The irony isn’t lost on me. I make no secret of my support for downtown Phoenix. I live here because I want to be close to the action — close to nightlife, shopping, art, and, especially, cool restaurants. I want to see the place thrive. So watch me kick myself…

Early-afternoon sun shines intensely on the sleepy vineyard, where row after row of grape-laden vines run down the slope of the valley, like deep emerald waves in a leafy sea. You can’t easily see the fat clusters of ripe grapes, but they’re there, hanging on every rung in the shadows…

By Michele Laudig Economy be damned, somebody’s still got the confidence to open their doors! Now hopefully customers will keep coming out to spend some dough. (Me? I’d subsist on pretzels if it meant I could still eat foie gras.) Anyway, I just got a call from the ever-charming Maurizio…

By Michele Laudig Here’s a cute New York Times story I couldn’t resist sharing, about a 12-year-old who aspires to be a restaurant critic. This got me thinking about what kinds of random things in our childhoods lead us to where we are as adults. What were you doing at…

By Michele Laudig Here’s a real head-scratcher. The seemingly successful Soma Cafe, at Tatum and Shea, unexpectedly closed its doors over the weekend. According to one of my colleagues (who was a Soma regular to the point that it was like his second office), there was a note on the…

By Michele Laudig Dear Chow Bella readers, I hope you check out this week’s cover story (written by yours truly), where you’ll get to read all about the great wines that Eric Glomski and Maynard James Keenan (yes, the singer from Tool) are making up in Jerome and Cornville with…

There are plenty of places to get a gorgeous piece of USDA Prime meat in this town, but BLT Steak at Camelback Inn satisfies more than just carnivorous cravings. And for that, it really raises the bar. I won’t name names, but at some of Phoenix’s other high-end steakhouses —…

By Michele Laudig Admit it, you can’t get enough of Phoenix Ranch Market (you’re hooked on those aguas frescas, right?). Well, the people behind it are on to you. In fact, they’re opening their fifth Phoenix location tomorrow, November 12. The doors will open at 11 a.m. at 3223 W…

By Michele Laudig Yes, it really is a reflection of the tough times. I just got word that after six and a half years in business, Malee’s Thai Bistro offically closed its Desert Ridge location. Last Wednesday was its last day. According to owner Deirdre Pain, the Desert Ridge Malee’s…

At Plaza Grill in north Phoenix, the first-rate Mexican food totally speaks for itself. That’s a wonderful thing, considering that almost everything else about this restaurant is so low-key. Not only would you have a hard time discerning what kind of cuisine this place serves, you might not even notice…

By Michele Laudig Intercontinental Montelucia and its signature eatery, Prado. (Check out the warm fingerling potato and grilled octopus salad, at left.) I’ve blogged some details about the resort already, but just to refresh your memory, this is the Spanish-inspired restaurant headed up by chef de cuisine Claudio Urciuoli. Although…

By Michele Laudig I was going to wait until the next time NOCA had Fried Chicken Night to show you my photos from last Sunday, when they rolled out their secret-recipe fried chicken. Eliot Wexler’s gone so far as to create a special Simple Supper schedule for the month of…

By Michele Laudig It always feels like there’s a party going on at Tradiciones, but tomorrow (Nov.1) I’m sure it’ll be more festive than ever with the first annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration starting at 6 p.m. In honor of Day of the Dead, there will be a display…

By Michele Laudig Of course I don’t expect you to read Italian. “Festa di Maiale” means “Festival of the Pig,” which means that Sassi’s big shindig this Sunday, from 2 to 6 p.m., will be a porcine party extraordinaire. In Italy, it’s a traditional celebration of butchering the family pig…

By Michele Laudig I don’t need a sunny day as an excuse to do lunch at Cibo, the cozy pizza restaurant tucked in an historic house in a mostly residential neighborhood just a blocks from the heart of downtown. But let me tell you — when the weather’s this gorgeous,…

By Michele Laudig If you’re all about eating and shopping locally, then this party’s for you. It’s Local First Arizona’s fourth annual Certified Local Fall Festival, happening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Duck & Decanter (16th St. and Camelback). There will be free food, shopping, live…

Lighten up, sushi purists: A little kitsch can do you good sometimes. That’s my take on TeHaru Sushi and Sushi Eye in Motion, two sushi restaurants that’ve lately introduced Valley locals to a more playful side of Japanese food culture: kaitenzushi. That means “conveyor-belt sushi,” and, just like you’d imagine,…