Black Mountain Holdings Inc.

Gio Osso of Virtu on the Ungers, Beau Mac and the Unnecessary Hype Around Farm-to-Table

This is part two of my interview with Gio Osso, chef-owner of Virtù Honest Craft in Scottsdale. If you missed part one, where Osso dished about his favorite local restaurants and whether or not he should be considered an Italian chef, read it here. See also: -- Juice Core Opens Fresh Juice Shop i ... More >>

CLOSED: Big Earl's BBQ in Scottsdale

Looks like the smoke's gone out at Big Earl's BBQ. The home of "old school 'Q'" in Old Town Scottsdale has shuttered. See also: - May Restaurant Openings and Closings in Metro Phoenix - CLOSED: Sam Fox's Modern Steak in Scottsdale Opened in January 2011 in a standalone white brick building at 7213 ... More >>

Gio Osso of Virtù on His Favorite Local Restaurants and What Kind of Chef He Might Be

Gio Osso Virtù Honest Craft 3701 North Marshall Way, Scottsdale 480-946-3447 www.virtuscottsdale.com See also: -- Gio Osso Will Open Virtù Honest Craft in Scottsdale June 7, With Grand Opening June 13 This is part one of my interview with Gio Osso, chef-owner of the brand new Virtù Honest Craf ... More >>

Steve Freidkin of TEXAZ Grill On Chicken-Fried Steak, His Favorite Local Deli, and the Two Local Chefs He Most Admires

Steve Freidkin TEXAZ Grill 6003 N. 16th Street, Phoenix 602-248-7827, texazgrill.com See also: -- Free Ice Cream: Sweet Republic's Five Year Anniversary on Wednesday, June 12 -- Next Up on Diner's, Drive-Ins and Dives: Tempe's Curry Corner and The Duce in Downtown Phoenix This is part one of my in ... More >>

Former Kai Guy Michael O'Dowd on What He's Up to at Renegade by MOD and the Problem with Comfort Food

Michael O'Dowd Renegade by MOD 9343 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale 480-614-9400 See also: -- Ex Kai Chef Michael O'Dowd Opens Renegade by MOD in Scottsdale this Friday This is part one of my interview with Michael O'Dowd, executive chef and co-owner of Renegade by MOD. Come back Tuesday when O'Dowd dis ... More >>

Jeremy Pacheco of Lon's on His Guilty Pleasure and an Embarrassing Moment in the Kitchen

This is part two of my interview with Jeremy Pacheco, executive chef of Lon's and the Hermosa Inn. If you missed part one, where Pacheco dished about Nobuo, craft beer and Pig & Pickle, read it here. See also: -- Royal Palms Closes T. Cook's for Summer to Renovate, Operates Out of Pop-Up Called Cer ... More >>

Jeremy Pacheco of Lon's on Nobuo and the Trend That's Finally Going Away

Jeremy Pacheco Lon's at the Hermosa 5532 N. Palo Cristi Road, Paradise Valley 602-955-7878, hermosainn.com See also: -- Summer Mixology Classes with Travis Nass at the Last Drop Bar -- Lon's at the Hermosa Picks Up a New Pastry Chef; Former One Heads to T. Cook's This is part one of my interview w ... More >>

Kelly Fletcher of House of Tricks on Lori Hashimoto, the Boys at Citizen, and the Next Big Thing

Kelly Fletcher House of Tricks 114 E. Seventh Street, Tempe 480-968-1114, houseoftricks.com See also: -- House of Tricks: Happy Hour Report Card -- Quiessence Chef Greg LaPrad Leaving the Farm at South Mountain for Sonoita This is part one of my interview with Kelly Fletcher, executive chef at Ho ... More >>

Matt Taylor of Market Street Kitchen on Robert McGrath, Brad Thompson, and the Trend He Hates (You'll Be Surprised)

Matt Taylor Market Street Kitchen 20825 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale 480-278-7044, marketstreetkitchen.com See also: -- Matt Taylor Becomes Head Honcho at Market Street Kitchen; Robert McGrath Stays On as Consultant -- Maple-Rye Creme Brulee at Market Street Kitchen This is part one of my interview ... More >>

Vincent Guerithault on Who He's Cooked For and Where He Gets His Macarons

Vincent Guerithault Vincent on Camelback, Vincent's Market Bistro 3930 East Camelback Road 602-224-0225, www.vincentsoncamelback.com See also: -- Taste Maker #53: Vincent Guerithault -- James Beard Award-Winning Celebrity Chef Teams Up with Phoenix's Justin Beckett for Special Dinner (Spoiler Ale ... More >>

Is the Michelin Guide Still Relevant?

