Lauren Gilger

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Blogs
June 12, 2009
For the Love of...P.F. Chang's?
Lauren GilgerAdam Aponte enjoying lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's in Scottsdale. Adam Aponte loves P.F. Chang's. A lot. In fact, he and a friend took off Thursday night on a cross-country road trip to eat their way through seven different P.F. Chang's China Bistro's, in seven different cities from Ph ... More >>
Blogs
June 22, 2009
Paolo Soleri Turns 90, Builds First Bridge
Lauren GilgerThe design for the Soleri Bridge and Plaza on the Scottsdale Waterfront, overlooking the spot where it will be built.It is a testament to his dedication and personal grandeur that Paolo Soleri isn't running around today telling the world, "I told you so." It was, after all, nearly 40 y ... More >>
Blogs
June 24, 2009
Behind the Bar: Dave Johnson at Sol y Sombra
Lauren Gilger Dave Johnson behind the bar at Sol y Sombra.In case you were wondering: Gin was the first flavored vodka; the word "sommelier" originally meant "keeper of pack animals;" and organic spirits will be the next big wave in designer drinks. Oh, and Grey Goose is not any better than a ... More >>
Blogs
June 26, 2009
Behind the Bar: The Red Wax & Sand at Sol y Sombra
Lauren Gilger A Red Wax & Sand on the bar at Sol y Sombra. "It's not just about vodka and Red Bull" any more, according to Dave Johnson, sommelier at Sol y Sombra. The emergent cocktail culture that's dominating the bar scene today, he says, goes back beyond Prohibition, to the Gilded an ... More >>
Blogs
June 29, 2009
Local Wine Wins at Whole Foods
Lauren GilgerVoters tasting the local wines on Saturday at the Arizona Wine Consumer Choice Awards at Whole Foods Market in Chandler.Move over, Napa. Arizona's young wine industry is currently undergoing a growth-spurt akin to a 12 year-old basketball player. For proof, see Michele Laudig's cover st ... More >>
Blogs
June 30, 2009
Chef Talk: Jacques Qualin, J&G Steakhouse
Lauren GilgerChef de Cuisine Jacques Qualin at J&G Steakhouse.In a world teeming with celebrity chefs, Jacques Qualin isn't particularly well-known. The J in J&G Steakhouse -- the newish, top-of-the-bill restaurant at The Phoenician -- stands not for Jacques, but for Jean-George, as in J&G's creato ... More >>
Blogs
July 1, 2009
Macrobiotics and Local Farms at Valley Forward Lunch
Lauren GilgerMembers of the Valley Forward Association eat their cheesecake and listen to the panel of speakers slated for the event: Robert McClendon of McClendon Farms, Leslie Curry of Whole Foods Markets and Michael Stebner of True Food Kitchen.Forty years ago, Leslie Curry changed her diet. Sh ... More >>
Blogs
July 1, 2009
Tonight: Glendale's Twilight Farmer's Market
Lauren GilgerShopping as the sun goes down at the Twilight Farmer's Market in Glendale.The Twilight Farmer's Market in Glendale is the least farmer-y Farmer's Market we've ever come across. When you may be expecting summer sun, gravel beneath your feet and cowboy hats abounding, Glendale has put tog ... More >>
Blogs
July 1, 2009
Behind the Bar: Mike Bunker, The Mission
Lauren GilgerMike Bunker, adding the rum to his Strawberry-Coconut Mojito at The Mission in Old Town.When a girl came up to Mike Bunker, asking the question he most dreads when he's behind the bar, he gave her a drink he called "A Punch in the Head." Funny, from a bartender who minored in Religiou ... More >>
Blogs
July 3, 2009
Behind the Bar: Strawberry-Coconut Mojito at The Mission
Lauren Gilger Mike Bunker's Strawberry-Coconut Mojito at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale. Mike Bunker's concoctions at The Mission in Old Town are often sweet, often strong, and almost always delivered with a touch of flair. "I feel like I have a good palate for cocktails," he says. "And ... More >>
Blogs
July 6, 2009
College Depot Opens Downtown, Waits for Students
