There’s nothing scarier than watching a hapless heroine being chased by ferocious, flesh-eating zombies — except possibly the upcoming reality series featuring abstinence spokesperson and Tea Party daughter Bristol Palin shacking up with fellow Dancing With the Stars contestants Kyle and Chris Massey. Shudder. While we wait for that horror…
When most people think of nuns, they imagine Julie Andrews singing in the hills, or the stern, knuckle-rapping sisters found at Catholic schools. Local artist Gennaro Garcia paints a different picture of religious life. On a trip to Spain with his wife, Garcia encountered three nuns smoking, drinking and living…
Yesterday, Chef Bernie Kantak shared details of his culinary adventures and early artistic creations. Today, the conversation turns towards matters more serious, from witnessing a slaughter to ghosts in the machine. First job: My grandmother on my mother’s side ran a kitchen in Ohio that was a reception hall at…
Luckily, that’s not a problem at Beckett’s Table, the third in a series of eateries we checked out for Restaurant Week. Service here was lightning-quick and almost too attentive — we had to physically hold on to our plates a few times to prevent them from being whisked away. The overall…
It’s a cliché that the best ethic restaurants are the ones frequented by people of that ethnicity — but it’s also usually true. Who better to determine the quality of Japanese or Punjabi food, for example, than someone who hails from that area of the globe and grew up eating their traditional dishes? …
Chef Bernie Kantak began his culinary adventure at a very early age. He sampled head cheese at four years old and liked it. Shortly afterwards, instead of slapping together a messy PB&J when his mom told him to make a snack, Kantak pulled up a chair, turned on the stove and whipped up…
Last year, Lisa Starry’s original fashion-meets-dance work, Catwalk, pranced into Phoenix Theatre’s Little Theatre with a splash. The production featured fun, upbeat numbers set to familiar pop rock and classical tunes, with the dancers modeling clothing created by local designers. The idea was attractive enough to audiences that Starry was asked…
Biltmore Fashion Park’s newest eatery, Black Chile Mexican Grill, kicks off its opening today. Developed by Michael McDermott and Jason Merritt of Kona Grill, the eatery concentrates on recognizable Mexican-inspired fare and boasts some 125+ tequilas on hand. Grilled corn with aioli and cojita ($5.50) sounds appealing, as does their…
Ever since celeb chef Mario Batali opened his Osteria Mozza in LA, the international trend of mozzarella bars has been slowly spreading across America. Other notable mozz bars include New York’s Obikà (which originated in Rome) and Naples Tomato in Florida. Spasso Pizza & Mozzarella Bar in the old Pie Zanos space…
It used to be that you were S.O.L. if you wanted to take your date out to a white tablecloth kind of place after 9 p.m. on a Friday or Saturday night. But as the standard workday got longer — and our at-home meal repertoires dwindled down to a choice…
Earlier this week, we blogged about the upcoming restaurant changes at Sky Harbor International Airport’s Terminal 4. Deliberations were underway for the initial restaurant “Master Concessionaire” recommendation, which would then be passed through several other committees before receiving final approval from the Phoenix City Council. Well, the verdict is in…
This weekend was slated to be Phoenix’s introduction to the Blue Planet Film Festival, a nationwide showcase of independent films that spotlight animal rights and environmental issues. Unfortunately, the event was called off due to lack of funding just days before it was scheduled to take place at MADCAP Theaters…
A few years back, New York jump-started the trend of “gastropubs” — British-style watering holes that go beyond the standard pub fare of fried fish and greasy burgers to present a quality, chef-driven menu of creative dishes. Shortly afterwards, the trend made its way to Phoenix via Mabel’s on Main,…
Bitchy Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is proof that the fashion industry is a serious business. Of course, the same biz inspired laughter by introducing Barbie-inspired sweaters and polka-dot parachute pants on this year’s runways and putting a wedding hat that resembles a Flying Spaghetti Monster on Prince William’s royal cousin…
When you hear the word “illusion,” perhaps the grand magic of Criss Angel and David Copperfield comes to mind – or, if you’re deeper than a teaspoon, the Matrix-like concept that not everything we experience in the world is real. This mind-bending idea is the theme behind “Dis-il-lu-sion,” a group…
Changes are happening over at Sky Harbor International Airport, and we’re not just talking about the otherworldly metal arches that recently went up at 44th Street and Washington in preparation for the PHX Sky Train. The grub offered inside Terminal 4 is also headed for a major overhaul. Last year,…
The new spring version of Arizona Restaurant Week starts this Friday, May 13. With over 50 restaurants involved in the $30-40 three-course meal deal, it’s hard to figure out which places to hit. The Dhaba’s menu looks delicious, for example, while White Chocolate Grill’s “Date Night” special doesn’t impress. To help…
Local foodies and chefs — from other cities — are anxiously awaiting tonight’s announcement of the 2011 James Beard award winners in the restaurant and chef categories. Arizona restaurants and chefs were shut out on the list of nominees. But Phoenix did have a brush with stardom at Friday Night’s awards gala,…
It’s always fascinating to see what authors do with “local” cookbooks that supposedly highlight the cuisine of a particular region. So when Albuquerque resident and chile pepper expert Dave DeWitt’s new tome The Southwest Table: Traditional Cuisine from Texas, New Mexico and Arizona arrived in Cooking Virgin’s mailbox, I couldn’t wait to see…
Now that temps have finally started to creep up, it’s a good time to cool down with some ice cream. Conveniently, Häagen-Dazs shops around the Valley are celebrating Free Scoop Day with complimentary scoops of ice cream offered between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10. You’re not…
Biltmore Fashion Park always seems like its own little self-contained universe. The upscale plaza offers shopping, community movie nights, and a dozen or so diverse restaurants, from national brands like Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen to Dr. Andrew Weil’s True Food Kitchen concept and celebrated local chef Christopher Gross’…
Yesterday, we spoke with Chef Justin Beckett of Beckett’s Table in East Phoenix. Raised a macrobiotic vegetarian, Beckett admits he now goes whole hog for bacon. But that doesn’t mean he’s neglected nature’s most bountiful vitamin source. Today, the hardworking chef shares his recipe for summery beets with universal appeal…
