue will be closed between Roosevelt Street and I-10 (Papago Freeway) from 5:30 a.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Monday, May 8.

 Motorists should consider 51st or 67th avenues and Van Buren Street as alternate routes while northbound 59th Avenue is closed.

 Connect 202 Partners, the developer responsible for building the South Mountain Freeway, will relocate the 27-inch sewer line stretching the length of nearly six football fields. Crews will first remove the asphalt along the northbound lanes before digging a new 20- to 25-foot-deep trench and installing the pipe in segments.

 Daily work hours will be 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 The 22-mile South Mountain Freeway, expected to open by late 2019, will provide a long-planned direct link between the East Valley and West Valley and a much-needed alternative to Interstate 10 through downtown Phoenix. Approved by Maricopa County voters in 1985 and again in 2004 as part of a comprehensive regional transportation plan, the South Mountain Freeway will complete the Loop 202 and Loop 101 freeway system in the Valley.

 For more information, visit SouthMountainFreeway.com.

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Animal-Helping Sisters to Attend Phoenix Pet Expo

Sisters and equine/pet Instructors, Teri Ann Tate of Comfy Pets of AZ and Tami Blake of The Enlightened Horse, will have a group of booths at the Eighth Annual Phoenix Pet Expo at WestWorld of Scottsdale from 3-8 p.m. Friday, April 14(and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 15.

Comfy Pets of AZ offers Equine & Pet Health and First Aid Training Clinics and The Enlightened Horse offers Light Therapy on dogs, cats, and horses.

Both businesses are based in Laveen while serving clients throughout the Southwest.

This year, Blake has started teaching a two-day course on “Introduction to Equine Light Therapy.” Bring your pets to the Comfy Pets of AZ side of their booths for a free Snout-2-Tail health assessment from Tate, a certified instructor in first aid for pets and horses.

Free water for pets also will be available at the booths.

Next, visit with Blake on The Enlightened Horse side and receive free light therapy for pets, or their owners. Blake is certified to treat both animals and humans using infrared light therapy.

The Phoenix Pet Expo is a fun family event with dozens of vendors and pets available for adoption.

For more information, call Tate at 602- 579-1437 or Blake at 602-790-9404. For information about the expo, visit www. phoenixpetexpo.com

Development Updates for South Phoenix and Laveen

Developer Michael Moreines with DPR Realty said the projects at Estrella Mountain Village shopping center, on the southwest corner of 51st Avenue and Baseline Road, are nearing completion.

Dairy Queen opened March 9 while construction continues on Peter Piper Pizza, which is expected to open in early May. KFC is also slated to be opening with in the next month, Moreines said.

Smoothie Run Expands with Location in Gilbert

Laveen-based Smoothie Run Internet Café opened a second location in March at 1633 S. Higley Road in Gilbert. Owner Marcus Moody said he is excited about adding an East Valley location for the café, which features smoothies and salads. “It’s an exciting to be expanding and to be able to bring our smoothies to the east side.”

The Gilbert location is slightly different from the original site at 51st Avenue and Southern in Laveen. The Gilbert menu focuses on sandwiches, salads, and pizzas, as well about 20 flavors of smoothies. The original Smoothie Run opened in December 2015 and has been a visible corporate citizen in Laveen.

Moody said he opened in Laveen due to the few healthy eating options available. “We wanted to provide a healthier option to fast-food chains,” he said. Smoothie Run also has collaborated with several Laveen schools and youth groups in fund-raising efforts. “Giving back is an important part of being a local business,” Moody said.

He plans to develop those same relationships with schools near the new Gilbert restaurant.

Both locations also deliver via UberEats. Visit www.smoothierun.com for more information.

City Approves South Mountain Park Trails Plan

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department approved the South Mountain Parks Trails Master Plan in March after what city officials called significant public input.

Implementation of the trails master plan will be a multi-year effort.

As the city moves forward with the Trails Master Plan, staff will continue to work with the community for additional input. Trail alignment evaluation will be an on-going effort targeting trail safety,sustainability, and maintainability objectives.

To view the full report, visit https://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails

Childcare Celebrates 5th Anniversary in Laveen

Kinder’s Paradise Childcare and Preschool is celebrating its fifth year in Laveen. The home-based business provides services for up to 10 infants ages infant to 5 years old.

“We offer individualized attention in a safe, warm, clean, and caring environment where we help children with emotional, social, physical and intellectual development,” according to owner Lorena Liliana Viseur.

Kinder’s Paradise offers bilingual care and is DHS certified at 7822 S. 64th Lane in Laveen.

For more information, email lmviseur@gmail.com or call 623-698-3395.

The company also has a Facebook page, Kinder’s Paradise.

Scooptacular Celebrates 7th Anniversary in Laveen

During a seventh-anniversary celebration on May 4, Scooptacular will be offering 70-cent ice cream scoops from noon to 8 p.m.

Phoenix police and firefighters, as well as Vice Mayor Kate Gallego, are expected to take part in the festivities, and Laveen’s double-decker red bus will be on site.