Lauren GilgerDirector Judy Reno in the new College Depot center at the Burton Barr Central Library.July may not seem like the time to start the ever-daunting college application process. But College Depot is waiting for you anyway. Calling all students, their families, the out-of-work and the star ... More >>
Blogs
July 7, 2009
Chef Talk: Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Cafe
Lauren Gilger Silvana Salcido Esparza behind the bar at Barrio Cafe. When she was 19, Silvana Salcido Esparza left her family's Mexican bakery in Merced, California, and moved to downtown Miami to work in international banking. "Columbians would come into my office with paper bags full of $1 ... More >>
Blogs
July 8, 2009
Recipe: Enchiladas del Mar from Barrio Cafe
Lauren GilgerEnchiladas del mar from Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza at Barrio Cafe.Don't go serving Silvana Salcido Esparza some over-worked, over-wrought, over-thought dish that sits in a nice little design in the very center of the plate. "I don't like my food to be puréed, recongealed, molded and ... More >>
Blogs
July 14, 2009
Chef Talk: Josh Hebert, Posh
Lauren Gilger Chef Josh Hebert in his restaurant Posh, in Scottsdale.If you understand the concept behind Posh -- a first-of-its-kind, "improvisational" kitchen in Scottsdale -- then you understand its chef and owner, Josh Hebert. "I can be a little frenetic sometimes, yeah," he admits. Cre ... More >>
Blogs
July 16, 2009
Behind the Bar: Josh Parry, SideBar
Lauren GilgerJosh Parry behind the bar at SideBar in downtown Phoenix.Josh Parry is serious about drinks. He will not allow his bartenders to free-pour the sweet and sour in one of their signature cocktails, a Cucumint Martini. It must be measured with a jigger. "It's that exact," he says. "If y ... More >>
Blogs
July 17, 2009
Recipe: the CenPhopolitan from SideBar
Lauren GilgerThe CenPhopolitan at SideBar in downtown Phoenix.There are 57 vodkas, two shelves of tequila and 50 different kinds of beers taking up the limited shelf space of SideBar in downtown Phoenix. For a bar that's about the size of a college dorm room, that's not too shabby. OK, a college s ... More >>
Blogs
July 17, 2009
Smeeks Candy Shop Opens Downtown
Lauren GilgerA taste of the goodies at Smeeks in downtown Phoenix.It's nice to see a price tag on anything that reads 5 cents. It calls to mind a time way back (a time few among us can remember, but perhaps have read of in books) when gas cost 20 cents a gallon and kids said, "Shucks!" But that's ... More >>
Blogs
July 21, 2009
Chef Talk: Deborah Knight, Mosaic
Lauren GilgerChef Deborah Knight in the entrance to Mosaic in North Scottsdale.Deborah Knight would simply not make it on Fox's Hell's Kitchen. It's not that she's not good enough. She's just too nice. She teaches rather than barking orders, which may be why her employees call her "Mom." And they ... More >>
Blogs
July 22, 2009
Recipe: Vietnamese Pepper Pot from Mosaic
Lauren GilgerChef Deborah Knight in the kitchen of Mosaic.The travels of Deborah Knight are documented in her recipes. She's visited almost every continent (Australia and Antarctica seem to be the only two left off her list) and she's getting ready to head off again, when her restaurant, Mosaic cl ... More >>
Blogs
July 23, 2009
Behind the Bar: Barry Solomon, Merc Bar
Lauren Gilger Barry Solomon behind the bar at Merc Bar in Phoenix.Barry Solomon is a lot like the bar he works behind: Cool. Merc Bar is so cool, in fact, there's barely a sign marking its existence outside the door. "It's sort of -- you either know we're here or you don't," Solomon says. ... More >>
Blogs
July 24, 2009
Recipe: The Dragon Berry Mojito from Merc Bar
Lauren Gilger Barry Solomon with the Dragon Berry Mojito at Merc Bar.When Barry Solomon was 12 years old, he got a job in a restaurant. Apparently, they let you do things a little prematurely in small towns like the one he came from in northern California. "I didn't want to be a shop ... More >>
