When Sam Fox opens a new restaurant, you know it’s going to be good. Fox Restaurant Concepts is a name synonymous with quality, consistency, and delicious food. The latest restaurant to join the FRC family is Doughbird. The menu was created by Sam Fox and Chef Clint Woods and combines two styles of cuisine – pizza and rotisserie. While they may not seem like an obvious match, the menu delivers on both with flying colors. We were invited to their soft opening to try out the menu and we are so glad we did!
The Drinks at Doughbird
We are cocktail lovers, so we had to try out Doughbird’s cocktail program. If you aren’t a cocktail drinker, there is a good selection of beer and wine. We tried:
- Afternoon Tea– peach-infused rock sake, green mango tea, Aperol, clover honey
- Bourbon & Bells– Buffalo Trace bourbon, smashed bell pepper, clover honey, Ancho Reyes Verde, lemon
Both cocktails feature complex flavors but not overly so. They also felt really thought through. FRC restaurants typically have good cocktails but Doughbird’s cocktail program really excels past the other restaurants in the Fox restaurant line-up.
The Food at Doughbird
To get a good feel for the menu we tried a variety of items. We started with the Buffalo Chicken Wings. The chicken wings at Doughbird completely upstaged everything else we tried (and everything was really outstanding, so this says a lot). The wings are not your typical buffalo wing. Yes, there is heat and yes, there is a vinegar note, but it isn’t the same. The wings have a sweetness and complexity to them that is very welcome. The use of pickled vegetables instead of the typical carrot and celery stick is different than what one might expect but is also a nice change. For you ranch lovers (we don’t judge, we love it too), the dressing that comes with the wings is a delicious dill enhanced version. We had to stop ourselves from trying to eat it with a spoon.
For our entrees, we went with what Doughbird’s main offerings: pizza and rotisserie. We tried:
- Barbeque Beef Pizza (charred corn, red onion, jalapeño pesto, goat cheese, cilantro)- One of our favorite pizzas is Barbeque Chicken Pizza. So when we saw a beef version, we knew it would be love at first bite. Our intuition was correct and this pizza is to die for. The goat cheese and cilantro really balance the sweetness of the sauce and corn. Speaking of the corn, it gives the pizza a bit of added texture which we enjoyed.
- Rocky Free Range Chicken (we ordered with Umami Sauce and Perfect Potato Puree)- We love a good half chicken, so this was another must try. When ordering, you are offered a choice of sauce and side dish. We went with the Umami Sauce which was a nice balance of citrus and savory notes. We also ordered the Horseradish Creme Fraiche at the suggestion of our server to pair with our Perfect Potato Puree (which was a great call). The potato puree was as described, perfect. It had good flavor and without sounding repetitive, the perfect texture.
To wrap up our meal, we ordered The Elvis. This dessert is composed of peanut butter & chocolate parfait, banana, whipped cream, and bacon sandies. Be prepared, the dessert is delicious but very rich! It is best enjoyed with a cup of coffee. Richness aside, it is a really great way to wrap up a delicious meal like this one. Another warning, the bacon sandies are delicious, so lay your claim on them early.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the post, Fox Restaurant Concepts really knows what it is doing. Doughbird is just another example of why we love Sam Fox and what he does. We don’t get to frequently say that about chains, but perhaps that’s what makes FRC so special. Doughbird opens to the public on March 28th.
Doughbird is located at 4385 East Indian School Road Phoenix Arizona 85018
*The Geeks were given comped items to facilitate this write-up; Information about the menu items was provided to us, opinions are wholly our own. View our Disclosure Policy for more info.