Ethnic and Regional Cuisines

El Rinconcito: Mexico City Street Food in Sunnyslope

Here's the Menu for the New Dhaba Cafe: Serving Up Street Food, Indian Style, in Tempe

Looking for a primo parantha? How about a terrific tawa aloo? If you're in Tempe you can get them both, as well as several other types of Indian street food, at the Dhaba Cafe, the new fast-casual eatery from The Dhaba, the Indian restaurant specializing in the foods of the Punjab region of Norther ... More >>

"Grass Roots" Pakistani Cuisine at Zaidi's Grill

Silvana Salcido Esparza Explains What Mexican Food Is Not and Discusses the Food Term That Makes Her Skin Crawl

See also: Silvana's Changing It Up Again at Barrio Queen See also: Chef Salad: Jeff Kraus Explains What's Cool About Food Trucks Silvana Salcido Esparza Barrio Cafe 2814 N. 16th Street, Phoenix 602-636-0240 www.barriocafe.com Barrio Queen Tequileria, Restaurant and Tiendita 7114 E. Stetson Drive, ... More >>

Josh Hebert Makes Japanese Street Food for Late-Night Dining at Posh

See also: Posh Chef Josh Hebert to Host Traditional Japanese Sake Dinner Josh Hebert, chef-owner of Posh Improvisational Cuisine knows more about Japanese street food than the average gaijin. After all, he's a chef (which means he pays attention), and he lived in Tokyo for a year, eating his way th ... More >>

Happy 100th Birthday, Julia Child

If there was ever a day to celebrate food and the culinary arts, Julia Child's 100th birthday seems a fitting time. Several Phoenix restaurants collaborated on the national Julia Child restaurant week, which ends today. And as of 12:30 p.m., there were still a few tickets available to the Julia Ch ... More >>

10 Things About Julia Child That Make Her Cooler Than You Ever Thought Possible

See also: Julia Child Restaurant Week Specials at Five Metro Phoenix Restaurants This Wednesday, August 15, would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday. And although the American chef may be most known as a television personality, author of the groundbreaking book Mastering the Art of French Cook ... More >>

Julia Child Restaurant Week Specials at Five Metro Phoenix Restaurants

See also: Listen to Guns N' Roses, Watch Julia Child Threaten to Eat Vegetarians See also: Christopher Gross Compares Truffle Oil to Heroin and Dishes on the Foie Gras Ban Even though Julia Child stood at an impressive 6' 2", it's clear that she never looked down upon any determined cook. During Ju ... More >>

Now Open: White Eyes Fresh Fry Bread Food Truck

It's been a few months since we first introduced you to White Eyes Fry Fresh Bread. And while some of you may be sick of food truck mania, Phoenix food trucks don't seem to be sick of you. See also: New Food Truck: White Eyes Fresh Fry Bread See also: Chow Bella's Food Truck Frenzy archives Since ... More >>

Lay Waste to the Forces of Hunger With the Sushi Bazooka

See Also: We Welcome Our (Sushi) Robot Overlords See Also: Watch This: The Story of Sushi Making sushi is hard and time consuming. There's the monumental amount of prep work, the difficulty in making tender sushi rice, the actual hassle of rolling the sushi by hand. Professional sushi chefs use a " ... More >>

Chef Peter DeRuvo Shares What's in Store at Davanti Enoteca

See also: Chef Peter DeRuvo to Head Kitchen at New Davanti Enoteca Early this summer we told you Chef Peter DeRuvo (of Sassi, then Prado and most recently Cuoco Pazzo) was getting ready to take on a new venture in Scottsdale. Well, the time is drawing near for Davanti Enoteca to open its doors to t ... More >>

Johnny Chu Dishes on Hong Kong Street Food and the Questionable Authenticity of Local Chinese Restaurants

See also: Johnny Chu Opens SoChu House with a Hip Ambiance and Plenty of Cocktails Johnny Chu SoChu House Neo Asian Martini Bar 2801 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix 602-340-9777 This is part one of my interview with Johnny Chu, chef-owner of the just-opened SoChu House Neo Asian Martini Bar. Come b ... More >>

Salsitas: Blame it on the Alcohol

Hey, readers, get ready. We're putting new meaning into the term "street food." For Chow Bella's latest mission -- "Eating 16th Street" -- we've employed a young woman who's literally eaten her way around the world. Alex Rodriguez has eaten borscht in Moscow, steak in Buenos Aires and a "life-changi ... More >>

