Unbelievable. We made it almost all the way to July without going up in flames. But now the heat is on, and compared to the balmy, record-breaking low temperatures of May and June, it feels more hellish than ever. Who wants to slave in the kitchen over a hot stove?…
Ooh, I can almost feel the grease on my fingers at the thought of another Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles. You heard me. Another Lo-Lo’s. In Scottsdale, if you’ll believe it. The expanded second location of Larry “Lo-Lo” White’s popular Phoenix soul food joint — frequented by sports celebs and nameless…
West of Western is no more at the Phoenix Art Museum, but the show must go on. The fifth annual installment of the popular culinary festival took place at the museum this past March. In March 2010, look for an all-new culinary fest at the museum called “Devoured,” sponsored by…
The Twilight Farmer’s Market in Glendale is the least farmer-y Farmer’s Market we’ve ever come across. When you may be expecting summer sun, gravel beneath your feet and cowboy hats abounding, Glendale has put together a chic outdoor gathering of vendors selling everything from your usual local veggies and fruits…
Talk about a sweet gig. Acclaimed pastry chef Tracy Dempsey has just signed on as “guest chef” at Udder Delights, a gourmet ice cream shop in Gilbert (1385 E. Warner Rd., 480-507-3859), in honor of National Ice Cream Month. Owners Sherene Robinson and Casey Stechnij enlisted Dempsey to create new…
Is Scottsdale so 2008? It’s a fair question, given all the Scottsdale-based restaurateurs who are eyeing central Phoenix for their newest ventures for 2010 and beyond. Chef Aaron May, Sam Fox, and Kyle Shivers are the latest to sign on at CityScape, the ambitious 1.8 million square foot downtown development that’s replaced Patriot’s Square…
It’s simple-made-elaborate for Chef de Cuisine Jacques Qualin, the man in the kitchen at celebrity chef Jean-George Vongerichten’s J&G Steakhouse, which sits atop The Phoenician. “It’s a steakhouse but we don’t want to do like a basic steakhouse,” he said. “[So] we’re trying to play on the side dishes, and…
What’s cooking this weekend? Considering that Saturday is July 4th, we’re guessing some rich, tangy barbecued meats — or at least hot dogs and burgers on the grill. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, get grilling tips from the award-winning Joe’s Real BBQ in Gilbert and find out where…
In a world teeming with celebrity chefs, Jacques Qualin isn’t particularly well-known. The J in J&G Steakhouse — the newish, top-of-the-bill restaurant at The Phoenician — stands not for Jacques, but for Jean-George, as in J&G’s creator, namesake, head chef and owner – Jean-Georges Vongerichten. But if you’re lucky enough…
More to love, baby. It’s always fun to report on a new restaurant opening, but this tidbit is particularly delectable because it’s all about tortas. Tortas El Guero, that is. Last week, the Mexican sandwich shop just opened its fifth Valley location, at 4121 E. Thomas Road (602-840-2889). It’s no…
You want to see locally owned restaurants thrive? Put your money where your mouth is. The folks at Local First Arizona would be happy to help. Once again, they’ve organized dozens of local businesses for the annual Independents Week — going on now through July 5. Visit the website, and you…
Move over, Napa. Arizona’s young wine industry is currently undergoing a growth-spurt akin to a 12 year-old basketball player. For proof, see Michele Laudig’s cover story from last year, all about former Tool frontman and owner of Stronghold Vineyards in the Verde Valley. More evidence was available this past Saturday…
Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let’s have one last look at the blog posts from this week: Caffiend: Cartel Coffee Lab’s Iced Toddy Open Casting in…
Who needs Restaurant Week to get a taste of some of the swankiest spots in town? Instead of waiting until September, lots of local restaurants are promoting special prix fixe deals right now — a great way to sample the offerings at a sweet discount. J&G Steakhouse just announced its…
It’s a little overcast outside right now, but soon enough we’ll feel the full force of the Summer heat pouring down over The Valley. Our favorite way to cool down: a nice Thai tea. We’re guessing we’ll find a glass of the good stuff at the Thai eatery that happens…
The new iPhone is a lust-worthy gizmo to begin with, but if you’re into food and wine, there are even more reasons to chuck your Crackberry and give in to Apple: the apps. One of the newest ones, WinePhD, was created by two locals, sommelier Brian Pierce and his business partner/co-inventor Dave…
Been hungry for Thai food lately? If so, call yourself a trendsetter. This is purely anecdotal, but it seems to me that there’s been a visible proliferation of Thai restaurants across the Valley in the past few years, even more so than sushi bars or Vietnamese pho joints. There are…
We eat. We tweet. New Times food critic Michele Laudig is working all the angles for you, Phoenix — including Twitter, where you can follow her cravings. She’s easy to find: @michelelaudig. We’ve been on Twitter for a while now, and in between the tweets about Iran and Mark Sanford’s…
There are plenty of bars to grab a beer at after catching a sports game in the West Valley. But what if you need a late-night nosh as well (and don’t want to be limited to stale peanuts)? In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, we’ll profile one neighborhood pub…
Four Seasons pastry chef Lance Whipple’s fondant-covered, seven-tiered chocolate praline hazelnut crunch cake — inspired by Rio de Janeiro — won “best in show” at yesterday’s Confectionary Creations and Table Top Decor Competition, hosted at the Arizona Grand Resort by the National Association of Catering Executives. What’s just as impressive…
Joe and Myrah Aiello just dropped a line to say that they’ve finally launched their “back door pizzeria,” a takeout-only pizza biz that they’re literally doing from the back of their Italian restaurant on Central Avenue. There are 16 different toppings available on New York-style and Sicilian pizzas — and…
After this weekend, it’s time to replace “party like a rockstar” with “drink like a chef.” Friday night is a bit of a blur for most (if not all) of the participants in a Chef’s Tour of central downtown Phoenix restaurants (yes, and bars) dreamed up by chef Christopher Gross…
