93457 Mon Jun 29 02:41:28 -0700 1998 4 6 Southwest 0 512943 "I just join her occasionally when she's staying at the Biltmore and other nice hotels to hang around the pool and help with the expense account." -- LOL !!!! You sure know how to enjoy yourself. Anyway, I discovered Hapa when I was out there in March. It's owned by a very nice young husband and wife team, James & Stacey McDevitt. Stacey's the pastry chef. James is part Japanese and Hawaian -- which inspired the name Hapa (means "half" in Hawaian) Hapa serves some of the best Asian fusion food I know in Phoenix. No surprise 'cos James used to be the sous chef of RoxSand's (one of my faves in Phoenix). I was bowled over by his skillet roasted mussels in a heady Thai red curry broth, and I also liked the caramelized Chinese mustard beef tenderloin. Hapa's at 6204 N. Scottsdale Rd. (602) 998-8220 Call for directions. It's a little hard to find . But if you know how to get to Rancho Pinot Grill (Hapa's financed by R.P. Grill), it's only a few doors away. Mon Jun 29 02:41:28 -0700 1998 0 Gary Cheong 1 512944 Slightly off-topic, but: Do you really like RoxSand? I ate there a couple of weeks ago, and was utterly appalled: the ethnic mixing is so extreme and so ungrounded in anything that the food comes across as a hodgepodge. Nothing we tried, from the soggy b'stilla to the oil-laden piri piri, the soggy Cantonese air-dried duck to the weirdly spiced Thai pasta, was even modestly competent-- the bad cooking of all nations. I did, however, have astonishing Italian food at a downtown place called something like Pizza Bianco--properly blistered crust, homemade mozzarella, world-class antipasto plate--which was almost a mini Cafe at Chez Panisse in the desert. Mon Jun 29 03:21:12 -0700 1998 512943 0 jonathan gold 2 512945 Yes, I do like RoxSand's when I ate there 3 months ago. I guess I'm more tolerant of the hodgepodge than you are. But I know what you are talking about -- when fusion food is not done right (which is very often the case), the results can be downright appalling. Pizza Bianco is terrific ! I'm glad you found it. I think the guy came from the Bronx (not quite sure, so don't take my word for it). Mon Jun 29 16:37:41 -0700 1998 512944 0 Gary Cheong 3 512946 Wow, my name in bold letters on the chowhound site! Now that's a real honor indeed! Thanks for catching my attention Gary. I'll add Hapa to the PHX list along with Pizza Bianco (I love those white mounds of homemade mozzarella on a pizza). I have to agree with Jonothan on Roxsand's though. I was there 3 yrs ago and the meal had no real winners. James must of been out that day. Janet Mon Jun 29 19:13:05 -0700 1998 512945 0 Janet Traub 4 513424 Are you the janet traub who used to be an engineer at pratt & whitney in hartford? if so please call me at(860)2439807.or email me at the address above. Sun Dec 17 20:25:54 -0800 2000 512946 0 john daly