Page 44 – North Central News, September 2012
Maryland Deli & Liquor Breakfast, lunch and dinner served all day Party subs and platters available
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$
7.99
PH ILLY CH EESE STEAK
I TALIAN SAN DWI CH
+
FOOD FOR THOUGHT tax
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citrus vanilla raspberry green apple
750 ml
Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mon-Sat and 6 a.m to 9 p.m. Sun Gas pumps open all day
6502 N. 7th Street (NW Corner 7th St. & Maryland)
602-277-6269 • 602-277-1460 (fax) www.shelldeli.com
Heinrich Stasiuk, co-owner of Timo Wood Oven Wine Bar, greets “business lunch” diners, clockwise from bottom left: Kelsey Vescova and Guy Collison from the Arizona Humane Society; Melinda Gulick from DMB Associates; and Brad Keisling and Jennifer Bonnett from PetSmart (photo by Teri Carnicelli).
Café Chat Upscale food in a neighborhood setting By Teri Carnicelli Heinrich Stasiuk looks around the elegant interior of his Sunnyslope wine bar and restaurant and smiles. Timo Wood Oven Wine Bar will celebrate its first anniversary on Oct. 6, and after a rough summer of sparse diners, making it through the first year—and to an expected much better fall business season—is enough to keep its co-owner upbeat, even when business has been somewhat down. Timo is unique in the community in that all of its hot menu items, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, are cooked in a wood-fired oven. Eggs are cooked, onions are sautéed and eggplants are roasted whole in this custom-built oven that can reach temperatures up to 800 degrees. Combine this unique cooking method with ingredients that are locally sourced whenever possible and often organic, and you get a sophisticated and flavorful menu with prices that are surprisingly affordable. Stasiuk says he wants the neighborhood to feel welcome with great food and comfortable seating and not be put off by high downtown eatery prices. So why the recent struggle? It may have less to do with the slow economy and more to do with the outdoor tem-
peratures. At Timo, half of the potential dining space is outdoors on a large patio, complete with firepit, couches and tables with pleasingly comfortable chairs. But even an aggressive misting system can’t counter the burn from temperatures in the triple digits. Which means that when the interior space is filled up, impatient diners might decide to try their luck elsewhere. But Stasiuk is confident that when the temperatures drop, the great food, great prices and great patio space will bring those diners back. Despite the summer slump, Stasiuk says that Timo already has its share of “regulars.” “They know my family and I know theirs,” he says. “They like to support local businesses and they are glad that we are here.” Customers also aren’t shy about giving feedback. For example, Timo’s happy hour used to end at 5:30 p.m. After several customers commented that they felt it was too early, happy hour was extended to 6 p.m., seven days a week. Customers also wanted to see a separate lunch menu with more salad and sandwich options, versus one “shared” menu for lunch and dinner. Once again, Stasiuk answered the call and recently introduced a lunch-only menu that’s already getting a lot of positive feedback. Not only are there some tempting new items—like the 10-inch flatbread