Does a loud and lively Mexican beach party sound tempting? If so, then Mariscos Altata on the city’s west side is probably going to be a place you’ll enjoy. But if your feelings about parties (and noise) don’t include an ever-present blasting of banda beats from a jukebox, squawks from…
A seafood restaurant with modern Italian flair is coming to Scottsdale, and its arriving courtesy of a well-known family of restaurateurs. Set to open in late November at the Shops at Gainey Village, Cuttlefish Ocean Kitchen is the concept of Joey Maggiore, son of Tomaso Maggiore, who has owned Tomaso’s…
This week, we’re talking to Eddie Hantas, owner and chef at Tempe’s relatively new Mediterranean restaurant Hummus Xpress. Here, Hantas does street food-style eats with a serious chef’s attention to detail. You’ll find roasted, sauteed seasonal vegetables as well a rotating array of colorful hummus varieties. Yesterday, we got the…
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…
In the aftermath of radiation spills from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear reactor in the 2011 earthquake, one question remains regarding its effect on our seafood: Is it safe to eat? In a recent article, the Los Angeles Times reports that, “according to the scientists who are studying the issue, the short…
The (Sort Of) Guilty Pleasure: Satisfries Where To Get It: Burger King, locations Valleywide Price: $1.49 and up; 20 to 30 cents more than the regular fries depending on size. What It Really Costs: Less damage than your average fry. Don’t eat more to compensate. If there’s one practically universal…
When it comes to Mariscos Altata on the city’s west side, your feelings about it likely will depend, for the most part, on what you think about noise. The place never quiets. Under a sky-painted ceiling, the modest room packed with family-size tables and booths acts as a kind of…
The culinary world lost one of its titans today when famed chef Charlie Trotter, whose eponymous Chicago restaurant was regarded as one of the country’s finest, was found dead in his apartment. Trotter was 54 years old. A self-taught chef, Trotter opened his Armitage Avenue restaurant, Charlie Trotter’s, in 1987…
Eddie Hantas Chef/Owner Hummus Xpress www.hummusxpress.com Since January, Eddie Hantas has been serving healthy, fresh Mediterranean food in a fast-casual atmosphere at Hummus Xpress in Tempe. The Subway- (or if you prefer, Chipotle-) style restaurant is his second venture, opened about year after he shuttered his first place, a pizza…
For a twice-yearly tour that focuses on edible gardens, the Arcadia Edible Garden Tour happening November 23 also includes a heck of a lot of animals. This tour offers a variety of examples of sustainable living in Phoenix with orchards, front-yard gardens, large properties, small properties and animals; from chickens…
After over two years at The Ritz-Carlton Phoenix, executive chef Stephen Toevs is moving on to warmer waters — so to speak. Toevs will continue with the property as an executive chef, but this time at The Ritz-Carlton Aruba, which is set to open on November 22. Who next to…
Scottsdale’s Petite Maison restaurant celebrated the spooky season last weekend with the fourth annual Halloween Offal Dinner. The four course meal has been a tradition since 2010, when chef James Porter was inspired to create a menu that brought attention to just how sophisticated offal can be. Sure, chicken feet…
Another month checked off in the culinary datebook of 2013, another month when I look back on the best things I ate. From dishes like my new favorite macaron of the moment to sophisticated nachos and a tough-to-find street snack, here are 10 of the best things I ate this…
The chimichanga, a crispy, deep-fried burrito filled with rice, meat, and beans topped with cheese, lettuce and sour cream has long been a popular Mexican dish. The origins of the dish have been hotly debated — Phoenix or Tucson? — but one thing that most everyone can agree on is…
This month, the openings far outnumbered the closings as we saw several Valley dining outlets re-open and we welcomed a whole slew of new food trucks to the scene. We’re waving goodbye to Aaron May’s beer-centric Scottsdale restaurant, Praying Monk, but don’t fret, there’s something else exciting on the horizon…
You’ve never had to look much farther than your favorite authentic Mexican or Chinese restaurant to find examples of how delicious offal can be. These cuts of meat are unfamiliar to most American palates but with proper execution can be some of the most flavorful parts of an animal. Though…
If there is something you can’t get on the Internet these days, we sure haven’t seen it yet and a recent trend in that ever-expanding marketplace is subscription boxes. From samplings of healthy snacks to cosmetics, you can get monthly packages filled with a selection of items in the vein…
We’ve already showed you where you can find some of the most delicious offal in metro Phoenix, but don’t worry, the fun doesn’t stop there. This week Chow Bella ventured into the kitchen with chef James Porter of Scottsdale’s Petite Maison restaurant as they gear up for their annual Halloween…
I’m not a big spinach or kale eater. I mean, I’ll eat it, but not if instead I could have a burger or pasta or a baked potato or chicken tacos or ice cream or, well, almost anything else. So on a recent vacation, when my nephew Ian offered me…
Flanny’s 3rd Anniversary Featuring Arizona on Tap Saturday, November 2 Flanny’s has been one of many go-to beer spots in the Valley for years — three years, to be exact. And this weekend, the Tempe bar is raising a glass to three years of success and the rise of craft…
By now, pretty much everyone knows about the anti-wheat/anti-gluten “movement,” but not too many people know about a new “local food movement” that values the craft processes, ingredients, artisanal practices, and people involved with heirloom grains. Rise of the Grains is a documentary inspired by the Native Seeds SEARCH/Hayden Flour…
For fans of Barrio Cafe, chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s home of modern Mexican eats, Saturdays just got a lot more lively. After 12 years, Esparza’s restaurant will open on Saturday afternoons — starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 2 — for brunch, happy hour, and live music. Here’s what to…
