32 Shea is the kind of restaurant where you could easily spend hours — the temperature is perfect, the seating comfortable, and its small size means the occupation of a few tables or barstools creates an intimate scene almost immediately. One might even feel, upon opening the door to its…
It’s that time of year again: Time to navigate the thorny realm of holidays with the relatives. There are many ways to cope with the dread of sitting around the dining room table for hours, but there’s nothing quite like a stiff drink to help ease the uncomfortable conversations about…
Sweet and spicy, crunchy or soft, gingerbread is a holiday harbinger that ushers in the season. Some prefer to mainline their gingerbread in latte form, or snarf a giant stack of gingerbread pancakes from Daily Dose, but we’re purists. Give us our gingerbread men straight out of the oven, just like…
Our latest Chow Bella showdown: a traditional holiday cookie exchange. From now through Christmas, we present Chow Bella’s 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. Today: Nicole Smith’s Mini Pans. Some people say, “I’m turning into my mother” like it’s a bad thing. Yeah, so there are a few traits I’ve been…
Have you been to 32 Shea? It is a place you could easily spend a few hours. Unpretentious and as welcoming as its small menu of simple staples, the feeling upon entering, even to first-timers, rings familiar. Here’s a taste: “There is a drive-thru where chai lattes pass through the…
We’ve spent the past couple days talking with Iron Chef Jose Garces of Distrito at The Saguaro in Scottsdale. In part 3 of our series this week we have his recipe for esquites. Esquites is a traditional Mexican snack often sold at corn stalls or festivals. Chef Garces suggests pairing…
After months of work, the tiny lounge above Citizen Public House, Citizen R + D, is now open to the public — if you can actually get in. Accessible from only an outside staircase next to a smelly garbage dump behind the restaurant, would-be guests must call the number…
Earlier this month, I reported that Valley legend, chef, and owner of Barrio Café, Silvana Salcido Esparza, was planning on opening the first of her two new restaurant concepts, the casual Barrio Queen Tequileria, by the end of the year — just in time for its New Year’s Eve party…
Our latest Chow Bella showdown: a traditional holiday cookie exchange. From now through Christmas, we present Chow Bella’s 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. Today, we bring you Claire’s Chocolate Chip, Better Than They Look (Really) Cookies. I am not a baker — a tough fact I thought I could…
We can’t think of a better place to “window shop” for online foodstuffs than Gilt Taste. Ruth Reichl is the editorial advisor for this new-ish member of the Gilt Groupe family. She’s also the author of this month’s Chow Bella Book Club Selection. We wanted to explore more about Gilt…
In this week’s Chef Chat we’ve been getting to know Chef Jose Garces of Distrito in Old Town Scottsdale. Located at The Saguaro Hotel, Distrito bears the same name as Garces’ restaurant in Philadelphia, although he says this location will cater more specifically to the Scottsdale community. The restauraunt offers a…
Like a present inside of a present, the Valley’s getting two amazing announcements for the holidays this year. The Republic reports the Desert Botanical Garden is opening a full-fledged restaurant with a focus on local fare and the chef leading the cuisine will be none other than farm-to-table guru Payton…
Looks like the strip mall at the southwest corner of Bethany Home Road and 16th Street in Phoenix has become a controversy of concrete these days, positioning Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill and Zipps Sports Grill as this holiday’s Heat Miser and Snow Miser in a battle over a new location. The…
Lately, in this In Season series, we’re taking a look at what I take home from Crooked Sky Farms each week to see what I’ve done with my CSA share, or part share. This week I’m using spinach…
Pane Bianco’s dinner service is still the new kid on the block, compared to its sandwich-style lunch or the booming business of its sister eatery, Pizzeria Bianco. We stopped by recently to check out Pane’s expanded digs and sample the pizzas and salads exclusive to this spot’s menu. We found…
We’re still not allowed to eat raw cookie dough, but not for the reasons you might suspect. Read on to discover the guilty ingredient…
Still don’t know what you’re making for your holiday table? These three recipes from local chefs and restaurateurs will get you started: Chakra 4’s Red & Green Holiday Salad, Green’s Lemongrass “Chicken,” and Pomegranate Café’s Vegan English Toffee.
This week in Chef Chat we bring you a few words from the man behind The Saguaro’s new restaurant Distrito, Chef Jose Garces. Winner of the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Mid-Atlantic award in 2009, Garces owns and holds the title of executive chef at a handful of restaurants in…
Our latest Chow Bella showdown: a traditional holiday cookie exchange. From now through Christmas, we present Chow Bella’s 12 Days of Christmas Cookies. Today: 11. Erica O’Neil’s Salty Sweet Choco-Pretzel Brown Butter Bombs. I bake a lot. One myth I used to buy into, but have grown out of is…
Baristas Coffee Company, a Seattle-based franchise, could be branching out across the Valley. Local news outlets are reporting that up to five new java joints could be coming to Tempe and Scottsdale early next year. If you’re thinking, “So what, it’s just another Starbucks competitor,” think more along the lines…
The slogan “It’s Good Mood Food” doesn’t appear to be case with several Arby’s restaurants in Arizona. In fact, the mood’s downright depressing. The Republic reports three related Scottsdale limited-liability companies, all led by Scottsdale businessman Charles Harmon, that operate 54 Arby’s fast-food restaurants in Arizona and one in New…
If you look forward to the holidays because they provide an excuse to spend all day baking something extra special for your holiday cookie tray, you can’t go wrong with these rich Mini Dark Chocolate Pear Tarts.
