By Sloane Burwell It’s easy to see why Rancho Pinot has been wowing Valley diners for a decade and a half. Under the watchful eye of talented Chef Chrysa Robertson, they’ve nailed the restaurant trifecta – amazing food, impressive wine list, and impeccable service. Its quirky interior is the obvious…
By Jonathan McNamara There is one election day ritual that I’ve missed out on twice now thanks to my decision to be a member of the press instead of the sit at home and watch our country’s fate on CNN crowd: the post-election beer. So when I found myself with…
By Amy Silverman If you really want to quell your appetite, read “no award” inspection reports for meat markets. From the most recent report for Lam’s Market on West Indian School Road: THE DUNGESS KRABS OBSERVED STORED IN MURKY/TURBID WATER INSIDE TANK. Turbid water? Can’t be good…
Rib tips and mac and cheese: A lunch you can’t beat. By Jay Bennett Do you know what a “lazy pescatarian” is? It’s how my wife describes herself in regard to her eating habits. She aspires to be a vegetarian but knows she loves fish and other seafood too much…
At Plaza Grill in north Phoenix, the first-rate Mexican food totally speaks for itself. That’s a wonderful thing, considering that almost everything else about this restaurant is so low-key. Not only would you have a hard time discerning what kind of cuisine this place serves, you might not even notice…
By Benjamin Leatherman The four-inch version of the “Majik Mushroom.” I’m not a pothead. In fact, I’ve never tried grass in my life. Ever. Not even once. Now don’t go thinking I’m sort of stodgy, anti-drug fundamentalist. Some of my best friends in the world smoke the reefer (including one…
By Amy Silverman The Quilted Bear on Scottsdale Road has had its share of run-ins with Maricopa County restaurant inspectors lately. Several recent reports reflect a “No Award” rating, and the most recent was pretty bad. The worst of the litany of complaints: OBSERVED CHEF ENTER EMPLOYEE RESTROOM WITH GLOVES…
By Michele Laudig What else do you need to know? It’s free cheeseburgers, for cryin’ out loud! Every year, the folks at Joe’s Farm Grill in Gilbert give away some kind of free eats for their customer appreciation day, which serves the dual purpose of rewarding regulars and enticing newbies…
By Michele Laudig Intercontinental Montelucia and its signature eatery, Prado. (Check out the warm fingerling potato and grilled octopus salad, at left.) I’ve blogged some details about the resort already, but just to refresh your memory, this is the Spanish-inspired restaurant headed up by chef de cuisine Claudio Urciuoli. Although…
By Eddie Matney Visit me. Hit up Tom’s Tavern in downtown Phoenix (2 N. Central Ave.). Pop into Dick’s Hideaway. Or for kicks, watch the Scottsdale mayor’s race at Pink Taco. Where will I be? I’ve now received two invitations, from teams on the opposing side of the aisle. So…
By Michele Laudig I was going to wait until the next time NOCA had Fried Chicken Night to show you my photos from last Sunday, when they rolled out their secret-recipe fried chicken. Eliot Wexler’s gone so far as to create a special Simple Supper schedule for the month of…
By Michele Laudig It always feels like there’s a party going on at Tradiciones, but tomorrow (Nov.1) I’m sure it’ll be more festive than ever with the first annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration starting at 6 p.m. In honor of Day of the Dead, there will be a display…
By Sloane Burwell Scottsdale’s Digestif is a sassy charmer. Its Cal-ital-inspired menu, the bricked chic interior, the swoon-worthy wine list and inventive cocktails are more than enough to make me move my CenPho-centric self on over for some of their crave-inducing charcuterie. Charcuterie — that’s French for unctuous, buttery, salted…
By Michele Laudig Of course I don’t expect you to read Italian. “Festa di Maiale” means “Festival of the Pig,” which means that Sassi’s big shindig this Sunday, from 2 to 6 p.m., will be a porcine party extraordinaire. In Italy, it’s a traditional celebration of butchering the family pig…
By Michele Laudig I don’t need a sunny day as an excuse to do lunch at Cibo, the cozy pizza restaurant tucked in an historic house in a mostly residential neighborhood just a blocks from the heart of downtown. But let me tell you — when the weather’s this gorgeous,…
By Amy Silverman One of my gripes with The Phoenician — the tony resort with the Phoenix name, the Scottsdale address (I think they changed the city boundaries to accomodate themselves) and the dangerous past (TP was opened by Charlie Keating, John McCain’s former BFF) — is that the place…
By Jonathan McNamara Once again I assembled a crew of able-bodied Phoenix New Times employees to the break room for a Brew Review. Sitting between the rows of plastic coffee cups and packages of creamer, a large, black sack awaited us. Inside was a substance with a reputation so vile…
By Michele Laudig If you’re all about eating and shopping locally, then this party’s for you. It’s Local First Arizona’s fourth annual Certified Local Fall Festival, happening this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Duck & Decanter (16th St. and Camelback). There will be free food, shopping, live…
McCormick & Schmick’s chipotle-potato taquitos: Cheap and addictive. By Jay Bennett At first glance, the two parts of the headline on this blog post may appear to contradict each other. What, you may be asking, does eating on the cheap have to do with a chain of upscale seafood restaurants…
Lighten up, sushi purists: A little kitsch can do you good sometimes. That’s my take on TeHaru Sushi and Sushi Eye in Motion, two sushi restaurants that’ve lately introduced Valley locals to a more playful side of Japanese food culture: kaitenzushi. That means “conveyor-belt sushi,” and, just like you’d imagine,…
Three hundred and fifty calories … By Sarah Fenske This morning, some time after breakfast but before lunch, I ate 54 percent of my daily allotment of saturated fat. Fifty-four percent! Do you know how little that leaves for french fries at lunch, for butter at dinner, for any sort…
By Eddie Matney So we’re approaching Halloween, and I remember the days before kids, when the party was definitely more adult – great costumes, great bars and great food. And with Halloween on a Friday this year, I have a feeling it’s going to be crazy. But the key to…
