Asian Food and Cooking

Chop PHX: Banh Xeo

​​Tired of the same old tired orange chicken and California rolls? Want to venture beyond the standard suburban-stale take-out? Here comes Chop PHX, with the Valley's rarer Asian offerings. This Week: Banh Xeo The Basics: Authentic Vietnamese restaurants tend to have menus that can best be desc ... More >>

Pho Ga from Da Vang

Ando Muneno Da Vang's Pho Ga. ​ ​Tired of the same old tired orange chicken and California rolls? Want to venture beyond the standard suburbian-stale take-out? Here comes Chop PHX, with the Valley's rarer Asian offerings. This Week: Pho Ga (Vietnamese Rice Noodle Chicken Soup) from D ... More >>

Curry Corner Spices Up Tempe with Indo-Pakistani Cuisine

Sapporo Scottsdale: Happy Hour Report Card

Nicole Smith Sapporo's Cocunut Water Martini and Passion-Mango Martini induce a high that's worth their high price.​The Spot: Sapporo, 14344 N. Scottsdale Rd., North Scottsdale, 480-607-1114www.sapporoscottsdale.comThe Hours: 11 a.m. - close, Monday through Friday, and 3 p.m. - close, Satur ... More >>

Sa Bai Modern Thai Turns an Old Wendy's on Its Ear

Wahsun Restaurant's Mouthwatering Chinese Food Doesn't Bother with Being Fancy

Jean-Georges Vongerichten, World-Renowned Chef, In New PBS Series on Korean Food

​Three-star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's culinary empire includes restaurants in Las Vegas, London, Paris, and Shanghai, as well as his flagship eatery Jean Georges in New York. But when it comes to Korean food, Vongerichten needs a little help. That's when he calls on an expert ... More >>

Now Open: Kokoro Sushi & Noodle Bar

​Hooray -- a quick and casual place to get sushi downtown! Kokoro Sushi & Noodle Bar opened last week in the Arizona Center, two doors down form the trendy Brick Pizza and just east of the movie theater.    The cozy space is casual with high top tables and a little sushi bar ... More >>

Roka Akor: Happy Hour Report Card

House infused Shochu with hand cut ice cubes are half priced during Happy Hour at Roka Akor.​The Spot: Roka Akor, 7299 N. Scottsdale, Rd., Scottsdale, 480-306-8800 www.rokaakor.com The Hours: 5-7pm, daily. The Details: Happy Hour pricing is available in the lounge and bar areas onl ... More >>

The Dragon Roll from Stingray Sushi

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 82: Th ... More >>

Now Open: ShinBay

​Sushi lovers rejoice, Scottsdale has a brand new sushi joint open just in time for summer. Shinji Kurita, sushi chef and former owner of the now-closed Awhatukee sushi spot, ShinBay, quietly opened the doors of his latest project last Wednesday. Once again named ShinBay, the traditional-styl ... More >>

Lunch Under $10 at Pho Thanh

​It's not a side dish. It's not a soup dish. It's pho -- a main course, a noodle dish. In Vietnam, it's the people's food. Street food. And at Pho Thanh, it's delicious. It should be -- it's the house specialty. Think all bowls of pho are the same? Think again. What makes the pho at this west ... More >>

Sekong by Night Brings Cambodian Cuisine to Phoenix

Asian Festival at Mekong Plaza: Stick to the Nearby Restaurants for the Really Good Authentic Food

Christen Bejar​The Arizona Asian Festival is in Mesa this weekend at the Mekong Plaza and on our visit yesterday we found all sorts of things to do -- but if you are planning to eat, we advise you stick to the restaurant fare and avoid the festival offerings. There are really just three ... More >>

Sushi 102: Roll a Fat One with The Virgin

​After last week's tragic experiment with burning cooking sushi rice, The Virgin was tempted to give up on the whole sushi making experience. But armed with a few helpful tips, I mastered the rice technique and moved on to the main event. If you're looking to feed picky eaters or ... More >>

Sushi 101: The Virgin Gets Burned by Sticky Rice

Uh-oh. That is not soy sauce.​Most American restaurant foods are easy to replicate at home: grilled cheese, burgers, the classic BLT. Japanese and hybrid-Asian foods are another matter. It might seem simple to toss together some rice, crab, seaweed and avocado to make a basic Californi ... More >>

