Chow Bella’s Top 5 Entries of 2008

Happy New Year, Phoenix. Here’s one last look at 2008 with the top five blogs as determined by the sheer number of eyes that read them. Catch the top three slots after the jump.

5 – Liberty Market set to open in Gilbert

The charming stretch of Gilbert Avenue that runs right through the middle of Gilbert is about to get a lot more interesting with the October 14 opening of Liberty Market…full story

4 – New in Central Phoenix: La Piccola Cucina
An new Italian cafe called La Piccola Cucina just opened up late last week, and let me tell you, the place is totally adorable…full story

3 – Fried: Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

This morning, some time after breakfast but before lunch, I ate 54 percent of my daily allotment of saturated fat. Fifty-four percent! Do you know how little that leaves for french fries at lunch, for butter at dinner, for any sort of dessert?…full story

2 – D’Arcy McGee’s at Tempe Marketplace

D’Arcy McGee’s is the latest chain restaurant to come to Tempe Marketplace. And as far as chains (this one’s based out of Canada) go, this one is pretty good. On a scale where let’s say Ruby Tuesday is the bottom and, oh I don’t know, P.F. Changs is at the top, D’Arcy McGee’s ranks a notch above Applebees…full story

1 – I just gorged on Sprinkles cupcakes

Wow — a dozen different cupcakes from Sprinkles! It has been a total feeding frenzy here in the New Times editorial department. My coworkers and I just indulged in an impromptu mid-afternoon cupcake tasting (i.e. feeding frenzy), and now I don’t need to eat dinner tonight…full story