‘A temple to beef’ opens downtown. Here’s a peek at the 17-course menu
Uppercut is an intimate steak omakase experience concealed within Cleaverman at the Arizona Center in downtown Phoenix. PETERMAX Co. organized the 16-seat room around a central chef’s counter with inset grills, placing guests directly alongside the preparation of each course. Rich woods, dark upholstered seating and restrained amber lighting give the compact space the quiet intensity of a private culinary theater. Photograph by Zach Querrey.
Phoenix New Times takes readers inside Uppercut, the new chef-led steak omakase experience hidden within Cleaverman in downtown Phoenix. Guests pass through Cleaverman’s golden-hued dining room before entering the more intimate, 16-seat space.
The article directly credits PETERMAX Co. with Uppercut’s design. Rich woods and soft lighting extend the warmth of the surrounding Cleaverman and Filthy concepts, while a central kitchen bar places every guest in view of the chefs. Inset grills allow individual courses to be prepared directly within the counter, making the culinary process part of the room’s architecture and the evening’s entertainment.
Although the structured menu contains 14 courses, intermezzi and additional bites bring the experience to approximately 17. The opening menu explores beef through internationally influenced preparations, including Japanese milk bread with bone-marrow butter, Arizona Wagyu carpaccio, Australian Wagyu tartare, a spicy beef handroll, yakisoba with tallow foam and uni, grilled A5 tenderloin and tri-tip char siu.
Even dessert remains tied to the central theme. The meal concludes with Japanese sweet potato pie followed by a brownie topped with toasted meringue and tallow-roasted cashews. The result is a precise, highly choreographed experience in which the interior, service and food all revolve around the same idea.
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