Grand Marnier

Mother's Day in Metro Phoenix: 12 Recommendations Based on Time, Budget, and Location

Sunday is Mother's Day, and (especially if you don't do it throughout the year) you'd better find a way to honor the woman that gave you life. Brunch is the traditional meal of the holiday, and there are plenty of those in the Phoenix area if your mom loves waffles, omelettes, and bacon. But there a ... More >>

For $40,000 You Can Get a Martini With a Four Karat Ruby In It

Last time we checked the most expensive cocktail in the world cost $13,000 but it seems that fancy drinks are a lot like gas: once their prices go up, they never come back down. We guess that means we shouldn't be surprised to hear there's a $40,000 drink available these days. At least you get a big ... More >>

Scottsdale Culinary Festival's Wine Country Brunch: We Ate, We Drank, We Bid, We Judged

The Wine Country Brunch has been a super-popular event at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival for 25 years, and by the looks of things, Sunday's elaborate affair at the Scottsdale Resort & Conference Center was no exception. See also: -- Eat, Drink (and Drink and Drink) and Be Pretty at Last Night's ... More >>

Last Night's Scottsdale Culinary Event: The Chocolate and Wine "Experience"

It was a fairly sizable turnout at Talking Stick Resort last night for the Chocolate and Wine Experience, the decadent Day 2 of the week-long Scottsdale Culinary Festival. True to title, the event offered all forms of chocolate indulgence and bottled vino, but left plenty of room for interpretation ... More >>

Ten More Picks for Easter Brunch and Dinner in Greater Phoenix

Easter is less than a week away. Forget to make plans? You're not alone. Get in on the last-minute scramble to make reservations now before it's too late. To help you find the perfect restaurant for your family or friends, here are 10 more top picks for Easter brunch and dinner throughout the Valley ... More >>

The Most Expensive Cocktail in the World Now Costs $13,000

Apparently Salvatore's Legacy lasted less than half a year because an Australian bartender has poured what is likely the new most expensive cocktail ever. See Also: --Watch This Man Pour the World's Most Expensive and Oldest Cocktail --Cocktail Lovers' Anti-Gift Guide: What NOT To Get The "Winsto ... More >>

6 Sexy Foods Nikki Buchanan Wants to Eat on Any Day But Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day -- a good excuse to tell the people we love that we love them the best way we know how. A hand-made card, candy, flowers, perfume, underwear . . . all that stuff works for me. Please just don't drag me to a restaurant on the busiest, most hectic night of the year. See also: -The ... More >>

Seven Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Greater Phoenix

Christmas is a holiday for good cheer and spending joyous time with loved ones, and sometimes being in the kitchen can get in the way of that. Forget about stressing out and make reservations to celebrate Christmas Eve or Christmas Day at one of the top restaurants in town. You'll be wined and dined ... More >>

Lemoncello Cake at Miami Café

Restaurant attached to a nightclub? That's always a gamble. Very little has been written about Miami Café, which is connected to the late-night spot and gay bar Amsterdam, so curiosity (and its convenient downtown location) really drove this dining decision. This is the kind of place that only seem ... More >>

Chow Bella's Thanksgiving Dining Guide: Where to Dine Out in Metro Phoenix (Make Your Reservations Now!)

Now that it's November and the election is over, one thing is on every American's mind: Thanksgiving. This year it's fairly early -- Thursday, November 22 -- so it'll sneak up before you know it. If thinking about two weeks of planning, stocking up, and preparing to cook for a large group leaves you ... More >>

A Humbling (Pie) Experience: Judging the Third Annual Pie Social

Eating pie is pretty much the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and at Saturday's Pie Social, there were plenty of celebrity pies to enjoy -- 14, to be exact. At first, as we judges waited around for a seemingly endless procession of pies to be brought to the table, it seemed a bit daunting to ... More >>

How to Make the Perfect Sidecar

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. One of my favorite parts of writing Last Call is getting to answer peop ... More >>