Barrio Queen Still Searching for an Identity

Palee's Crown in Mesa Is Fit for a Thai Queen

Aiello's Salumeria and Isa's Pizza: Cornering the Market in Moon Valley

Quick and Thrifty Breakfast at Los Compadres

In an effort to make Mom proud, Chow Bella's taking a good, hard look at the most important meal of the day in the form of Scrambled, a mash-up of breakfast recipes, news and reviews of local restaurants serving the a.m. crowd. We'd been passing the Seventh Avenue location of Los Compadres and noti ... More >>

Los Jarritos: Mexican Food and a Twist of Twilight Zone

AndyTalk: Sushi for Dessert

Whether it's a feint by a quarterback, an improvised musical riff, or a magic trick, everyone appreciates a good fake-out -- especially when the end result is a success. The first time I served sushi for dessert I had a goal. Actually, I had two goals: First, make a great dessert and, second, make m ... More >>

Chef Pete DeRuvo to Head Kitchen at New Davanti Enoteca

Pete DeRuvo -- the peripatetic chef who made a name for himself at Sassi, then moved to Prado and later left Cuoco Pazzo in a huff -- has landed a new executive chef position he's pretty psyched about. He has signed on with the Chicago-based Francesca's Restaurants Group, which will open its fourt ... More >>

Jacques Pépin and Barbara Fenzl Cook Southwestern Cuisine on PBS

If you love cooking shows that focus on teaching -- not drama -- you're in for a real treat at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 4. That's when Eight, Arizona PBS premieres Jacques Pépin Cooks for Eight, a two-hour cooking special starring world-famous French chef Jacques Pépin and Arizona's own culinary c ... More >>

Point-Counterpoint: Is Pho King or Is It Pho-King Awful?

We had so much fun chucking Chow Bella contributors Ando Muneno and Lauren Saria into the ring over Alton Brown, food trucks and movie theaters with food, we put them back at it again. This week's topic: Pho, Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Pho joints have been growing in popularity throughout the Va ... More >>

Round Two with Lori Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery

Lori Hashimoto Hana Japanese Eatery 5524 N. Seventh Avenue 602-973-1238 www.hanajapaneseeatery.com This is part two of my interview with Lori Hashimoto, co-owner and sushi chef at Hana Japanese Eatery. In case you missed it, part one ran yesterday. Favorite Metro Phoenix restaurants other than yo ... More >>

Hana's Lori Hashimoto Dishes on Brazilian Lobster, Magic Knives and Keeping It All in the Family

Lori Hashimoto Hana Japanese Eatery 5542 N. Seventh Avenue 602-973-1238 www.hanajapaneseeatery.com This is part one of my interview with Lori Hashimoto, co-owner and sushi chef of Hana Japanese Eatery. Part two of the interview will run in this space tomorrow. To understand Lori Hashimoto, you m ... More >>

Three Phoenix Restaurants and a Recipe to Satisfy Your Post Avengers Shawarma Cravings

We know many of you fine folk went to see The Avengers last weekend. We know this because The Avengers has smashed its way through a bunch of records in its opening week. If you haven't seen it, let us give you two bits of advice: 1. Stay through all the credits. If you've watched a Marvel movie bef ... More >>

India Grill Explores the Richer Cuisine of the Country's Northern Region

Café Ga Hyang: Fantastic Korean Food -- And It's Open Late

Sushi Station at Desert Ridge Has Decent Sushi at a Great Price

When a new spot opens in town, we can't wait to check it out -- and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that have just opened, sampling a few item ... More >>

Battle of the Banh Mi: Da Vang vs. Pho House

Ahhhh, the banh mi. Such a tasty and cheap little Vietnamese sandwich. Soft French bread filled with carrots, jalapeños, cilantro, and a delightful meat. It's one of our favorites, but we tend to overlook the little guys when we are at our favorite Vietnamese spots because, well, because there are ... More >>

Tamale Dinner at Corona Ranch Tonight Benefits Friendly House

If you have a hankering for some Mexican food and don't already have plans tonight, might we suggest tamales and a show in South Phoenix. The 77th Annual Friendly House Tamale Dinner is tonight from 5 to 9 at Corona Ranch Rodeo Grounds.

