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. No matter whether you’re lounging poolside, at a party, or just need to cool down…
This is part two of our interview with Marco Bianco, bread baker at Pizzeria Bianco. Today he’s sharing stories about growing up with his brother Chris, one of the biggest names in pizza. If you missed part one, in which Marco gave us the story of Arizona’s White Sonora Wheat…
The Guilty Pleasure: Pig Mac Where To Get It: Brat Haüs, downtown Scottsdale The Price: $9 ($10 with a fried egg) What It Really Costs: I’m glad they don’t post calories on the menu like McDonald’s does. It has long been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…
Fans of country music, Jack Daniel’s, and traditional Southern American eats in Peoria now can get a taste of all three at the newest Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. Named after the country star’s 2003 single, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill in Peoria, at…
Hitting up outdoor food markets, exploring restaurants, and breaking bread with those living in another country may sound like the stuff of a culinary travel show, but for Azucena Tovar, it’s real-life inspiration. Each year, the chef and owner of Los Sombreros, the nearly 20-year-old Mexican restaurant in South Scottsdale,…
Marco Bianco, Bread Baker Pizzeria Bianco 623 East Adams Street www.pizzeriabianco.com This is the first part of our interview with Marco Bianco, the bread baker for the Bianco restaurants. Today, we get the scoop on Arizona’s heirloom wheat and Bianco’s thoughts about bread’s big comeback. Be sure to return tomorrow…
GOOD, BETTER, BEST … Want to know where to go and what to do in Phoenix? Your essential mobile guide–also known as our Best Of app–just got better…
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. Is there any better value in food than a hot dog at Costco? No, I say, there is not. Because…
Food rules in my world are surprisingly few in my out-of-the-kitchen hours: 1. Eat Mexican seafood or Asian food at every opportunity. 2. Anything on a bun is friendly territory. 3. If fast food is involved, make it McDonald’s. Everyone in the culinary industry has their fast-food weakness, no matter…
Thirsty for a refreshment-focused movie you can watch on your own damn time? Three new films about cocktails, wine, and coffee (two documentaries and one comedy), have recently hit the On Demand circuit. So now you can follow the dreams of bartenders, learn about what it’s like to take the…
When Ricardo (Ricky) Celaya was a student at the University of Arizona, he was on his way to a career in the medical field. But after he graduated, and before signing up for more schooling, his visions of the future changed from stethoscopes to Sonoran hot dogs. “I love Sonoran…
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, Brady Breese of Urban Cookies ditches the sugar for the…
The Guilty Pleasure: Caramel Chocolate Pretzel Doughnut Where To Get It: Krispy Kreme, four locations Valleywide The Price: 99 cents each What It Really Costs: 420 calories for one doughnut? Yikes. Blame it on Voodoo Doughnut up in weird ol’ Portland. Ever since someone there slapped a couple of strips…
Looking for something to put in your mouth this weekend? We’ve got you covered. Check out what’s on our plate. Bastille Day On Sunday, July 14, the French and francophiles around the world will celebrate the national French holiday, Bastille Day. Mostly, we’ll be using it as a good excuse…
Voltaire Restaurant, the 30-year-old fine-dining spot of classic French cuisine in North Scottsdale, is getting a makeover. In an letter to guests, owner/chef David Antonelli, who has been with Voltaire for almost 20 years, said: “January, February, and March are busy months for us, but we can’t survive on three…
Amy and Samy Bouzaglo, the Valley’s reigning king and queen of denial (and two more reasons the rest of the world can make fun of Arizona) are back in the news again. This week, the owners of the now-infamous Amy’s Baking Company in Scottsdale were interviewed by the Daily Mail…
Just four months ago Bink’s Midtown didn’t exist. The cozy bistro at 24th street and Osborn used to be the French Sophie’s Bistro, but after James Beard Award Finalist Kevin Binkley bought the central Phoenix location, the restaurant has turned from serving French to American cuisine…
The Guilty Pleasure: Cheddar Bay Biscuits Where To Get It: Red Lobster, locations Valleywide The Price: Complimentary with your entrée order, $7.50-$26 What It Really Costs: Only 150 calories each. Good luck eating just four. If there’s one thing that we food-crazed folk have in common, it’s disdain for casual…
Salut Kitchen Bar is a kind of Mill Avenue detox. About a mile and a half east of Tempe’s main drag, it’s a decidedly relaxing place — small enough to be considered snug but never erring on the side of compact. Some nights it feels like a post-party afterglow. And…
Salut Kitchen Bar is a kind of Mill Avenue detox, a comfortable, low-lit room where glasses of wine take the place of tequila shots, where an ironic ’80s tune never gets loud enough to drown out conversation, and where getting up close and personal with your neighbor at the bar…
When it comes to barbecue with the element of surprise, Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek is bringing it on via pig — a chalkboard pig. Starting today, those looking for something different — very different — in the way of chef Bryan Dooley’s regular menu of top-notch ‘cue…
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. Though Houston is better known as…
