A giant latte was all I thought I needed when I stopped by Urban Beans today, but then I walked up to the counter. Hello, toffee! Having been one of those weird kids who always craved the strangely adult-sounding Heath bars when everyone else was stocking up on Nerds and…
For a starter that appears on practically every restaurant menu, from Olive Garden to Postino, bruschetta (broo-SKETTA) is a remarkably appealing — and mispronounced — dish. The concept is simple: toast a slice of crusty bread and top it with pretty much whatever sounds fresh or appealing. Yes, die-hard Italian style bruschetta fans, crostini does…
The Mac Snack Wrap Rap (to the tune of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s, “Baby Got Back”) I like Big Macs and I can not lie, you other eaters can’t deny, that when a burger comes in with a big, fat taste, and nothin’ to waste, you get sprung, wanna pull out your…
Imagine a lavish spread of drinks, pates, cheeses, chocolate and confections sprawling over an area the size of three football fields, and you will get an approximation of what it’s like to be at the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show, held last week in San Francisco’s Moscone Center. Billed as…
If you haven’t heard much about two-month-old Mid City Kitchen, don’t hold it against the restaurant. It’s likely that it’s under the radar because the place is tucked amid those three high-rise towers at Thomas Road and Central, invisible from the street. Geared to time-pressed businesspeople who need a bite…
When Chef Gio Osso graduated high school and told his parents that he wanted to go to culinary school, they weren’t surprised. He wouldn’t eat as a child unless he could stir a few ingredients in a pot with his wooden spoon (all from his high chair). Years later, after…
A story posted on AZCentral this afternoon appears to have drastically slowed the newspaper’s website (numerous attempts to log on stated that the link was broken) — all because of two magic words: Chris Bianco. If you can manage to get through to the article, it details how the James…
With its eclectic mix of independent retail shops, the stretch of 7th Avenue between Indian School and Camelback known as Melrose on 7th seems a prime location for a cheerful, locally owned restaurant like America’s Taco Shop. Owners Terry and America Bortin opened their original location in the Coronado District (2041…
Check this out, people. Creating social change through pie. Quick, someone, do this here!…
It sounds like something you’d want to get surgically removed from your small intestine, but the term “gastropub” is actually a combination of the words pub (short for “public house”) and gastronomy (the study of the relationship between culture and food)…
Who says you have to wait until the sun goes down to have a good time? Pulling up to Harvey’s Wineburger for the bar’s 10:30 opening on a sunny morning feels a lot like seeing a charming old friend: the red and purple crown on the sign by the road;…
The secret to Bill Hutchison’s Kissed With Fire Salsa starts in New Mexico, where the official state bird is the roadrunner and the official state question is “red or green”? The question refers to the New Mexico Chile, a pepper with a long and somewhat heated history in the…
We know how expensive meals can get after you’ve downed a couple glasses of vino. All of a sudden, the hunger caused by the alcohol has caused you to eat five courses, and the bill is the last thing you want to see.Thankfully, for people like us who are looking…
It’s hard enough to wake up in the morning (and find a vein for the caffeine drip), let alone have time to make a healthy breakfast. For those who enjoy mouthfuls of mushy, warm cereal bright and early, or late in the day, this is your month. Introducing Jamba Juice’s…
No photos to share right now, dear readers, just a little rant. The other night I ended up eating dinner at Tutto, the Italian restaurant that Joseph Gutierrez opened in the space that used to be Digestif. I didn’t have an agenda, per se — just was curious to try…
If you pay even the slightest attention to local booze news, you probably know by now that Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan has taken up winemaking right here in AZ (check out Michele Laudig’s 2008 feature story if you’re out of the loop). But what you may not know is…
16th Street might as well be called Taco Row, for all the Mexican restaurants lining the street between Washington and Indian School, but hey, there’s always room for me. The newest one in the neighborhood looks appealing because it’s not the typical Sonoran spot. Open since last Friday, La Condesa…
Famed director Francis Ford Coppola did it. So did Sam Neill and Olivia Newton-John and Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. If they can get into the wine business, so can you! All you need is a large grape arbor, some vats, processing equipment, oak barrels, bottles, massive amounts of time and money…..
We love champagne for its high alcohol content and celebratory vibe, but it needn’t be reserved only for special occasions. This Thursday, January 28, Avalon in Scottsdale hosts a champagne dinner, where guests will learn all about the sparkling wine from France and how to pair it correctly with meals. To practice,…
The Klute The co-host/founder of “The Poe Show”, the only annual celebration of Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday west of the Mississippi, hosts the Mesa Poetry Slam every Thursday at 8 p.m. at Queen’s Pizzeria in Mesa, which is free to attend, $1 to slam What’d you eat for dinner last night?…
The James Bond theme song is playing in my head as I type this.I just got a look at the complete menu for Stealthy Table’s inaugural covert dining event — “My Bloody Valentine,” scheduled for V-Day, of course — and it’s looking mighty fine. Pork belly? Cocoa nib-crusted short rib?…
Working out of her mad-lab apartment kitchen, Gabi DiFerdinando never thought her cake hobby would make more than a few good birthday presents. More than 30 cakes later, she’s starting to change her mind…