Blogs
July 28, 2009
Chef Talk: Brian Ferguson, 98 South
Lauren GilgerChef Brian Ferguson outside of 98 South in downtown Chandler.Brian Ferguson runs the most organized, least serious army platoon in town. It's also the tastiest. Those are his words, by the way, "army platoon." He describes his team as "a very tight, cohesive unit. You don't have to ... More >>
Blogs
July 29, 2009
Coming Soon to Midtown: Thai E-San
Pete (or, in Thai, Tossapis) Pholtosa is working around the clock in the former Big Wong location, on 6th Ave. and Indian School, painting, tiling, decorating, and all around renovating the restaurant he is making his own: Thai E-San. When we walked in, he was grouting the floor. The name, i ... More >>
Blogs
July 29, 2009
Recipe: Seared Scallops with Sweet Corn and Vanilla Bean Sauce from 98 South
Lauren GilgerSeared Scallops with Sweet Corn and Vanilla Bean Sauce from 98 South.When one of Chef Brian Ferguson's young cooks wanted to leave his restaurant, 98 South in downtown Chandler, to move out of Arizona for the first time in his life and cook in Oregon, Ferguson said, "Take-off you ... More >>
Blogs
July 30, 2009
Behind the Bar: J.K. Grence at Trader Vic's
Lauren Gilger J.K. Grence, behind the bar at Trader Vic's.J.K. Grence has big dreams. He's planned out the ideal bar -- the one he would like to open one day in the distant, fuzzy future. "I'd want it to be some tropical hideaway," he says. "You just sink into the atmosphere of it and hav ... More >>
Blogs
July 31, 2009
Recipe: Mai Tai from Trader Vic's
Lauren GilgerThe Mai Tai at Trader Vic's.When J.K. Grence is working behind the bar at Trader Vic's at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, he imagines himself to be playing Penn to the other bartender's Teller. "I'm standing there talking constantly," he laughs, "while he's just standing the ... More >>
Blogs
August 4, 2009
Chef Talk: Matt Taylor, Metro Brasserie
Lauren Gilger Executive Chef Matt Taylor in Metro Brasserie in Old Town Scottsdale.A traditionalist and an up-and-comer at once, 25-year-old Matt Taylor is probably the youngest executive chef around, and he's one of the most well known. Taylor is a curious combination of discipline and e ... More >>
Blogs
August 5, 2009
Recipe: Chilled Cucumber Buttermilk Soup with Blue Crab and Dill Salad from Metro Brasserie
Lauren GilgerChilled Cucumber Buttermilk Soup with Blue Crab and Dill Salad at Metro Brasserie.It's all about doing things right for Matt Taylor. In the kitchen of Metro Brasserie & Bar in Old Town Scottsdale, his staff of 12 guys is loose and laid-back during the day. But, in the kitchen, ... More >>
Blogs
August 6, 2009
Behind the Bar: Gillian Tervet at The Parlor
Lauren Gilger Bartender Gillian Tervet pouring a cocktail behind the bar at The Parlor.Gillian Tervet is one of those girls who's cool because she's not trying to be. A bartender-on-the-rise who's barely old enough to drink her own cocktails (she just turned 21), Tervet has her own style ... More >>
Blogs
August 7, 2009
Recipe: Basil Gimlet from The Parlor
Lauren GilgerBartender Gillian Tervet behind the bar at The Parlor on Camelback Road.Where she grew up in small-town Georgia, Gillian Tervet says, "by middle school, we were drinking whiskey." "That's just the way it is in the South." Next month, when she heads off to Australia for a few mo ... More >>
Blogs
August 11, 2009
Chef Talk: Bryan Dooley, Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue
Lauren Gilger Chef Bryan Dooley.It says something when a chef names his restaurant after himself. In our opinion, it says something good. After Bryan Dooley spent 15 years as a chef at the luxurious Fairmont Scottsdale, he opened Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue in downtown Cave Creek. Yep ... More >>
