From fine dining to fast food, Noca to Native New Yorker, everybody has their choice hangouts and preferred picks, including celebs.
Each week, we'll be asking Valley celebrities and notables to dish on their favorite places to dine.
Next up, Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan fills us in on the five restaurants in his power play.
This Arizona-based chain of breakfast and lunch eateries is popular with folks who like hearty breakfasts and a relaxed attitude. The menu abounds with some cringe-inducing puns, including "egg-straordinary" and "egg-ceptional," but the kitchen has the goods to make you forget the wordplay. Doan's favorite dish is "the Traditional with three eggs instead of two and English muffins." To wash it down, Doan says he and his kids are devotees of the hot chocolate with whipped cream and strawberry lemonade.
The Mastro's family of restaurants is well on its way to the Celeb Dish Hall of Fame, with Mastro's Steakhouse, Ocean Club and City Hall all grabbing top five spots on the lists of celebs including Dan Haren and Wayne Gretzky. A combination of prime cuts of beef, live entertainment and classic, upscale atmosphere helps Mastro's Steakhouse attract the heavy-hitters. Doan says his number one dish at Mastro's is the Kansas City Bone-in with sautéed mushrooms.
Sapporo has an eclectic blend of quality Pacific Rim cuisine, teppan meals, and sushi. It has chic décor and classy ambiance. It has an impressive specialty cocktail list. All in all, an ideal spot for a classy, grownup evening meal. Maybe, but it holds a different attraction for Doan. "Everywhere I go, it's always going to be about my family," he says. "My kids love the teppanyaki grill."
Maggiano's has made a name for itself by paying close attention to what it calls "The Maggiano's Way," a philosophy that includes cultivating a jovial and welcoming atmosphere, serving robust Italian dishes family style (just like the old neighborhood), and promoting great service with the presence of a maitre d'. The Italian eatery's kitchen is also authentic: everything is made from scratch. Doan says the profiteroles for dessert are reason enough to visit, but adds that "the gnocchi and the rigatoni are great."
