Check, Please! Arizona Festival Sunday, March 30 This weekend brings the second annual Check, Please! Arizona Festival to CityScape in downtown Phoenix. The event, hosted by Channel 8 and co-sponsored by Chow Bella, will bring more than 30 local independent restaurants together for an afternoon of food and drink sampling,…
The next time you go catch a flick at the Harkins Shea 14, you’ll have a new dinner option besides the infamous Amy’s Baking Company. Restaurant folks Angela and Mario Rana have brought handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and other Italian specialities to the strip mall on the northwest corner of…
The battle for fast food money is still dominated by McDonald’s, which has about 35,000 restaurants worldwide. Compare that to Burger King’s 12,000 restaurants and it’s easy to see that McDonald’s has invaded the world with Happy Meals and Big Macs. However, according to Business Week, if you compare the…
When it comes to drinking cocktails, Michael Allmandinger says “the bitter, the better.” While his cocktails have a strong herbal element by using infused syrups and bitters as well as liqueurs like Génépi, as he does in his trademark, competition-winning Parlor Star cocktail, calling his creations bitter wouldn’t do justice…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
So, you visited the farmers market and came home with a tomato plant? Yep, even inexperienced gardeners can grow tomatoes, and now is the time to get going in Arizona. If you grow one thing this season, grow tomatoes! Salads, sauces, stews, and even jams can be made from tomatoes!…
Good news, vegetarian and vegan (and gluten-free) diners. You’ve now got a new option for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. Sacha Raj’s vegetarian and vegan restaurant 24 Carrots in Tempe is now serving dinner with seasonal, locally inspired dishes. The menu will change each week, featuring a rotating lineup…
Last fall, Taiwan-born chef Henry Ku brought Henry’s Taiwan to Tempe, serving a menu of dishes from mainland China, Europe, and Japan. Ku and business partner Richard Kuo already operated three restaurant in Seattle, where the chef is sometimes credited for bringing Taiwanese cuisine to the masses. And as of…
Leave it to our lovely neighbors to the north to get bored enough to make a cocktail garnished with several full meals, hearty enough for a lumberjack or two to get stuffed. According to Eater, Vancouver sports bar Score on Davie is serving up Caesars, which is Canadian for Bloody…
Say it ain’t so. After more than three decades in business, Karsh’s Bakery in Phoenix will close its doors for good and end of business tomorrow. The bakery, which has been in operation since the early 1960’s, offers a full line of kosher baked goods including what’s been regarded as…
The Spot: Pizza People Pub 1326 North Central Avenue 480-326-8542 www.pizzapeopleaz.com…
The Guilty Pleasure: Two hot dogs and a freaking huge corn dog. Where to Get It: Chase Field at Diamondbacks home games. Price: Up to $25. But that one includes fries. What it Really Costs: Putting up with your friends giggling about 18 inches of corn dog. I’ll be the…
If you’ve been waiting for authentic Caribbean food to arrive in Phoenix, we’re happy to announce your wait is finally over. About two weeks ago, Sazon Bachata Restaurant opened at 906 North 15th Avenue, just south of the intersection of Grand and 15th Avenue. The restaurant is run by a…
Monday, Sugar Rush shared a primer explaining just what buttercream is — and how many different kinds there are. Today: Make your own in eight steps…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Jason Grossmiller Co-Owner, Distiller Arizona Distilling Company azdistilling.com Arizona Distilling Company seems to be making a habit of blazing trails for the state’s fledgling micro-distilling scene. When it released Copper City Bourbon last June, it was the first legally distilled spirit made in the state since Prohibition. And with its…
With about 15 craft breweries in the Phoenix area alone and almost every other bar in town carrying at least one craft brew, it may seem as though craft beer has taken over the market. According to NPR, the Brewers Association is reporting that sales of craft beer did increase…
Beer: Pugachev’s Cobra Brewery: Hangar 24 Craft Brewery Style: Imperial Stout ABV: 13.8 percent The creation tale of many leaders of the craft beer industry began with a hobby; homebrewing. In need of a downtime activity, today’s master brewers started cooking up and bottling beers. They soon found they were…
The first time I ordered a quesarito I felt like I was knocking on the door of an underground speakeasy, sheepishly half-whispering the magic word across the counter. At first it seemed I’d gotten the secret handshake wrong, as the pretty young Chipotle employee stared at me impassively while I…
I received an email order request the other day. It started like this: “I just had one of your chocolate and whipped cream cupcakes at the market.” No whipped cream here, folks, just real buttercream. No shortening, no emulsifiers. Butter. European butter…
Cork Tuesday, March 25 This week Chandler’s Cork restaurant will celebrate six years of business with special deals and events beginning with offering half off all bottles of wine on Tuesday. The restaurant offers more than 250 selections including rare bottles such as Sea Smoke “Southing” Pinot Noir and local…
Chandler’s Great American BBQ and Beer Festival, now in its fifth year, delivered on the promises of barbecued meats, craft beer, and music. We had our reservations at the start of the event but walked away full and thoroughly impressed with the event’s organization, food and drink offerings, and entertainment…
