The new Winter 2010-11 menu at Tuck Shop doesn’t actually say “poutine,” but foodies already know that fries, Gruyere cheese, and mushroom gravy amount to a Canadian cult dish that’s been popping up on local menus lately. That’s just one of the new items that caught my eye on the…
Good thing I didn’t put away my wardrobe of summer bikinis, because I’ll need something awesome to wear as I dive into a pool of turkey gravy and cranberry sauce on Wednesday night. Or maybe I should go to American Apparel and splurge on one of those gold lame numbers, just…
Sometimes the simplest things can make a big difference in your day, like the care your barista puts into swirling espresso and foamy milk into an intricate design that brings a smile to your face. It’s art that’s more ephemeral than a Buddhist mandala, around for a matter of seconds until…
No, friends, it’s not too early in the day to pour yourself a cold one and raise a glass to the exciting news that the inaugural Arizona Beer Week is officially in the works.The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild just announced that it will be kicking off the week of craft-beer-centric…
Phoenix is already drinking Postino’s Kool-Aid, er, wine, but soon, the East Valley might get a taste of the popular wine bar action as well.Owner Craig DeMarco says he is 99 percent certain that the deal will go through to bring a third location of Postino to the former Grainbelt…
Okay, I thought this would be a cool new thing to write about, but I think it might actually be a cool new thing to make fun of.With good intentions, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced an improved version of its searchable National Farmers Market Directory. It’s got a…
Oh, Payton Curry, you rocked my taste buds last night. The Caffe Boa chef didn’t know I was joining a friend for an off-menu culinary stealth mission at the Tempe eatery, but he nevertheless got creative and it showed, both in presentation and flavor. Dinner started off with luscious mangalitsa head cheese, tender…
Forget about New Kids on the Block. My obsession as an eighth grader was Andy Warhol. His art, the fashionable people in his world, Nico, Edie, the Velvets, Interview Magazine . . . it was all impossibly glamorous to little me, an image of New York City life and the art…
I love it when this happens. I wish for something long enough, and then it comes true. So far, I haven’t made it to Spain, and nobody’s come to my door with a million-dollar check from Publisher’s Clearinghouse, but at least there’s a brand-new Vietnamese restaurant in Downtown — the…
Just got off the phone with famed Chef Chris Bianco, who confirmed that Chef Claudio Urciuoli, who announced his departure from Prado last week, will be working for his team in an as yet undetermined capacity. Stay tuned for more details on Chow Bella…
A couple weeks ago, I got the news that darling Camelback sandwich and pastry shop Chestnut Lane would be closing its doors on November 20. Indeed, that’s still the case, so it’s not too late to get in for a last-minute lobster cobb salad. As a little nugget of thanks…
Taberna Mexicana, a new upscale Mexican eatery from Legacy Restaurant Group (the folks behind Houston-based Ninfa’s, which has a location in Glendale), just opened its doors a week ago in the former Roy’s location at the Scottsdale Seville (7001 N. Scottsdale Rd.). Executive chef Alex Padilla, former executive sous chef of chef Nancy Oakes’…
A fire in the wee hours at a landmark Phoenix restaurant steakhouse last month was bad enough to keep the restaurant closed until 2011.Cork ‘N Cleaver suffered serious damage in its October 14 fire, necessitating a reconstruction of the kitchen. For now, fans of the 46-year-old restaurant at 44th Street and…
The dining mix at Mekong Plaza, the huge two-year-old Asian restaurant and grocery store complex at Dobson and Main Street in Mesa, is primarily Vietnamese, but now there’s also a new full-service Chinese restaurant serving daily dim sum as well as a sprawling menu of Cantonese cuisine.Mekong Palace is situated…
FnB’s leeks have more momentum than any dish in Phoenix. Even a summer hiatus, when they weren’t in season, wasn’t enough to stop them. “Humble braised leeks became something luxurious under a melted layer of buttery, handmade mozzarella, mustard breadcrumbs, and velvety yolk oozing from a fried egg,” I wrote…
I’ve been making restaurant recommendations for many, many years, since long before I became the New Times food critic. But these days, I’ve become somewhat of a personal food concierge for my friends. I get text message requests all the time.The latest was from a friend looking for a decent…
Arrowhead Grill’s Charles Schwerd has another restaurant in the works, set to open in December in Peoria: Blu Agave Arizona Kitchen. Look’s like he’s hiring, too.Located near the Vistancia development (28615 N. El Mirage Rd., Ste. 102), this will be a welcome new independent restaurant in the chain-saturated West Valley, and…
Downtown will be a vortex of desserts on Saturday!I wish I could say this is part of some grand scheme, but it’s really just serendipity.Tomorrow afternoon happens to be CupcakeCamp, a very sweet-sounding event taking place just a few blocks from Chow Bella’s Pie Social. According to the flyer and Facebook…
Sample foods from local restaurants, drink local beer and wine for five bucks a cup, browse booths from local retailers, and listen to live local music. Notice anything here? Yep, it’s all about Arizona at this Saturday’s Certified Local Fall Festival, the sixth annual shindig hosted by Local First Arizona…
If you haven’t tried a pupusa yet, you’re missing out on one of the tastiest ethnic snacks in town. Last year, I sought out so many pupusas around the Valley that I even wrote a column about them.These savory Salvadoran treats are similar to a corn tortilla, only thicker, doughier, and…
The thought of brunch with a Southwestern spin makes me wish it were Sunday already. This weekend, Roaring Fork gets its own weekly Sunday brunch rolling with a sprawling buffet by executive chef Bryan Hulihee.Along with stick-to-your-ribs morning classics like sticky buns (pictured above — I’m drooling!), waffles, eggs Benedict,…
The original headline said, “Coming Soon to CityScape,” but it turns out that the opening of Aaron May’s new Mexican joint, Vitamin T, isn’t happening quite soon enough.Originally scheduled for tomorrow — with much anticipation by Downtowners hungry for things like carne asada tacos with avocado-tomatillo salsa — the latest…
