Juheun: A Local's Guide to Phoenix
Welcome to Phoenix, Arizona my friends! My name is Juheun, I’m an artist for Octopus Recordings and I specialize in Techno and underground music. With Covid-19 restrictions lifting I’m finally getting the chance to return to some of my favorite restaurants, so I’ll be taking you on a little tour around town. I wanted to share some of my top places to eat and hang out here in the valley outside of the usual taco spots.
Hodori Korean Restaurant – (1116 S. Dobson Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202)
I’m quite the foodie, so I’m gonna take you to a few different places I love to eat at, starting with of course my favorite Korean Restaurant called Hodori located in Mesa, Arizona. I’ve been coming here ever since I moved to Arizona over 15 years ago. Born and raised Korean, it’s the closest thing to moms cooking. Every time I go there I ask for the Kimchi stew and the Bbq ribs (Galbi). Here’s a tip, be sure to ask for extra rice cakes in the stew, you will thank me later.
Merci French Bistro and Patisserie – (7620 E. Indian School Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85251)
One of my favorite things to have in the morning is a nice fresh warmed-up croissant. It’s not easy to find such a delicate item here in the desert, but I think Merci Cafe is a safe bet when it comes to these tasty fluffy and crispy treats. They make and bake them fresh every morning and they have been voted best croissant by the Phoenix New Times. Besides the croissants, my favorite item on the breakfast menu is their crab eggs benedict. Man, my mouth is watering just talking about this thing right now. If you’re a true eggs bene kinda person, then you know it’s not the easiest to come across good bene too often. So far everything I’ve tried there has been off the wall good! The restaurant also has some really dope vibes, the chef/owner was once a fashion photographer for Vogue in Paris and has all of his work hanging from the walls including one with Yoko Ono.
Pho 32 – (3170 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85016)
One of my other favorite weekly must-haves is a good bowl of Pho. There’s loads of great spots all over town but my go-to has been Pho 32 in the Arcadia district. Nothing fancy here, just a modern and hip little spot where the Beef pho is always on point. I always get the crispy fried egg rolls with my Pho but once in a while I’ll switch it up and get the Bbq Pork with Vermicelli noodles with some fresh spring rolls. It’s perfect after a night out or when you’re nursing a hangover.
Provision Coffee (4501 N. 32nd St. Phoenix, AZ 85018)
If you’ve been keeping up with me, then you know I have two vices. One, that’s of the green plant variety that you can smoke, and the other is coffee. I gotta have my daily vanilla latte to feel like a human each day. I’ve even got what most would consider an espresso machine worthy of a coffee shop in my kitchen that pumps out at least 1-2 lattes per day. When I’m not at home making a latte, you can find me at Provision Coffee, also located in the Arcadia area. Just like Pho, there’s a lot of different places to get good coffee all over town. However, when it comes to a latte, being that I have my own machine, I’m a bit of a latte snob, lol. It’s great if you can pump out a quality shot, but can you do it over and over again consistently? Most places can’t hang like that and it’s always a bit of a gamble, but I find that Provision has the highest ratio of successful pulls compared to other places in town. The vibe and atmosphere are really awesome, and they even have a small bar that has local brews on tap and unique cocktails. During the fall and winter months when the weather is nice and it’s not over 110 degrees (F), they have a great outdoor patio seating area where you can enjoy your latte and listen to music on your laptop while checking emails and hanging out.
Zinc Bistro – (15034 N. Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale, AZ 85254)
It’s been tough to have to pick my final spot out of all the great places to eat here in the valley, but if someone asked me what my last meal on earth would be, I would have to say the Duck Confit Sandwich at Zinc Bistro. When I tell you that this thing is to die for, I would jump in front of a speeding bullet for this thing. I literally crave this thing If I don’t get it at least once a month, lol. Outside of this epic sandwich, you also have to get the truffle frites. These are probably the second-best thing on the menu next to the duck sandwich. Oh, by the way, the Duck sandwich is only available for lunch, so be sure to get there before 2 pm.
Well guys, I hope you get the chance to visit this wonderful state and city one day! It’s been a pleasure sharing some of my favorite places to eat. However, there are loads of other great places to eat at, follow my Instagram where I’m always posting loads of food porn for everyone. Thanks for having me!
