Email Author Penelope Corcoran

1990 Stories by Penelope Corcoran

• FOAM FOLLOWS FUNCTION

  published December 26, 1990

  I get paid to eat, not drink. But the holiday season is full of such pressures. Deck the halls. Be jolly. Be naughty. Be nice. It's... More >>

• ATTA GRILL!

  published December 19, 1990

  Bistro, trattoria, grill. No matter what the nationality, the idea is the same: Convince customers that dining out needn't be so... More >>

• REVERSAL OF FORTUNE COOKIE

  published November 28, 1990

  I think I've spotted a new trend. Lately I've been hearing a lot of people waxing nostalgic about "good old Cantonese-style" Chinese... More >>

• BASKET CASE

  published November 14, 1990

  There are two times of the year I can't get enough of alfresco eating: October-November and March-April. I'm not alone in this. I know... More >>

• MEX SURROGATE

  published November 7, 1990

  I don't just work on the Best of Phoenix section, I read it. When our annual special insert came out in September, I noticed that... More >>

• A DRINK WITH JAM AND BREAD

  published October 31, 1990

  Afternoon tea manages to sound civilized and superfluous at the same time. Let's face it, sitting down to a pot of tea and some prissy little... More >>

• 'GHETTI YUP!

  published October 24, 1990

  Before durum wheat noodles were called "pasta," before we'd ever heard of "carbo loading," there was an American family favorite called... More >>

• WOK ON BY

  published October 17, 1990

  Here's a mystery for you culinary detectives. Why is Thai food in Los Angeles so superior to what we have here in the Valley? Why, oh why? On a... More >>

• WHERE SNOWBIRDS DARE

  published October 10, 1990

  The first day of fall has come and gone. As leaves pile up in other parts of the country, license plates in Arizona change color as... More >>

• WURST CASE SCENARIO

  published October 3, 1990

  October stands for a lot of things. Crisp apples. Peak foliage. Carved pumpkins. But most important to serious celebrants of food and... More >>

• SPA? HA!

  published September 26, 1990

  Spa cuisine. Its origin is fairly obvious. It comes from spas, like La Costa or Canyon Ranch where rich and famous people go to shed... More >>

• TWIN PICANTES

  published September 19, 1990

  A couple of weeks ago, I was backtracking some of my old Judas Priest albums just for the hell of it, and, sure enough, I found a... More >>

• THE PITA PRINCIPLE

  published September 12, 1990

  For months, I've had Middle Eastern cuisine on my "to do" list. Ten weeks ago, I could have pulled off a simple restaurant review. Now,... More >>

• WHAT KIND OF FOOD AM I?

  published September 5, 1990

  It's tough to review restaurants that represent everything you hate: the type of place that you, as a private citizen, would never frequent... More >>

• SAIGON HELPINGS

  published August 29, 1990

  When I was sworn in last March as New Times restaurant critic, part of my oath of office was to share my restaurant findings with my... More >>

• SMOTHER LOVE

  published August 15, 1990

  Every now and then, the world around you shifts slightly and your personal universe expands. This is how I feel after discovering Bev's... More >>

• CHAINED HEAT

  published August 8, 1990

  You've just returned from a summer vacation spent visiting your in-laws in Nebraska. Your coffers are empty and so is your stomach. After two... More >>

• BY THE TIME I GOT TO TUCSON

  published August 1, 1990

  Summer is never laid-back at New Times. Ever hard-core, during the hottest months of the year we leave the relative comfort of our... More >>

• AMERICAN BLANDSTAND

  published July 25, 1990

  You're busy. It's hot. I won't waste your time. Here's a handy quiz to see if you should read Cafe this week. Please answer yes or... More >>

• CAN THIS MARINARA BE SAVED?

  published July 18, 1990

  I've always been a fan of Raffaele's in Mesa, so I was excited when I learned of Lauretta Melchiori and Raffaele Contacessi's plans to... More >>

• THE HIGH-PRICED SPREAD

  published July 11, 1990

  You would think he'd be impervious by now. Christopher Gross, owner and chef of Christopher's and the Bistro, is a smash hit.... More >>

• ASIAN GRACEFULLY

  published July 4, 1990

  It is 9:30 on a Wednesday evening in North Scottsdale. The parking lot is dotted with Range Rovers. Inside, our fellow diners seem... More >>

• GRUB BAG

  published June 27, 1990

  Most people think my ever-faithful dining accomplice Goat earned his nickname because he will eat anything. This is not true. For... More >>

• CURRY UP

  published June 13, 1990

  I've always liked East Indian food. The spiciest I've ever eaten was on a hiking trip through the British Isles. My boyfriend and I were in... More >>

• TIKI OR LEAVE IT

  published June 6, 1990

  It could be any Saturday night. The maitre d' at Trader Vic's leads us to a small table near the restaurant's fire doors. It is... More >>