New in CenPho: Mid City Kitchen

Chef Michael DeMaria’s new Central Phoenix cafe, Mid City Kitchen, should have opened yesterday according to the announcement on its website, but today the Republic reports that it will be open for business tomorrow, Nov. 18. Such is the way with restaurant openings, which are never a perfect science. Located…

Chef Chat: Greg LaPrad, Quiessence

It’s hard to believe Greg LaPrad, executive chef and owner of Phoenix’s farm-to-table sensation, Quiessence Restaurant & Wine Bar, almost didn’t make it as a chef. The 28-year-old, originally from Connecticut, got his start cooking weekend meals with his father when he was a kid, but his parents weren’t too keen of…

It’s Not Too Late for Ballpark Eats

[jump] But I still got my bratwurst fix this past weekend, when one of my friends scored a bunch of tickets to an Arizona Fall League game. A group of us took a trek out to the westside, to Camelback Ranch in Glendale — during Spring Training, this is the…

Stacey Gordon, What Are You Eating?

​Stacey Gordon The puppeteer and improviser with Die Puppet Die and puppet maker at www.puppetpie.com has a puppet show for grown-ups on January 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater. What’d you eat for dinner last night? California rolls from Cherry Blossom Noodle Cafe. Favorite food:…

Skip the Hassle, Pre-Order Your Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, giving thanks for all you have. And for slaving away at a hot stove for six hours — basting and checking and basting and checking the turkey, peeling and mashing potatoes, cooking green beans, dicing onions and celery, stirring the gravy, etc. Whew. Hard work! You…

The Ginger Old Fashioned at Shady’s

The plush leather booths, dim lighting and retro jukebox tunes give Shady’s somewhat of an old fashioned vibe, but with Ted Grossman is behind the bar, you’ll swear you’re in a Brooklyn speakeasy circa the 1960s. He specializes in making classic cocktails, and even brings his own ingredients if the…

Closed for Business: Pure Sushi South

If you’re thinking about stopping by for some nigiri at Pure Sushi at the Scottsdale Civic Plaza, don’t be surprised to find this notice from the county on the doors. The restaurant closed unexpectedly last week, when the restaurant owners vacated the premises. The Maricopa County Environmental Services Department hasn’t updated its…

Frittata at Cheuvront’s Brunch

[jump] Incredibly, there still aren’t that many amazing options for brunch in CenPho, so I’m always on the lookout. This place offers it from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Can’t say I was terribly impressed, although I’d give it another shot because I don’t live far…

Reading: Eric EATS OUT

[jump] Why you should visit it: Eric, who updates the site every couple weeks, uses great art to show readers the meals he’s writing about. And even though he’s not a professional food critic, his writing is intelligent yet conversational, and it’s evident he’s a bonafide foodie judging by the personal…

Tofurky & Gravy Soda Makes for a Bizarre Thanksgiving

Jones Soda Co., known for quirky and unusual drinks sweetened with real cane sugar, has introduced a new offering for 2009: Tofurky and Gravy soda. Yes, as if last year’s Turkey and Gravy soda wasn’t enough to make us want to hurl just reading the label, now our vegetarian friends can partake in a real Thanksgiving feast out of a bottle.

Gingersnap Egg Nog Martini at R Bar and BLT Steak

Even if you’re not a fan of egg nog, you might like this martini–it’s a way to enjoy the holiday drink in a subtle way. The creaminess of the traditional holiday beverage is complemented with ginger and white chocolate flavors, and the cinnamon sugar rim and ginger snap cookie garnish makes it…

Brew Review: Left Hand Brewing Company’s Milk Stout

To be honest, I was dead set on reviewing Left Hand Brewing’s Milk Stout today, but I’m so totally enthralled by the awesome Web site Left Hand has that I’m not sure I’ll be able to move past it. It’s a wonderfully complex site that incorporates video into a clean…

This Week In Chow Bella

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: Chef Christopher Mayo Replaces Matt Taylor at Metro Brasserie…

Genmaicha to Combat the Food Coma

I drink more tea than I want to admit — I must horde at least a dozen different kinds at any given time. Lately genmaicha is my fixation. I bought this particular Ito-En brand “Oishii O-Cha” at Lee Lee, where you’ll find genmaicha from several different makers…

Scallop Sashimi at Bluewater Grill

Leave me alone with my seafood and I’m fine. Although I dine alone pretty often, just to fill my belly or scout out a new restaurant, sushi bars and seafood restaurants are some of the only places I can count on to feel comfortable when flying solo. After working late…

A Burger to Die For…Literally

We’ve heard rumors about crazy high-fat diet plans and free food for obese diners at Chandler’s Heart Attack Grill since it originally opened in 2005. We figured we’d pop by for a Bypass (yes, that’s what they call their burgers) and shed a little light on their high-calorie fare, even if it means we’re clearly not shedding any pounds this week.

Lots Going on Downtown This Weekend . . .

This week’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, taking place downtown, seems to have spawned all kinds of fun activities planned for this weekend. On Friday night from 6 to 10 p.m., the free Green Streets Festival will take over Roosevelt Street between 4th and 7th Streets. Along with myriad vendors, artists, and musical guests,…

Cafe: Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue

We should have uploaded the photo above after we wrote the copy. It’s a little hard to type with all this drool covering the keyboard. Then again, that’s what good barbecue does, right? It incites salivation. Needless to say, we’ll definitely be checking out Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue; especially after…