Five Tips for Making the Best Sangria Ever

Ring the bell, it's time for Last Call, where JK Grence, bartender at Shady's, serves up booze advice and recipes. Got a burning question for your bartender? Leave it in the comments and it might be answered in a future column. See Also: Want Something With Beer? Have a Shandy. See Also: Want a Sum ... More >>

Three Things to Eat, Drink, and Bake this Weekend

Saturday, July 14 is the French holiday Bastille Day and we're celebrating with a three-course French meal, a few glasses of red wine, and a batch of spicy French macarons. Check out what's on our plate. Eat This: Three Course Dinner at Petite Maison -- Chef James Porter and his team are creatin ... 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 >>

Gâteau Chocolat at Zinc Bistro

For those looking to escape from Phoenix to Paris, Zinc Bistro is the perfect place to dine. The interior is complete with brass railings, ornate ivory ceiling tiles, a 25-foot zinc bar, and Magnum-sized wine bottles turned into wax-covered candleholders, bringing a touch of French charm to Scottsda ... More >>

Cork: Happy Hour Report Card

The Spot: Cork, 4991 S. Alma School Road, Suite 1, Chandler 480-883-3773. corkrestaurant.net Hours: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday The Details: There's nothing average about the four-star restaurant's new happy hour. It's an extensive, mouthwatering menu unto itself, beginning with $5 snac ... More >>

AndyTalk: Get a Load of These Melons

A week ago, I tasted my first sweet watermelon of the season. Every year I tell myself that I'll use more watermelon as an ingredient, but I fall short. I have a curried watermelon recipe that I teach on occasion -- it's my dumbed-down version of a recipe I learned from an old friend. Most people re ... More >>

5 Things You Can Do to Make Great Sangria for Cinco de Mayo

Don't: add sparkling water (or 7Up) ... That's a spritzer or wine cooler and you're either a girl in high school or reliving your glory days as a girl in high school.

Three Things to Eat, Drink and Bake this Weekend

​Hey there super busy weekend. It's nice to see you! It's another packed Phoenix weekend. Not only will every Irish (and not so Irish) bar in the city be partying hard this Saturday but the Superstition Farms Food Truck Festival and the sneak peek at the brand new Postino Gilbert are also happenin ... More >>

Guess Where I'm Eating and Win A Prize!

​ On a recent lunch date, one of my very good friends took me to this absolutely beautiful renovated building on Camelback -- all because he wanted to buy a loaf of bread. We ended up spliting a loaf of their fresh baked rustic bread while we waited for our entrees -- I'll admit it was worth the d ... More >>

Guess Where I'm Eating and Win A Prize!

​ It's not exactly pretty but I can't indulge in champagne brunches every weekend -- sometime a girl has to slum it up with a greasy plate of bacon, hash browns and eggs, a side of Grand Marnier-soaked French toast and a bottle of Coors Original. A friend from out of town forced us to experience b ... More >>

Ten Favorite Margaritas in Metro Phoenix

pinterest.com​We don't really go for all the hoopla over the made-up holidays that have crept onto the calendar in recent times, thanks to clever marketers. You know, like Orange M&M Day and Brown Rice Tortilla Week. (We made those up, don't worry.) But there's one fabricated celebration w ... More >>

Crepes Suzette at Cibo for New Year's Eve

This New Year's Eve, reserve a table at Cibo in downtown Phoenix to enjoy simple-yet-amazing Crepes Suzette in the restaurant's romantic garden dining area. After all, dessert that's plied with liquor and set on fire just screams New Year's Eve.

