Spanish Food and Cooking

Drive-Thru Tacos and Tapas Come to Peoria (By Way of Las Vegas)

Since drive-thru salads were introduced at Gilbert's health-minded Salad and Go in January, the Valley's pull-up-to-the-window offerings have stayed mostly on the conventional side. Until now. See also: - Chandler's Living Room Wine Café Expanding to Northwest Valley - New Korean Barbecue Spot O ... More >>

Mimita's Cuban Cafe: Slow-Cooked and Worth the Wait

El Fuerte for Two at Distrito

Chorizo Breakfast Burritos from Los Favoritos

Erica O'Neil A hearty chorizo breakfast burrito packed with eggs, chorizo, potatoes, and cheese from Los Favoritos. ​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 mo ... More >>

Sam Murillo Crowned Paella King

Maya Dukmasova​Last month we sat down to chat with Talking Stick Resort and Casino's Samuel Murillo, who had blown the competition out of the water with his Southwest Paella at the regional competition hosted by the American Culinary Federation. Last week, Chef Murillo headed to Dallas to c ... More >>

Dulce de Leche Churros from La Tolteca

Erica O'NeilAddictive dulce de leche churros from La Tolteca's panaderia. ​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 wee ... More >>

Sam Murillo's Award Winning Southwestern Paella

Samuel Murillo Southwestern Paella with Cilantro Creama​This week we caught up with Chef Sam Murillo of Orange Sky over at Talking Stick Resort. As you may recall, he will be heading to the national paella cook-off in Dallas hosted by the American Culinary Federation on July 24th. Now, you ... More >>

Province's Menu Is Merely a Flash in the Pan

Anthony Redendo of Sofrita and Redendo's Pizzeria, Part Two

Courtesy of Anthony Redendo​ Yesterday we started talking to Anthony Redendo of Sofrita and Redendo's Pizzeria about some of what has brought him success in the restaurant industry. Today the chef/owner/teacher gives us some common sense advice that works in any environment. Redendo, who is an a ... More >>

Province Restaurant Debuts at New Downtown Westin Hotel

​ ​The Downtown dining scene gets a bump with a new upscale contemporary American eatery specializing in seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine: Province, the Phoenix outpost of chef Randy Zweiban's popular Chicago restaurant. It opens today in the spanking-new Westin Phoenix Downtown ho ... More >>

Prado's Peter DeRuvo Rolls Out Tapas Menu Today

Carol BlonderPeter DeRuvo The best seat in this house is at the copper, wood and granite tapas bar facing Prado's wood-fired oven. The view is of chef de cuisine Peter DeRuvo and his "pickle master," Jay, working the oven, firing up the food, and finishing the plates. The chef says he is "having fu ... More >>

Whataburger Chorizo Taquito & Breakfast on a Bun: Eating With Your Eyes Closed a Good Idea

​Southwestern fast food guinea pigs, unite! San Antonio-based Whataburger is on a limited-time, new-menu-item blitz across its 10-state territory, trying out various specials across three regions. We (Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas) get Whataburger's better-than-birds-falling-from-the- ... More >>

Iruna: Happy Hour Report Card

Erica O'Neil The spread at Iruna's happy hour. ​The Spot: Iruña, 7217 E First Street, Scottsdale, 480-398-3020 http://www.irunaaz.com/ The Hours: La Hora Feliz is celebrated every day of the week at Iruña, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. The Details: Sangria or a Smirnoff-based beverage will run y ... More >>

Chef Joseph Gutierrez Resurrects Tapas Papa Frita at SouthBridge

Ahwatukee's Secreto Won't Remain a Secret for Long

Chef Aaron May's Iruna Fills a Tapas Void

Gazpacho! For One and All

​Gazpacho? There's a scene in the Pedro Almodovar film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, where gazpacho is offered to the police who come to the apartment of central character, Pepa Marcos. Candela get me a drink. What kind? There's gazpacho. Right! Gazpacho! Wh ... More >>

Ana Borrajo's Gazpacho Andaluz

​ Ana Borrajo of Sapna Cafe has lived in Phoenix long enough to know that come July we are ready for something, anything cool. Her recipe for Gazpacho Andaluz definitely hits the spot! It's healthy, it's simple, and you don't even have to turn on the stove. See the recipe for Gazpacho Andalu ... More >>

