Applebee's International Inc.

Surprise's Amuse Bouche: Excellent French Cuisine, With a Few Downsides

Six Phoenix Food Trucks, Rated

Chow Bella's 9 Most Dramatic Moments in the National Food (and Drink) Scene in 2012

We'll soon be saying sayonara to 2012, and as media custom would have it, we're taking a look back at the culinary news that inspired us, enraged us, made us hungry or just gave us a good laugh. In the world of food and drink (and frankly, we don't care about much else here at Chow Bella), the most ... More >>

How to Speak Republican

10 Corporate Food Trucks Totally Bogarting the Mobile Kitchen Scene, Man

Corporations moving in on the scene-y food truck scene? Dude, no way. It was bound to happen. Over the past few years, local upstarts have been responsible for starting and keeping the frenzy aflame, but now, many corporate chains have taken notice and have tapped into the trend with their own mobi ... More >>

J.T. Ready's Victims: Three Fundraisers for Their Families

Three fundraisers are planned this week to help the families of J.T. Ready's victims. On May 2, Ready shot and killed his girlfriend Lisa Mederos, 47; her daughter Amber Mederos, 23; Amber's fiance Jim Hiott, 24; and Amber's one year-old baby girl Lilly, in a murder spree that ended when Ready ... More >>

Fu-Fu Cuisine: Where Africa Meets the Caribbean

Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers' Classic Fare Goes Awry

Ten Favorite First Date Restaurants

Hello Phoenix Cibo's Patio = Perfect First Date Spot​So you convinced that special someone -- or maybe that special someone that you've never actually met but you have a really strong connection with via instant messenger -- to actually go out to dinner with you. Where are going to take the ... More >>

Scraping Vanilla Beans with Mellow Mushroom's Jenna Cacciamani

Zach Fowle​The tender: Jenna Cacciamani The bar: Mellow Mushroom (740 S. Mill Ave. 480-967-6355) The pedigree: When Cacciamani's manager at Applebee's needed a bartender about 8 years ago, she was originally opposed-- she was working tables, was fine with the money she was earning and li ... More >>

Is Ncounter a Hot New Breakfast and Lunch Spot for Mill Avenue?

​Ncounter, the new breakfast and lunch spot on Mill Avenue courtesy of Thom Coker and his wife, Kathy, owners of T.C. Eggington's in Mesa, was bustling with activity when I recently popped by. The Nside of Ncounter.​It's a hip but friendly place with a decidedly clean decór, a palette ... More >>

The Small Box from Rock-N-Roll Fingers

Erica O'Neil​Last year we marked the hundred day countdown to Best of Phoenix by sharing our 100 Favorite Dishes with you. Now we're back - with the 2011 edition. Have a suggestion for a dish you'd like us to try? Leave it in the comments section or email laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. 38: The Sm ... More >>

Brian Ramsay at Murphy's Law

Zach Fowle​The tender: Brian Ramsay The bar: Murphy's Law (58 S. San Marcos Place, Chandler, 480-812-1588) The pedigree: Ramsay started young, barbacking at Native New Yorker at the tender age of 15. After a short stint in the military (dude did aviation ordinance during Desert Storm) he returned ... More >>

Trent Robertson at the Vine Tavern

Zach Fowle ​The tender: Trent RobertsonThe bar: The Vine Tavern (801 E. Apache Blvd., 480-894-2662)The pedigree: Robertson got his bartending start in Kansas, working mostly, he says, at "Applebee's-type restaurants." A fortuitous coin flip led him to Tempe and the Vine ten years ago, where ... More >>

Pete Yorn's Take on the Silliest of Silly Little Love Songs

Kinch Aren't Waiting for Guffman -- But He Might Show Up to See Them in L.A.

Chris Wahl, What Are You Eating?

Chris Wahl at Republic Ramen​Chris Wahl The lead guitarist for local pop/rock band Crash Coordinates performs with the band Saturday, February 5 at Scottsdale Studios. What'd you eat for dinner last night? Chicken breast cooked in olive oil. Favorite food: Rich, juicy prime rib. Leas ... More >>

Applebee's Restaurants in Valley Need Good Scrubbing; Nearly Half Failed Recent Health Inspections

  ​More than one rotten Applebee's restaurant is spoiling the bunch. Health inspection reports show that some Applebee's facilities are clean, with well-trained employees. But we're troubled by health inspections reports on many of the chain's Phoenix-area eateries. Maricopa Count ... More >>

Wedding Music: Getting Hitched? Check Out Matrimony's New Musical Canon

Monte Fuller at Iruna

Zach Fowle Monte Fuller ​Monte Fuller may just be the ultimate man. Not only is the svelte, deep-voiced bartender a former scuba instructor, licensed pilot and on his way to becoming a firefighter; he also makes a damn good drink. The former general manager of Martini Ranch, he now exhibits ... More >>

Heads (of Lettuce) Will Roll: Ling & Louie's vs. Fez

In the last decade, American restaurant menus have been under siege. Mozzarella sticks have held off the invading queso and tortilla chips. Chili fries have been trampled by Southwest egg rolls. And lettuce wraps -- once an exotic foreign visitor -- are now a staple of Chili ... More >>

Matthew Duske at the Vig Uptown

Matt Duske and the Vig's dry erase board​Young, bookish and personable, it's not difficult to imagine Matt Duske at the front of a classroom. And it shouldn't be, since the bespectacled bartender spent two years teaching math to disgruntled high school students. He recently made the change from en ... More >>

