The fallout of the controversial Arizona immigration law, SB 1070, continues to affect the local restaurant industry in not-so-subtle ways. The latest incident involves a Pei Wei Asian Diner in Chandler (54th St/Ray Rd) that fired nearly half of its roughly 30 employees after they ditched work to attend a…

Think of it as a sort of frequent drinker’s card. On my last visit to Maizie’s Cafe & Bistro, my waitress handed me a little Wine of the Month Club stamp card to go along with the bottle of wine I ordered. Turns out, there’s a rotating wine special on…

I hit the town last night with a couple of my darlings, and started off at what’s become an old standby, Sens. I never get tired of the food, cocktails, and relaxed vibe at chef-owner Johnny Chu’s sleek Asian tapas joint. But I admit, it’s been a few months since…

There’s drama in the ice cream world. Last week, after contacting Utah-based ice cream company Sub Zero Ice Cream, I learned of a split between that company and the folks opening a new shop in Arcadia called 32 Degrees Ice Cream. Sub Zero is listed on the building permit that…

It really wasn’t the “vegan” label that turned me on to these candy bars — I just liked the wrappers. But then I looked past the graphics to read the print, and realized that these babies are “dairy-free, vegan, no trans fats, no hydrogenated oils, no cholesterol, nothing artificial.” Besides that,…

It’s been nearly a year since fire shuttered Richardson’s Cuisine of New Mexico, the legendary Southwestern restaurant at 16th Street and Bethany Home, but just as owner Richardson Browne promised, a comeback is in the works. According to Phil Kelly, general manager for Richardson’s sister operations, Rokerij and Dick’s Hideaway,…

A new place to get frozen treats is always welcome this time of year. There’s a “coming soon” sign up for an ice cream spot called 32 Degrees in the Arcadia Town Center at 4730 E. Indian School Rd. But according to the building permit issued by the city’s Development Services Department, the applicant…

Cruising past the corner of 32nd Street and Thomas Road, I took an unexpected detour when I spotted a new Mexican supermarket the other day. El Super occupies the building that used to be a Home Depot Pro (3130 E. Thomas), before the housing market went kaput. I’m glad to…

Something unique on the menu for World Cup was all Il Vinaio owner Cameron Selogie had in mind when he started serving burgers made from free-range, USDA-approved lion meat. Protests and a bomb threat probably weren’t. Selogies says that he did research before placing an order with a supplier that is approved…

I don’t follow baseball that closely, but I know enough about the sorry state of the Diamondbacks to say that even something as simple as baseball cupcakes lightens my mood on that topic. How can you resist smiling when you see these Hostess Baseballs? They’re cute and tasty, with yellow…

Jamaican food isn’t easy to come by anywhere in the Valley, but if you’re willing to head to the west side of town, there’s a new-ish place called Starlight Cuisine in Avondale. Owner Trevor Brown says he opened his eatery back in December. Menu selections rotate from day to day;…

How did they know I was craving Indian food? Somebody read my mind and gave me a call about a new place that opened several weeks ago in Mesa, called India Oven. Punjabi cuisine is the focus, and the extensive menu has a lot of tempting dishes — a dozen…