It’s finally that time of year in the desert when we aren’t in a not-so-hot season! Spring is in the air (at least for a week or two) and everyone I know is flocking to outside grills for parties and eats. I just attended such a shindig in a multimillion-dollar…
These days, if “real estate” and “restaurants” are in the same sentence, it’s probably not an optimistic one. All around the Valley, the limping economy has amounted to closures, canceled projects, and indefinitely postponed openings. But not all the casualties came about because of the real estate crash. Some of…
Why do we cook? To consume delicious food? For the sense of accomplishment? Well sure, but if you’re Forkng columnist Colin Redding there’s also the importance of impressing the hell out of your date. How far will he go to do just that? You’ll have to read this week’s Forking…
The most titillating news I’ve heard in a while is that James Beard Award-winning chef Robert McGrath — formerly of Roaring Fork and Pischke’s Blue Ribbon — is now on the payroll of Entertainment U.S.A., the parent company of upscale strip club Christie’s Cabaret and 15 other venues across the country…
The Coffee Buzz, a friendly neighborhood joint on Chandler Blvd. in Ahwatukee/Phoenix, definitely caters to the average Joe or Jane. In fact, everything about the place — from the bland white walls to the standard breakfast sandwiches and ok coffee — is perfectly average. Surprising, considering the shop was voted “Best…
Of the last five restaurant inspections completed at Tomaso’s Italian restaurant on East Camelback Road in Phoenix, five resulted in a failing grade. At the most recent inspection, in early March, the inspector noted dried food debris on the interior of the microwave and surfaces of the slicer. The meat…
For the movie version of my professional life, I’m tossing around ideas on whom I’d like to see in the starring role. Given the magnetic machismo he and I share, De Niro might seem an obvious choice. Still, juxtaposing my polished, fine dining persona with Robert’s renowned, raw pugnacity could…
Can’t wail ’til dinner to pop the cork? No prob. One of Phoenix’s finest BYOBs, Coup des Tartes, just started a weekday lunch service (11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday). And even if you’re not up for a little day drinking (a girl can dream, can’t she?), this…
We gotta hand it to restaurant inspectors for the first “theme report” we’ve seen since starting Gross Out. A recent inspection, which earned Saddle Ranch Chop House in Glendale a “No Award” from Maricopa County, is all about hands. And fingers. From the report: …
I was afraid to taste it. Even though I enjoy poached salmon, this one was rosy pink and wet-looking in the middle. The other students grabbed forks and lined up for a taste while I hung back as long as possible. Eventually, I just took a tiny bit of the…
True to its name, the brand-new Corona Cantina on Indian School has a full bar, and slings the drinks ’til 2 a.m. daily. But it’s a restaurant, too. The Mexican-inspired menu features everything from chimichangas, enchiladas, tacos, and tortilla soup, to burgers, bruschetta, wings, and salads. Dinner service runs until…
The Lath House at Heritage Park has never been as lively as it was on Saturday, March 22 for Tequilaaz, a tequila and mescal festival that had hundreds downing agave goodness and feasting on fare from local restaurants. The festival lasted from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and included live…
Wenchell’s and Krispy and Dunkin’s! Oh my! Chain store donuts are sweet and fatty and yummy but they lack a certain je ne sais quoi. If you really want to impress your friends and show your sweeties that you love them, then next Sunday morning make your own donuts. Your…
A restaurant opening early? When does that ever happen? In the wonderful world of Postino, where they’ve got it all figured out, apparently. The brand-new Postino Central, located in the renovated Katz Deli building at Central and Colter (5144 N. Central), just opened its doors a matter of minutes ago…
Wah wah wah… Today’s an anticlimactic day for some of the most talented people in the Arizona restaurant biz, as the James Beard Foundation announced its finalists for the 2009 awards. Nobody from this state was on the list. But the eight semifinalists who’d been in the running for various categories since the…
Hey buddy, can you spare a buck? If so, that dollar will buy you dinner at Bar Louie’s Tuesday night happy hour. The Glendale watering hole serves up one-dollar burgers from 6 p.m. until close on Tuesday nights (while supplies last), with the exception of game/concert/big event nights. The only…
Tea is a multi-purpose drink — people use it for comfort, healing, and yes, energy. Although tea doesn’t contain as much caffeine as coffee, it does provide more pep than many other drinks. Here we take a look at a tea from local shop Chakra 4 that’s supposed to comforting…
“Please join us by raising your glass as we offer a toast to patience, perseverance, and all the things we have lost along the way and were somehow lucky enough to find once again.” So does the inscription on each bottle of Lost & Found Abbey Ale from The Lost…
If you want to schmooze with local political types, go to El Portal, County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox’s restaurant just south of downtown Phoenix. But you might not want to order anything to eat. We suppose it’s good to know that the county restaurant inspectors aren’t mincing words with a…
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: Coming Soon: Two Hippies Breakfast Joint So How Was…
Digestif’s chef Payton Curry (left) and GM Pavle Milic hug it out over some fresh mozz at last year’s Eats3 Pavle Milic, general manager at Scottsdale’s groovy Digestif, was a man with a plan. But in the words of John Lennon, “Life is what happens while you’re busy making plans.”…
What’s the best reason to ride the light rail into downtown this weekend (or sweet-talk somebody into being your designated driver)? There are too many to choose from. Don Julio, Patron, Jose Cuervo, Milagro, Campo Azul . . . These brands and dozens more will be showcased at Tequilaaz, a…
