Best Hot Dog 2012 | Pittsburgh Willy's | Food & Drink | Phoenix
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Best Hot Dog

Pittsburgh Willy's

For a taste of Pittsburgh by way of the Merchant Square Antique Mall in Chandler, we present the Wild Willy, a glorious gut-buster of a dog courtesy of ex-Pittsburgher Randy Walters. Starting with a quarter-pound, all-beef dog from Nathan's tucked into a sesame bun, chipped ham (a Steel City staple) sautéed in butter is piled on next, with mounds of fresh-grated cheddar cheese to follow for a marvelous mess of deliciousness you'll need a fork to eat.

Best BBQ

Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue

Jamie Peachey

Smoked over pecan wood, Chef Bryan Dooley's first-rate barbecue definitely is worth the drive from just about any locale in the Valley. You can't go wrong with any of the meats on the menu, which doesn't waste time on burgers and other non-essentials — it's all about the 'cue at this small and friendly, counter-service eatery dressed up like an Old West-themed outpost. There's the moist, delicious pulled pork sandwich, topped with Dooley's unique olive-based cole slaw; a smoky brisket with a perfect bark and tender center; slabs of mouthwatering pork ribs; and if you're really hungry, a creation called the Big Pig. Starting with the clang-a-lang of the cashier's cowboy triangle to let everyone in the joint know the beast has been summoned, it features a heaping basket of golden French fries topped with that amazing pulled pork, baked beans, scallions, house-brined jalapeño slices, and sour cream. Forget the fork, this place is finger-lickin' fabulous.

Best Jerk

The Jerk Hut

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Owned by three natives of Jamaica, this tiny but tasty Caribbean eatery knows its jerk. With perfectly prepared and tender chicken, there's a kick from the Scotch bonnet pepper element to be sure, but this jerk's true genius is in its notes of thyme, cinnamon, cloves, and several other flavorful ingredients. The restaurant's tiny menu is all good eatin', but no matter what we try, the jerk chicken is a delicious must-have.

Best Ribs

Texas BBQ House

They say there isn't a Texan in the barbecue business who's gotten pork ribs right — not so at this South Phoenix hole-in-the-wall. Here, Texas expats Mike Pitt and Doug Dieckmann have brought some of their home state's flair for barbecue to everyone from casual diners to 'cue connoisseurs to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Smoked over oak with family-recipe dry rub, the pork ribs are two-handed, thick strips of tenderness eaten like the meat version of corn on the cob. And like any Texas barbecue joint worth its smoked slabs of meat, this one comes complete with goods sold by the half-pound, gleaming white butcher paper used as plates, and old Pepsi crates used as trays. And sauce? Let's just say it's an accessory, not an essential, to some of the best barbecue in the Valley.

Best Wings

Teakwoods Chandler

Longtime Phoenicians know that the very best place for wings back in the day was Long Wong's on Mill — but Long Wong's has been a parking lot for more than seven years, so it's time to get over it and move on. Ever since our favorite spot was turned into a giant waste of space, we've been seeking wing solace in the low-lit rooms of Chandler's Teakwoods. Big, juicy wings are golden-fried and tossed in variety of sauces from your traditional hot to more unique flavors like Thai Cina, Mandarin Orange, and our favorite, the El Heffe, with a touch of cilantro, garlic, and suicide sauce. Wash 'em down with a cold beer, and if you're really hungry, try the beer-battered onion rings.

Best Fried Food

Zaidi's Grill

Name a Phoenician's favorite snack, and a fritter found across South Asia probably doesn't make the list. That is, until you've had the pakora from this family-owned Indo-Pak restaurant in Scottsdale. Worthy of a menu spot at any sports bar, this creation features spinach and jalapeños dipped in batter and deep-fried until they're ready to be served up as a tangled, fried mass of tasty with a capital T. And if the crunchy, spicy flavor isn't enough, the pakora is served up with a mint-heavy and zesty dippin' sauce to elevate the overall flavor. Sorry, onion rings, you've been replaced.

Best Mac 'n' Cheese

Bacon & Caramelized Onion Mac & Cheese at Cheuvront

Cheuvront may be known for its impressive wine selection and epic cheese boards, but back in the kitchen, executive chef Ryan Rivera and team are whipping up savory bowls of al dente noodles coated in tangy cheese sauce. The dish comes in five flavors — traditional, blue cheese, pesto and spinach, chorizo and peppers, and our very favorite, bacon and caramelized onions. The tender noodles are draped in rich cheese and tossed with savory caramelized red onions and crispy pancetta bacon. All five varieties are great, but this combo is the best.

Best Crepes

The Crepe Bar

Tempe diners (and the rest of us) should thank their lucky stars that Jeff Kraus, the man behind ++Experience++ and the currently defunct Truckin' Good Food truck is putting his innovative spin on French cuisine in the form of crepes — those luscious thin pancakes with various toppings or fillings — at this strip-mall eatery on the northwest corner of Elliot and Rural roads. Done differently (and deliciously), Kraus' stellar sweet and savory crepe creations, made with locally and regionally sourced ingredients, are featured on a small, daily changing menu along with a few sides as well as coffee and tea selections. We especially like the artfully plated sweet crepe with vanilla custard, strawberries, and caramel; and the crepe version of the breakfast burrito packed with egg, bacon, queso, and a delectable avocado salsa. Getting our crepe on never tasted so good.

Best Use of PB&J

Peanut Butter and Jelly Foie Gras at The Praying Monk

We're not going to get into an ethics debate about foie gras, but we will say that we're happy that it's not banned in the Valley of the Sun. If the French duck liver treat couldn't make its way into our cactus-studded desert, then we wouldn't have culinary gems like the one found at Aaron May's newest Old Town Scottsdale eatery, The Praying Monk. On the appetizer side of the industrial chic spot's menu, you'll find a curious dish that incorporates peanut butter with its usual sidekick jelly and a new friend — foie gras. The trio comes in a small jar with toast points to be used for shoveling the concoction in your mouth. The flavor is like nothing you've ever tried before — and it's surely not for everyone — but whether you're into trying new things or a lover of fatty duck liver, this is a real treat.

Best Bagels

New York Bagels 'N Bialys

Many a doubting East Coast transplant has been dragged to this cheery little Scottsdale eatery only to become a believer in its real-deal New York bagels. Since 1987 and with roots in its original locations in Chicago (Touhy Ave.) and New York (Jerome Ave.), the restaurant's family recipes have been the foundation to making bagels the old-fashioned way: boiling the dough before baking it, which means a thick, sturdy crust, a dense, doughy middle, and true bagel bliss. Enjoy the classic version — preferably toasted and with a schmear — or bite into flavors like Asiago, garlic, and jalapeño. And for those who want to chase their bagel down with a bit of booze, there's the restaurant's odd addition of a fully stocked bar. Who says bagels don't know how to party?

Best Of Phoenix®

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