Gallo Blanco

8 Great Guacamoles in Metro Phoenix

Some snooty conquistador way back when once noted that in Mexico, avocados and guacamole were "butter for the poor." My, how times have changed! Guacamole -- a literal and linguistic mash-up of the Nahuatl (Aztec) words ahuacatl (avocado) and mole (mixture) has gone so upscale, customers now routine ... More >>

Five Things to Eat and Drink This Weekend

Looking for something to put in your mouth this weekend? We've got you covered. Check out what's on our plate. See Also: - Ten More Picks for Easter Brunch and Dinner in Greater Phoenix - Miu's Cuisine: Quite Possibly Your New Favorite Chinese Restaurant Wingstock 2013 Grab a stack of wetnaps an ... More >>

Pineapple Cocktail Clash: Gallo's Picoso vs. Hula's Hurricane

Nothing says relaxing on a sunny day quite like a pineapple cocktail. We've recently found our cravings for them rising along with the temperatures, so we decided to put two of our favorites up against each other and see which is the ultimate unwinding drink. We kind of played fast and loose with th ... More >>

10 Places in Metro Phoenix to Get Great Pancakes

Despite our mother's best advice about breakfast, most of us give the all-important first meal of the day short shrift during the work week. We gulp down sugary cereal, grab a granola bar (which probably shouldn't be considered food, much less breakfast), or just settle for a few thousand cups of co ... More >>

Oh, Oh, Otro Cafe!

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 >>

Owners of The Mint, RnR, and Axis/Radius to Open Hi-Fi Kitchen & Cocktails in Old Town Scottsdale

What the hell's a "music-centric retro haunt?" If it's the building currently going up in Old Town Scottsdale's entertainment district, it's Hi-Fi Kitchen & Cocktails. See also: - Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson Opens New Mexican Restaurant in Phoenix - Everyone Knows About This 24-Hour Doughnut Shop in ... More >>

Distrito Gets Neutered: From Colorful and Lively to Brown and Boring, This Makeover Ain't Makin' Sense

Two weeks ago, Old Town Whiskey, Jose Garces' upscale saloon inside The Saguaro hotel in Old Town, shuttered to be used as event space. But unbeknownst to Garces' fans, his modern Mexican restaurant just down the hall was undergoing an arguably worse fate: getting its cojones cut off. See also: - ... More >>

Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson Opens New Mexican Restaurant in Phoenix

For four years, Doug Robson, chef-owner of Gallo Blanco Café, the restaurant inside the Clarendon Hotel, has been quietly kicking out top-notch Mexico City-style eats in Central Phoenix. But his new restaurant, now open for lunch with dinner to follow on Monday, March 11, most likely won't enjoy su ... More >>

Doug Robson on Robert McGrath, LGO, and How He Embarrassed Himself in the Kitchen

This is part two of my interview with Doug Robson, chef-owner of Gallo Blanco Café. If you missed part one, where Robson described eating beatles and maguey worms, read it here. See also: Gallo Blanco: Happy Hour Report Card -- Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson Won't Ditch the Rooster Your most embarra ... More >>

Doug Robson Dishes On Why Tacos Are Great and What It's Like to Eat Bugs and Worms

Doug Robson Gallo Blanco Café, The Clarendon Hotel 401 W. Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix 602-274-4774 www.galloblancocafe.com See also: -- Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson to Open New (and Slightly Different) Mexican Restaurant in March -- 8 Best Neighborhood Mexican Restaurants: Best of Phoenix 2012 This ... More >>

Gallo Blanco: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Gallo Blanco 401 W. Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, 602-274-4774, www.galloblancocafe.com See also: -- BLT Steak: Happy Hour Report Card -- Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson to Open New (and Slightly Different) Mexican Restaurant in March Hours: Happy Hour is offered 3 to 6 p.m. every day.

