Christmas is long over, and you’ve blown your New Year’s resolutions — so, what the heck? It’s time to party. We’re here to help with Chow Bella’s spring 2014 guide to food and drink festivals in metro Phoenix. It’s a busy year. Get your calendars out…
This is part two of our interview with Joey Maggiore of Cuttlefish in Scottsdale. The seafood restaurant opened late last year and features an oyster bar (complete with Vespa seating) and a menu of coastal Italian cuisine. Today, we’re talking about the two new restaurants Maggiore plans to open around…
We’re not huge fans of national such-and-such days, but when we can get our hands on discounted pie, it’s definitely cause for celebration. This week, Traci Wilbur (you probably know her as Pie Snob) is offering 20 percent all her pies in honor of National Pie Day, which is Thursday,…
Dave Andrea and Payton Curry, the duo behind Scottsdale’s Brat Haus, unveiled their newest project to guests and media on Saturday. Taco Haus, located in the same North Scottsdale strip mall as the infamous Amy’s Baking Company, looks to capture the spirit of a variety of Latin American cuisines, including…
Originally published in 1824, The Virgina Housewife is often considered the first American cookbook. And if not that — because some would argue Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796) claims that title — it’s certainly the first regional cookbook. In it, you’ll find recipes for Southern-style specialties like gumbo, catfish soup,…
Beer: Winter Bourbon Barrel Bomber Brewery: Grand Canyon Brewery Style: English Brown Ale ABV: 6 percent When you see the words “bourbon barrel” on a bottle of beer, certain flavors can be expected. Bourbon, for one. Oak. Vanilla. Maple. Toffee. The best beers aged in bourbon barrels combine these flavors…
Get ready to sip and sample cocktails from up-and-coming bartenders in the Phoenix scene this February. That’s right, the fifth annual Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition is back at Crescent Ballroom this year, and along with tasty samples and three live acoustic sets, the event will showcase local spirits courtesy of…
Joey Maggiore Owner Cuttlefish 573-202-3044 www.cuttlefishscottsdale.com This is part one of our interview with Joey Maggiore, owner of Cuttlefish in Scottsdale and son of one of the Valley’s most famous Italian chefs, Tomaso Maggiore. Today, we’re chatting about why he chose the name Cuttlefish. Don’t forget to come back tomorrow…
When both Scratch locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix closed last year, it left a macaron-sized hole in our hearts. After the financial difficulties of rejuvenating the old Canvas building downtown, Duc Liao and his wife, Noelle, closed their operations. Luckily for Scratch enthusiasts (and there are quite a few), Liao…
Cowboy Ciao Tuesday, January 21 The next installment of Cowboy Ciao’s Sommelier Showdown will mean the “Polka Kings” will go head-to-head in a battle of the bottles. And the event also will bring one of Scottsdale’s best-known chefs to the kitchen: Petite Maison’s James Porter. On Tuesday, Peter Kasperski of…
It was last June when we first caught wind of a landlord dispute that threatened to force Karl’s Quality Bakery (and The Baker’s Daughter) to move after more the 20 years at 8847 North Seventh Avenue. In September, Karl and Christine Boerner, the Swiss-trained father-daughter pastry chef team behind the…
In an effort to live with more thrift and grace (and because we’re cheap), we bring you 10 of our favorite free food finds. Get in the spirit: Swing by the massive cookbook section at the Burton Barr Library on your way home or swipe some citrus from your neighbor’s…
For those days when you wake up and think, “Gee, I could use a cup of coffee and a piece of buttered vagina bread” (don’t lie, you know who you are), we present The Vagina Toaster. No, it’s not a joke. It’s a real thing and you can buy your…
This week at Last Call HQ has been… let’s go with “interesting”. I’ll spare you the details (except to ask, how did that fit down the drain to begin with?). Suffice to say, a libation sounds pretty damn good right about now. Something sophisticated sounds nice, but the thought of…
The first version of the Philadelphia cheesesteak was invented in the 1930s by brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri, who owned a hot dog stand in South Philly. Since then, the popularity of the sandwich increased and has become a national favorite. Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are made from thinly sliced rib…
After nine months, $8 million in renovations, and nary a peep to anyone, The Post, an American restaurant inside The Wren, a Crowne Plaza Hotel at 44th and Washington streets (near Sky Harbor International Airport), will open Friday, January 31. “Check everything you thought you knew about hotel food at…
Picked before reaching maturity when the bulb and stalk dries out to a more of a husk, green garlic has a much more fresh and light flavor and texture than garlic cloves. While green garlic, which is also called young or spring garlic, looks more like leeks or scallions, it…
The biggest sporting event in the States is around the corner, and while football fans are eager to find out which two teams will make it to MetLife Stadium, we at Chow Bella are getting excited for the Super Bowl snacks. Throw the ultimate party with your very own snackadium,…
If you’re a daily juicer and have a habit of throwing a certain leafy green superfood in your Vitamix, you might want to put down that leaf of kale. At least until after you read this. A recent piece in the New York Times titled, “Kale? Juicing? Trouble Ahead,” has…
Let’s take a trip to northeast Italy to the famous Piemonte (or Piedmont in English). Piemonte is most famous for Barolo and Barbaresco, serious and seriously expensive wines that are fantastic but outside of my wallet’s reach. It’s also famous for Moscato di Asti, the light, slightly bubbly dessert wine…
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…
On the surface, Pho A.V., the tiny, six-month-old Vietnamese restaurant in North Phoenix, looks like many of the no-frills spots throughout the Valley: fluorescent lights, a modest assembly of tables and booths, a buzzing cooler. But through its doors hung with white lace curtains, in the back of the room…
