Food & Drink

Ooh, my teeth are turning purple just thinking about Old Town Scottsdale’s newest eatery, a wine-centric boutiquey bistro called Fine’s Cellar that debuted last Wednesday. It looks promising — not only because of the menu, but also because of its pedrigree. Proprietor Michael Fine is the founder and former owner…

As of yesterday afternoon, representatives from the Phoenician said they had no information that Mary Elaine’s, finally, would close after months of rumors that the resort’s legendary upscale dining establishment would become a new concept from celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has a partnership with Starwood Hotels. But now they…

Word was getting around that Welcome Diner, one of downtown’s grooviest little eateries — and I really do mean little — was closed. And as it turns out, owner Peter Hearn was planning on closing at the current Roosevelt Street location (a cute metal Valentine diner from the early 20th…

Break an egg, er, leg, Aaron. Sol y Sombra’s chef Aaron May has branched out into the breakfast biz, and the new place just opened last Friday. It’s called Overeasy, and it’s all about the most important meal of the day. I don’t know about you, but some fluffy pancakes,…

If 2008 goes according to plan, then I just might find a big ol’ sack of coal under the Christmas tree at the end of the year. Lately, I’ve gotten so many holiday well-wishes that I’ve started to take them literally. Have a happy New Year? Don’t mind if I…

Call me sadistic. I take a lot of pleasure in bragging about the weather in Arizona, especially this time of year. When my friends and family back East are busy salting the driveway or digging themselves out from under a foot of snow, it feels good — although, admittedly, kind…

The people at Lonely Planet have figured out that I love travel, or that I love books, or that I like giving away free stuff on my blog from time to time. Whatever the reason, I have copies of the new Lonely Planet Encounter series — groovy mini-guide books with…

Four Peaks’ latest seasonal beer, the Winter Wobbler, has only been on draft since last week, and already the supply’s down to about 200 gallons. “We say it’s ‘On and gone,'” says owner Andy Ingram. The Winter Wobbler changes every year. Last year’s was a licorice-flavored stout, while the 2007…

Can you believe I wrote my college admissions essay about how coffee was going to take over the world? Me neither. But somehow it worked. Not only did I get into the university of my choice, my prediction came true — sort of, at least. In 1992, I was a…

Just in time for a holiday toast, there’s a new, er, old bar that just debuted down on Grand Avenue. It’s Chez Nous Cocktail Lounge, avec une nouvelle maison. The funky, old-school local favorite lost its longtime digs (sniff, sniff) to new development at 7th Ave and Indian School, but…

My latest solution to turning a shitty day into a semi-good one: Soup. Okay, it wasn’t really a completely shitty day — for the most part, it was pretty productive. But this afternoon I talked to my Dad and got some very depressing news. Super-sad-but-goddamn-I-gotta-be-optimistic news. I thought I’d run…

They got me by the title of this one: I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen With Your Favorite Bands. (Remember that old Descendents song that they named this after? I haven’t heard it since the cassette player days. Ahh, nostalgia.) Anyway, it’s a fun concept and an…

Pamela Hamilton from Edible Phoenix magazine just dropped me a line to invite Chow Bella readers to nominate their favorite culinary and agricultural personalities for this year’s Local Heroes awards. Here are the five categories: Farmer/Rancher/Forager (2006 winner, Bob McClendon); Restaurant/Chef (2006 winner, Chrysa Kaufman of Rancho Pinot); Food Artisan…

I was surprised to hear our brown-eyed, soft-spoken waiter raise his voice, sounding highly annoyed. “Hey, we could open the window and let it go out,” he said sternly to the man across the room, who was busy thrashing at an unwelcome bee that had happened to buzz through the…

As if Daniel Wayne doesn’t work hard enough cooking up a storm in the kitchen of his restaurant, Lola Tapas, now he says he’s going to be working the espresso machine there every morning, too. Tentatively starting Monday, December 17, Lola Tapas will be open as Lola Coffeebar from 7…

This morning, I chatted with Erenia Pool about the latest news at Matt’s Big Breakfast: the Food Network’s profiling them, too! (See my post from last week about Joe’s Farm Grill.) I couldn’t wish the attention on sweeter people. Guy Fieri and the crew from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives filmed…

Word’s out that Taggia restaurant is no more, and chef Claudio Urciuoli is splitsville. Is anybody really surprised? It seems like the guy never really got a chance to show Scottsdale his true vision. Indeed, the preview menu that I blogged about, way back when, was already watered down by…

After leaving its longtime home on McDowell, Willow House has reopened in a new location, at 1722 W. Van Buren. And since it happens to be First Friday, too, tonight’s a good time for a “Grand Reopening Party.” From 7 to midnight, tonight, there will be free performances from World…

“When they call, you make time,” says Joe Johnston, owner of Joe’s Farm Grill in Gilbert, of his recent contact with the Food Network. A production crew from the show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” will be onsite tomorrow to start shooting for an episode that will air in late February…

My morning ritual started the same as always. I went to the break room to get a cup of tea, came back to my desk, fired up the computer, and picked up the phone to check my voicemail. One by one, I listened to rambling messages from publicists who’d called…

After extensively renovating the space that formerly housed Panino on Central, Myrah and Joe Aiello opened Aiello’s, a new Italian restaurant, a little over a week ago. The couple owned an eatery called Mimi’s Macaroni, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, for the better part of the 1990s, and ran a…