A bar with good atmosphere is enough to draw a crowd. A bar with good atmosphere and lip-smacking good food is enough to draw a crowd of regulars. Such, so it seems, is the way at The Vig. Food Critic Michele Laudig on The Vig: There’s just something about this…
Nestled in that stretch of 5th Avenue between Scottsdale Road and Stetson (7124 E. 5th Ave.), Sola Coffee Bar struck me as a refreshingly indie antidote to typically Southwestern-y Old Town businesses nearby. When I stopped by a couple days ago, they were blasting Bright Eyes — on vinyl. And…
This week, we’ve heard from Stacy Phipps of Stacy’s Smokehouse on his favorite ingredients and his good cooking philosophy. Today he shares his recipe for his BBQ pork ribs…
Who says you have to wait until the sun goes down to have a good time? “I used to like St. Patrick’s Day, back in the ’90’s.” That’s what Ron, the morning barkeep at Pat Murphy’s, tells my day-drinking gal-pal Ronda and I when we pop in for pre-St. Patrick’s…
Late-night cheap Sonoran grub is about as easy to find in Phoenix as a flashing yellow light. That is, unless you know where to look. For you sundown socialites and twilight trollers with a case of the Mexican munchies, check out my review of La Frontera Comida Mexicana. And speaking…
So is it the economy, the location, or the cuisine?For some reason, Vietnamese cuisine hasn’t had a very successful run on Mill Avenue. Over the weekend, Pho Thang Long abruptly closed up shop. Open a little more than a year, it occupied the spot at the corner of Mill Ave and 4th…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. Tomorrow through Sunday, celebrate the glorious spring weather with the Fountain Hills Fine Art and Wine Affaire. Artists will be on hand to present their work. No Degas in the crowd? (Admittedly, art fairs can often be painful,…
Whenever I mention The Vig to people, I expect a certain reaction — the gushing enthusiasm of a devotee, or the eyeball-rolling groan of a critic. Rarely do I encounter indifference. There’s just something about this edge-of-Arcadia tavern, a magnetism that attracts all the quirky social flora and fauna from…
It’s late. You’re hungry. Options? Pickin’s are slim in this town, unless you know where to look. Point your peepers to 16th Street and Van Buren. The Jack in the Box? Nah. The adult bookstore? Not now. Track down the truck. See it? The white one with the awning? The…
Nine companies have joined the proposed class action lawsuit against Yelp, the San Francisco-based Internet giant, attorneys in Miami and California announced this morning. The new plaintiffs are located everywhere from Tujunga, California to Washington, D.C. They include businesses ranging from a sofa outlet to a bakery to the heart…
It’s not as if you need another reason to go to the fabulous downtown market on a beautiful Wednesday evening, but the Phoenix Public Market is giving you not one but two great excuses to postpone your St. Patrick’s Day debauchery. Inside the Urban Grocery and Wine Bar, take advantage of…
When you hear the word “pudding,” you likely think of a creamy, milk-based dessert. Over in the British Isles they have different meanings for the same word, some of which aren’t quite as pleasant. There’s blood pudding, a sausage made with congealed animal blood. Black and white pudding is blood sausage paired with a pork fat sausage…
Today would be a gorgeous day to eat some spring rolls and drink sake on the front patio of Nine 05, but sadly, it’s too late. The nine-month-old restaurant has closed. Servicemen were removing equipment when I stopped by, and the place was deserted. The kitchen appears to be in…
As the old adage goes, “Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.” That does not, however, mean you have to celebrate your “honorary” Irish heritage by swilling pints of leprechaun piss until the inside of your mouth starts to look more like Shrek’s. So while others go from looking thirsty to…
Yesterday we sat down with Stacy Phipps of Stacy’s Smokehouse. Today, the conversation continues. Want to hear more about Stacy’s favorite kitchen tool and what’s next? Read on.Where does your culinary inspiration come from?My mother. She cooked the best stuff for me growing up and now she works with me…
What’s tastier than a sweet, chewy, stick-to-your-dental-work caramel? A big ol’ pile of ’em! Thus (drumroll, please) Chow Bella is pleased to announce our inaugural live Battle of the Dishes event: Caramelpalooza at Smeeks candy store, Friday, March 26 at 7 pm. We’re taking this seriously, folks. We’re determined to…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. This Saturday, March 20th, The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa will be bringing back their other-worldly wine dinner. The three course meal is served with wines from Arizona Stronghold Winery and will take place under the starts…
I just read two stories that freaked me out a bit, and now it’s finally sinking in just why. First, this: MSNBC’s “U.N.: Tiger on ‘verge of extinction'” And then, a while later, this: Time Magazine’s “In Praise of the Endangered Restaurant Critic.” It’s a jungle out there…
Yep, Nello’s in Old Town Scottsdale is no more. There’s no pizza deficit, though. Now, in place of that longstanding local favorite is a new, family-owned restaurant called Jac’s Pizzeria. It opened about a month ago at 7213 E. 1st Ave. The website isn’t up yet, but look for East…
Spring Training is well underway, and so far our home team is kicking butt down in Tucson. After yesterday’s Arizona Diamondbacks 13-5 mega-victory over the Mariners, hopefully you’re stoked for this week’s Cactus League games in Phoenix. Today, the Rangers take on the Cubs at HoHoKam Park. Later in the week…
Let’s not pretend that tomorrow is about shamrocks and pots o’ gold. In America, St. Patrick’s Day is nothing more than a thinly veiled excuse to get sloshed on green beer. Unfortunately, it’s less fun when you start start feeling green two songs into Blackwood’s Celtic pub song set. We tracked down a…
In the mood for a peppercorn crust burger with roasted garlic, charred onions, watercress, and matchstick fries, or maybe a crispy pork sandwich with Swiss, iceberg lettuce, a housemade pickle, and barbecue sauce? They’re just a couple of the things you can get now at The Grind, which quietly opened this past…
