Healthy Highs and Lows at Scottsdale’s Original ChopShop Co.

Think of the Original ChopShop Co., located on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Scottsdale Road in Old Town Scottsdale, as a kind of casual convenience mart for the health-conscious. See also: – Miu’s Cuisine: Sichuan Food That’s Anything but Familiar – Surprise’s Amuse Bouche: Excellent French Cuisine, With a…

Postino Arcadia Now Offering Weekend Brunch

Arcadians looking for a new weekend brunch spot can now add Postino to the list. See also: – Postino Owners to Open Joyride Taco House in Gilbert in June – Mother’s Day in Metro Phoenix: 12 Recommendations Based on Time, Budget, and Location The stylish little wine cafe at 3939…

The Original ChopShop in Scottsdale Caters to the Healthy Crowd

The Original ChopShop Co. is a kind of casual convenience mart for the health-conscious. It’s an easy-to-find quick-service spot where salads, wraps, and protein shakes (thankfully) take the place of microwave hot dogs, day-old doughnuts, and Big Gulps. And the good-for-you dishes — served from sunrise to sundown and late…

Chandler’s Barrelhouse Rolls Out with a Few Bumps

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…

AZ88 Teaches Our Gluten-Free Girl a Lesson

OK. Last week, I learned a lesson in jumping to gluten-free conclusions about a place. When I went to AZ88 The Bar on the Scottsdale Mall with a group of some of my favorite women, and when the waitress fessed up to having no gluten-free beer, I was ready to…

Chefs, What Are You Making Your Mom for Mother’s Day?

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. For many chefs, the one person who most closely shares their passion and love for…

Toddy Takedown: Press Coffee Roasters vs. Cartel Coffee Lab

Toddy-style brewed iced coffee is better than hot drip for a few reasons. First of all, the acidity levels are lower in cold-brewed coffee, making it more drinkable in those indigestion-filled crunch times. It’s also higher in caffeine, which means you pretty much only need one cup to keep you…

Doritos Jacked and Doritos Flamas: Chow Bella Taste Test, Part 3

The Guilty Pleasure: Doritos Jacked and Flamas tortilla chips Where To Get It: Your favorite grocery store. Price: About $3 What It Really Costs: Red fingers from inhaling an entire bag of Flamas chips. I’m finally at the bottom of the huge bags of chips I brought back from the…

11 Favorite Salads in Metro Phoenix

Summer is just weeks away, which means it’s panic time for those of us who packed on the lbs. over the winter. Yes, of course, we should’ve seen this coming, and what the hell happened to that exercise regimen we felt so enthusiastic about back in January? Now there’s no…

Kevin Binkley Stiffed (Again) at the 2013 James Beard Awards

Tonight, the James Beard Foundation Awards, also known as the Oscars of the culinary world, announced this year’s winners at the Awards Ceremony and Gala Reception at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. See also: – Vincent Guerithault on Wolfgang Puck and Kevin Binkley – Bink’s Midtown…

Where to Eat and Drink in Hermosillo, Mexico

A few weeks ago, I started counting the years since I’ve visited my hometown of Hermosillo. After removing my socks so the counting may continue, and hitting the very high number of 10 fingers and 7 toes, I was glad to have toes to spare, but I panicked at my…

New Korean Barbecue Spot Opens in Glendale

West Valley residents looking for Korean barbecue and other specialty dishes can now head to Koryo Korean BBQ at 10040 North 43rd Avenue in Glendale (inside the Great Skate Mall). See also: – Bao Bing, the Cool and Fruity Asian Treat, Gets Its Own Shop in Central Phoenix – New…

Pomo Pizzeria Heading to New Home in Scottsdale

In a couple of weeks, fans of Pomo Pizzeria, the stylish Scottsdale spot serving certified authentic Neapolitan pizza (complete with a stamp of approval from the Italian trade group Associazone Verace Pizza Napoletana), will need to travel north to score their favorite artisan pies. See also: – Lamp’s Wood-Fired Pizzas…

Aaron Chamberlin’s Phoenix Public Market Cafe Opens Wednesday

It’s been almost exactly a year since Phoenix Public Market Urban Grocery closed its doors, leaving downtown devotees feeling bereft without a locally focused brick-and-mortar market and a convenient, affordable go-to for a nosh and a glass of wine. See also: — Downtown Phoenix Public Market Urban Grocery & Wine…

Five Things to Eat and Drink This Weekend in Metro Phoenix

Looking for something to put in your mouth this weekend? We’ve got you covered. Check out what’s on our plate. See also: – 13 Metro Phoenix Restaurants and Bars with Cinco de Mayo Celebrations – Bink’s Midtown in Phoenix: Happy Hour Report Card Restaurant Crawl: Arcadia Crewz Derby Day The…

4 Easy Ways to Make Guacamole

Avocados are the tofu of the produce aisle, and I mean that in good way. See also: – 10 Best Margaritas in Metro Phoenix – 8 Great Guacamoles in Metro Phoenix I tried to think of words to describe how an avocado tastes, and it wasn’t easy. They’re not sweet,…