See also: Barrio Queen Still Searching For an Identity If there’s one thing Silvana Salcido Esparza is not, it’s timid. About three weeks after opening Silvana Bistro (Barrio Queen’s fancy-pants sister), she shut the place down because a little voice told her the concept wasn’t going to work. No hand-wringing,…
Fitting that in the midst of Shark Week, I would receive an e-mail from one of the casting crew of Kitchen Nightmares, Fox’s “reality” show in which the arrogant, expletive-spewing, oddly hypnotic celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay spends a week with a failing restaurant to try and bring it back to…
See also: AndyTalk – Errant Knifery See Also: AndyTalk: The Five Most Common Kitchen Mistakes, Starting with Gray Meat Everyone’s done it. We start to cook after a quick look at the ingredient list. We heat the pan, and while it heats dice the onion. We add some oil and…
From now ’til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers — Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you’ll know; for others, it’ll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you’re here, check…
As a meat-eating gal of Midwestern stock, the phrase, “Hey, let’s go eat some vegan!” might as well be translated to, “Hey, let’s go chew our socks!” But then, I hadn’t been to Pomegranate Café. The cheery little all-day breakfast and lunch spot in Ahwatukee doesn’t advertise itself as vegan…
Hey, readers, get ready. We’re putting new meaning into the term “street food.” For Chow Bella’s latest mission — “Eating 16th Street” — we’ve employed a young woman who’s literally eaten her way around the world. Alex Rodriguez has eaten borscht in Moscow, steak in Buenos Aires and a “life-changing…
See also: The 2012 Arizona Culinary Hall of Fame Inductees Are… See also: Tammie Coe Cakes’ Tammie Coe: Caramelpalooza Candymakers When you’re cooking, it’s all about a dash of this and a splash of that. But baking is another matter, an exact science. In this series, we’re going behind the…
If, by chance, I lived in a house made of vegetables, I hope it would be built by Pomegranate Café’s mother-daughter chef duo Marlene and Cassie Tolman. I could picture myself falling back into a comfy chair of deep purple cabbage leaves and munching on pillows of collard greens stuffed…
See also: Big Brain 2012 Finalist Sweet Salvage This week marks the very first birthday of Sweet Salvage and to celebrate, owners Kim Rawlins and Katie Hobbs are going all out with a sale they call Let Them Eat Cake. This four-day event, which starts tomorrow (Thursday) and ends Sunday,…
If there was ever a day to celebrate food and the culinary arts, Julia Child’s 100th birthday seems a fitting time. Several Phoenix restaurants collaborated on the national Julia Child restaurant week, which ends today. And as of 12:30 p.m., there were still a few tickets available to the Julia…
From now ’til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers — Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you’ll know; for others, it’ll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you’re here, check…
Tempe-sians who like a little bicycle with their brats and booze will want to get their chainwheels checked before cruising down Mill Avenue in September. That’s when the city’s new bike-friendly beer garden, Handlebar & Grill, opens for business. The concept comes from restaurateur Julian Wright, owner of two other…
See Also: My Mini Taste of Phoenix: Seeking Sweets and Asian Comfort Food in the Valley During these last few weeks of summer, we’re trying to keep cool and that means skipping out on anything fried, breaded, or even hot. So lately we’ve become quite attached to the Vietnamese spring…
See also: Pita Jungle’s New Ad Has Nothing to Do With Pitas or a Jungle: Discuss. I know, I know, what with Breaking Bad, the Olympics, and now Shark Week, the last thing we need is something else to glue our peepers to. But let’s get introspective for a moment…
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. Miss a question? Go here. Sure, the Valley can claim a lot of talented chefs…
See also: Kevin Binkley Stiffed at Beard Awards Shh, don’t tell anyone, but some people get the royal treatment in restaurants while others don’t. You’ve probably witnessed some version of Special Handling in action — servers scurrying to and from a particular table, the chef-owner engaging in an inordinate amount…
See also: Make Your Own American Cheese, Inspired by Pinterest See also: DIY Cheez-Its I was immediately obsessed when I came across this “Make Gourmet Pixy Stix” pin – despite the fact I’m not a fan of pixy sticks. Not only is it an excuse to put my pretty paper…
From now ’til we publish the 2012 edition of Best of Phoenix, New Times and Chow Bella present 100 Tastemakers — Valley residents who make the cut in our culinary scene. Some you’ll know; for others, it’ll be a first introduction (but likely not the last). While you’re here, check…
See also: Kelly’s at SouthBridge: Happy Hour Report Card See also: Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Happy Hour Report Card The Spot: Local Bistro, 20581 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, 480-302-6050, www.localbistroaz.com…
See Also: Tastemakers Brad and Kat Moore See Also: Hot Dog Food Truck Battle The Guilty Pleasure: Bear Hot Dog Where To Get It: Short Leash Hot Dogs The Price: $6 What It Really Costs: Weird looks when you describe it to your friends. I know, I know, it’s another…
See also: Jeff Kraus’ Crêpe Bar: A Decidedly Different (and Delectable) Take on the Crepe This is part two of my interview with Jeff Kraus, chef-owner of Crêpe Bar. If you missed part one, read it here. Describe a meal you’ll never forget and why: In France, Erin and I…
See also: Jimmy Eat World Bassist to Team up with Four Peaks for New Distillery in Tempe See also: The Complete Tour Through Arroyo Vodka’s New Home After 36 years of vacancy, the Beet Sugar Factory in Glendale is undergoing some serious renovations thanks to Ray Klemp, owner of AZ…