Nine Dishes from Metro Phoenix Restaurants We'd Love to Make at Home (Recipes, Please -- Hint, Hint)

When it comes to some of our favorite restaurants, we wish the chefs would just buckle down and put together a cookbook already. Maybe an entire book of recipes is a bit much to ask for, but how about sharing a few? So we put together a wishlist of local restaurant dishes that we would give our righ ... More >>

Gallo Blanco's Doug Robson to Open New (and Slightly Different) Mexican Restaurant in March

Holy Cow! Are we actually becoming a legit restaurant town -- with restaurant neighborhoods and everything? Mark my word (or Sam Fox's), the hottest new dining hub is going to be the 7th Street between Missouri and . . . what . . . maybe Glendale? That's where local resto mogul Fox is developing The ... More >>

New Bar and Grill in Scottsdale from Owners of TK's Urban Tavern

Over a year has passed since former luxury hotel executives Tom Kelly and Brian Pierce opened TK's Urban Tavern in the Scottsdale Quarter in January of last year. Now, the two have embarked on their second, tavern-y Scottsdale venture: Tavern Americana. At 20469 North Hayden Road (North Hayden and ... More >>

Ten Favorite Spots for Guacamole in Metro Phoenix

If it wasn't for our favorite Mexican dip, tortilla chips would be super lonely, chimichangas would suffer, and nachos would be sad piles of melty cheese. Thankfully, that's not the case and we have plenty of restaurants in town serving up big bowls of the sought after green stuff. Here's a list o ... More >>

Chris Curtiss Dishes on Phoenix as a Restaurant Town and Why Working for a Jerk Isn't Always a Bad Thing

This is part two of my interview with Chris Curtiss, executive chef of NoRTH Arcadia. You can read part one of my interview with Chef Chris Curtiss here. You seem so serene. What's great about your life right now: I got married in March. I live in a neighborhood I love, and I ride my bike to work e ... More >>

Ten Favorite Cold (and Frozen!) Phoenix Foods

Yeah, yeah, it's hot outside but we're not complaining. We're putting on our rose colored glasses and looking at the brighter side of summer -- we can eat as much ice cream as we want. Okay, maybe we can't (or shouldn't) eat ice cream everyday, but we can try and cool off this summer with cold and ... More >>

Ten Favorite Phoenix Sangria Spots

Move over Margarita, your Spanish 3rd cousin, Sangria is popping up on menus all over town. The refreshing summertime concoction of red (or white) wine and boozy fruit layered over ice has become a menu staple for Valley restaurants. Here are 10 of our very favorites. 10. Sangria Blanco, La Bocc ... More >>

Summertime Wines: Sangrias, Sparklings, and Sunshine.

All right, it's summertime (at least to this Oregon native it is). When I open my car door and could fire pottery in the heat blast I'm met with, I know we've arrived. I suppose oppressive heat and blistering sunshine are not the ideal conditions for drinking a big, earthy, tannic red wine (for so ... More >>

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 >>

The Seven Oddest Restaurant Bathrooms in Greater Phoenix

Our little band of Chow Bella writers is a diverse group, but we do have a few things in common. We all put our pants on one leg at a time, and we all gotta go. And we've all been to a lot of bathrooms in a lot of restaurants. Some, to put it mildy, offer a better experience than others. We don't wa ... More >>

Crescent Ballroom Now Open for Lunch

For those who can't get enough of the urban-cool vibe at Crescent Ballroom, downtown's mid-size live music venue that opened last October in the revamped 1917-era building formerly occupied by Bentley's Nightclub, the venue is now open for lunch -- at least its kitchen is anyway. Once open for dinn ... More >>

Battle of the Posoles: Eddie's House vs. Gallo Blanco

​It got all the way from its home in Mexico to the tables of Southwestern families and restaurants for a reason. Posole is easy to make, share, customize, and like Mexico's cultural equivalent to chicken noodle soup - it can hardly do wrong. But unlike chicken noodle, posole is best served fiesta ... More >>

