Devouring a “little fat one,” known as a gordita, is one of the joys of life. They resemble arepas or pupusas, and are filled with meat, cheese, onion, and sometimes cabbage, all stuffed in a thick tortilla. We did the dirty work and tried gorditas at Gorditas El Tio and…
On the never-ending mission to make the lives of friends in the service industry better, we’ve posted some rules of etiquette for how to treat servers, bartenders, hostesses, pastry chefs, and even your sommelier. However, along with probably your therapist, there’s one person who consistently sees you at your worst…
Chris Mayo Executive chef Central Bistro 3160 E. Camelback Road www.centralbistroaz.com Chris Mayo didn’t grow up with a dream of becoming a chef. He didn’t learn the basics of the craft as a child, at his mother’s hip. In fact, he thought he was going to be a firefighter –…
That’s right, ya bunch of “foodies.” Taco Bell’s new attempt as cashing in on the upscale street taco trend is set to open this summer in Huntington Beach. However, the menu at U.S. Taco Co., which includes some interesting looking milkshakes, beer, and french fries for some reason, also has…
Few among us think of a museum cafe as a destination — especially those of us who haven’t eaten at Phoenix Art Museum’s Palette, one of the city’s nicest downtown lunch spots. A museum restaurant, like a department store cafe, is typically good for a salad or a sandwich after…
Thursday night, the Arizona Restaurant Association announced the winners of the second annual Foodist Awards during an event at the Montelucia Resort in Scottsdale. The awards celebrate “the most amazing tastes, faces and places in Arizona food and beverage.” Finalists were announced in early April with 30 chefs, restaurants, and…
As summer descends once more upon the Valley, my mind shifts to tropical drinks. Well, it’s never really shifted away from tropical drinks. I guess the better thing to say is that my tropical drink instinct is getting into high gear. It’s not quite time for me to break out…
Our Quick PHX guide this year showed you a lot of dining, partying, and entertainment options this year, and we have some more drinks to share. From coffee to happy hour and cocktails, check out some of the best imbibing options in Central/Downtown Phoenix. Today we’ll show you the best…
If you live anywhere near the northwest corner of Ray and Rural Roads in Tempe and haven’t tried Hong Kong Asian Diner by now, you’ve been doing yourself a huge disservice. This family-run, strip mall spot has been in business for more than a decade and offers remarkably good Cantonese…
If you’ve been following our Ultimate Battle of the Ramen, then you already know about the upsets, drama, and good eats we’ve shared over the last month and half. For those just joining the action, here’s a quick review. We started our March Madness-inspired ramen battle last month by gathering…
In a delightfully aptly titled article called “What Would Don Draper Make With a 3-D Printer?”, Wired showed us pretty much our favorite thing to come out of Japan since whisky. Suntory, a purveyor of Japanese whisky brands like Hibiki and beer like Sapporo, recently did a little experiment with…
After learning all about the types of bitters on the market and the history of the non-potable tincture last week with Bill and Lill Buitenhuys of AZ Bitters Lab, Travis Nass of the Last Drop Bar at the Hermosa Inn shows us this week how to use bitters in a…
If you compulsively shop local or hit up farmers markets on the weekend with reckless abandon, as we admittedly do, you might have noticed some awesome new stuff. Lots of businesses have expanded with new offerings to seem to have come out of nowhere. From books to botanicals, we’ve been…
If you’re a soup fan, look forward to trying the silky smooth tofu soup at Chodang Tofu and BBQ in Chandler — that is, if you haven’t experienced it already. The dish, which can feature your choice of meat and vegetables, arrives at your table in bubbling hot in a…
Artopia Friday, April 25 This Friday night, we’re announcing the winners of the fifth annual Big Brain Awards at Artopia, a celebration with food, drinks, and, of course, art. We’ve already introduced you to all the finalists in the Culinary Arts category, which includes Aisha Tedros of A.T. Coffee Oasis,…
It’s been a long time coming — or at least it probably feels like it if you’re an ice cream fanatic — but the third location of Sweet Republic ice cream opened its doors yesterday in Central Phoenix. This newest Sweet Republic comes just over a month after the opening…
Chances are good that you’ve made darn near certain that you have a bottle of Sriracha in your fridge for everything from spicing up leftovers to making your own BBQ sauce. In any case, your spice world just got a little bigger, thanks to Musashi in New York. The company…
Having recently traveled to Asia to attend classes at a few cooking schools, I brought back a number of great recipes, memories and a long list of ingredients not available at Fry’s. While in Thailand I had the opportunity to attend day long classes at two very different schools. Chiang…
We’re calling it. It may only be April, but summer in Phoenix has pretty much arrived. We know because Chef James Porter’s Petite Maision has switched over to a dinner-only schedule, making it the first (we’ve heard) of the many restaurants in town that will either cut back to limited…
Get ready, people, because restaurateur Sam Fox seems confident that his newest restaurant concept is going to turn your entire life upside down. Opening Tuesday, April 29 near the northeast corner of 44th Street and Camelback, Flower Child, “is the start of a food revolution by Sam Fox” — at…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Adding to the lime shortage from Mexico, this season’s serious drought in California could mean a higher total on your grocery bill. Produce such as lettuce, avocados, grapes, and stone fruit will see dramatic price increases as the drought drives farmers to either decrease the amount they plant this season…