Blogs
August 12, 2009
Recipe: 'The Chicken from Hell,' from Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue
Lauren Gilger The Firebird, or The Chicken from Hell, at Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek. Chef Bryan Dooley all about the red, white, and blue, from his food to his music, to his sense of humor. Same goes with the food he serves at Bryan's Black Mountain Barb ... More >>
Blogs
August 13, 2009
Behind the Bar: Chase Crain at Bar Smith
Lauren Gilger Chase Crain flairtending at Bar Smith in downtown Phoenix.Flairtending occupies a realm of its own in the bartending world -- there's fire, alcohol, flips, spinning and juggling. Chase Crain has spent a good part of the last two years learning the craft. "It makes people wan ... More >>
Blogs
August 14, 2009
Recipe: The "Small Child" from Bar Smith
Lauren Gilger The "Small Child" on the bar at Bar Smith in downtown Phoenix.Chase Crain is not a bartender who messes around much with garnishes or puréed fruits or little umbrellas. He's more about throwing a great party. When Crain is behind the highly-stocked bar of Bar Smith downtown ... More >>
Blogs
August 17, 2009
Foie Gras Steak-Out at Christopher's/Crush Lounge
Saturday night, a group of thirty or so animal activists led by Dani Thumma -- with the help of the California-based Animal Protection and Rescue League and In Defense of Animals -- pounced on the Biltmore in East Phoenix to protest the serving of foie gras at Christopher's ... More >>
Blogs
August 20, 2009
Behind the Bar: Trudy Thomas, Camelback Inn
Lauren Gilger Director of Beverage Trudy Thomas in BLT Steak at the Camelback Inn.There are bartenders. And then there are bartenders. Trudy Thomas is the latter. By bartenders (emphasis on the art), we mean those who take their jobs a lot more seriously than the rest - those who discuss ... More >>
Blogs
August 20, 2009
The Michael Jackson Cupcake at Let Them Eat Cake
Lauren Gilger The Michael Jackson cupcake at Let Them Eat Cake bakery.Michael Jackson is back -- in cupcake form. Barbara Gardner, owner of the Arcadia bakery Let Them Eat Cake regularly features a "guest star" on her lengthy menu of baked goodies. Last month, it was an Elvis-inspire ... More >>
Blogs
August 21, 2009
Recipe: Clover Club and Blood Orange Pisco Sour from BLT Steak
Lauren Gilger The Clover Club and the Blood Orange Pisco Sour at the Camelback Inn.Trudy Thomas spent her childhood in the bourbon distilleries of Kentucky. She spent her a good part of her twenties working under Wolfgang Puck in Chicago, and now she's spreading the mixology gospel in the ... More >>
Blogs
August 21, 2009
Geek-Friendly Hip-hop Artist Maja Featured on FOX-10
Things just keep on rollin' for Vince Payne (a.k.a. Maja). If you didn't catch Lauren Gilger's recent post on Chow Bella, the local geek-friendly hip-hop lyricist (who I wrote about back in 2007) was tapped by McDonald's to spit some rhymes for some TV and radio ads touting their summertime ... More >>
Blogs
October 17, 2011
Maricopa County's Restaurant Inspection Process Goes from Being Easy on Restaurants -- to Being Even Easier.
Lauren GilgerA Maricopa County health inspector walks into a Valley restaurant to conduct a routine health inspection. He turns to the chef and asks, "Would you like to participate in the county's restaurant awards system today?" It's been a rough day at the restaurant. The chef is s ... More >>
Blogs
November 2, 2011
Keeping Fair Food Safe (If Not Healthy) to Eat
Lauren GilgerScorpions dipped in chocolate, anyone? Larvettes in a box for you, dear? And how would you like to sample the chef's newest specialty, the Maggot Melt Sandwich? Only one event could bring us such fine fare: the Arizona State Fair. If you've tackled the exotic cuisine at this y ... More >>

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