Hey-oh! One wouldn’t think a publication like Los Angeles Magazine would have slow news days when it comes to the topic of food, but this week in its online Digest section, dedicated to “L.A.’s tastiest restaurant gossip, culinary events, and food finds,” it seems it did. What to do? What…

“Almost every restaurant serves tequila in the Valley, but only at TQLA in Mesa will we give you the chance to sample some of the rarest and finest tequila’s around and to try tequila on tap.” That’s what owner Michael Nelson had to say about his tequila bar and restaurant,…

Syed Zaidi tells me he believes a lot of Indian food in America has gone the way of a lot of Chinese food in America. “They are not the same flavors, they are modified,” he says. “In my style of cooking, we want to be as authentic as we can…

If you are curious about the bright red liquid served in a dispenser next to the daily buffet at Zaidi’s Grill, Syed Zaidi will insist you try a cup. And before the first taste of the cold, sugary, syrupy beverage touches your tongue with its exotic-flower flavor, Syed will have…

Hungry Mesa-ites who want to check out the city’s newest casual Hong Kong eatery might want to pop into Sai Wan Chinese Bistro tonight for its grand opening. Starting at 5 p.m. today, Wednesday, August 22, and located at 6638 East Superstition Springs Boulevard in Mesa (near Superstition Springs Center…

See also: Wrigley Mansion Gets New Executive Chef With summer slowly, sloooooow-ly, on the way out, among the most excited for its departure might be The Wrigley Mansion. The historic landmark typically takes a break during the summer to freshen-up its eighty-year-old hilltop structure and grounds. But this year, The…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. There’s always a buzz when it comes to the culinary…

See also: Angels Trumpet Ale House — Aimed at Beer Geeks — to Open in August Since the announcement of its arrival, hop heads all over Downtown have been sweating out the summer in anticipation of the opening of Angels Trumpet Ale House, the suds-focused bar and restaurant from Mat…

Once more, the stretch of Indian School Road between 36th and 56th streets is proving to be hot property for restaurant, drinking, and, now, cooking-related establishments. Joining the likes of a (coming soon) second location of Sushi Brokers, The Little Woody bar, and O.H.S.O. Eatery and NanoBrewery will be the…

Whether you prefer the term caseophile, turophile, or just plain curd hound, put down that cheddar wheel and listen up: This news is for you. Cheese expert Lara Mulchay, former ​owner of Petite Fromage, her (sadly) defunct Phoenix cheese shop, recently has embarked on a new venture called WedgeFestUSA. Part…

Corporations moving in on the scene-y food truck scene? Dude, no way. It was bound to happen. Over the past few years, local upstarts have been responsible for starting and keeping the frenzy aflame, but now, many corporate chains have taken notice and have tapped into the trend with their…

When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…

Fitting that in the midst of Shark Week, I would receive an e-mail from one of the casting crew of Kitchen Nightmares, Fox’s “reality” show in which the arrogant, expletive-spewing, oddly hypnotic celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay spends a week with a failing restaurant to try and bring it back to…

As a meat-eating gal of Midwestern stock, the phrase, “Hey, let’s go eat some vegan!” might as well be translated to, “Hey, let’s go chew our socks!” But then, I hadn’t been to Pomegranate Café. The cheery little all-day breakfast and lunch spot in Ahwatukee doesn’t advertise itself as vegan…

If, by chance, I lived in a house made of vegetables, I hope it would be built by Pomegranate Café’s mother-daughter chef duo Marlene and Cassie Tolman. I could picture myself falling back into a comfy chair of deep purple cabbage leaves and munching on pillows of collard greens stuffed…

Tempe-sians who like a little bicycle with their brats and booze will want to get their chainwheels checked before cruising down Mill Avenue in September. That’s when the city’s new bike-friendly beer garden, Handlebar & Grill, opens for business. The concept comes from restaurateur Julian Wright, owner of two other…

See also: Pita Jungle’s New Ad Has Nothing to Do With Pitas or a Jungle: Discuss. I know, I know, what with Breaking Bad, the Olympics, and now Shark Week, the last thing we need is something else to glue our peepers to. But let’s get introspective for a moment…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. Sure, the Valley can claim a lot of talented chefs…

See also: Postino, Windsor, and Churn Owners to Open Two More Concepts See also: Postino/Windsor Owners to Open New Phoenix Restaurant in Historic Digs A new pizza place in a historic bank building, wood-fired pizzas designed by master baker MJ Coe, small-batch craft beers, and custom growlers — it must…