When it comes to risk-taking cuisine in the Valley, there’s no better example — at least not right now — than what they’ve got cookin’ in the kitchen at Renegade by MOD. The Scottsdale restaurant comes courtesy of Chef Michael O’Dowd, formerly chef at Kai, and partner Ed Leclere. Though…
This weekend is a big one for the Valley’s Oktoberfest scene. You’ll have your pick between the three-day fest at Tempe Town Lake and a two-day event up at Salt River Fields. And don’t worry, if lederhosen and bier aren’t really your scene, there are plenty of other things to…
Halo-Halo Kitchen, the Filipino restaurant on the city’s west side, is not only a place to eat, it’s also a place to party. On one side, there is the eatery, a bright white room of Filipino baked goods and groceries and a turo-turo, or a cafeteria-style “point-point” setup of meats…
Just when you think you know everything there is to know about Phoenix, someone finds an old trailer, once owned by a barbecued-beef baron, that used to house a radio station and, well, you realize there’s still more to learn about this crazy place. Built by Bill Johnson of Bill…
When one of the young dancers from the next-door studio wandered into Café 8 in Mesa, and announced that she couldn’t eat gluten, Tracey Chaker gave her one of the gluten-free cupcakes out of the display case. “The next day, she came back, tugged on my chef’s jacket, and said,…
Breaking beer news, drunks! Representatives of Phoenix beer distributors Crescent Crown announced Wednesday that Avery Brewing Co. will once again begin sending its beers to Arizona. Bottles and cans from the Colorado-based brewery should start reappearing on our shelves as early as mid-November…
When the restaurant gods shutter a Monk, they open a Bootlegger. At least that’s the case with Praying Monk, restaurateur and chef Aaron May’s stylish American beer cafe in Old Town Scottsdale opened in May of last year. Shuttered last night, Praying Monk, located at 7217 East First Street, will…
Oktoberfest is in full bloom, and while beer and brats go hand-in-hand, there happen to be several other German dishes worth trying, and jagerschnitzel is one of them. Traditionally, jagerschnitzel is a pork cutlet topped with a burgundy or creamy mushroom sauce. The schnitzel can be prepared with breadcrumb or…
Caroline Van Slyke over at Boho Farm & Home is getting busy on her property this October. In case you didn’t know, Van Slyke is an Arcadia-based designer, urban farmer, cheesemaker, jam-maker, soon-to-be beekeeper, mother of two, and tender of a bunch of chickens, a Scottish Terrier, a farm cat,…
When chef Jared Porter left The Parlor in September to start his own venture called Clever Koi — a modern noodle and dumpling house in Central Phoenix planned to open this fall — the Central Phoenix pizzeria owned by father-and-son-team Dan and Aric Mei (the two also also own Nello’s…
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. Think chefs don’t rely on a little help from the neighborhood supermarket to kick up…
The Guilty Pleasure: Jack’s Munchie Meals Where to Get It: Jack in the Box, locations Valleywide Price: $6. What it Really Costs: Staggering amounts of calories, fat, and sodium. If you’re in the target demographic, you won’t care. Jack in the Box doesn’t usually do much to advertise to folks…
Halo-Halo Kitchen is like a mullet gone the way of the Philippines: Filipino food business in the front, Filipino karaoke party in the back. Tables spread throughout the West Phoenix restaurant’s two decidedly distinct rooms allow for guests to decide which portion of the hairstyle, er, Halo-Halo they most associate…
A public health alert was issued Monday for raw chicken packaged at three Foster Farms facilities in California. Since March, some 278 people have gotten sick from salmonella Heidelberg infection, mainly in California, though the illness has reached a total of 18 states so far. Though the USDA was first…
Not many restaurants can say they have a “Marilyn Monroe table” and actually have a plausible story to back up the claim. But the legendary Durant’s steak house does, and it’s a little surprising. Talk to any of the waiters or employees and you’ll quickly realize that the majority of…
This week, we’re chatting with Blaise and DJ Aki of The Sushi Room in Chandler. The father-son team has been working together since as long as 18-year-old DJ Aki was old enough to help his dad with his catering business. On Monday, we got the scoop on how this Hawaiian…
Ramen may be all the rage in the Los Angeles and New York food scenes, but I’m quite certain that I know the next Big Thing. It isn’t Cambodian food, or Bolivian or even Australian (Outback has that covered, right?). It’s Canadian. That’s right. Canadian food will be huge in…
Got a hankerin’ for South African biscotti, a Cuban sandwich, or an Estonian roosamanna? You’ll want to check out Alo Cafe, the globally inspired breakfast and lunch spot in downtown Scottsdale. Courtesy of husband-and-wife team Hilja and Steve Martinez, who have roots in Estonia, Alo Cafe, named after Estonian composer…
The Guilty Pleasure: You name it, deep-fried, bacon-crusted, and/or chocolate covered. Where to Get It: The Arizona State Fair, October 11 through November 3 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays) Price: Fair admission plus a few bucks. What It Really Costs: Your waistline is already quaking with fear, isn’t it? Guilty pleasure…
Many months ago, we allowed ourselves to get just a little bit excited about the prospect of a second location of Tempe’s Essence Bakery Cafe. Back then, we reported that owners Gilles Combes, husband of Essence Bakery chef and owner Eugenia Theodosopoulos, was “cautiously optimistic” about acquiring a space in…
If you haven’t been to Virtú Honest Craft in Scottsdale yet, you might want to make reservations soon. The tiny, wonderful cafe from chef-owner Gio Osso has been tapped by Esquire magazine’s restaurant features writer John Mariani as one of this year’s Best New Restaurants…
Blaise and DJ Aki Chefs The Sushi Room www.sushiroomaz.com 480-821-9000 A restaurant called The Sushi Room in Chandler probably isn’t where you’d expect to find some of the city’s most authentic Hawaiian cuisine. But thanks to the restaurant’s chef, Blaise Aki, this Japanese joint is turning out impressive versions of…
