I rarely go over the top but this is one heck of a place. Once I got used to the small plate/light fare idea, I settled in for well-prepared foods (very fresh ingredients, good variety of textures and taste). I was knocked off my seat when Nicole Pesce started playing the piano (Steinway, natch). I stumbled across the cafe since it was near my hotel--hadn't heard anything about it. I was told that she's fairly new to the piano (I'd never have guessed) and she is good. Very good. She seemed to go into her own world for about 15 minutes, playing up a storm of classical/jazz/show tune/pop hits that flowed easily into each other. At one point, I recognized a couple of the Schubert improvizations. Thoroughly enjoyable, and what a memory to keep of Phoenix. And I didn't even mention the very competent bar. My kind of martini.
Pros: Jazz pianist (no, she does not sing)
Cons: Gets crowded but worth any wait
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