This Week In Chow Bella

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let’s have one last look at the blog posts from this week: Taco Bell’s New Cantina Tacos (Based Upon Mexican Street…

Three Other FDA Recalls You Haven’t Heard About

We admit that we don’t typically spend a lot of time perusing the recall press releases on the Food and Drug Administration website, but in a quest to find an update on that whole egg mess (update: millions more eggs have been toss into the suspicious pile; here’s the latest…

Greg Murphy’s T2

​Yesterday we met Greg Murphy, W Hotel’s laid-back and garrulous drink maker. A bartender for more than five years, Murphy’s come up with his share of original cocktails, but there are a few he takes special pride in. There’s the Time Machine (made with Ciroc Coconut and Midori), the Denzel…

Bacon and Beer, Together at Last. A Lot.

Just when you thought the bacon trend had peaked and sizzled/fizzled, this morsel comes along. And why not? After all, who doesn’t want a bacon-cooking robot? Or, for that matter, a blog (and a photo blog and even an Internet show) devoted to bacon and beer. Thanks to Jason Mosley, mrbaconpants.com himself,…

39: Fish ‘n Chips at Rula Bula

Hungry yet?We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular orderLeave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section.Visit our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch, for a companion series on 100 Creatives who make…

Cafe: Secreto

There is a dish that was unknown to us before moving to the Valley. You’ll think us deprived (and rightly so) but carne adovada is this recent discovery. Naturally we think it’s delicious. The simmering sauce, the fork tender meat; how could we do anything but devour it? Now we…

Zen 32 Set to Close at the End of the Month

Zen 32, restaurateur Lenny Rosenberg’s Japanese-themed eatery and bar at 32nd Street and Camelback, will close August 31, when the current lease expires.Rosenberg planned to renovate the space and change the concept, but says, “we found out at the last minute that the costs came in exorbitantly high.” Rather than continue,…

Greg Murphy at W Hotel

​The seemingly vast community of bartenders in the Valley is smaller than you might think; Greg Murphy got his start at Merc Bar, serving drinks alongside Simon Alam and Sean Snelling. He now crafts cocktails at Scottsdale’s W Hotel (7277 E. Camelback Road, 480-970-2100), where he’s been since the opening on…

Cupcake Love-In: Sweet Bites

“Cupcake smack down” is the prominent theme on the twitter account for Cupcake Love-In, posted this week in sync with the launch of a Valley culinary event celebrating sweet treats. Our Zach Fowle — Phoenix darling of eating contestants and author of our own Feast of Fury series — says game on!…

Chef Eric Osburn’s The Trojan Horse

Chef Eric Osburn of Centurion shares an impressive but easy date-night recipe that will bring two people a little closer: The Trojan Horse. A Lady and the Tramp moment sans spaghetti – with beef, mushrooms, cherries, wine, potatoes and puff pastry taking its place.

Boba Juice Serves Tasty Vegetarian Vietnamese Eats

In researching boba drinks for a blog post awhile back, a reader helpfully informed me that new Boba Juice on 19th Avenue (in the same strip as Da Vang, 4550 N. 19th Ave., north of Campbell), serves vegetarian Vietnamese food.Thanks, whomever-you-are!  I stopped by for a super-cheap, super-tasty lunch that…

Durant’s 48 oz. Porterhouse Challenge

​In some serious need of protein, my latest fight with food has brought me to Durant’s (2611 N. Central Ave., 602-264-5967), the storied steakhouse and hallowed Mecca of meats. ​For those seeking red meat revelation, Durant’s offers the 48-ounce Porterhouse Steak — a three-inch thick slab of beef that would fit in…

40: Corn Pancakes with Crab at The Mission

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…

10 Cringe-Worthy Candies That Probably Taste Awesome

Candy just isn’t what it used to be. We have entered a world where nothing is sacred and anything goes. And we’re not just talking about gum that changes flavor half way through or candy that you spray into your mouth, those are gross but they certainly can’t hold a…

SunUp Brewhouse Introduces New Chef, New Menu

I’ve been a fan of SunUp Brewhouse since back in the days when it was still called Sonoran. The name change, a legal result of SunUp’s burgeoning distribution, took place a year ago (wow — time flies!), but the place is just as good of a hangout, with the same…

Ahwatukee’s Secreto Won’t Remain a Secret for Long

A new Ahwatukee restaurant may be named after the Spanish word for “secret,” but it’s too delicious to keep under wraps. Judging from the packed bar and buzzing dining room at cozy Secreto, word’s traveling as quickly as a juicy piece of gossip. And I suspect that this place won’t…

The Space Burger: A Cosmic Experience on the Road to San Diego

You’ve seen this, right? If you’ve driven to San Diego, you have. Right off the main drag through Gila Bend, the Best Western Space Age Lodge and Restaurant was opened in 1965 by Al Stovall, a friend of President Eisenhower and supplier of metals and plastics to the federal government…

Beef Head: Cabeza from Andale Mexican Food

Despite what the supermarket aisle may lead you to believe, there’s more to an animal than neatly wrapped styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those taboo edibles that don’t make the cut at your local grocer. Just Offal is here to explore these…