June 6, 2026 - Pepper Mill Steakhouse - Tempe, Arizona

 The Hayes Family took me out to dinner to celebrate my 78th birthday.

We tried this steakhouse for the first time.

 Starters - Wood Fired Bone Marrow

Bacon jam, herb pesto, green apple chimichurri , black garlic puree, grilled house-made bread.  I have eaten this once before tonight.  This was excellent…two huge bones.  We ate it with grilled house-made bread which was also very tasty.  I could have just made that my dinner.

                                                                   Wood Fired Bone Marrow

 Sweet and Sour Calamari

Tempura batter, tossed in lemon pepper, served with spicy Pomo sauce…these were very good but when you had just eaten the calamari at High Tide last weekend…these were a very distant second to them.  They are my absolute favorite.   I didn’t really care for the sauce.  (Pomo is a Nigerian food made from processed cow skin.  It is widely consumed across Nigeria and is commonly used in soups, stews, and street food dishes.  (Pomo is knows for its chewy texture and ability to absorb the flavor of spices and sauces during cooking.)  I thought I could taste tomato as the base.  I am not a big tomato base person.  I am pretty sure that it was made in a food processor.  I should have asked them when I was there.

 I think both Jody and I would have loved to have tried the Lobster Corn Dogs

Cornmeal-fried lobster corn dogs with truffle honey mustard, but they were not on the menu.  Drat!

Entrees:

 Steak & Frits Au Poivre

Grilled flat iron steak, butter garlic shallots, au poivre sauce. paired with frits – Jonah and I shared this…and it was one of the best tasting steaks that I have eaten in a long time.  It didn’t say how long it had been aged.  It just melted in my mouth.  The taste of the Au Poivre was such a compliment to the great tasting steak.  The fries were also outstanding.  I was a happy girl.

 Bacon-Wrapped Filet

10 oz Filet wrapped in bacon, smoked blue cheese, fig jam, balsamic glaze paired with whipped potatoes and asparagus  - shared by Joshua and Jody.  It also looked tender and perfectly handled by the kitchen.

Jonah and I were debating about whether it was going to be the Steak & Frits Au Poivre or the

Fire Roasted Ribeye
20 oz Ribeye served with 1000-layer potato, horseradish cream, and bone marrow sauce.

I told Jonah that he would have to eat 15 ounces of that steak because there was no way I could eat 10 ounces. 

Au poivre sauce is a rich, creamy, and intensely savory French pan sauce. It is defined by a bold, aromatic heat from crushed peppercorns, a sweet warmth from Cognac or brandy, and a luscious, savory depth from reduced beef stock and cream.

 Need I say….there was no room for dessert.  Thank you, Joshua, Jody and Jonah for a fabulous 78^th birthday dinner.  

Pepper Mill
7660 S. McClintock Dr.
Suite 104
Tempe, AZ  85284
(480) 590-6755
Hours:  Tuesday – Thursday 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
             Friday – 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
             Saturday 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
             Sunday 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM
             Monday  - Closed