Ana Borrajo of Sapna Cafe, Part One

​After the sad closing of Lola Tapas, we learned that no restaurant, no matter how amazing, is immune from a bad economy. That's why we were relieved to find that despite the economic downturn Ana Borrajo, Chef and owner of Sapna Cafe remains optimistic about the future. And this is a great ... More >>

Now Open in Old Town: Iruña

​Chef Aaron May is once again bringing Spanish cuisine to the local dining mix, this time with Basque influences. His new spot, Iruña, just opened to the public on Tuesday, in the Old Town Scottsdale space that was the longtime home to Pischke's Paradise (7217 E. 1st St., 480-398-3020). Ma ... More >>

Chef Eric Gitenstein's Grilled Hanger Steak with Rioja Onion Jam

​ ​In this week's Chef Talk, we heard from Chef Eric Gitenstein of Lola Tapas and mftasty. Today he shares his recipe for a Lola Favorite: Grilled Hanger Steak with Rioja Onion Jam. Here's how it's done...

Chef Talk: Eric Gitenstein of Lola Tapas

photo by Claire Lawton​Eric Gitenstein was the kind of kid with food on his brain; after realizing he spent more time thinking about his restaurant jobs than his university classes, he made a culinary escape from traditional study. After culinary school, Gitenstein tested out a few local kitchens ... More >>

The Day of the Spanish Horse

Chef Talk: Felicia Ruiz, Lola Tapas

Heather Hoch Chef Felicia Ruiz on her newly opened outdoor patio.​Chef Felicia Ruiz is totally adorable. Okay, we don't mean to gush, but she's that special kind of person that makes you feel automatically welcome and at ease, especially in what she calls her second home, Lola Tapas.We gues ... More >>

Strange Fruit

Tempe studio takes the sting out of Spain’s Tomatina Fest

Battle of the Gazpacho Soups

Pita Jungle vs. DeluxGazpacho is a cold soup, originally from Spain, and is the perfect antidote to these hellacious summer days. There are so many variations on gazpacho (chunky or pureed, spicy or mild) but they're all tomato-based and raw, making them vegetarian and, more often than not, vegan-fr ... More >>

It's Official: Gutierrez Restaurants in the Works for SouthBridge

Chef Joseph Gutierrez wasted no time in opening Tutto in the recently vacated Digestif space, and there was word that he'll be opening two more eateries at SouthBridge this year. As of today, it's official. In a press release just issued by SouthBridge, there's confirmation that Gutierrez will also ... More >>

New Brunch Option: Sierra Bonita Grill

I love a good Southwestern-style breakfast. Huevos rancheros, Southwestern eggs benedict, and anything with chorizo -- all that chile heat gets me revved up and ready to face the day. Coffee helps too, of course. So I was delighted to read Sierra Bonita Grill's new brunch menu, which looks abso ... More >>

Prado at InterContinental Montelucia Resort Doesn’t Live Up to Its Atmosphere, Thanks to Lousy Service and Watery Paella

Imagine Spain Has Paella but No Passion

You Sling Tuh-May-Toes, I Sling Tuh-Maw-Toes

Alas, only ladles will fly in Tempe

May Day

Going tapas

Lady of Spain

Tapas-notch

Flan Fanatic

Custard's last stand

Tepid Tapas

Putting the pain in Spain

BEST FLAN

Havana Cafe

Hog Heaven

Lucy never made Ricky Ricardo puerco so pleasing to the palate

On Tapas the World

Ibiza Café dishes Euro flair

Tapas Dancing

Bistro Madrid is a place for profound contentment

Best Gazpacho

Iguana Lounge

Best Latin Bistro

Havana Cafe

Best Tapas Bar

Havana Patio Cafe

No Shirt, No Service

Want to go tapas?

Best Chorizo

La Cabana
3100 West McDowell
602-447-8088

Second Helpings

Si, Spaniard

Spaghetti Western

SPREAD 'EM!

HAVANA WONDERFUL TIME