Some of the worst restaurant art is found (unsurprisingly) in the restrooms. I can understand the urge to tuck away a bland floral print purchased on clearance at Ross or an ugly oil painting done by the owner’s nephew and thus forced to be on display somewhere. But when a…
A hip new breakfast joint in Sunnyslope’s Moon Valley happened to score one of the Valley’s most cutting-edge chefs to helm its kitchen. The restaurant’s called Scramble, and it opened its doors in the former Le Peep space on February 9. And I’d say that with chef German Sega’s fine…
Designer Janis Leonard — known for her thought-provoking art installations at Scottsdale’s AZ88, as well as the posh revamp of Hanny’s — is no stranger to buzz. But recently her work has turned a few more heads than usual, and some folks are seeing it as downright scandalous. The latest of…
I know, times are tough in our business. The belt-tightening evidence is everywhere. Restaurants with dollar menus are lining their pockets, while the full service industry is pretty much taking it in the shorts. Still, even with frugality the fashion these days, it’s hard to abide those who wear their…
Talk about ambitious. The folks behind a new concept called Regions Bistro & Bar have not one but two locations in the works. The first, located in Scottsdale’s 9400 Shea complex (9343 E. Shea), is set to open to the public tomorrow, while its sister restaurant at 690 S. Mill in…
I’m a Food Network devotee. I love the Iron Chef challenges. The pressure is thrilling but mostly I’m blown away by the way chefs like Hiroyuki Sakai, Masaharu Morimoto and Bobby Flay combine traditions and ingredients. Fusion cuisine. It’s innovative…and a big part of why I wanted to go to…
I’ve long been a fan of Cris Williamson and Tret Fure. They are folksingers who produced several albums together. They also dated, and merged their musical identities into one onstage presence which they called “Cris and Tret.” You said it quickly, as though it were one word: Crisentret. They sang upbeat…
There’s no sign up yet, there’s a limited menu, and there’s still some decorating to be done, but last Thursday, a new independently-owned spot called Hippies Cove took over the space that formerly housed Tacos del Mar in Tempe (414 S. Mill Ave.). Owner John Newell, who owned Made Rite Diner in Phoenix about…
Just in time to get up and running for St. Patrick’s Day, the owners of Seamus McCaffrey’s have opened a new restaurant/watering hole in downtown, called The Turf Restaurant & Pub. The place opened quietly this past Saturday, and will continue its soft opening this week with evening-only hours, from 5…
Anybody who’s ever stepped foot into Lux coffee shop on Central knows the weekend and weekday morning scenes there can be chaos, with caffeinated hipsters and business-types all tapping away on their laptops or reading the morning papers. There’s a reason they consistently flock here — Lux’s coffee is rich…
It’s confession time. We know it’s now two months from the big day, but this has been building up and for our own sakes it must be revealed: we weren’t very good in 2008. We made a few too many crass remarks at the pub and got so “jolly” on…
The Downtown Phoenix Market just enlisted Quiessence to start showing up on Saturday mornings — hopefully Q’s just the first of many more restaurants to come. Beginning on Saturday, February 21, look for free recipe cards from chef Greg LaPrad, who’ll base his ideas on what’s fresh and available at…
I just got the word from chef Wade Moises that PastaBar, his new downtown restaurant, finally got its liquor license today. He’s working on the wine list as we speak. Apparently the lack of alcohol has kept some customers from making reservations; Moises expects things to pick up now that…
Food is always a huge attraction at the annual Matsuri — that is, the Phoenix Japanese Festival — and this year’s (which takes place this weekend) will be no different. Think yakisoba, teriyaki obento, makizushi, daifuku made with fresh mochi, anpan… jeez, I shouldn’t blog right before lunch, now, should I? (cue…
Given the ridiculous number of Chicago transplants (count me among the ridiculous) in the Valley, you’d think there would be more eateries specializing in the dietary staples of that great Midwestern metropolis. To my knowledge, there’s only a handful: Luke’s, Chicago Hamburger Company, and a relatively new addition to the…
Peas that have been canned or frozen are vastly inferior to a freshly harvested springtime pea. They might as well be completely unrelated vegetables. When people first try the fresh ones, they usually say something like, “These are the best peas I’ve ever tasted in my entire life.” Now’s the…
Chef Beau MacMillan, Beau Mac to his friends, is down to earth. Which is actually no small feat, since as of late, he’s had his share of face time on TV. Best known for his stint on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America, Battle Kobe Beef, where he made quick…
Scott and Greg Ziegler, the duo behind NYPD Pizza, are getting into the sushi biz with their new East-Meets-Southwest eatery, Banzai Cowboy, scheduled to open March 2 at Market Street at DC Ranch. The menu’s not available just yet, but they’ve hired 30-year veteran chef Fumiharu Hirose to handle the sushi…
Made Art Boutique has been having themed exhibitions for quite awhile now — usually revolving around a functional, common item done up in different whimsical ways by local artists. The latest is called Seasoned, and it’s all about salt and pepper shakers. Made enlisted local artists Joshua Dopp, Cyndi Coon (have you…
I’ve been pretty good about not gloating so much about Arizona winters, but now I just can’t help myself. It’s February, it’s going to be in the 70s this week, and some ice cream sounds pretty good right now. Anywhere else this time of year, free ice cream might sound…
Here’s something unusual that caught my eye: TV night at a local hangout. A couple weeks ago, Hollywood Alley started hosting No Reservations night on Mondays, and it’s exactly what it sounds like, three back-to-back episodes of Anthony Bourdain’s awesome eat-drink-travel show. That means you can hang out, grab a…
Three cycles in and the students have gotten so used to the environment — and each other – that previously hidden personality traits are emerging. No doubt, we’ll be separating at the end of this program as either lifelong friends or enemies. Quirks and comments that were marginally comical or…
