Nine Valley bartenders went head-to-head for the title of Best Cocktail in The Valley 2015 yesterday at Crescent Ballroom during the Devour Phoenix Bartending Competition. The event, the second high profile bartending competition held this spring, featured bartenders from local restaurants including Crudo, Citizen Public House, Hula’s Modern Tiki, and…
This month’s best bites can be found all over town — literally so, in the case of the smoothie from one of my new favorite food trucks, which travels to Tempe, Phoenix, and Chandler in any given week. Many of the memorable bites come from places I just recently discovered,…
Kitchen tours is Chow Bella’s monthly series where we get up close and personal with the at-home chef’s most prized space. Ditch the grocery list and forget the recipes, this time around we’re all about capturing a different kind of taste. Entertaining a few guests is hard enough. But inviting…
These aren’t your average waffles. No, these are mobile and more — gourmet food truck liege waffles with delicious toppings and homemade creams. We put two Valley waffle food trucks up against each other to answer the question, who has the better sweet treat?…
Decisions, decisions. The waitress stood there, smiling politely. It’s hard enough to choose an entree at the world-famous Pizzeria Bianco — but dessert? I pondered the decision way too long. The options: Flourless chocolate cake (waitress recommended), the seasonal dessert of mesquite cake, or grapefruit curd. I couldn’t make up…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
We’re sad to say there were quite a few restaurants that didn’t pass their county health inspections this month. Sure, the majority of restaurants scored an “A” on their inspections, but these nine spots had some trouble. And while some of the violations may not sound so offensive, many of…
Phoenix chef Glenn Humphrey, who most recently worked as Placement Director at Arizona Culinary Institute, died earlier this month. The chef’s passing means the loss of a mentor and friend to countless Arizona chefs, who Humphrey influenced during his career as an educator in the state. Humphrey taught at culinary…
This month saw a whole slew of restaurant openings including some highly anticipated concepts from local restaurateurs Peter Kasperski and German Osio. February also introduced some new restaurants in familiar spaces — Cafe Tranquilo took over the space formerly occupied by Gallo Blanco the old Bungalow Bar and Grill in…
Edible Education Series Saturday, February 28 Springtime means the return of the Edible Education series at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market and this weekend the free lesson will be taught buy Lynne Sczruba of Monarch Garden Box. From 10 to 11 a.m. at the at the Co-Liverys’ Carriage House…
Jamaican food is hard to come by in the Valley, and whipping up an authentic Jerk Chicken dish at home can be darn near impossible. In any case, you do not “whip up” a dish that is known for having a laundry list of ingredients and should ideally be marinated…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
The tiny bug in the photo above, called Asian citrus psyllid, could threaten the health of Arizona’s $37 million citrus industry. The aphid-like insect, which can be smaller than the tip of a ballpoint pen, can carry citrus greening disease, which is fatal to citrus trees and has already devastated…
In case you didn’t already know, it’s Dumpling Month. Or at least, it’s Dumpling Month at Lucky Peach, the food journal started by Momofuku chef David Chang and former New York Times writer Peter Meehan. As part of Dumpling Month at Lucky Peach, Chang penned an ode to one specific…
The Guilty Pleasure: Bacon-Wrapped Deep-Dish Pizza Where to Get It: Little Caesars, locations nationwide Price: $12 What it Really Costs: Each slice is 450 calories. Each. Slice. Peak Bacon has come and gone. I mean, things with bacon on them are still delicious, but the trend of slapping bacon on…
For Hawaiians, taro is more than an edible plant. It’s an ancestor to all Hawaiian people. According to legend, the taro plant is the elder brother of mankind. Watered by the tears of goddess of Ho’ohokukalani, the plant nourished the people, and, in turn, the people cared for the taro…
Uptown Farmers Market, the newest addition to the Phoenix’s Farmers Market scene, just might be our new favorite spot for local produce. The Uptown market strikes a perfect balance of fruits, veggies, and local food products, with way less of the fluffy stuff (read as: arts and crafts, random inedible…
Chris Schlattman Executive Chef The Upton 7216 E. Shoeman Lane, Scottsdale www.TheUptonaz.com Until recently, chef Chris Schlattman’s goal in the kitchen, he says, was to learn — and then leave. When he wanted to learn about sugar, he got a job as a pastry chef. When he wanted to learn…
It’s been a wild few months for The Revival, the new restaurant housed in the former Mucho Gusto space in Tempe. After a whirlwind renovation and re-launch the restaurant opened to lukewarm success, and after four months pivoting from a New American menu to one focusing on Mexican cuisine. Now,…
Dog lovers and beer fanatics of the Paradise Valley area, get excited. Within the next few weeks, O.H.S.O Brewery will open at third location at 10810 North Tatum Boulevard, in the Paradise Valley Marketplace on the northwest corner of Tatum and Shea. As with the other two O.H.S.O. locations, the…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
This year’s Arizona Cocktail Week Artisanal Spirit and Cocktail Market was a rowdy daytime affair (we blame the free Smirnoff Ice vending machine), but still offered cocktail enthusiasts plenty to see and taste. The vendors ranged from craft distillers to local artisans showcasing everything you could need to make great…
