I’ve never met a dog I didn’t take to instantly. As a matter of fact, I spent the weekend taking care of a pup for a friend on vacation. I don’t know what breed she is but it doesn’t matter because she was immediately friendly and loyal after about thirty…
This past Saturday, Chef James Porter of Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar took his popular series of Locavore Dinners one step further by moving from the restaurant kitchen into the great outdoors — specifically, Superstition Farm in East Mesa. When Chef Porter said he wanted to show Phoenix diners where…
Hospital cafeterias are renowned for serving food that’s not so tasty, but we thought such a place would at least follow the rules. And yet the Arizona Heart Hospital near 19th Street and Thomas hasn’t passed a county restaurant inspection since February 2007! The cafeteria has received failing marks…
So many new restaurants, so little time. But hey, at least I’m trying to keep track of them for you. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on new spots that have opened recently. In Phoenix, there’s Postino Central, Moira Sushi, Scramble, Corona Cantina, Barrio Cantina & Grill, Saito’s Japanese Steakhouse, and…
Like many microbreweries, San Tan Brewing Company exclusively offers ales, as opposed to lagers (and yes, categorically, hefeweizens and stouts are members of the ale family). While this might turn some people off, it should be noted that ales typically offer a higher content of alcohol and they often complement…
When was the last time you ate at Top of the Rock, the fine dining spot at The Buttes in Tempe? The place never seems to come up in conversation, but maybe that will change, now that the resort has overhauled the restaurant, hired a new chef, and as of…
We’re bringing you Depression Era Dining Part Deux tonight with teeny faux cheesecakes. The recipe comes from Grandma Hernandez who was born during the Great Crash of 1929. The mini cakes are cheap to make and are beyond cute…
Monster is one of the most popular energy drinks on the market. The brand offers a plethora of flavors, including coffee-flavored energy drinks like the Java Monster Loca Moca. Looks like: A big ol’ can of whoop ass.Smells like: Sugar-laden espresso.Tastes like: Chocolate coffee with an extra sweet kick.Caffeine and…
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: Happy Hour Deals at Caffe Boa in Tempe Caffiend:…
This week was Prado vs. Prado in the world of restaurant reviews, and this morning, EaterAZ handed me a sweet plug. Thanks, guys!…
If you’re looking for a little slice of Italy — or even Little Italy — in the middle of the desert, find your way to Sunnyslope. Tucked into a strip mall on the corner of 7th street and Dunlap is Tony’s Italian Delicatessen (536 E Dunlap Ave # 1, Phoenix,602-944-5952)…
Buy Sandwiches. …At least that’s what they say at BisonWitches, a quaint sandwich restaurant just off 6th and Mill, hidden behind the Bank of America building. Yes, ‘Buy Sandwiches,’ is a clever colloquial contrivance, but at $7 a sandwich, it strikes one as more of a creed. At BisonWitches, the…
Food Critic Michele Laudig has had many great things to say about her reviewed restaurants lately. Consider that streak finished. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Prado: Ultimately, the lavish surroundings only intensify my disappointment with the dining experience at this pricey eatery. After five months in business, I’d expect a…
Tapino’s Locavore dinners started off as special events at the restaurant, always featuring locally grown produce, ingredients from local purveyors, and Arizona wines. Inevitably, the events would sell out, and they’d have to add new dates. Lately, Tapino has taken things to the next level by going straight to the…
Spring weather hereabouts is famously capricious, and no one knows that better than produce growers and their fans. Right now, we’re sitting smack in the season of dependable year-round crops like tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, and citrus. Some farmers have other items at the moment, and some don’t, and it changes…
A couple days ago, I reported that Old Town Scottdale’s Lyte Lounge had just closed, and that a dueling piano might be filling the void. Yep, it’s true. Former Lyte operator Robert Burghart tells me that he’s involved in a joint venture called Howl at the Moon, a “rock and roll…
Nothing lasts forever. Here’s a rundown of the latest local eateries to throw in the towel. In Phoenix, Lil’ Mama’s Soul Food Restaurant is gone, alone with the award-winning Wicked Bakery (that one was a bit of a surprise) and downtown breakfast joint Palatte. As for Ninetta’s Passion Bistro, well, their…
Chef de cuisine Jack Strong of Kai, the AAA five-diamond restaurant at Wild Horse Pass, has given notice with his employer after three years with the fine-dining destination. After his last day on April 18, the Oregon-born Native American (from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz) will return to the Northwest to…
Is it possible to be a chef and care about animals? My questions started to surface the day I turned around in the walk-in and looked directly into the blank stare of the pig chilling until roasting the following day. It took all my self-control to not take off my…
There’s something magical about the atmosphere at Prado, the Andalusian-inspired fine-dining spot at Paradise Valley’s brand-new InterContinental Montelucia. Indeed, the resort as a whole has a special luster — thanks to President Obama’s recent stay here — but the restaurant, in particular, deserves a nod as one of the prettiest…
Check out the latest post on one of my favorite local food blogs, Eric Eats Out, where you can get the lowdown on La Naranja Grande’s fabulous “heaux-heaux.” Boy, this guy can write, and he is funny as hell!…
A trip to Texas two weeks ago reawakened a long-held love of mine: Big Red. The creamy, bubble gumesque concoction is ubiquitous in the The Lone Star State, particularly in the hallowed halls of smokey barbecue joints. We didn’t have any brisket to pair with it, but I put the…
