“I’m crazy for tryin’. I’m crazy for cryin’. I’m crazy for loving you.” La la la. I’m not a country music kind of guy, but living in the Southwest, it’s a necessary evil. Now, not all country music is bad — for example, those lyrics were sung by the enchanting…
Everything is relative. Compared to Foodbar, the restaurant that used to occupy the SouthBridge space next door to Digestif in Scottsdale, six-month-old Metro Brasserie is a welcome change. I thought Foodbar was a total dud, with an awkward atmosphere and unimpressive food. Honestly, anything would’ve been an improvement, so when…
CenPho is on a roll, yo. After a revolving door of restaurant concepts that have come and gone at the Clarendon Hotel since the departure of Camus almost two years ago, there’s news that chef Doug Robson will be the owner/operator of a new in-house eatery called Gallo Blanco Cafe,…
April Fool’s Day was a week ago, so I guess the news is no joke: Citrus Cafe’s current owner, Andrew Paparella Jr., was arrested by the Chandler P.D. for allegedly stealing customers’ credit card info to order things online and then re-sell them on eBay, reports The Trib. Un-freaking-believable! Hope you…
The Rainforest Cafe at Arizona Mills Mall failed its most recent county restaurant inspection — with violiations including one complaint we hadn’t seen before:…
If you live in the vicinity of 16th Street and Bethany Home, I already envy you for living so close to Richardson’s. And now I hear there’s something new on the very same corner: Luci’s Healthy Marketplace. The retro-modern market sells ready-to-eat meals to go, organic groceries, household necessities, beer…
The well-appointed Mucho Gusto – which takes a sometimes non-traditional twist on Mexican cuisine – can be mucho pricey, if you hit the place up for dinner. But happy hour is both pleasant and affordable. From 3 to 6, Monday through Friday, Mucho Gusto provides $3 house margaritas, house wine,…
Few coffee shops have attracted the attention that Hob Nobs has, after gentrifying and occupying the former Willow House space. First, there was the public outcry over the proposed “Willo House” name. Then there was the mixed reviews and, recently, an unfavorable health inspection involving blowing in plastic gloves. The…
While downtown continues to break ground on a whole slew of new developments, devotees of desserts will have to wave goodbye as Sweet Pea Bakery (www.sweetpeaaz.com, 209 W. Jackson Street, 602-296-4042) closes its doors at the end of April, just weeks after Danielle Librera, chef and owner, celebrated Sweet Pea’s…
Listening to chef Christopher Gross explain the mind- and palate-expanding sensation of eating “miracle fruit,” I can’t help but think of Willy Wonka waxing poetic about Everlasting Gobstoppers. “You can eat a lemon wedge, and it tastes just like a piece of candy!” he tells me. It’s called flavor tripping…
Six months after it closed unexpectedly, downtown Chandler’s 98 South wine bar has reopened under new ownership. It opened its doors last Friday night, just in time to get some attention from folks attending last weekend’s Chandler Jazz Festival. Chef Brian Ferguson tells me that the current menu is extremely…
You knew it couldn’t stay vacant for long. The historic Cavness House, which housed Palatte until about a month ago, is just too inviting a location. Now there’s word on the new place set to open there in the next month or so, Local Breeze, which will serve breakfast, lunch,…
I work in a professional no-man’s land, a crossfire of commerce in which I negotiate dining room detente, and navigate all the bullshit bandied about back and forth. And from those I serve to those who sign my paychecks, all parties concerned keep me at the center of the minor…
Attention brew bros. and beauties: SanTan Brewing Company is hosting a craft beer tasting tonight at 6:30 p.m. This is the third craft beer tasting in SanTan’s “Tuesday Night Tasting” series which occurs on the second Tuesday of every month and kicked off in February of this year. Tonight, SanTan Brewing…
Sure, it cost more. Yet for the past I’d-rather-not-say-how-many years, I only bought fish from the most expensive stores in town. I’d like to say that it’s because I preferred the quality…the truth is I didn’t trust my ability to choose fresh fish. Particularly in land-locked Phoenix. All I knew…
I’ve never met a dog I didn’t take to instantly. As a matter of fact, I spent the weekend taking care of a pup for a friend on vacation. I don’t know what breed she is but it doesn’t matter because she was immediately friendly and loyal after about thirty…
This past Saturday, Chef James Porter of Tapino Kitchen & Wine Bar took his popular series of Locavore Dinners one step further by moving from the restaurant kitchen into the great outdoors — specifically, Superstition Farm in East Mesa. When Chef Porter said he wanted to show Phoenix diners where…
Hospital cafeterias are renowned for serving food that’s not so tasty, but we thought such a place would at least follow the rules. And yet the Arizona Heart Hospital near 19th Street and Thomas hasn’t passed a county restaurant inspection since February 2007! The cafeteria has received failing marks…
So many new restaurants, so little time. But hey, at least I’m trying to keep track of them for you. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on new spots that have opened recently. In Phoenix, there’s Postino Central, Moira Sushi, Scramble, Corona Cantina, Barrio Cantina & Grill, Saito’s Japanese Steakhouse, and…
Like many microbreweries, San Tan Brewing Company exclusively offers ales, as opposed to lagers (and yes, categorically, hefeweizens and stouts are members of the ale family). While this might turn some people off, it should be noted that ales typically offer a higher content of alcohol and they often complement…
When was the last time you ate at Top of the Rock, the fine dining spot at The Buttes in Tempe? The place never seems to come up in conversation, but maybe that will change, now that the resort has overhauled the restaurant, hired a new chef, and as of…
We’re bringing you Depression Era Dining Part Deux tonight with teeny faux cheesecakes. The recipe comes from Grandma Hernandez who was born during the Great Crash of 1929. The mini cakes are cheap to make and are beyond cute…
