Hey there, super busy weekend. It’s nice to see you! It’s another packed Phoenix weekend. Not only will every Irish (and not so Irish) bar in the city be partying hard this Saturday, but the Superstition Farms Food Truck Festival and the sneak peek at the brand new Postino Gilbert…
There is just so much going on in this video, so many memes and obscure references. It is like watching the entirety of the internet being crushed down into a two-and-a-half-minute mineral water ad. To paraphrase Jodie Foster’s character from Contact, “No words. They should have sent a poet… and…
I’m headed to a neighbor’s for dinner, and I want to bring something besides a bottle of wine. I want to bring dessert. I have apples, and I tell myself that I should be able to make a pie. So what if it’s only 3 apples, and I don’t have…
Pretentious and snobby wine bars are, thankfully, a thing of the past — at least as far as we’re concerned. We like our wine bars fun and full of life with an outstanding staff who will refrain from laughing at our questions and will happily pair our food with a…
For fans of Jamaican food, the Jerk Hut Jamaican Grille in Phoenix delivers on the island’s rich and highly seasoned flavors from a small selection of traditional, street-side dishes — including, quite possibly, some of the best jerk chicken in the Valley. And with its plentiful portions and wallet-friendly fare,…
What better use for an extra case of Girl Scout cookies than a Chow Bella Showdown? In years past we’ve challenged our contributors to make something delicious out of Thin Mints and Trefoils. This time: Savannah Smiles. Stay tuned for more recipes and a decision from our “judge,” web editor Eric Tsetsi. Everything…
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…
Skip the evening crowd and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in the afternoon at Old Town Whiskey, located in Scottsdale’s The Saguaro hotel. This Saturday from 2 to 4 pm, learn all about Irish whiskey from the Whiskey Professor, including how to make Old Town Whiskey’s signature Irish cocktail — The…
Homemade Nutella is making the Pinterest rounds lately. That is, it’s super popular right now. I like Nutella, but I never buy it. But I’ve been eying the various recipes for so long that it was time I tried it. Plus, I’ve had a bag of hazelnuts sitting in the…
The Phoenix Film Festival begins at the end of this month, bringing with it one of our favorite combos: film and food. This year the pairing gets even sweeter with a chance to win a pair of VIP passes along with dinner for ten at Chipotle. To further support the…
This week is shaping up to be a truly heartbreaking one for lovers of red meat, bacon and fatty foods in general. Two new studies have emerged to make horrifying claims about the survival chances of the frequent meat eater. The (Possibly) Bad News: The first study concerns the consumption…
If you have been to Jamaica or know something about its cuisine, then you are undoubtedly familiar with its most popular dish: jerk. Dating back to the island’s earliest days, Christopher Columbus got an eyeful of Jamaica’s beginnings at the end of the 15th century, when he watched its indigenous…
Since I sling drinks for a living, I get to hear quite a bit about people planning soirées at their houses. These descriptions of upcoming cocktail parties always come with an implication that they are looking for feedback on how to better throw their party. So, since many of you…
You’ve seen gourmet food trucks all over town. Each one has its own different spin, giving a unique twist to casual street eats. For the most part, each better-known truck has its own specialty… except two of them. There is a pair of trucks prowling the Valley offering gourmet hot…
For the past two days we’ve been talking with Chef Christopher Wolf of Arizona Culinary Institute. He’s leading the ACI Food and Fitness Initiative in an effort to marry healthful living with the school’s culinary educational program. Wolf competes in marathons and triathlons, setting an inspiring example of what it…
What better use for an extra case of Girl Scout cookies than a Chow Bella Showdown? In years past we’ve challenged our contributors to make something delicious out of Thin Mints and Trefoils. This time: Savannah Smiles. Stay tuned for more recipes and a decision from our “judge,” web editor Eric Tsetsi. When I…
A fire on Monday has closed the Matador Restaurant in downtown Phoenix. The Phoenix Business Journal reports that the fire at the over 30-year-old Mexican eatery owned by Mike and Alexandra Anagnopoulos happened around 2:45 p.m. Monday afternoon, when the restaurant was closed, and was put out within minutes by…
NPR pledge season is upon us again, but KJZZ is breaking from their usual offers of vacations and iPads in favor of flavor. Anyone who pledges today has a shot at winning their “Foodie’s Dream” package. They’ve managed to line up 52 top shelf restaurants for this promotion. The full…
St. Patrick’s Day is this Saturday — yes, it’s on a Saturday this year! Hooray! Time to drink copious amounts of green beer and get completely shitfaced with a bunch of “Irish” strangers at some sort of big St. Patty’s Day party, right? Right. Okay, drinking tons of green beer…
Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. Anthony Bourdain supports it, Wolfgang Puck’s against it, and on…
Nut allergies are no laughing matter — you have all made that abundantly clear in comments left on previous posts. But maybe this story will give you a good snicker. Discovery Magazine recently reported a story from a Spanish medical journal with the following keywords: Brazil nut allergy. Semen. Sexual…
PI(E) from ABBY BURTON on Vimeo. Here at Chow Bella, we’re not so good at math — but we’re always up for pie. We watched a lot of stop motion videos about the making of pie (you’re welcome), and this was our favorite. Short, sweet, to the point. Happy Pi…
