There was always a certain irony in the name Matt’s Big Breakfast, given that the original 800-square-foot space at the corner of 1st Street and McKinley was so insanely cramped and tiny. But when owners Matt and Ernie Poole moved the city’s most popular breakfast spot a block north to…
In case you’re not busy enough, or you’ve just had enough of the holiday shopping crowds, here are a few crafty things to supplement your gift-giving. Yes, it’s stressful sometimes to make things yourself, but when you make things yourself you can be at home and most people appreciate your…
Since chefs Keenan Bosworth and Joshua Riesner announced they were leaving Atlas Bistro, the sophisticated BYOB in Scottsdale, to start their own restaurant, Pig & Pickle, about a mile and a half away, managing partner Todd Sawyer has been on the hunt to fill the gap left by the culinary…
Tis the season…for boozing, that is. To celebrate, more than a dozen downtown Phoenix restaurants and bars are taking their holiday concoctions into the battlefield in a six-week competition to see who can come up with the Most Spirited Holiday Cocktail of 2012. The seasonal libations vary from sugary sweet…
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…
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. Miss a question? Go here. When Valley chefs size up, shake, and inspect their wrapped…
Ah, the holidays. Christmas is all about love, sharing, sweetness and light — and keeping the antacids handy. In keeping with the spirit of the season, Chow Bella presents “Eating Christmas,” in which some of our favorite writers nosh on the real lessons we learn this time of year. Today,…
If a restaurateur could be likened to a music genre, then chef Aaron May is punk rock. The student of France’s L’Ecole Ritz Escoffier, recipient of the 2010 Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame “Chef Extraordinaire” award, and chef-owner of a string of Valley restaurants and bars does what he wants,…
Darden Restaurants, Inc., the same company who owns and operates Red Lobster, Olive Garden, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, and Eddie V’s, is playing Santa this year in the form of steakhouse chain, LongHorn. See also: New Steakhouse Coming to Chandler Today, the casual American steakhouse that operates more than…
He doesn’t have a commercial space yet, but Ricardo Palacio — who dreams of having his own bake shop and eventually, his own restaurant — is turning out some mighty fine-looking sweets from his kitchen at home. In fact, his Facebook pix alone are enough to send those of us…
A winter garden is just one of the joys of living in Phoenix. We suffer through 110 degree summers in order to brag about our mild winters, if you can even call them winters. This also means we have a long season for things like carrots, lettuces and squash. But…
The Guilty Pleasure: Mary Mint Showboat Sundae Where To Get It: Mary Coyle Ol’ Fashion Ice Cream Parlor, 7th Ave and Missouri Price: $6.75-$8.75 What It Really Costs: Ignorance is bliss. Very delicious bliss. While we may not get snow around Phoenix, there are still signs that winter is upon…
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…
Ah, the holidays. Christmas is all about love, sharing, sweetness and light — and keeping the antacids handy. In keeping with the spirit of the season, Chow Bella presents “Eating Christmas,” in which some of our favorite writers nosh on the real lessons we learn this time of year. Today,…
The holidays mean hosting parties, and parties mean booze (at least the fun ones), and booze means playing bartender, at least for the night. Knowing you’re so far beyond premixed store bought drinks, we’re guessing you’ll be trying to impress the guests with your flashy bartending skills. Hey, maybe you’ll…
This is part two of our interview with Lester Gonzalez, comfort food enthusiast and Executive Chef at Cowboy Ciao. To catch up on Gonzalez’s food truck fantasies and his take on the bacon obsession, check out part one of interview. See Also: Peter Kasperski Considers Using FnB Name in San…
Yelpers went nuts over the weekend — and guess who was the topic? Amy Bouzaglo of Amy’s Baking Company in Scottsdale, who apparently cooked up a storm on Saturday. In fact, I reached out to one diner who was at Saturday night’s taping of Kitchen Nightmares at Amy’s. He got…
The Verde Valley — encompassing Sedona, Jerome, Cottonwood, and Camp Verde — is going to experience an influx of visitors in the next year because Lonely Planet just named the Arizona vacation spot as one of the Top 10 U.S. Travel Destinations for 2013. The big draw? Not only are…
If anyone could have seen this coming, it would have been Wes Pallin. The fourth-generation medium and member of Spiritwalker Enterprises, the business listed as the owner of White Sage Espresso, is the man behind (most likely) the only coffee shop in the Valley to boast its own in-house psychic…
Ah, the holidays. Christmas is all about love, sharing, sweetness and light — and keeping the antacids handy. In keeping with the spirit of the season, Chow Bella presents “Eating Christmas,” in which some of our favorite writers nosh on the real lessons we learn this time of year. Today,…
Lester Gonzalez Cowboy Ciao 7133 E. Stetson Drive Scottsdale See Also: MJ Coe Dishes on the One Thing He Couldn’t Eat and the Death of Cupcake Wars This is part one of our interview with Lester Gonzalez, executive chef at Cowboy Ciao. Check back on Tuesday to learn more about…
Every week, there’s a cornucopia of Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you’re like most people, you probably just don’t have the time to get to all of it. It’s kind of like those burgers at Old Town Whiskey; it just won’t all…