Over a century old, the Michelin Guide, the star-ratings restaurant guide paid for by the French tire company, is arguably the best-known on the planet. See also: - What Are the Pros and Cons of Food Festivals? - What Are Three Cooking Skills Everyone Should Know? But recently, the guide has taken ... More >>

Charleen Badman: On Lori Hashimoto, Chris Bianco's Mom, and the Kitchen Phrase That Gets Under Her Skin

Charleen Badman FnB 7125 East Fifth Avenue, Suite 31, Scottsdale 480-284-4777, www.fnbrestaurant.com See also: -- Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic to Open FnB on Craftsman Court on Tuesday -- FnB's Charleen Badman Tells Food & Wine Her Favorite Places to Eat, Shop and Sleep in the Valley -- 15 Met ... More >>

Todd Sicolo Dishes on Grant Achatz and His Short-Lived Las Vegas Marriage

Todd Sicolo T. Cook's at Royal Palms Resort & Spa 5200 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix 602-808-0766 royalpalmshotel.com See also: -- Josh Riesner of Scottsdale's Pig & Pickle Dishes on Bartending Bullshit and What He Ate That You Never Will - Keenan Bosworth of Pig & Pickle Dishes about Chrysa Robertso ... More >>

12 National Food Trends We'll See in Phoenix in 2013

Everybody likes to say that Phoenix is years behind "real" food and drink towns, and for an embarrassingly long time, that was absolutely true. Lately? Not so much. I've read a slew of end-of-the-year predictions about what we Americans will be eating and drinking next year, and in many cases, we've ... More >>

Chef Salad Highlights Part II: The Smart, Funny and Sometimes Provocative Comments Our Local Chefs Made in 2012

Ask any chef: Food- and restaurant-related TV may provide drama and entertainment (although even that is questionable), but it sure as hell isn't based in reality. Feet ache, ceilings leak, employees call in sick, the health department shows up, grease traps overflow, food prices skyrocket, stoves c ... More >>

Ten Instagram-ers for the Phoenix Food Lover to Follow

When we're not blogging you can usually find our face buried in our iPhone screen posting photos and checking out the daily scene on Instagram. Try to get our attention while we 'gramming. We dare you. The filters, the snapshots.... It's an intoxicating combination that's got more than a few Phoenix ... More >>

Cowboy Ciao's Lester Gonzalez Dishes on Food Truck Fantasies and His Love/Hate Relationship With the Bacon Obsession

Lester Gonzalez Cowboy Ciao 7133 E. Stetson Drive Scottsdale See Also: MJ Coe Dishes on the One Thing He Couldn't Eat and the Death of Cupcake Wars This is part one of our interview with Lester Gonzalez, executive chef at Cowboy Ciao. Check back on Tuesday to learn more about one of Scottsdale's ... More >>

Aaron Chamberlin Dishes on (Not) Being a Celebrity Chef and the Hype Around St. Francis When It Opened

Aaron Chamberlin St. Francis 111 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix 602-200-8111 www.stfrancisaz.com See also: -- Update: Aaron Chamberlin Hopes to Open Cafe in Former Urban Grocery Space By Early Next Year This is part one of my interview with Aaron Chamberlin, chef-owner of St. Francis Restaurant. Come ... More >>

Michael Rusconi Dishes On Dairy Queen and Fresh White Truffles

Michael Rusconi Rusconi's American Kitchen 10637 N. Tatum Boulevard, #101 B, Phoenix 480-483-0009 www.facebook.com/RusconisAmericanKitchen See also: - Rusconi's American Kitchen a Nice Add for Paradise Valley Neighborhood - Chrysa Robertson Dishes on Her Role as Exorcist and What It Takes To Be a W ... More >>

Taste of Cave Creek Festival This Wednesday and Thursday Night Taste of Cave Creek Cookbook On Sale

Want to have a little fun Cave Creek-style? Head to the town's annual festival --2012 Taste of Cave Creek -- held this coming Wednesday and Thursday nights (October 17 and 18) from 5 to 10 p.m. at Stagecoach Village (7100 E. Cave Creek Road). See also: -- Chef Kevin Binkley of Binkley's Restaurant: ... More >>

So What Exactly Do We Mean When We Say "American Cooking"?

