Given the ridiculous number of Chicago transplants (count me among the ridiculous) in the Valley, you’d think there would be more eateries specializing in the dietary staples of that great Midwestern metropolis. To my knowledge, there’s only a handful: Luke’s, Chicago Hamburger Company, and a relatively new addition to the…
A celebrity chef is coming to town, but he won’t be at a resort or a highfalutin restaurant opening or a book signing. You’ll find him at the drag strip at Firebird International Raceway. You see, while some National Hot Rod Association fans are inhaling hot dogs and chili cheese…
News flash: Sushi does not have to be expensive. Of course, to a lot of folks, sushi still seems exotic, and, therefore, prone to be served in flashy, theme-oriented, slightly high-end restaurants. But at TeHaru in Tempe, the sushi is inexpensive and tasty. Oh, and it’s served on a conveyor belt.Let me…
Even though he’s pushing 37 years old, Shaquille O’Neal is still one of the NBA’s most visible players. And though the league’s All-Star Weekend festivities are crackling all over town this weekend, you know Shaq can be found at the, ahem, center of it all . . . but not…
If you’re looking for a new guilty pleasure, let us suggest Punk Bunny. The misleadingly named, Hollywood-based electro/sexual trio isn’t punk and isn’t necessarily even that good. But its appeal to the sex- and dance-crazed corners of our psyche is undeniable, and the band’s sexed-up show just may leave you…
It’d been a while since I’d written about a Scottsdale in Budget Beat, so I was due. An acquaintance who lives in S-Dale suggested I hit up an upscale-esque hamburger joint on the southwest corner of Shea Boulevard and Scottsdale Road. When I found out this place had a weekday…
The man and his oven (photo courtesy of vincentsoncamelback.com) One of the Valley’s superstar chefs, Vincent Guerithault, has a relatively new addition to his benevolent empire: pizza. Vincent’s Back Door opened last summer with Friday-night-only service behind his Vincent Market Bistro, next to his Vincent’s on Camelback, near the corner…
Fine’s bruschetta with house-smoked mozzarella: Wow.Happy New Year, Budget Beaters! It ain’t a news flash when I say that times are tight as we enter the new year. After the missus and I put pencil to paper on New Year’s Day to add up all the money we blew in ’08,…
I’m in a sour mood today even though I shouldn’t be. Christmas, and all its attendant annoyances, is gone for another six months. I just spent some QT visiting with the family. It’s warming up. I still have a job and one or two bucks left in the bank account.The…
Where: Maizie’s Cafe & Bistro (4750 N. Central Ave., 602-274-2828). It’s a 10- to 12-minute walk north of the station, and it’s your best bet for drinking in the vicinity.Drink: De Bortoli Chardonnay (Australia, 2007). A glass will cost you $7.50. There’s a nice wine selection, some decent liquors, a…
Where: George & Dragon (4240 N. Central Ave.; 602-241-0018). It’s a five-minute walk north from the station, and it’s pretty much the only thing in the vicinity.Drink: Tetley’s ale ($4.75). Tons of English ales on draft, as well as all the usual domestic suspects. G&D serves some decent pub grub…
Where: Alexi’s Grill (3550 N. Central Ave., #120; 602-279-0982). It’s a five-minute walk north of the station, and it’s the only thing serving booze in the vicinity.Drink: Crown Royal with a splash of ginger ale ($6.50). Kudos to the barkeep, who understands what “just a splash” means.Scene: Alexi’s sure smelled…
Where: Club Central (3121 N. Third Ave., #140; 602-200-8121). It’s a 10-15 walk minute north of the station.Drink: Tap That Ass ($8), a heady brew consisting of Hennessy, cranberry, and Alizé. That green thing next to it is The Incredible Hulk (Hennessy and Hypnotique).Scene: A two-story nightclub complete with two…
Where: Switch (2603 N. Central Ave., 602-264-2295, a four-minute walk north from the station)Drink: Caipirinha. The $6.50 drink is part of a two-for-one deal during happy hour, which is Monday through Friday, 4 to 6:30.Scene: Well, the capirinha didn’t blow us away, but at two for the price of one,…
The Veggie Garden: Love the hand-cut fries.There’s a relatively new bistro on Central that I hadn’t heard of until Monday morning. That night, as I was researching watering holes along the light-rail system, I coincidentally stumbled upon Maizie’s Cafe & Bistro. This charming little place just north of Campbell has…
Where: Cheuvront Restaurant & Wine Bar (1326 N. Central Ave., 602-307-0022, a one-minute walk south of the station) Drink: Juan Gil Monastrell ’05, a red wine from Spain. Normally it’s $7.50, but it and many other libations are 50 percent off during happy hour (Monday through Friday, 4 to 6…
Plato sin carne: Dig that egg.If you ever tire of Mexican food (I know, fat chance) and want to branch out into other cuisines of Latin America, make sure you head up to Mi Cocina Mi Pais, a little storefront eatery in a busy strip mall on West Bell Road…
You may be wondering: Can a shirtless guy in his mid-50s who dresses in purple velour shorts still rock like he did in 1979? I know I asked myself the same question before AC/DC took the stage Wednesday night at U.S. Airways Center. But now I’m done doubting my aging heroes. Like…
I didn’t plan my Thanksgiving very well. The missus and I were due at the palatial Scottsdale estate of a distant cousin at 4, but it was 1 and we were starving and had no food in the house. We’d been foraging for an open restaurant in central Phoenix for…
America’s carne asada tacos: Finely chopped everything. By Jay Bennett My new favorite place to get a cheap, quick, but good lunch is America’s Taco Shop, on Seventh Street north of McDowell. The new taquería, which has been open for about a month, joins a pretty amazing stretch along Seventh…
South by Southwest: Some good flavors going on in here. By Jay Bennett Looking for a cheap and quick breakfast that’s a couple steps in quality above McDonald’s, Jack in the Box, or Carl’s Jr.? The clean and inviting Acacia Cafe, on Indian School Road and 37th Street, likely will…
Rib tips and mac and cheese: A lunch you can’t beat. By Jay Bennett Do you know what a “lazy pescatarian” is? It’s how my wife describes herself in regard to her eating habits. She aspires to be a vegetarian but knows she loves fish and other seafood too much…