Beyond Groupon: Online Cheapies and Freebies for Culinary Adventurers

Get this delicious meal for a song.​ ​ ​By now, almost everyone knows about the Phoenix version of Groupon.com, the website where you can sign up to get e-mails on a mega daily deal. They've offered everything from waxing services at 75% off to $40 restaurant gift certificates for ... More >>

Why Your Pizza Delivery Guy Hates You

Jasmine HobeheidarWhaddaya mean "no tip?"​ They work hard to deliver hot, cheesy goodness to your front door and expect only a paltry tip in return. They are pizza guys and their stories deserve to be heard. The following is the tale as told to me by such a pizza guy. Should he attach his name to ... More >>

Radio Phoenix Fundraising Update

​You may remember a few weeks ago that Radio Phoenix was in a bit of a financial pickle. The station was in desperate need of about $1,500, so they threw a benefit show for the cause at The Rogue. In case you were curious how it turned out, here's the skinny.The show pulled in about $1,000 much-ne ... More >>

A Fundraiser at Applebee's? Die Ignorant Got the Last Laugh

Phoenix Chorale Fundraising on Facebook and Die Ignorant Post Car Washing in This Week's Issue

Phoenix Chorale: Reaching out on facebook for financial support.​This week's music feature is on the Grammy winning classical music choir the Phoenix Chorale. Steve Jansen tells us why they're awesome, and why they're turning to facebook for the hope of a financial bailout.We also have a "Where ar ... More >>

Arizona Barbecue Festival: Lessons Learned from Competing in a KCBS Event

Martin Cizmar Sign spotted on the drive to the Arizona Barbecue Festival... Sorry, kids, not today!​I planned to smoke a lot of meat while competing in the Arizona Barbecue Festival this weekend. I did not plan to smoke a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer.I am embarrassed to report that in addition to ... More >>

Local Punk Band "Die Ignorant" Has Car Wash Fundraiser At Applebee's

​Touring is expensive, what with gas prices so high and all. Tempe punk band Die Ignorant has one answer to the high start-up costs, a car wash fundraiser at a local Applebee's this Saturday. "If we don't make close to 700 dollars we have to kiss the tour bye bye," the bands says on its Facebook p ... More >>

Grand Ave. Group Opposes Liquor License, Says a Serial Killer DJed at Applicant's Old Bar

Bikini Lounge: No serial killers DJing here... just Shane Kennedy.​The Grand Avenue Merchants Association doesn't want to see one merchant, Jim Seagrave, doing business on their street. The association, which is run by a committee made up of Beatrice Moore (who owns the building where beloved "riv ... More >>

Nativists Harass Applebee's Over Macehualli Fundraiser, Fail Miserably

One of the nativist geezers outside Applebee's yesterdayThe nativists talked a big game on the United for a Sovereign America Web site, calling for a protest of two Applebee's restaurants in Phoenix that were participating in a fundraiser for Sal Reza's Macehualli Work Center. But other than harassi ... More >>

Help Sal Reza's Macehualli Center Tomorrow by Eating at Applebee's

Macehualli's in trouble, and you can help by stuffing your facePhoenix human rights activist Sal Reza's Macehualli Day Labor Center at 25th Street and Bell Road is in dire financial straits, and you can help by eating at one of two Applebee's locations tomorrow.As part of Applebee's Dining to Donate ... More >>

Sal Reza, Bob Dylan, Phoenix Public Market, and Paris Hilton

​In the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Feathered Bastard: Help Sal Reza's Macehualli Center Tomorrow by Eating at Applebee's Up on the Sun: The Lo ... More >>

Nu Rock Is Disturbed

Nu Rock Is Disturbed

Rascal Flatts Coming to Cricket March 12

It's probably an oddity that Columbus, Ohio had a reputation for producing quality country music for so long, but that's what spawning Dwight Yoakam does for you. But whatever country cred the giant-Applebee's-of-a-city had through Yoakam was quickly squandered in 2004 when Rascal Flatts' "Mayberry" ... More >>

Chow Bella's Top 5 Entries of 2008

Happy New Year, Phoenix. Here's one last look at 2008 with the top five blogs as determined by the sheer number of eyes that read them. Catch the top three slots after the jump. 5 - Liberty Market set to open in Gilbert The charming stretch of Gilbert Avenue that runs right through the middle of G ... More >>

Night Train: The Ultimate Light Rail Pub Crawl

Night Train: Camelback/Central Avenue (Stop #4)

Where: Stop #3, Central Avenue and Camelback: Applebee's (201 E. Camelback Road, a three-minute walk from the stop) Drink: Applebee's Main Street 'Ritas (in strawberry, mango, or wildberries flavors) for $3.40 before 7 p.m., or for $7 after 7 p.m. Scene: Applebee's is the only drinking hole within ... More >>

Eddie Recommends: Indie restaurants

The Skinny: Keegan's Grill & Taproom

D'Arcy McGee's at Tempe Marketplace

No Wigs Required

Paula Abdul and the $600 boa

Hero Worship

With more fans craving brutal metal, And the Hero Fails is happy to dish it up

BEST PLACE TO DRINK LIKE HEMINGWAY

Merc Bar

West Side Sorry

Northwest Valley eateries come up short

Hostess Cupcake

Getting all hot and bothered at Houston's

Best Happy Hour

Faye's Green Room
560 South College, Tempe
480-968-9190

Chain Action