Eating the World: Chuhgajib Korean Restaurant

The best ethnic food is often the most difficult to find. So each week we'll spin the globe and search for a new other-worldly spot to expand our eating horizons around the Valley. This week we go to Korea at Chuhgajib Korean Restaurant. Carrie Wheeler Dalk Bulgogi (BBQ chicken) and Daeji B ... More >>

Salmon Skin Roll: Shimogamo Japanese Restaurant

Flickr- Island Vittles A mound of crispy, fried salmon skin that would put bacon to shame.​Despite what the supermarket aisle may lead you to believe, there's more to an animal than neatly wrapped styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those t ... More >>

Lunch $10 and Under at Teharu Sushi

Roe, roe, roe your boat...​Teharu isn't just a sushi bar -- it's an experience. There are few other places in the Valley where you can score five plates of food for under a ten-spot, but that's exactly what we did at Teharu. On our visit the place was packed, and the vibe was decidedly ... More >>

Ikura Nigiri: Fish Eggs from Kanpai Sushi

Erica O'Neil A jewel-tone duo of fish eggs, ikura nigiri from Kanpai Sushi.​Despite what the supermarket aisle may lead you to believe, there's more to an animal than neatly wrapped styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those taboo edibles th ... More >>

Chef Shinji Kurita Planning to Reopen Shinbay in Scottsdale

​Fans of Japanese cuisine will surely take heart at the comeback of a local luminary: Chef Shinji Kurita is working on reopening Shinbay, this time in Scottsdale. Since it closed five years ago, Kurita's original Ahwatukee location of Shinbay has become the stuff of legends for its exquisite ... More >>

Eating the World: Maxim Restaurant

The best ethnic food is often the most difficult to find. So each week we'll spin the globe and search for a new other-worldly spot to expand our eating horizons around the Valley.This week we visit Vietnam & China at Maxim Restaurant. Carrie Wheeler A bowl of Pho Tai and accompanyin ... More >>

Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery Brings Authentic Thai to Scottsdale

Cafe: Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery

​We are not ones to turn our noses up at Asian cuisine. Quite the opposite actually. So when we here that there is a new Thai restaurant opening up, we've got to check it out. Fod Critic Michele Laudig on Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery: Despite the glamorous digs, Soi 4 isn't dramatically pricier than ... More >>

Coming Soon: Otaku Sushi in Chandler

​It looks like East Valley sushi geeks will be getting a little gift after the New Year -- Otaku Sushi, a restaurant that's currently under construction at 2430 S. Gilbert Rd. in Chandler. The restaurant's name translates to "geek" or "hardcore fan" in modern Japanese sla ... More >>

New in Arcadia: SaBai Modern Thai

​Two restaurant industry vets have just opened a sleek new Thai restaurant in an Arcadia space that used to be a fast food joint.SaBai Modern Thai, at 4121 E. Thomas Rd., is owned by husband-and-wife team Eric and Atchara (Holly) Willis. He was a manager at Wrigley Mansion for a decade, while she ... More >>

Wildfish Seafood Grill Hires Sushi Chef

The raw bar at Wildfish Seafood Grille​Already a reliable spot for a good crabcake or a big platter of raw oysters to slurp, now Wildfish Seafood Grill is bringing sushi and sashimi into the mix with the hiring of sushi chef Stephan Martin.It's a natural evolution for the Waterfront restaurant, wh ... More >>

Fragrant Pho at Viet Kitchen

If only you could smell how delicious this pho is . . .​If first impressions mean anything, then I expect to put Viet Kitchen in my regular rotation. The new downtown Vietnamese restaurant (on 1st Ave. at Adams St.) was a bright and cheerful stop for this curious and hungry reporter ... More >>

Meeting Rick Moonen, and Other Las Vegas Adventures

​Some friends have asked for a food report on my recent weekend jaunt to Las Vegas, so here you go, foodniks. First off, here's proof (um, not really) that I met chef Rick Moonen, who almost immediately asked me if I do my job anonymously, and later joked that he could make a killin ... More >>

Cherryblossom Noodle Café: Lunch $10 & Under

When we heard about the lunch specials at Cherry Blossom Noodle Café, we had to check it out. Nearly 20 options for less than $10 each on weekdays? Yes please.

