When it rains, it pours . . . candy. Last week I got the lowdown on Smeeks, a new candy shop coming to Central and Camelback. And now there’s already word of another place in the works for Grand Avenue — right between vintage tiki bar Bikini Lounge and alternative performance and music…
Did you catch this news? The Associated Press reported on SB 1113, a bill passed by a state Senate panel last week that would allow people to bring handguns into restaurants — provided they have a concealed carry permit and do not consume alcohol. Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed a similar…
I hardly recognize Biltmore Fashion Park anymore. Haagen-Dazs is gone. Now the windows are covered up and adorned with a big sign announcing that Zinburger — a spinoff of restaurateur Sam Fox’s Tucson eatery — is “coming soon.” But the Republic reports that it’s not opening until January of next year…
Craving a burger? Bored with the usual? Well you’re in luck. Today’s the opening day for 25 Degrees, an upscale burger joint/wine bar at the new CityNorth in north Phoenix. (The name, by the way, refers to the temperature difference between a medium-rare and well-done burger.) It’s the third outpost of…
Summer travel season has arrived. It seems everyone’s starting to leave town, talk about their vacation plans, or post quirky Facebook updates from far-off places. Me? I’m looking forward to an overdue jaunt to New York City, but it can’t come soon enough. And in the meantime, a good friend…
This afternoon, the City of Phoenix Planning and Zoning Committee has a scheduled hearing on the establishment, through rezoning, of the controversial Jackson Street Entertainment District — ground zero for those five new Bernie Kantak restaurants I mentioned yesterday. And it looks like a protest is in the works, too. I found…
Just got the skinny from chef Joshua Hebert that Posh is rolling out a special $35, four-course prix fixe dinner that will be available all summer long, from 5 to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. If you’re not familiar with Posh, go back and read my review from February. The…
Former Cowboy Ciao chef Bernie Kantak and his business partners have finalized a deal to open not one, not two, but five new restaurants downtown, reports the Republic today. The concepts will be Southwestern, Southern, steakhouse, Latin, and wine bar, and will be located at 1st Street and Jackson, at the heart…
“Why doesn’t somebody open a _____ in Central Phoenix?” Fill in that blank for any kind of stylish indie business (especially anything food- and beverage-related), and I’ve wondered it aloud. For all the interesting things going on in CenPho these days, there’s still room for plenty more. Literally a day…
Fans of chef Nobuo Fukuda and his sophisticated contemporary Japanese cooking were treated to an all-you-can-eat splurge this past weekend, with a two-night cocktail party-style dinner at Sea Saw. It was the restaurant’s final hurrah before Fukuda goes indie (visit his website, www.nobuofukuda.com, to keep up with him while he’s…
Tangy non-fat frozen yogurt, a trend spawned by food-savvy South Koreans, has flourished here for a couple of years, but I’ve always found it odd that some of the big-name fro-yo companies (Pinkberry, for example) haven’t entered the Arizona market. We have a five-month-long summer and they hesitate to bring us frozen desserts?…
Although the French Open preempted this morning’s episode of Live! with Regis and Kelly on the local TV affiliate, Joe Johnston’s Gilbert restaurant, Joe’s Real BBQ, still got national airtime for the TV show’s Ultimate Hometown Grill-Off. The good news? Joe’s made it to the next round in the Best Brisket category,…
You want to see a shitstorm? Get a look at the comments following a blog post I wrote about Regions back in April. For some reason, the thing is still getting tons of hits, as if it were a message board. I’ve written about plenty of restaurant closures over the…
So many delicious things are in season right now, and Voltaire French Restaurant is making the most of the fresh-from-the-farm produce it’s getting from McClendon Select. First off, they’re offering a special $35 prix fixe dinner this Friday and Saturday (reservations are required), featuring an heirloom tomato salad with sherry…
Since I reported the upcoming closure of Sea Saw — this Sunday is its last night of service — the restaurant’s been deluged with people wanting to come in before it’s too late. So to give everyone a chance to say farewell (until chef Nobuo Fukuda’s next venture, that is),…
It’s not very often that I blog while cracking up out loud, but rest assured, I have a little tear in my eye right now. Just got a press release from Portland’s announcing the debut of their Metro burger, topped with Fontina, BBQ sauce, and sauteed onions, created “in honor”…
It’s no secret that Japanese food is my obsession. I’ve certainly written about it enough times, rapturously blogged about it, photographed it, and sought out ever more esoteric eats on my annual trips to Japan. My appetite for it is endless. I’ve also been an enthusiastic fan and follower of…
Is Andrew Knowlton stalking me? The Bon Appetit restaurant editor seems to be quite fond of my favorite restaurants these days, most recently writing up the fabulous Stacy’s Smokehouse in his Hot 10 “Best New Barbecue Restaurants” for the July issue (which isn’t online yet — mine just came in…
I guess I could’ve seen this coming. Regions Bistro & Bar in Tempe has closed, reports the Trib, and the Scottsdale location has likely closed as well (hard to confirm when the phone just rings and rings . . .). From the outset, folks were saying it was either ambitious…
There have already been too many vacancies on Mill Avenue lately — as a magazine junkie, I’m still mourning the departure of Borders — and now there’s one more. And it’s a big one: Coffee Plantation. It closed this past Saturday. According to the Republic, the landlord didn’t renew the…
The Valley’s lost some favorites lately. A few high-profile restaurants closed for business just within the last week or two — Tapino, Fine’s Cellar, and the historic El Chorro Lodge. Mesa’s Grill El Quetzal, a Guatemalan joint in the strip mall across from Mekong Plaza, is gone. And two established…
Happiness is discovering a shiny new Korean grocery store. Paldo Market opened up about two months ago at the southeast corner of Southern and Mill in Tempe (9 E. Southern), and it’s quite a find. Although it’s not supermarket-sized, Paldo’s got a really well-rounded selection of Korean edibles and ingredients,…