Owners Nindi and Carissa Wadhwa opened the ice cream shop in 2010 when Laveen lacked restaurants, particularly family-friendly destinations. It was the height of the recession caused by the collapse of the local and national housing market, and not everyone was convinced of their business-making decision.

“Our friends thought we were crazy to leave a stable job and open a business,” Nindi Wadhwa said. “We just knew Laveen needed something positive.”

He said Scooptacular’s ongoing fundraising partnership with local schools aligns with their original mission statement: “To be a beacon of hope to the community of Laveen.”

“This last year we were able to give back over $12,000 to our local schools as well as provide incentives and ice cream to the students,” he said. “Education is the cornerstone of our future and we want to see all of our Laveen kids succeed.”

n recent months, Scooptacular has made a few updates, including digital menus, delivery service through UberEats, and a refresh to the interior. “We serve premium hand crafted ice cream and want our store to reflect that,” Wadhwa said.

Scooptacular makes its ice cream in Laveen, using ingredients from all over the world to create unique flavors.

Nindi credits the company’s employees as being another ingredient to Scooptacular’s ongoing success.

“They are like an extension of our family,” he said. In March, Jocelyn who was Scooptacular’s very first Scoopie and manager Kalani got engaged. “We are so excited for them as they take the next step in their relationship. They are both just awesome people and awesome Scoopies,” Wadhwa said.

Visit www.scooptacular.net for more information.

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South Phoenix native Jose Zacarias Jr. opened his South Mountain Café in July 2016, and in the months since the eclectic menu debuted under the guidance of his father, Executive Chef Jose Zacaraias Sr., fans from South Phoenix and Laveen have been telling others about what they consider a local treasure.

Taking to social media to boast about the home-grown success story, more than 100 reviewers rated South Mountain Café as a favorite, giving it a 4.5 star ranking on YELP with more than 50 reviews and a 4.9-star rating on its Facebook page with more than 70 reviews.

“We really we strive to give our guests the best eating experience in South Phoenix,” Jose Sr. said. “From an actual plate and silverware to follow up on satisfaction of the meal you are eating. We will make you feel like family and ensure that you are happy and leave happy.”

This month (April) the restaurant is expanding its reach by collaborating with UberEats. Residents Valleywide will be able to order Mexican, American, and French dishes from South Mountain Café and have them delivered to their door by the ubiquitous UberEats, which parent company Uber launched in March 2016.

The father and son team chose South Phoenix for their restaurant because it’s home, both men grew up there. “I was prepared to take a gamble, really, and I was wanting to do more than just a job, to do something that could better the community I grew up in,” Jose Jr. said of launching the business at age 21.

Their goal: to provide a fine-dining experience at a reasonable cost. “Both my son and I have been raised and grew up in South Phoenix and there really are only fast food options in the area. We strive to bring a unique customer experience focusing on made-to-order food along with superior customer service.”

Residents in South Phoenix and Laveen brag frequently about South Mountain Café on social media, giving the restaurant on Central Avenue just north of Southern a groundswell of local support. Most all the reviews start out with the caveat to not measure the quality of the food by the rather dreary exterior of a previously vacant fast-food location.

Jose Sr. described the list of improvements made to the site’s infrastructure as “endless.” The family has overhauled the electrical for the restaurant, upgraded sewage lines and more to ensure the property could meet city and county health inspection standards. “Cosmetically it doesn’t show, but there was a lot of money put into the innards of the property,” Jose Sr. said.

Recently, the exterior got a little pizazz through the assistance of artist Lalo Cota and students from Phoenix Collegiate Academy high school and Maxine O. Bush Elementary School who painted a mural along the outside of the café’s patio walls in February.

The Zacarias say they will continue to improve the aesthetics as the business grows. But inside the kitchen, South Mountain Café needs little improvement. Jose Sr. worked many years in the kitchens of restaurants serving French, Asian, Hawaiian, Irish, Mediterranean, and American foods. He draws on those influences, as well as his Hispanic heritage, to create the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus that feature Mexican, American, and French favorites, from French toast on the breakfast menu, to salads and Croque Monseiurs for lunch, to a variety of burros and steak quesadillas for dinner.

“A little of everything learned along the way has been applied to what we do now,” he said. “From growing up watching my mom to my experience working long hours and double shifts in kitchens around the Valley.”

South Mountain Café also is a family affair, with all but one staffer being related to Jose Jr. Working together can be a challenge, Jose Sr. said, noting that finding a working rhythm has been one of their tests as a family. “The challenge of everyone finding out how to best contribute to the family business.

“It’s an ongoing challenge as we all find what who is best at doing what, and doing that on a consistent basis.”

Visit the café at 5630 S. Central Ave., Phoenix, 85040. Visit www.southmountaincafe.com to see restaurant hours and menu, or call 602-495-1614 for more information.

This article first appeared in the April 7 print edition of the South Mountain District News.

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