New in Downtown: Viet Kitchen

​I love it when this happens. I wish for something long enough, and then it comes true. So far, I haven't made it to Spain, and nobody's come to my door with a million-dollar check from Publisher's Clearinghouse, but at least there's a brand-new Vietnamese restaurant in Downtown -- the first ... More >>

Chicken Tikka Masala at Zam Zam World Foods

​The luscious lunch buffet at Zam Zam World Foods' in-house cafe is no more -- although it might eventually make a comeback, says a kitchen employee.In the meantime, there's still plenty of tasty Pakistani and Indian food that won't break the bank. Walk past aisles of rice, oil, canned vegetables, ... More >>

Sunshine Moon Peking Pub Coming Soon to Scottsdale

One of the creators of P.F. Chang's China Bistro is about to bring a new Asian restaurant called Sunshine Moon Peking Pub to the Old Town Scottsdale space that previously housed Bacon.Rich Sullivan -- who was behind the original P.F. Chang's concept, is an investor in the original Humble Pie pi ... More >>

Last Meal: Local Artists and Scenesters Pick Out What They'd Eat For Their Final Feasts

Wikimedia Commons What would you pick for your last meal?​It's estimated that the average human will consume more than 85,000 meals in his or her lifetime. And some are inevitably more important or memorable than others (such as Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners, wedding feasts, or at impor ... More >>

Sushi Roku at The W Scottsdale: Lunch $10 & Under

Okay, so you can't really do lunch at Sushi Roku at The W Scottsdale for less than $10, but you can get a lot of bang for your buck with a $10 Express Bento Box, which is nearly a square-foot of Japanese food.

Kimchi-Kimchi-Coo

Get your international cuisine-loving booty down here

Tempe's Little India Has a Lot to Chaat About

Hiro Sushi: Mouthwatering Sushi From a Neighborhood Mom and Pop

Chef Kazuto "Kaz" Kishino of Hana Japanese Eatery, Kitchen

Born, raised, educated and trained in Japan, Chef Kazuto "Kaz" Kishino, the man running the behind-the-scenes show in the kitchen of Hana Japanese Eatery, is about as old school as it gets in Japanese cooking. Kaz is a man of few words and little English, but Lori Hashimoto plays translator to unvei ... More >>

Chef Rick "Koji" Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery, Sushi Bar

Chef Rick "Koji" Hashimoto rocks and rolls as he prepares sushi at Hana Japanese Eatery, dressed to the nines and showing off his skills. Today, we pick Koji's brain about his sushi technique, the brown bag lunches he couldn't escape, the best bone-removal method and if any deadly catches will be hi ... More >>

Guru Palace's Chicken Tikka Masala

We named Guru Palace's Chicken Tikka Masala one of our "100 Favorite Dishes," and today, Rana Singh Sodhi and Surinder Singh (no relation) share the mouthwatering Indian recipe.

Teharu Sushi Just May Be the Fastest Food

Rana Singh Sodhi and Surinder Singh of Guru Palace

Rana Singh Sodhi and Surinder Singh (no relation) joined forces to transform a strip mall restaurant space into an Indian oasis: The Guru Palace, complete with floor seating and wall murals of the Taj Mahal.

Nobuo at Teeter House Proves Izakaya Dreams Really Can Come True in Downtown Phoenix

Indian Opulence and Tandoori Treasures at Mesa's Guru Palace

Cafe: Guru Palace

​What's the cuisine guaranteed to get our salivary glands working over time? Indian food. Just check out what this week's Cafe column has to say about Guru Palace and you'll see what we mean. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Guru Palace: Chewy, blistered rounds of naan bread were tasty naked o ... More >>

Banh Mi: What is the Nom Nom Truck Selling and Where Can I Get Some?

Food Network Nom Nom Truck​Earlier this week we mentioned four Arizona food truck companies that are season 2 nominees for The Great Food Truck Race on The Food Network. We hope you follow the link to vote for your local food roadsters and a chance for you to win a trip to NYC for The Food ... More >>

Ewha Korean Restaurant Is More Delicious with Friends

Stingray Sushi: Happy Hour Report Card

Erica O'Neil Warm sake and cold Sapporo at Stingray Sushi's happy hour.​The Spot: Stingray Sushi, 2502 E. Camelback Rd., Phoenix, (602) 955-2008, http://www.stingraysushi.com The Hours: Between the hours of 3 and 7 pm, Monday through Friday. The Details: $5 sake bombers, $4 wine by the gla ... More >>

Rockin' Ramen: Sushi Ken, Republic Ramen, and More Fill You Full of Noodles and Broth