Old Town Scottsdale is having a rough time of it lately. Just up the street from the recently-shuttered Fine’s Cellar is another defunct restaurant, Mandala Tearoom. As much as I liked hanging out and having a pot of tea there, I thought Mandala’s vegan eats were pretty pricey — not…
This June has been Arizona’s coldest since 1913. But even the coldest of Arizona summers are warm by the rest of the country’s standards, with highs in the 90s at least. Still, most of us are aware that we’re living on stolen time, and we know that any day now,…
Cartel Coffee Lab sits in a cozy little cove behind East Side Records in Tempe, and the ambiance of the place is half the fun. Comfy couches, second-hand art tables, and black and white drawings adorn the walls, along with a plethora of handmade signs that say things like “Hang…
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: Now Open: 25 Degrees at CityNorth Sweets & Beats…
This week we checked out the beers on tap at The Roosevelt in Downtown Phoenix. How does the house ale stack up to the other Summer beers we’ve tried this month? Check out the slide show to find out. Check out the updated slide show to cast your vote via…
Bow your heads, gents. It’s once again time to pay tribute to the sweet nectar of the heavens we call “beer.” Why the religious overtone? I’m reviewing a brew named for a Saint. St. Peter’s Old-Style Porter comes from “Britain’s finest small brewery” situated in the St. Peter’s Hall in…
Lately, it’s gotten downright impossible to get a chocolate fix in Phoenix. Sure, you can still find a Milky Way at Walgreen’s, but we’re not looking for the waxy stuff that you’d find in a 5-year-old’s trick or treat bag. We want our chocolate grown up, funky-flavored and locally made…
We at Budget Beat love hamburgers. Even if you’ve paid only scant attention to our humble blog over the past year, you’ve probably noticed that we like to order hamburgers when given the chance because: (a) they’re a staple of American dining: (b) they’re usually inexpensive; (c) the preparation of…
This week we are bringing you reviews of three Valley Mexican grocery store chains, in honor of the opening of Walmart’s Supermercado. Wednesday, we brought you Walmart; yesterday was Phoenix Pro’s Market. Today, Basha’s Food City. Local grocery icon Eddie Basha was an early adopter in the Mexican grocery game…
Food Inc., the documentary film that’s got major, major buzz right now, is indeed opening at Harkins Camelview — but not until July 24, according to Magnolia Pictures. If you want to see it sooner than that, you’ll have to go to pretty much any other major or minor city in…
One sentence stuck out prominently in our minds as we read this week’s Cafe column: “Sometimes Phoenix can be a tough nut to crack.” So true. There are countless eateries hidden in shopping centers just waiting for those who hear of their splendor to seek them out. Even Pizzeria Bianco’s…
June 27 will be Barcelona’s last night in business before the North Scottsdale restaurant/club closes for renovations over the summer, reports the Phoenix Business Journal today. Designer Dodd Mitchell is handling the renovation, which is expected to take about three months. No word yet on what the new concept (and, quite possibly,…
What happens when you get a bunch of chefs from notable local restaurants, you put them on a trolley, and you take them bar-hopping downtown? I don’t know, but there should be some sort of cheeky punchline here. Anyway, it sounds like a fun time, and it’s happening tomorrow night…
AZCentral’s list of 20 new restaurants scheduled to open by the end of the year has suddenly been changed to 15 since the story was posted yesterday. Not hard to figure out which five are now missing — it’s the restaurants on Jackson that Bernie Kantak is planning. Should we read between the…
This week we are bringing you reviews of three Valley Mexican grocery store chains, in honor of the opening of Walmart’s Supermercado. Wednesday, we brought you Walmart. Today, Phoenix Pro’s Market. Check back tomorrow for Food City. Phoenix Pro’s Market (5802 W. Thomas Road, check www.prosranch.com for other Valley locations)…
Sometimes Phoenix can be a tough nut to crack. When it comes to finding the most intriguing local restaurants, this is like few other cities. You can’t just head downtown and stumble upon streets lined with eateries. You can’t explore an area and figure it out in an afternoon. Things…
As recently as a decade ago, grocery shopping in metropolitan Phoenix a la Mexicana was pretty limited. A carniceria here and there, and if you were lucky, your local grocer would stock a few spices and treats from south of the border. Now that salsa has left ketchup in the…
I don’t think “tapas” when I think of NOCA, but the new “Bar Bites” Thursdays are all about the small plates — that is, if you get a reservation to sit at the counter, and if they’re not doing a special tasting menu that night. It’s a fun way to…
For a full week in July (the 20th through 26th), the popular website Yelp will be sponsoring its own restaurant week, Yelp Eats!, showcasing 15 local restaurants that will offer three-course prix fixe menus for only $25 per person. Thanks to the crappy economy, restaurants have been dishing out prix fixe…
When it rains, it pours . . . candy. Last week I got the lowdown on Smeeks, a new candy shop coming to Central and Camelback. And now there’s already word of another place in the works for Grand Avenue — right between vintage tiki bar Bikini Lounge and alternative performance and music…
This Sunday, June 21 is Father’s Day. What are you doing for the special dad in your life? We’re pretty sure he’s thinking “not another tie, please!!”, so a better choice might be a special Father’s Day meal he won’t forget. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, we’ve got…
Did you catch this news? The Associated Press reported on SB 1113, a bill passed by a state Senate panel last week that would allow people to bring handguns into restaurants — provided they have a concealed carry permit and do not consume alcohol. Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed a similar…
