Summer’s here and what could be more refreshing than a cold, fruity Sangria, crafted by hand in the Sam & Luca Rustic Kitchen with fresh summer fruit in your choice of either red or white wine.
New too is their house made Limoncello and a variety of signature Limoncello cocktails, such as a Limoncello Martini or Old-Fashioned.
Sam & Luca has also expanded their Happy Hour offerings to include Hand-Battered Fried Zucchini and Sautéed Mussels in a savory white wine sauce.
Happy Hour, Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.,
offers discounts on a variety of small plates, beers, wine, and several cocktails. In addition, the nightly Pizza Special includes a cheese or pepperoni pizza with a carafe of wine or the new Sangria for $20.
New at the eatery, but not new to the local restaurant scene, is General Manager Brent Parker. Owners Sam Arikat and Dennis Shaw chose Brent with his outgoing, sociable personality and extensive restaurant background to be the new hands-on face of the establishment.
“I’ll be here all the time,” said Brent. “I want to get to know our guests and remember their favorites.”
Brent, who has previously worked at local restaurants such as La Boca, San Tan Brewery, and Modern Margarita, said he started his career at age three helping his dad run the family’s small-town tavern.
“I worked there all through high school and got to know everything having to do with running a bar and restaurant. I just got into the habit of working, thanks to my dad. It comes naturally to me now and I still love to do it. I love interacting with the customers.”
Now that restrictions have eased, Brent has plans to promote Sam & Luca’s catering business. “Our Italian-style, house made dishes are perfect for group events. You can serve up large platters of hot delicious Lasagna with Chef Rosalio Tarin’s famous Bolognese Sauce, Lemon Chicken Piccata, or any entrées, appetizers, salads, or desserts from our menu.”
Sam & Luca Chef Rosalio Tarin has more than 30 years’ experience in Italian cuisine, creating at Tomaso’s in Phoenix and Tommy V’s in Scottsdale. He prides himself on every entrée being made from scratch. He is also known in the business for his Bolognese Sauce and rightly so.
“We also have a comfortable private dining room that will seat around 20, that can be reserved for private parties, meetings, wedding receptions, or any occasion. In fact, we could possibly even reserve the entire 60 to 70-seat restaurant on a Sunday when we are normally closed,” Brent suggested.
Sam & Luca has a small outdoor dining patio with a garage-door style walk-up bar that will remain open until the weather gets too hot. The restaurant still offers takeout and curbside pickup.
If you are looking for a great tasting family takeout meal, Sam & Luca has several combo dinners that can serve four to six. A choice of Pasta and Meatballs, Lasagna, or Chicken Parmesan all comes with Caesar Salad and Fresh-Baked Bread.
“Our staff has been working extra hard these last months with all the takeout orders, so we are all taking off on vacation at the same time from June 27 through July 11, so don’t panic if you see we are closed. We will be back!”
Brent welcomes summer residents to come in and give them a try. “We’ll be having some Summer Specials nightly. I’m looking forward to meeting you,” he said.
Sam & Luca Rustic Kitchen is located at 1959 S. Power Road. Check out their menus at samandlucaaz.com. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 3 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 3 to 10 p.m. For information or reservations, call (480) 659-6716.