Before moving to DC this summer, I lived in Phoenix for four years. An east-coaster by birth, it was a challenge for me to acclimate to 110 degree heat, scorpion encounters and Christmas lights on cacti – but I loved the the expansive sky and the t-shirt winters. Although I now reside in DC, I'm still connected to Phoenix through the incredible people I was lucky to become friends with. Two of these are Megan and Leah, who I'm so happy to have spent most of Sunday with on a recent whirlwind weekend visit to Arizona.
Megan has been dying to take me to Liberty Market in Gilbert, which she raved about in her own blog . It was no surprise, since Megan and I have similar taste, that I fell in love with this place. Although I doubt few could resist its charms – there's just so much to love! The decor is thoughtfully clean and modern, there is plentiful indoor and outdoor seating, wifi, very friendly staff (Megan tells me enthusiastically that they tweet throughout the day... and respond to customer tweets), a tasty menu full of savory and sweet dishes, a full espresso bar and craft beer and wine. [swoon... and sigh]
Megan ordered a Pear Scone with real whip cream and coffee. Leah and I split a Farmer Sandwich, Roasted Sweet Potato Salad and Caprese Pasta Salad. To drink, I got a Ca Phe (hehe), Vietnamese iced coffee, it's espresso and sweetened condensed milk. It was fun to try but I'm not a fan - it's so sweet and strong that I could only tolerate it in small sips.
The standout for me was the Farmer Sandwich. It's challenging to make a vegetarian sandwich with satisfying depth of flavor. Liberty Market smartly combines zucchini, yellow squash, portobello, fresh herbs, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and grilled sweet potato. The vegetables are layered in even slices so that the flavors meld proportionately in each bite and the goat cheese is spread just right to coat the entire face of each slice of grilled bread. I'm salivating just by the memory of it. Our sides were also seconds-worthy. The autumnal sweet potato salad has a hint of curry and perhaps garlic, with pecans and dried cranberries. The Caprese Salad is a classic - Cellentani pasta shapes, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella and a light vinaigrette. We all tried Megan's Pear Scone. It was very yummy... with a tasteful dose of cinnamon. The next time I'm there I'll try more of their baked goods.
After our meal, upon Megan's insistence, we toured the bathrooms. The sink area is unisex and the stalls are in individual rooms, each creatively decorated. One is a "music box", periwinkle blue tile, modern-glam chandelier, and music that plays when you shut the door. One is a Vespa ride through an Italian mountainside village. Another stall is filled, very generously, with the restaurant's recipes in black sharpie on the walls.
Liberty Market definitely delivered on all Megan promised - good food, good atmosphere, good people. The place just radiates positive vibes and loving attention to the details that matter. I'm getting an itch to book another flight to Arizona just for a second visit – I'll try more of the menu and linger even longer to savor the good conversation that good food inspires.