A few weeks ago, I figured I’d sneak into Bitter & Twisted, one of Phoenix’s newest upscale bars, to eat and drink for a Happy Hour Report Card before the dinner rush hit. At about 4:30 p.m. on a Thursday, I walked in to find a mostly empty restaurant and…
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…
Many restaurants are getting ready to reopen for the fall season, which means we can get ready to see a whole slew of new fall menus. And while I’m excited to see what’s coming down the bend, I’ll be sad to see some of my favorite summer dishes fall off…
Don’t panic just yet. According to a sign posted on the door, Noca is closed for “house cleaning.” But the cryptic note doesn’t give any details about when the restaurant will reopen — if at all…
Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing some of our favorite food folks’ “Personal Best” lists. This year we’re bringing back our list of 100 Favorite Dishes. Have a suggestion for a dish you’d like us to try? Leave it in the comments…
They call me a whitewashed Mexican. I’m a third-generation Latina, and more traditional Mexican- Americans call me whitewashed because, according to them, I act more white than I act Mexican. True, I don’t know much Spanish. The Spanish I do know is from my required language courses in college. I…
After a decade of success in Old Town Scottsdale, the original location of Stingray Sushi has closed its doors. The restaurant’s lease is up, but owners say they’re already looking for a new location in the area. The goal is to reopen a Scottsdale sushi outlet in 2015. In the…
Morning Glory Opening Friday, September 5 Next week, The Farm at South Mountain will reopen for its 21st season and the first of the farm’s dining outlets to open will be the popular breakfast and brunch spot, Morning Glory Cafe. Starting Friday, September 5, Morning Glory will be open Tuesday…
Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing some of our favorite food folks’ “Personal Best” lists. This year we’re bringing back our list of 100 Favorite Dishes. Have a suggestion for a dish you’d like us to try? Leave it in the comments…
We know a couple of ASU students who were seriously devastated when they heard the 24-hour IHOP located on Apache Boulevard closed its doors earlier this summer. Was the pancake house a culinary destination? Hell no. But it was a convenient, cheap dining option for a lot of students. The…
Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza is no longer a part of Barrio Queen, but that doesn’t mean the restaurant’s owners don’t have big plans for the Mexican restaurant concept. Barrio Culinary Concepts, parent company to Barrio Queen restaurant in Scottsdale, has solidified plans to open a second Barrio Queen in Gilbert…
Monika Woolsey is on a mission to get Phoenicians to eat more cactus. As the proprietor of Hip Veggies, a business in the process of becoming a nonprofit, she is Arizona’s most vocal nopales advocate, making it her goal to introduce people from all walks of life to the cactus…
Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing some of our favorite food folks’ “Personal Best” lists. This year we’re bringing back our list of 100 Favorite Dishes. Have a suggestion for a dish you’d like us to try? Leave it in the comments…
The Guilty Pleasure: The Meat Mountain Where to Get It: Arby’s, locations nationwide (participation may vary) The Price: $10 What It Really Costs: It’s a doozy, but not quite as bad as you think. I’m stunned by the existence of a new off-menu item at Arby’s, the Meat Mountain. As…
Felicia Ruiz Natural Chef Recently we’ve been talking about the local dining spots of former days and our trip down memory lane connected us with chef Felicia Ruiz, who many will know from Lola Tapas. Ruiz ran the well-loved restaurant until June 2010 and when it shuttered, many a Phoenician…
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Another month, another crop of new restaurants. While some places simply rebranded, others are completely new concepts with entirely new takes on cuisine. Benihana-style Mexican restaurant, anyone? Well, whether you’re into that or not, there are plenty of other new spots to check out. Unfortunately, there are also some spots…
Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing some of our favorite food folks’ “Personal Best” lists. This year we’re bringing back our list of 100 Favorite Dishes. Have a suggestion for a dish you’d like us to try? Leave it in the comments…
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…
The Guilty Pleasure: Hostess’ Summer of Twinkies flavored Twinkies Where to Get It: Walmart Price: $2.50 for a box of 10 What It Really Costs: Having irreversibly greasy fingers for the rest of the day Like so many others, I felt a little twinge of panic when Hostess announced it…
Moises Treves, the chef often credited with introducing Valley diners to Central Mexican cuisine, died last week. It’s been more than a decade since the local food pioneer sold his Phoenix restaurant, Such Is Life, but the mark Treves made on the Valley food scene can still be seen –…
Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing some of our favorite food folks’ “Personal Best” lists. This year we’re bringing back our list of 100 Favorite Dishes. Have a suggestion for a dish you’d like us to try? Leave it in the comments…
