Fitting that in the midst of Shark Week, I would receive an e-mail from one of the casting crew of Kitchen Nightmares, Fox’s “reality” show in which the arrogant, expletive-spewing, oddly hypnotic celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay spends a week with a failing restaurant to try and bring it back to…
In a pot boiling battle of top-notch fare and culinary prowess (and maybe a bit of playing the dozens), would your money be on chef Romeo Taus of Romeo’s Euro Cafe in Gilbert with his Mediterranean-inspired flavors, or the eclectic Asian stylings of chef John Wong of the restaurant Asia…
Last week we shared five recipes from Valley bartenders based on their interpretation of a cocktail inspired by the Arizona weather sensation: the haboob. Of course we thought it was a great idea and as it turns out, so did another Phoenix-area news outlet. Just one day later, myFOX Phoenix…
See also: AndyTalk – Errant Knifery See Also: AndyTalk: The Five Most Common Kitchen Mistakes, Starting with Gray Meat Everyone’s done it. We start to cook after a quick look at the ingredient list. We heat the pan, and while it heats dice the onion. We add some oil and…
From now ’til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers — Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you’ll know; for others, it’ll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you’re here, check…
As a meat-eating gal of Midwestern stock, the phrase, “Hey, let’s go eat some vegan!” might as well be translated to, “Hey, let’s go chew our socks!” But then, I hadn’t been to Pomegranate Café. The cheery little all-day breakfast and lunch spot in Ahwatukee doesn’t advertise itself as vegan…
Hey, readers, get ready. We’re putting new meaning into the term “street food.” For Chow Bella’s latest mission — “Eating 16th Street” — we’ve employed a young woman who’s literally eaten her way around the world. Alex Rodriguez has eaten borscht in Moscow, steak in Buenos Aires and a “life-changing…
See also: The 2012 Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame Inductees Are… See also: Tammie Coe Cakes’ Tammie Coe: Caramelpalooza Candymakers When you’re cooking, it’s all about a dash of this and a splash of that. But baking is another matter, an exact science. In this series, we’re going behind the…
See also: 10 Must-See Back to School Parties in Tempe and Scottsdale Come back tomorrow for our list of spots to eat and drink around ASU’s downtown campus. Welcome back, ASU students! Once again, it’s time to hit the books and get yourself educated. But you can’t study all day…
See Also: Hipster Foodie Mauled By Bear to ’80s New Wave Soundtrack in Very Satisfying Video Heads up, fellow bloggers and trolls: The future is here and it smells. Students at the Fashion & Art Design Institute of Donghua University, China, entered designs in a competition for a chance to…
If, by chance, I lived in a house made of vegetables, I hope it would be built by Pomegranate Café’s mother-daughter chef duo Marlene and Cassie Tolman. I could picture myself falling back into a comfy chair of deep purple cabbage leaves and munching on pillows of collard greens stuffed…
See also: Big Brain 2012 Finalist Sweet Salvage This week marks the very first birthday of Sweet Salvage and to celebrate, owners Kim Rawlins and Katie Hobbs are going all out with a sale they call Let Them Eat Cake. This four-day event, which starts tomorrow (Thursday) and ends Sunday,…
If there was ever a day to celebrate food and the culinary arts, Julia Child’s 100th birthday seems a fitting time. Several Phoenix restaurants collaborated on the national Julia Child restaurant week, which ends today. And as of 12:30 p.m., there were still a few tickets available to the Julia…
Beer: Aventinus Weizenbock Brewery: Schneider & Sohn Style: Weizenbock ABV: 8.2 percent See also: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale With new breweries popping up almost every day to create unique new brews, craft beer is currently experiencing a renaissance in America. All this excitement over beer may confuse citizens of…
From now ’til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers — Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you’ll know; for others, it’ll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you’re here, check…
Tempe-sians who like a little bicycle with their brats and booze will want to get their chainwheels checked before cruising down Mill Avenue in September. That’s when the city’s new bike-friendly beer garden, Handlebar & Grill, opens for business. The concept comes from restaurateur Julian Wright, owner of two other…
See Also: My Mini Taste of Phoenix: Seeking Sweets and Asian Comfort Food in the Valley During these last few weeks of summer, we’re trying to keep cool and that means skipping out on anything fried, breaded, or even hot. So lately we’ve become quite attached to the Vietnamese spring…
See also: Pita Jungle’s New Ad Has Nothing to Do With Pitas or a Jungle: Discuss. I know, I know, what with Breaking Bad, the Olympics, and now Shark Week, the last thing we need is something else to glue our peepers to. But let’s get introspective for a moment…
Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. Sure, the Valley can claim a lot of talented chefs…
See also: Kevin Binkley Stiffed at Beard Awards Shh, don’t tell anyone, but some people get the royal treatment in restaurants while others don’t. You’ve probably witnessed some version of Special Handling in action — servers scurrying to and from a particular table, the chef-owner engaging in an inordinate amount…
See also: Cork Answers Foie Gras Debate With Foie Gras Fridays It’s been too long since our food-related events calendar went into summer hibernation. Lucky for us all, the end draws near; we’ve got a few dates already marked on the books. From returning “love-ins” to first-time Phoenix events, here…
See also: Make Your Own American Cheese, Inspired by Pinterest See also: DIY Cheez-Its I was immediately obsessed when I came across this “Make Gourmet Pixy Stix” pin – despite the fact I’m not a fan of pixy sticks. Not only is it an excuse to put my pretty paper…
