It’s hard to complain about the 70-degree Phoenix winters, especially while a good portion of the country digs out from piles of snow and exposes their flesh to frostbite. But you know what? I’m going to. I used to be a hot chocolate-loving member of society, guzzling cup after cup…
In 2011, my mother took us all to California Pizza Kitchen to celebrate Veterans Day. She spoke at a Scottsdale celebration, telling the audience about her service as a nurse in Desert Storm. Her unit’s mobile hospital set up on the Kuwait/Iraq border and treated more than 100 wounded people…
Arcadia’s Gaslight Square, at Indian School Road and 36th Street and home to restaurants like Nook and Cullen Campbell’s Crudo, will see the opening of its newest tenant at 11 a.m., this Saturday, January 11: The Market by Jennifer’s. Owned by chef Jennifer Russo-Fitzgerald of Jennifer’s Catering, The Market by…
By now you food truck fans should be gearing up for what’s become the biggest food truck festival to hit the Valley each year. The Street Eats Food Truck Festival, presented by New Times, will bring more than 50 trucks from around Arizona and the country to Salt River Fields…
After just over a year, Searsucker Scottsdale, the nightclub meets restaurant at Camelback Road and Goldwater Boulevard, has shuttered. Co-owned by chef Brian Malarkey, a finalist on Bravo’s Top Chef Miami in 2009, Searsucker Scottsdale, which opened in October 2012, was the second location of the San Diego-based gastropub (there…
Sumo Maya, the Mexican-Asian kitchen from Valley restaurateur German Osio (Local Bistro, Central Bistro) is bringing on a chef who’s no stranger to global cuisine — or reality television, for that matter. The stylish new North Scottsdale restaurant (at the intersection of Scottsdale and Lincoln roads) is set to open…
Nook is an improbably low-profile restaurant. It sits between chef-driven spots Beckett’s Table from Justin Beckett and Cullen Campbell’s Crudo in Arcadia’s Gaslight Square. It’s blocks away from establishments of Valley tastemakers Vincent Guerithault and Mark Tarbell (not to mention the new headquarters of Fox Restaurant Concepts). And, as the…
‘Flights of Fancy’ Beer Samping Party with Ska Brewing Saturday, January 11 Cruise on over to Mill Avenue’s bike-friendly brew spot Handlebar Tempe to enjoy a beer-sampling party with Ska Brewing from 2 to 4 p.m. For $10 in advance or $12 at the door, you’ll get a flight of…
In Chow Bella’s new comic, Wait or Die, we tell the stories of waiters and waitstaff from restaurants around the Valley. Submit your stories here: waitordie@newtimes.com — and be sure to let us know if you wish to remain anonymous…
Starting eating right this year. And by right, we mean “only the best local stuff.” There’s a wide variety of great farm-to-table products and menu items, what follows is just a smattering of local goodness. If there’s something on this list you haven’t had, it’s time to try or take…
Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Although several new restaurants are scheduled to meet up with thousands of existing ones in…
The good news is that for fans of Lola Coffee, the top-notch java shop on Roosevelt Row, there soon will be a Central Phoenix location in which to enjoy owner Daniel Wayne’s fresh-roasted coffee and housemade pastries. The even better news is that for those who remember Lola Tapas, the…
Between chef-driven spots Beckett’s Table from Justin Beckett and Cullen Campbell’s Crudo in Arcadia’s Gaslight Square, and blocks away from establishments of Valley tastemakers Vincent Guerithault and Mark Tarbell (not to mention the new headquarters of Fox Restaurant Concepts), Nook is an improbably low-profile restaurant. As the name suggests, it’s…
The Guilty Pleasure: Dutch salt licorice Where to Get It: Grocers with extensive European imports; I get mine at Lee Lee Price: Varies, about $3 to $5 for a shareable bag What It Really Costs: Raised eyebrows from your friends. I have more than a bit of a soft spot…
Welcome to “Schaefer,” in which Eric Schaefer — a local guy with a big (but discerning) appetite and a sense of humor to match — takes on the Phoenix food scene. I may very well be one of the few Phoenicians who somehow has managed to avoid the social and…
Next month, the East Valley will get a taste of southern Arizona courtesy of the Bisbee Breakfast Club. The popular breakfast and lunch hangout, known for its lively atmosphere and generous portion sizes (see: three-egg omelets and loaded buttermilk pancakes), opened in a converted glass factory in 2005 in Bisbee…
The first words that go through my head when I think of my colleague Laura Hahnefeld are “class act.” Second: “Wow, that woman will eat anything.” The two most important qualifications for a restaurant critic, right? And so it is with heavy hearts that we at Phoenix New Times accepted…
This Valentine’s Day, Valley hop-heads will have one more reason to love the Valley’s brew scene: The Perch. The new gastropub comes courtesy of craft beer aficionado James Swann, who has dealt in adult libations at spots like Chandler’s SanTan Brewing Company (which he helped open), The Hungry Monk, and…
This is part two of our interview with chef James Porter of Petite Maison in Scottsdale. The restaurant underwent substantial changes two months ago, when Porter and his wife, Wendy, announced they’d be switching up the menu and décor to reflect more modern French sensibilities. On Monday, we chatted with…
Foosia, a “fresh, exotic, and healthy” fast-casual eatery where customers can watch their food being prepared Chipotle-style, is opening Monday, January 13, in North Scottsdale. From Scottsdale-based TIGA Restaurant Concepts, Foosia is located at 13610 North Scottsdale Road (Scottsdale and Thunderbird). The eats come courtesy of chef Bradley Borchardt, a…
James Porter Chef/Owner Petite Maison 480-991-6887 www.petitemaisonaz.com This is part one of our interview with chef James Porter of Petite Maison in Scottsdale. See part two here. In November, the restaurant underwent a reboot, changing its look, menu, and name to transition the restaurant into a “modern French” eatery. At…
I’m so excited that I’m doing the gluten-free happy dance. Jewel’s Bakery & Café, where everything is gluten-free — and I mean everything — has opened at 4041 East Thomas Road, so very, very close to my house. I’ve been waiting, and not very patiently. A couple of times, I…