Juan's Authentic Mexican Food Serves Up Giant (Authentic) Portions for Under $10

Finding decent Mexican food on the cheap in Central Phoenix isn't difficult, but finding amazing service from a staff that makes you feel like family is a little bit more of a challenge. Good thing we found Juan's Authentic Mexican Food. Located on Thomas Road just west of 16th Street, Juan's sits ... More >>

We Welcome Our (Sushi) Robot Overlords

First cupcake ATMs, now a small army of sushi making machines? If the retro "News of the World" style music doesn't get you then just wait until the 0:40 mark, whoever edited this video wasn't afraid to lay down some funky beats. The sushi making machines featured in this video are the products of ... More >>

Fu-Fu Cuisine: Where Africa Meets the Caribbean

Huevos Rancheros Warfare: Rokerij vs. Gallo Blanco

Huevos Rancheros, the traditional Mexican breakfast dish, is a menu staple at almost every drive-thru taco shop and Mexican eatery in the Valley. It's the perfect cure for a hangover and includes all five important elements of a hearty breakfast -- eggs, tortillas, beans, rice, and cheese. Instead ... More >>

Nobuo Will Offer Omakase-Style Bento Brunch!

Chef Nobuo Fukuda, the James Beard winning proprietor of Nobuo at Teeter House, is poised to serve what will probably be the classiest bento boxes the Valley has ever seen. An email sent last week promises a $50 Sunday brunch, starting April 15, featuring "Omakase-style bento boxes" and a compliment ... More >>

That Place Next to Chino Bandido is Good Fellas Grill, and It's Good To-Go

Good Fellas Grill in North Phoenix has the real estate luck of being located next door to our favorite Mexican/Chinese fusion dive, Chino Bandido, which we like for the fun dish combinations -- like jerk chicken and refried beans -- at a decent price. For wandering souls looking for somewhere new in ... More >>

Ask a Mexican on Food Trucks and The Best Mexican Food

Beefy Red Chile Tamales from The Tamale Store

Tacos may very well be the perfect food, but let's face it, the standard Meximerican fare can get a bit stale after a while. Taco the Town is here to highlight some of the more unusual Mexican finds in the Valley. This week: Red Chile Tamales from the Tamale Store ¿Como se dice?: The holiday sea ... More >>

Punjabi Spices at The Dhaba

Trying to follow spices in an Indian kitchen can get complicated real fast, and it gets even more difficult when breaking apart the vast regional differences. We're breaking it down at The Dhaba with Punjabi flavors from North India.

Top 10 Worst Mexican Restaurants in Metro Phoenix

In the Valley there's amazing Mexican food from the mom 'n' pop hole-in-the-wall to blow-your-mind haute cuisine, Mexican-style. You would think that with such a wealth of delicious and accessible Mexican food on every corner, there would be no need for a "Worst Of..." list. You would be wrong. Wh ... More >>

St. Patrick's Day Guide 2012

Five Things to Eat, Drink, and Bake This St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is this Saturday -- yes, it's on a Saturday this year! Hooray! Time to drink copious amounts of green beer and get completely shitfaced with a bunch of "Irish" strangers at some sort of big St. Patty's Day party, right? Right. Okay, drinking tons of green beer isn't the only th ... More >>

Pho House Is Your New Favorite, Er, Pho House

When a new spot opens in town, we can't wait to check it out -- and let you know our initial impressions. Share a few photos, some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that have just opened, sampling a few items, and satisfyi ... More >>

St. Patrick's Day Guide 2012

Fuego Tacos Misses a Few Opportunities

Watch This: The Story of Sushi

The Story of Sushi from Bamboo Sushi on Vimeo. Clear four minutes of your day and hit play on this amazing little video. The Story of Sushi tells a sad tale of the sushi industry and the future of our oceans if we continue on the same commercial fishing path. Created for Portland's Bamboo Sushi, ... More >>

Cheese Enchiladas from Carolina's Mexican Food

Tacos may very well be the perfect food, but let's face it, the standard Meximerican fare can get a bit stale after a while. Taco the Town is here to highlight some of the more unusual Mexican finds in the valley. This week: Cheese Enchiladas from Carolina's Mexican Food ¿Como se dice?: Cheese e ... More >>

Spice Up Your Life at Baiz Market

If you're looking for a way to spice up your life, you can't go wrong at Baiz Market, a Middle Eastern grocery with its own restaurant, Al Hana.

Top Five Japanese Restaurants in Phoenix

Jamie PeacheyCherryblossom Noodle Cafe.​When many people think about Japanese food they immediately snap their fingers and say, "Oh! You mean like sushi?" They are not wrong of course, but Japanese culinary traditions stretch far beyond raw fish on rice. Luckily for us the Valley is home to so ... More >>