The flagship for Bomberos restaurant is a bright red 1974 Vespa. This is moved around the restaurant into different locations. Kind of like a moving, kinetic sculpture in the environment. We have been at the restaurant when a group of old 60s and 70s Vespas have turned up to it. They are surprisingly noisy for their size. More on Bomberos

We went to a new tapas place in Old Town Scottsdale; Iruna. One of the problems with tapas is that they are small dishes and they leave you starving initially until you over order, and then after they are all out you are stuffed. The other downside of the tapas style is that the cost stacks up quickly. Ten dollars for a plate of four chicken meatballs, sixteen for three lamb cutlets, etc; throw in some grog and it becomes $75 a head. In comparison AZ88 and Postinos are closer to $20 a head.

I am not sure Iruna competes with the other expensive restaurants in Phoenix and Scottsdale either. Probably the best of those style of restaurants is Roka Akor or even Tuckshop. Both of which have better food and more ambiance. Then again, Iruna is new, and yet to find its place in Old Town Scottsdale. It seemed to be well patronized with a younger, hipsterish crowd, so it may do well.

It is a nice restaurant and well worth the look. But I don't think it goes into the rotation, or even the wider rotation. Consequently it doesn't make the Phoenix Eats Out list.

Kierland Commons has a few good restaurants in it including Greene. My favorite of them is North. This is a bar and restaurant off the side of Greene. Whereas Greene has heavy butter rich food North is more limited in menu and lighter in diet. Their food isn't great, but in comparison to the other restaurants at Kierland, they are the lightest eating of the restaurants.

The main benefit of North is their wonderful patio with the deep comfy couches and ample shade from umbrellas. It is really relaxing to have a drink and bite to eat on the patio and watch kids running through the water features and shoppers tramp back and forth across the square between BCBG and Barnes and Noble.

I don't think North makes it to Phoenix Eats Out - as Culinary Dropout didn't - but it is well worth a look on a weekend if up at Kierland.

We went to the new Culinary Dropout restaurant st Scottsdale Fashion Square that replaced the old Pink Taco. As one of the folks we were with that night said, Culinary Delight probably had more people in it on a Friday night than Pink Taco ever had.

Since it is a new, and Scottsdale loves stuff that is new, it was packed and had a bit of a scene. It may die down after a while when something new opens up, but for now it was crowded and noisy. It had a good atmosphere but that does come with a lot of noise. They had a band playing as well.

The outdoor patio and bar is nice, probably the best part of the restaurant, though the patio area is small and can be cramped when there is a crowd. The food wasn't that great, it was good, but not great. Culinary Dropout is a good alternative for a change, but not one to put into the core rotation like Postino, AZ88, Grazie, or Humble Pie, etc. For more reviews of Phoenix Restaurants, visit Phoenix Eats Out.

The Vig on 40th has become popular enough, such that, like Postino, they have opened an Uptown location.

The Vig Uptown is a similar modernists tavern style to the Vig on 40th. It doesn't have the same outdoor patio area that the Vig on 40th does though, so hanging out on warm summer afternoons might be better in the Arcadia location rather than at Uptown.

However, they have this very cool back room area that looks like an outdoor space. It isn't. The upper walls are unbroken glass which gives that impression. Plus you have to pass through glass doors to get to the space, presumably the it is opened up to the outside air at different times. It is very cool. The Vig Uptown has a nice feel to it. It is a very Phoenix hang out.

Nearly all the contemporary and modernist restaurants are reviewed on Phoenix Eats Out's Where to go in Phoenix guide.

We eat out a lot and tend to go to all the new restaurants that open up in Phoenix and Scottsdale. Between that and my photography I set up phoenixeatsout.com to record the photos and impressions of the local restaurants.

The best restaurant in Phoenix is Postino. There is one in Arcadia, and another in downtown. Awesome bruschetta and wine selection. The restaurant is very popular with women during happy hour.

Next best restaurant is AZ88. The crowd there moves from the greyhairs and snowbirds in early evening to a hipster and gay crowd as the night progresses. Very good food, there is revolving art on display and the ambiance is excellent. Great place to hang out.

Third would be Bomberos. It is up by Sunny Slope on Central and relatively new. It has excellent food and a really relaxing wine bar style environment. It is an enjoyable place to eat, drink and wind down.

There are plenty of other good ones though; Orange Table, Grazie, Fez, Tuckshop ...