Three cycles in and the students have gotten so used to the environment — and each other – that previously hidden personality traits are emerging. No doubt, we’ll be separating at the end of this program as either lifelong friends or enemies. Quirks and comments that were marginally comical or…
It’s not hard to find a good meal in the Coronado District. Drive up the stretch of Seventh Street between McDowell and Thomas, and you’ll find quite a few decent options, from casual (That’s a Wrap) to classy (Trente-Cinq 35). To get to the newest and most intriguing restaurant in…
I’m not sure when the last time I had a Mountain Dew was, but the last time I remember enjoying one was back when the brand’s Code Red flavor came out. I have vivid memories of using the stuff to wash down Flamin’ Hot Cheetos while listening to The Writing’s…
Before every restaurant in creation jumped on the “local art” bandwagon, coffee houses were the place to go for cool art. You know, the kind of packed hangout with comfy mismatched chairs and moth-eaten sofas that every artist in town was clamoring to showcase their works in. Killer paintings and cool metal…
It’s been a year since Kabuki, the SoCal sushi chain, made its Arizona debut, at the Tempe Marketplace. Kabuki eventually opened a second location at Glendale’s Westgate City Center. To celebrate its first birthday, the restaurant is offering several of its premium sushi rolls — including the Alaskan Roll (pictured…
Fat Tuesday isn’t for another week yet, but the countdown starts today at Metro Brasserie, the New Orleans-style French restaurant at SouthBridge in Scottsdale. Through midnight on February 24, executive chef Matt Taylor (who was a sous chef at John Besh’s New Orleans eatery Restaurant August) is cooking up several special dishes…
Seems like there are wine tastings going on all the time, from your neighborhood grocery store to the ritziest restaurants in the Valley. But how often do you get a chance to sample the harder stuff? And no, I’m not talking about whatever you’re carrying in that flask. This Sunday,…
Cooking school, as it turns out, has forced me to change some of my long-standing practices. It didn’t take long before I realized they were based on misconceptions. From time to time I’ll give you a myth buster or two I’ve learned about in class. For starters, lettuce. Get this…
Look, if you’re going to name a business “Dirty Drummer” and serve food at it, better make sure it’s clean, that’s all we’re sayin’. The DD on Beck Avenue in Chandler failed a recent county restaurant inspection. Now, it’s not the worst report we’ve ever seen, but again, given the…
No, sommelier Marnie Old and Dogfish Head brewery founder Sam Calagione won’t be in town this week to pimp their book He Said Beer, She Said Wine, but hey, who needs them? The folks at Changing Hands Bookstore are hosting a tasting party anyway, and it sounds like a good…
Let’s get this out of the way from the top – yes, gelatin is more than a little bit gross. It’s made of pig skins and bones and bovine hides. Marshmallows, however, are not gross. Especially when they’re fresh and gooey and heart-shaped. They make us think of soft pillows…
We’ve said it before, but it deserves a second shot: the only thing better than reviewing beer is reviewing beer received gratis in the mail. That’s right. Redhook has a new drink to push on the masses and they have sent it to us on the off chance that we…
News flash: Sushi does not have to be expensive. Of course, to a lot of folks, sushi still seems exotic, and, therefore, prone to be served in flashy, theme-oriented, slightly high-end restaurants. But at TeHaru in Tempe, the sushi is inexpensive and tasty. Oh, and it’s served on a conveyor belt.Let me…
Creme brulee at Vincent’s In a press release this morning, the James Beard Foundation announced its preliminary lists of nominees for various categories in the prestigious James Beard Awards. There are 20 nominees in each category, and eight Arizona individuals and restaurants are among the elite group. Finalists will be…
The curious little kid in us really comes out when we see a funky new fruit or vegetable. (It makes fixing dinner a bit more interesting, too.) One of the loveliest oddities available right now is romanesco, a mysterious relative of cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. Did you know that all…
“OOOOH!” a colleague said, after learning that a recent inspection at the Washington Street outpost of the famed Los Dos Molinos restaurant revealed reused chip bowls. “That’s always my worst fear — that you’ll get that bowl with someone else’s cuticle pieces and other stuff from their fingers in it.”…
Restaurants have you in their sights, dear budget-minded foodie. They know you’re just as hungry as ever, but that you don’t mind a sweet deal once in awhile. Not to mention, they sort of get off on the creative challenge of coming up with an appealing prix fixe menu that’ll…
You might think sushi and tempura when you think of Japanese food, but robata-yaki is also a huge part of the cuisine. It’s all of those aromatic grilled foods that taste so good with a cold Sapporo. Roka Akor is one of the few local Japanese restaurants that actually specialize…
All right, I’m having fun with headlines. But I couldn’t help but notice how many local “celebrity” chefs are listed in the “all-star” lineup of a charity event that just so happens to take place on Valentine’s night — one of the busiest nights of the year for most restaurants. It’s…
Just in time for the NBA All-Star festivities this weekend, Open Gallery Bar & Grill is opening its doors tonight. Owners Gary and Renetta Slone have been working hard to revamp the 7th Avenue space just north of Camelback that housed Tio Leo’s Mexican Grill & Cantina until last August. Now,…
I just got the word from Edible Phoenix publisher Pamela Hamilton that the quarterly mag has its official winners list for the annual Local Hero Awards, which recognizes people in the culinary community. Nominees and votes were collected online through mid-December. So congrats to the following folks who get this year’s…
Measure liquids in a liquid measuring cup – dry ingredients in a dry measure cup. All my cooking life, I’ve paid attention to this detail painstakingly, figuring that cooking and baking was so scientific that even the slightest mis-measurement would end in disaster. Ah, the things you learn in culinary…