Z'Tejas: Happy Hour Report Card

​The Spot: Z'Tejas Southwestern Grill, 7221 W. Ray Road, Chandler. (480) 893-7550. Other locations include Scottsdale, Tempe and Phoenix. ztejas.comThe Hours: 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Hours vary slightly by location, and the Scottsdale Z'Tejas inclu ... More >>

Red Velvet Pancakes from The Herb Box

​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. 45: Red Velvet Pan ... More >>

Liquor-Laced Cigars: Two Vices for the Price of One!

tedscigars.com​Know what's wrong with cigars? You have to take a break from your liquor to smoke it. All that back and forth, breathing, sipping, swallowing -- who has the time? Enter Ted's Cigars: stogies seasoned with your favorite form of booze. Like whiskey? Go with toros flavored by Forty Cr ... More >>

Bonfire's New Weekend Brunch is Smokin'

Bonfire's potato cakes left us feeling sunny side up.​​Bonfire Grill & Bar, the trendy new eatery that opened in the old Furio spot this past March, recently rolled out a new brunch menu featuring vanilla-infused french toast, potato cakes, a green chile and andouille sausage scramble and sh ... More >>

When Did Tempe's Mucho Gusto Get Boring?

It's Restaurant Week. Do You Know Where You're Eating?

The third Arizona Restaurant Week is underway as we speak, with a huge variety of participants enticing newbies and regulars alike with three-course meals at a special price of either $29 or $39. The price depends on the place -- a spot like Roaring Fork will set you back $29, while something m ... More >>

The Last Supper: Beau MacMillan Dishes Up Gluttony for XII at elements

Chef Beau MacMillan laughs it up with guests at XII's raw bar. Forget the Biblical connotations of dinner for twelve hosted by a food guru -- XII, the private dining room at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain's elements restaurant would be an amazing site ... 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 >>

"Frog Legs Are the New Chicken Wings" at Petite Maison

​So said the ever-quotable chef James Porter at Petite Maison, who just unveiled the new spring menu. One of the new additions has suddenly become one of the most popular dishes at the restaurant: frog legs. Cuisses de grenouille Provencal -- sauteed with tomatoes in white wine, butter, ... More >>

Six Last-Minute Ways to Save Your Valentine's Dinner

Uh-oh. It's the Thursday before Valentine's Day and you haven't said a word to your honeybunch about Valentine's Day dinner. Maybe she/he is assuming you've got stealthy super-secret plans that will be so romantic they'll squeal with delight and impale themselves onto Cupid's arrow. More l ... More >>

Battle of the Guacamole

For some, guacamole is a mere condiment akin to sour cream or salsa. We think of it more like Guinness -- excellent as an accompaniment to lunch or dinner, but thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own. Afraid you'll bust your diet resolution if you down a dish of guac? Once shunned for being ... More >>

Meet and Eat with Foodies Like You

What if you could quit your day job and just eat and socialize all the time? (Picture this: Nights filled with wonderful conversation. Lovely hosts. Duck confit and huckleberry waffles with bourbon maple syrup. American Wagyu ribeye. Fluke crudo! Grand Marnier souffle!!! Mmmm, we're getting all ... More >>

James Porter’s Petite Maison Brings Beautiful Bowls of French Onion Soup to Old Town Scottsdale

New in Scottsdale: Acua

​Just a month after we said R.I.P. to Canal, chef Joseph Gutierrez is already up and running in that space with his second of three restaurants at Scottsdale's turnover-prone SouthBridge development. Acua opened for dinner service last Thursday, serving an Asian-French fusion menu comprised ... More >>

Happy Hour Deals at Mucho Gusto in Tempe

The well-appointed Mucho Gusto - which takes a sometimes non-traditional twist on Mexican cuisine - can be mucho pricey, if you hit the place up for dinner. But happy hour is both pleasant and affordable. From 3 to 6, Monday through Friday, Mucho Gusto provides $3 house margaritas, house wine, Do ... More >>

Best Dessert For An Awkward First Date

Fondue at 6

Best Desserts

RoxSand

Mr. Tea

SECOND HELPING

SECOND HELPINGS

STUPOR BOWL

PERFECTLY SWANK

SECOND HELPINGS

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

FRENCH PROVINCIAL

THE MIDDLE--AGED MAN AND THE SEA