Food

New Times Recieves Publication of the Year at 2011 Stylos Awards

​New Times snagged a 2011 Stylos Awards for Publication of the Year.Yay!We beat out La Voz and Que Magazine for Best Publication.Stylos Awards are presented by the Isac Amaya Foundation to honor local, super-talented musicians, artists, models and fashion designers, as well as the community's best ... More >>

Gallo Blanco: Happy Hour Report Card

Nicole Smith​The Spot: Gallo Blanco, 401 W Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, (602) 274-4774www.galloblancocafe.comThe Hours: 3- 6 p.m., everyday. The Details: The Clarendon Hotel's eccentric in-house eatery offers an awesome daily happy hour menu that includes a total of 6 appetizers ranging as low as $3 ... More >>

Tracy Dempsey, Jen Anderson of Windsor, Aaron Chamberlain of St. Francis, and More to Hold Cooking Classes at Phoenix Public Market

​Learning how to prepare fresh ingredients with chef Aaron Chamberlain of St. Francis? Tastings with chef Jen Anderson of Windsor? Recipes from the Queen of Sweet, Tracy Dempsey? This summer is gonna be face-time fabulous thanks to the Summer Chef Series at the Phoenix Public Market. From 2 t ... More >>

Vote Your Favorite Local Restaurant Into Zagat's 2012 Guide

The "Burgundy Bible" of food.​Pissed off that New York, L.A. and Chicago restaurants always get the glory -- and half the entries in most national dining guides -- while Phoenix gets totally ignored (Pizzeria Bianco aside)? Then put your fingers where your mouth is.New York-based Zagat, the compan ... More >>

Five Guacamoles We'd Eat Straight From the Bowl

  All guac is not created equal. And if you've ever dipped a chip into the offerings at our five favorite spots for the best use of avocado, you know what we're talking about.   1. Barrio Cafe. Really, here in Phoenix, Silvana Salcido Esparza sets the standard with her tableside guacamol ... More >>

Five Destination Desserts in Phoenix

Claire LawtonGallo Blanco's chocolate pudding. ​Not long ago, a friend posed a good question. He wanted to know where he could get dessert in central Phoenix. And not just a meal-ender. This needed to be dessert worth leaving the house for. Here are Chow Bella's five suggestions for destinati ... More >>

Five Places to Celebrate National Margarita Day

Gallo Blanco's margarita never disappoints.​Yeah, there happens to be a food holiday for every single day of the year, but some seem more legit than others. (National Turkey Neck Soup Day? WTF?!) National Margarita Day is one that seems actually worthy of celebrating, altho ... More >>

Ask the Critic: How Long Do You Wait to Visit a New Restaurant?

I ate at Gallo Blanco just a couple weeks after it opened, and it was already something I wanted to tell everyone about.​There is no science to reviewing restaurants. To the contrary, it's all about what my gut tells me, based on a series of dining experiences, impressions, and a sense of ... More >>

Lunch $10 and Under at Hillside Spot

​Things have changed at Hillside Spot, the Ahwatukee breakfast joint owned by Gallo Blanco chef Doug Robson. For one thing, it's not just breakfast and lunch anymore. Hillside Spot now stays open until 9 p.m. on weeknights and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday for dinner. Th ... More >>

Tonight: TK's Urban Tavern Debuts at Scottsdale Quarter

I think I'd like to stop in soon for a glass of wine at TK's Urban Tavern, which opens to the public tonight at the Scottsdale Quarter (and has really been on a roll this week, with three other openings, and a closing. Whew!). "People are doing backflips when they see our price ... More >>

Arizona Restaurant Industry is Starting to Look Up

Food porn like this burger from Gallo Blanco might've made you eat at more restaurants. Have you been dining out more in 2010? If so, you're not alone. This past year has seen a slight boost for the state's restaurant industry, according to a story in this morning's Republic business section. ... 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 >>

Sept. 8 In Blogs: The Arizona Passport T-Shirt, Flamenco, Phoenix Independents Bowl, Salty Senorita, and Meghan McCain

​​​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:

Ask the Critic: What's the Coldest Food in Phoenix?

