Chef Matt Carter built his reputation with French cuisine at Scottsdale’s Zinc Bistro, and he’s expanded his repertoire to contemporary Mexican food at The Mission. For awhile, he even had his own Asian fusion spot, the now-defunct Nine 05, in Downtown Phoenix. Obviously the guy has a knack for foreign flavors,…

The day after CenPho’s new Cambodian restaurant, Sekong By Night, opened, a couple of friends and I couldn’t wait to try it. What we found was a surprisingly cute little spot done up with burgundy walls, Buddha art, and brocade tablecloths, with a dirt-cheap menu of tasty Cambodian dishes. To the…

Talk about a trifecta. This weekend you can eat, shop, and listen to live music all in one groovy CenPho spot, Medlock Plaza, a.k.a. the home of funky candy shop Smeeks (where Chow Bella will be hosting Caramelpalooza in a week!), fab boutique Frances, and indie music shop Stinkweeds. Short Leash…

​It’s nice to dream.Yesterday, I speculated on the likelihood that Old Town Scottsdale’s Hotel Theodore would soon be transformed into an Ace Hotel, given that Theodore’s new owner, The Sydell Group, also owns Ace Hotels in New York and Palm Springs. In particular, I mused on what the theoretical Ace could…

Landmark Phoenix ice cream parlor Mary Coyle’s Ol’ Fashion Ice Cream & Yogurt is on its way out, right as the Valley’s starting to warm up after a blip of a winter.Business has taken a hit while the cost of ingredients has gone up, according to an article in the…

The latest edition of Quick PHX, our irresistible pocket-sized guide to eating, drinking, shopping, and exploring the city is hot off the presses today — and we’re so excited to share our picks with readers. If you’re already in Central Phoenix, you’ll find your free copy tucked inside this week’s issue…

Did you know it’s going to be 82 degrees this Sunday? Yep, patio season is officially upon us. Business is apparently as good as the weather, so two local eateries are getting ready for sunny days ahead with new patios. Beckett’s Table is tripling its amount of outdoor seating, wrapping the current…

Take me out to the ball game? Ehh. I say, take me out to dinner. No matter how much you’re into baseball, you still gotta eat, right? And maybe you just don’t feel like filling up on ball park junk food. With Cactus League games in full swing, out-of-town visitors…

Finally, there’s hope that Phoenicians will stop bitching and moaning and comparing the Valley to New York or Portland or Palm Springs, places that are invariably superior because they boast an Ace Hotel. (I’m rolling my eyeballs at our collective insecurity, but I won’t lie: The Ace is effing cool,…

How to build excitement for an upcoming event? These days, the answer is to host another small event as a “preview.” Tonight at 5:30, you can hit up The Vig Uptown to check out nine talented mixologists competing for “Devoured Mixology Master” honors. My pal from the Republic, Megan Finnerty, will…

​As the former New Times music editor, I was kinda tickled to check Twitter and see that a request for restaurant recommendations just came in from a touring Los Angeles indie rock band that’s going to be in the Valley this Saturday.  The band, called Louden Swain, asked, “Any really…

Spring training is in full swing, and this food critic is betting that it won’t take too many games before you baseball fans will get tired of all the beer and brats — or at least all the brats. Looking for a place to chow down before first pitch or…

One year after Marcellino Ristorante Italiano announced it was leaving its longtime home on Northern Avenue to move to SouthBridge in Scottsdale, a new casual eatery has opened in its place.It’s called Thirteenorth Grille, and it’s owned by Chase Herrick, who also owns Stumpy’s Pizza in the same plaza.Executive chef…

I’m so sad for Sunnyslope. One of the hippest hangouts in the neighborhood — one that really upped the area’s cool quotient — is counting down the hours until it goes dark.It looks like Bomberos Cafe & Wine Bar really is going to close its doors for good, after failing…

Kansas-based artist John Holcomb considers Arizona the Holy Land. Or, make that Holey Land. In his geography-inspired series of illustrations, The United Plates of America, he transforms the states of the union into popular foods. And no, he doesn’t see Arizona as a giant tortilla, a plate of tuna tartare, or a gourmet burger. Instead, we’re…

The buzz over the weekend was that Chop and Wok, the cheeky rock ‘n roll-themed Chinese restaurant in North Scottsdale, burned down. Turns out, there was a fire over the weekend, but the place is still standing — there was no structural damage, one of the employees tells me. A…

Peanuts and Cracker Jacks? Uh, sorry, but even the most hardcore baseball fan will eventually get fed up with all the ballpark junk food and start looking for a real meal. Where to go for some good grub if you’re heading to (or from) a Cactus League game? Hop in…

What a week. The Epi-Log on Epicurious.com gave props to FnB’s gilfeather rutabaga dish the other day, and then explored whether Pizzeria Bianco is worth the wait. Meanwhile, celeb chef Jamie Oliver’s website picked up the story about FnB’s visit to a local school, which was first reported on Chow Bella last month.Lots…

Can Scottsdale’s nightlife district do a trendy restaurant/ultra-lounge concept that doesn’t just attract pretty young things in search of a candy cocktail and a phone number scribbled on a napkin, but actually has cred with food fanatics?  With the help of chef Johnny Chu, a new spot called The Mint just…

As Cactus League games are just kicking in, people who obsess about baseball as much as this restaurant critic obsesses about food are finding themselves with rumbling bellies, wondering what places to hit up in the vicinity of their favorite spring training ballparks. Not in the mood to fill up on…