Since we started this “Caffiend” blog almost 18 months ago, we’ve tried tons of coffees, teas, energy drinks, and other caffeinated products. As we near our two-year anniversary, we took a look back at our reviews to see which items pumped us up the most. Here, in descending order, is…
7th Street-goers can have a drink and a smoke to celebrate the the newest destination in the budding network of local businesses just north of McDowell Road in the Coronado District. The neighborhood that already boasts America’s Taco Shop, MacAlpine’s Soda Fountain, The Main Ingredient Ale House, That’s a Wrap!,…
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: Kale Salad with Gouda, Pear, and Walnuts: Monday Night…
A sign just went up on the front door of the former Black Forest Mill restaurant (4900 E. Indian School), which closed a couple weeks ago, indicating that the location will once again be home to a German restaurant — this time under new ownership.An employee at the adjoining German…
There’s good pizza, and then there’s officially good pizza. From its excellent wines to its classic cheeses and beyond, Italy’s regional food products are all about strict standards of quality. Pizza is no exception. In fact, there’s a trade organization devoted exclusively to promoting traditional method of pizza-making, the Naples-based Verace Pizza Napoletana…
Not so long ago, when the weather was cooler and holiday spirit was in high supply, whiffs of a Jell-O showdown were in the air. It was Christmas Eve when Michele Laudig made her Jell-O decision and named Laura’s Sparkling Grapefruit Pie supreme: Today I’m counting my Christmas blessings, and…
Friday blessings come in many forms. Today, they’re iceberg lettuce, mango, jicama, queso oaxaca, lime cumin vinaigrette and sun-dried dried tomato. You can TGIF all you want, but we’ll be thanking the chef for a seriously tasty lunch. Can you guess where I’m eating? Congrats to Susie Timm, who guessed…
Tommy McCormack of Merc Bar says when it was created in the 1940s, gin was the most popular spirit, but the Moscow Mule gave vodka some leg and a boost in popularity. The combination of vodka, ginger beer and cucumber creates a refreshing taste with a bite. And how many other…
Last night I was sitting around with a few foodnik pals, chatting about my recent short trip to Pennsylvania to visit family. What did you eat?, they wondered. Did you go out?Not really. I hit up a few restaurants, but I was more in the mood to get my fill of…
It’s two o’clock in the morning and you can’t sleep. Maybe you had too many triple venti mochawhatchamacalits. Or maybe your Apnea-addled partner is snoring louder than the chorus of boos heard at a Whitney Houston concert. So you turn on the idiot box and watch the only available alternative to another Law &…
Our own Michele Laudig needs no introduction. What is the best dish your mother ever made? I’m obsessed with her lasagna and always use her recipe, which has sweet Italian sausage in the sauce. She also makes the best filled chocolate cupcakes from scratch. They’re labor-intensive — you have to…
Beauty Lab: Cookin’ up good looks in nature’s pharmacy. I’ve since given up on trying to tame the beast living atop my head. Dry, fuzzy, curly, it’s been likened to everything from a tumbleweed to dirty cotton candy. I know, hot. But wait, all hope may not be lost for…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. Scottsdale Restaurant RnR wants you to start your day off right with the most important meal of the day — breakfast. For the entire month of May, 7 days a week from 7:30 till 10 a.m. you can…
How can vegan food be tasty? We pondered this question as we picked up this week’s “Cafe” column to find an answer. At the very least, Michele Laudig found some tasty options minus any and all animal flesh. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Loving Hut: First time around, I went…
On the list of things that can’t be ignored, a box full of beer is fairly high. So you’ll understand my position when I tell you that this is the precise situation I currently find myself in. Sitting in and about my office are no fewer than twenty bottles of…
Sadly, it’s time to take at look back at those we lost during the month of April… Acua Ricky’s Big Philly Simply Unique Gelato & Italian Ice Black Forest Mill Central Grille…
This week’s Kitchen Ink comes courtesy of chef Bruce Griffin III, former executive chef of Central Grille, and former sous chef at Kai.”I got this done almost 5 years ago when my son was born,” says Griffin. “It’s his name in Japanese (Santiago). It is a replica of the Mac…
Sous Chef Nick Sheley of Boa Bistro in Mesa joined us for this week’s Chef Chat. When Sheley’s not preparing the next plate to leave the kitchen, he’s getting the restaurant ready for its next cooking class. In late March, Boa opened its kitchen doors for sessions led by executive…
Maybe someday a study will come out linking alcohol consumption to something beneficial (hah!), but recent research suggests another score for team anti-booze. So if your sniffling and sneezing is even worse than usual this year, you may want to put down that wine spritzer and read on…
A darling friend just introduced me to a charming gal named Corianne Sizemore, who just launched her new, vegan-friendly Treehouse Bakery, this week. While a retail bakery shop is in her future and she plans to start selling at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market as soon as her catering permit…
Chicago-based Al’s Beef has become synonymous with the classic Italian beef sandwich, starting as a small family-owned business in 1938 in the Windy City’s Little Italy neighborhood, and eventually becoming a chain with locations across Illinois. Condering the strong connection between Chicago and the Valley, Al’s Beef’s new location in…
Tommy McCormack makes you feel like a regular even if it’s your first time at Merc Bar. He makes sure his guests have a good time, whether there are four people at the bar or 400. McCormack, 34, has a passion for bartending, and he’s seen it as both a…