A friend just sent me the best question for right now: What's the "coldest" meal/restaurant I can seek out in Phoenix this weekend? Everything's coming up Asian when I think of delicious cold food, like bun (cold rice noodles) or goi cuon (rice paper rolls) at Da Vang or Pho Thanh, hiyashi chuka (c ... More >>

76: Huevos Rancheros at Gallo Blanco Cafe

​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 siste ... More >>

Gallo Blanco Gears Up For Summer with New Menus, Patio

​After a successful first year in business, Gallo Blanco chef-owner Doug Robson is embracing summer with expanded seating and new menus.Al fresco dining is finally an option thanks to a new 24-seat patio at the northeast end of the building, where planters and raised flower beds create a lush feel ... More >>

Gallo Blanco Cafe's Posole: Dinner for Two Under $10

​True, you might want to toss in a sangria or two -- thereby upping your bill, and, most likely, your craving for a big bowl of guacamole and homemade chips. But if you're really broke, and still jonesing for dinner out, you can feed yourself and a friend well on just a bowl of the posole at ... More >>

Ask the Critic: What Makes Good Guacamole?

Good guac is always on hand at Tradiciones.​I love sinking my teeth into perfectly ripe avocado. A single fruit, sliced up, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkled with sea salt, is one of my favorite lazy-girl snacks when I'm craving something luscious but too beat to actually ... More >>

Groupon Gives You Food For Less and a Chance at $100,000

Now that Phoenix is gearing up to tax grocery store bought food, we're looking for ways to eat out all the time. I mean, if we're going to pay tax on food, we'd rather have a beef torta from Gallo Blanco or a pulled pork sammy from Bryan's Black Mountain BBQ than a boring ho ... More >>

Gallo Blanco Offers Deals for "Twitter Taco Tuesday"

Gallo Blanco​As if we needed another excuse to hit up one of our favorite spots -- Gallo Blanco, the cafe at the Clarendon Hotel in CenPho, home of the best roasted corn on the cob ever -- we just logged onto Twitter and learned that @galloblanco is offering a deal today. "Visit us for $1 o ... More >>

Hot Fudge Sundaze Coming To The Clarendon Rooftop

​ DJs William "Fudging" Reed and Sean Watson have a new shin-dig scheduled for Sundays on the rooftop of the Clarendon Hotel in downtown Phoenix. The weekly party is called Hot Fudge Sundaze and runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public -- even, the press release says, ki ... More >>

Now Open: Hillside Spot

​Gallo Blanco chef-owner Doug Robson says he had no idea he'd be opening two restaurants in one year, but things just organically turned out that way. His new place, headed by chef Patrick Fegan (formerly of Fiamma and Olive & Ivy), is called Hillside Spot, and it just opened ... More >>

Gallo Blanco Chefs Welcome Pumpkin Season

I can only go so long without a Gallo Blanco fix. Even after having been there too many times to count, I still get indecisive when I look at the menu, just because I want one of everything. So I dragged my colleagues there for a meeting yesterday, and once again, found more tasty things to ... More >>

October 21 In Blogs: Illegal Alien Costume, U2, Gallo Blanco, and Taser International

​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: Easley's Fun Shop Sells Out of Illegal Alien Costume. Is the Costume Racist? Nah. Up on the ... More >>

Chef Doug Robson Plans New Market/Restaurant

​It doesn't have a name yet. But a new market-meets-restaurant that Gallo Blanco chef Doug Robson is working on may be open as early as December. Robson's renovating a former Coffee Plantation at 48th Street and Warner in Ahwatukee. The freestanding building is in a neighborhood packed wit ... More >>

Gallo Blanco Café at The Clarendon Kicks Up the Taco Shop With Cochinita Tortas and Fresh Crepes