As a food writer, I'm required to describe or categorize the food served at restaurants so that readers know what to expect and whether or not they want to go. Sounds easy enough, right? Especially since most of the time, chef-owners or their PR teams do the heavy lifting for me. See also: Eliot W ... More >>

Barbecue Throwdown: Rudy's vs. Can't Stop Smokin'

Barbecue is taking over Chandler almost as quickly as craft beer is taking over Tempe (seriously, there are at least a half-dozen new bars/breweries in the works). You can't throw an imaginary rock without hitting a smoked brisket or full-on festival in this particular part of the Southeast Valley. ... More >>

The Cave Singers @ Sail Inn

Space Jam

Chow Bella's Guide to Eating Cute Baby Easter Animals

Super cute Easter animals are more than just super cute -- they can be pretty freakin' delicious. This Easter, skip the ho-hum ham, save the turkey for Thanksgiving, and let's eat some super cute baby animals. Here's our little guide to feasting on completely cute meats. Enjoy! Cute Animal: Veal -- ... More >>

Phoenix Indie-Rocker Band Knesset Is Big in Japan

Released last year, Coming of Age is an appropriate title for Knesset's first album, as the band is only now starting to step up locally. Pronounced KA-NESS-ET and named after the legislative branch of the Israeli government, these locals have played in the background of Phoenix since 2007. "[Orig ... More >>

Owner of Famous Cave Creek Biker Bar to Open Cave Creek Tap Haus

​Mark Bradshaw​If you're familiar with motorcycles, or Cave Creek, or both, then you're probably familiar with The Hideaway Grill, the famous biker pub and grub stop founded by rider and owner Mark Bradshaw in 1997. Now, it seems Bradshaw and partner Jim O'Toole have set their sights on ... More >>

Christina Barrueta's Perfect Food Day

Christina Barrueta Christina Barrueta​Christina Barrueta's originally from Boston but thinks it's great that in Arizona we have so many farms, ranches, dairies and wineries. She "loves everything about food - eating, cooking, learning, and writing." She gets to write about her favorite loca ... More >>

The Black Angels to Play The Rhythm Room This Wednesday

​ Get your illicit substances and Syd Barrett bootlegs in order: Austin psych band The Black Angels are bringing their droney rock 'n' roll sound to the Rhythm Room this Wednesday, May 18. The band's latest album, 2010's Phosphene Dream, comes courtesy of Blue Horizon Records, legendary for its mi ... More >>

Devoured Preview Happy Hour Tonight: Mixology Masters Competition

​How to build excitement for an upcoming event? These days, the answer is to host another small event as a "preview." Tonight at 5:30, you can hit up The Vig Uptown to check out nine talented mixologists competing for "Devoured Mixology Master" honors. My pal from the Republic, Megan Finnerty ... More >>

Incoming: Lady Gaga, A Perfect Circle, Snoop Dogg, Megadeth, Night Ranger

Oh Gaga...Let's not beat around the bush -- there hasn't been a new shows list in a few weeks. This doesn't really matter, however, since the shows will get announced one way or the other and you know what? Now's the time to announce them.It's easy to see that list is heavy with the big name acts, a ... More >>

1: Braised Leeks With Mozzarella at FnB

​We've spent all summer making ourselves drool over Chow Bella's 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley -- presented in no particular order, mind you -- all in anticipation of our blockbuster Best of Phoenix issue, out tomorrow. From burgers to bourekas to banana cream pie, there's ... More >>

12: Rustica Pizza at Cibo

​Hungry yet? We're working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella's 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley -- in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments sectio ... More >>

71: Brisket at Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue

​Hungry yet? We're working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella's 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley -- in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, ... More >>

Lenard Rubin of The Vig and The Vig Uptown

Lenard Rubin has a confidence about him that comes from being a two-time James Beard House invitee with 25 years experience as a chef -- most notably with the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain. The guy's background includes an extensive stints in St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, Boston, New ... More >>

August 11 In Blogs: Don Logan, Michael Jackson, Crave Arizona Festival, and Casey Moore's

​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: Don Logan Confronts White Supremacist Daniel Mahon in Federal Court, Judge Denies Mahon Bond ... More >>

March 17 In Blogs: Hero Homeowners, Radio Phoenix, Geeks, West of Western and More

We understand that in the 24-hour news cycle it can be difficult to keep up. Worry not! We have the solution. Check back on Valley Fever every evening for highlights from each of New Times' blogs. Today's entries: Valley Fever:Father Shoots Baby In Finger During Family Fight, Say Cops Hero Hom ... More >>

SXSW Starts Anouncing Bands

The first batch of bands for SXSW, the large music industry trade show, conference and festival every year in Austin Texas, have been announced. Unlike my Coachella post earlier this week, the list comes straight form SXSW.com so we know it is right (but subject to change). This year's line up has a ... More >>

Top Ten Americana Albums of 2008

By Noah W. Bailey Picking the best folk and Americana records of the year isn't nearly as hard as discarding those great records that just didn't feel right stuck in the category. Releases by Calexico and DeVotchKa felt far too worldly to pigeonhole as folk or country, for instance, while Blitzen ... More >>

Arizona Byways

Photog opts for the rutted road less taken

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Dancing Queen

Chowing down in Cave Creek with the choreographer to the stars.

Kid Pics for the week