Rather than let that happen, though, it's worth shelling out some bucks for a delicious refresher on the virtues of Nobuo. It's become such a fixture of downtown dining that it's relatively easy to take for granted what it meant for downtown Phoenix to finally land its very own highly refined yet unassuming izakaya. The restaurant has been quietly operating out of a historic bungalow in Heritage Square for almost a decade. Unfortunately, it's easy enough to let Nobuo at Teeter House slip off your culinary radar. If you go, however, note that Zur Kate gets very busy on the weekends, and reservations are not accepted. There are also plenty of German beers, wines, and liqueurs to choose from. The Hausmacher bratwurst, Zur Kate's boldly flavored signature sausage, can be ordered on its own as a meal or added to your entrée for a small extra cost. Another good choice is the very tender and tangy sauerbraten, a beef roast marinated in vinegar. We're partial to the jager schnitzel, a piece of breaded pork loin topped with a brown mushroom gravy with onions and spices.
Meals start out with a basket of rye bread, then it's time to pick an entrée. But this all makes for the perfect backdrop to Zur Kate's comprehensive menu of authentic German fare. The Bavarian-style decor (complete with antlers, hanging plants, and German-themed wall hangings) probably hasn't changed much since the restaurant opened in 1983, and we can't recall any other local restaurant that regularly hosts accordion players.
Zur Kate (it means "to the old smokehouse") is the kind of restaurant you don't see very often these days. Everyone else will probably just enjoy their pint (Guinness or otherwise) in the cheery atmosphere, pleasantly surprised to discover that this downtown Phoenix gem just so happens to be an emerald. Fact-checkers would do well to notice the Gaelic on the hallway chalkboard (though, pound to a penny, they won't be able to translate it), or the green, white, and gold that adorn Biggie's portrait in the dining room. Owner Tom Montgomery knew that when he started the popular Tim Finnegan's out near Metrocenter years ago, and has elevated both the menu and the setting with the opening of Kettle Black early last year. And if you can add a good fish and chips or a bowl of steamed mussels to that list, well, more power to you. After all, the most authentically Irish pub will always be the one with good music, good conversation, and a good pint (not necessarily in that order), not the one with the most shamrocks on the walls. If you're looking for leprechauns, you came to the wrong place: The Kettle Black is Irish without being in-your-face about it.
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