The countdown to Best of Phoenix is on. Mark your calendar: This year’s issue will be on newsstands September 26. What better way to warm up than by asking some local “experts” to list their own personal bests? This week, Georganne Bryant of Frances and Smeeks shares her favorite spots…
The week ended on a sad note for us here at Chow Bella, when we received word that a beloved member of the Phoenix food community has fallen ill. Her name is Lisa Giungo, but you might know her simply as “Lisa G.,” and remember her namesake CenPho restaurant, Lisa…
Sometimes you just have to get the real deal. Sometimes you just can’t take one more stand-in, substitute, sort-of-like, kinda-similar wheat-free thing. Sometimes, when you get the real deal, it’s even better than the wheaty version, and there is a sublime feeling of the pieces of the universe falling in…
McDuffy’s Grille, the Chandler sports bar with a long history in the Valley, has shuttered. Originally opened just off Tempe’s Mill Avenue in 1988, McDuffy’s, describing itself as “a great neighborhood sports grill where you can come watch any game you can think of” was known for its walls of…
Whether it’s a bad breakup, a morning board meeting, or a late night of drinking, there are moments when doughnuts simply call to us. Try as we might, when this deep-fried fusion of sugar and dough speaks our name, nothing else will do — not muffins, not croissants, and sure…
All summer long, I have searched the Valley for the best burgers that this place has to offer — from Gilbert’s Agritopia to the west side of Phoenix. Despite the wide range of burger joints I tried, there were still places I, unfortunately, was unable to get to. Rehab Burger…
Guacamole seasoning pouches of the Old El Paso variety are nothing new, but seeing one with a celebrity chef’s name attached to it is worth more than a passing glance. Let’s grab some avocados and get mashing…
Welcome to Crunch, where Chow Bella contributor Nina Gruber is exploring healthy eating options — and reporting back. This week: the Raw Food movement. Most of us eat a little bit of raw food every day: a salad here, some carrots there, maybe some dehydrated kale chips. But some people…
Another Phoenix food truck has found a brick-and-mortar home. On the heels of Sit…Stay from Short Leash Hot Dogs and Mamma Toledo’s Pies, which opened a shared brick-and-mortar space at 110 East Roosevelt Street on Roosevelt Row in July, Pizza People, the mobile kitchen of artisan pies, has announced its…
Bootleggers in North Phoenix is a kind of barbecue pit gone the way of a gastropub. It’s a place where a half-pound of sliced brisket can be paired with a well-crafted Old Fashioned served up in a mason jar; cold-smoked chicken wings can be chased with gourmet jelly shots; and…
Looking for something to put in your mouth this weekend? Here are a few things we have on the books. Arizona Great Fifty-Eight Arizona beer fanatics, get geared up for a pretty special event. On Saturday, August 10, World of Beer in Tempe is tapping 58 beers brewed right here…
Given the handful of decent barbecue joints in the Valley, chasing the aroma of smoked meat is a little like finding relief during a Phoenix summer: There are moments of satisfaction, but for the most part, it’s a losing battle. So it is both surprising and fortuitous that a place…
Chef-owner Christopher Van Arsdale, the one-man show behind Scottsdale’s BYOB Café Monarch, has left the restaurant he started six years ago. Located at 6934 East First Avenue (First Avenue and Goldwater Boulevard), the 1200-square-foot restaurant, which Van Arsdale decorated himself, was known for its intimate setting and Mediterranean-inspired dishes, many…
If you’ve ever had a hot pot, then you know it’s as much about the show as it is the rich, flavorful, and totally unique culinary experience. This Chinese classic is served in clay pots, metal pots, and even big metal bowls, but no matter what kind of pot, it…
Oh, brother. Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, the high-strung owners of Amy’s Baking Company and the couple behind the best/worst episode of Kitchen Nightmares ever are now hawking catchphrase T-shirts. Who asked for these? Did you? I’m pretty sure I didn’t…
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. America’s recession hit the restaurant industry hard, with elements such as reduced traffic, staff layoffs,…
This time of year, conversations at Chow Bella staff meetings tend to turn to who’s eaten what and where. With the summer travel season in full swing, we bring you Food Tours, our writers’ suggestions of what to eat and drink out of town. San Diego might just be one…
The Guilty Pleasure: Two limited-edition varieties of Oreo cookies Where To Get It: Your favorite grocery store The Price: About $3 What It Really Costs: It’s all in the aftertaste. I have to hand it to Nabisco for revving the Oreo marketing machine in recent years. The product line was…
After just eight months, Saladworks, the largest fresh-tossed salad franchise concept in America, has shuttered its only Arizona location. Located at 15768 North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, the North Scottsdale Saladworks opened in December of last year. The over 25-year-old company, based in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, currently operates 105 104 locations…
A new American restaurant heavy on the veggies is coming to Ahwatukee. Called Perfect Pear Bistro, the new spot comes courtesy of industry vet Chris Hove — who has managed and opened restaurants such as Ling & Louie’s, Pei Wei, and Buffalo Wild Wings — and his wife, Laura. Located…
Introducing “Schaefer,” in which Eric Schaefer — a local guy with a big (but discerning) appetite and a sense of humor to match — takes on the Phoenix food scene. Last week, I professed my love of White Castle hamburgers, a food that sits on the lowest rung of the…
This is part two of our interview with Lester Gonzalez, chef at Scottdale’s Cowboy Ciao. If you missed the first part of the interview, in which Gonzalez talked about the restaurant’s new location at Sky Harbor Airport and his gave his thoughts about Gio Osso of Virtu, you can read…
