Gallo Blanco Chefs Welcome Pumpkin Season

I can only go so long without a Gallo Blanco fix. Even after having been there too many times to count, I still get indecisive when I look at the menu, just because I want one of everything. So I dragged my colleagues there for a meeting yesterday, and once…

Coming Soon: Grind Burger Bar

Seems like there’s no end to the gourmet burger trend. Delux has been getting the lion’s share of the attention for the past few years, but come December, there will be a new kid in the neighborhood. Headed by chef Matt McLinn (former chef-owner of Methode Bistro) and owned by…

This Week: Crave Arizona Culinary Festival

The folks behind Crave Arizona set the bar really high with the event’s debut last year (it was originally dubbed Eats3), but round two, set for October 22 to 24, promises to be an even bigger culinary blowout, featuring 50 high-profile Arizona chefs and a handful of celebrity guests who’ll…

Friday: Butter Burger Night at Welcome Diner

Fans of the Big Butter Burger at Matt’s Big Breakfast can rejoice.   This Friday night, Matt and Ernie Pool’s homage to the all-American classic will be the featured flavor of the week at Welcome Diner, as owner Sloane McFarland continues his series of weekly culinary one-offs. “We’re really excited about this,”…

How Sweet It Is! Sweets and Beats

There’s nothing like candy to release your inner 5 year old. From all day suckers to wickedly sour candies strong enough to make a grown-up wince, there’s a sticky sweet treat to satisfy every taste bud. Nowadays, it seems like nostalgia reigns supreme as quirky candy from the good old…

Petite Maison Adds Bouillabaise to the Mix

I know there are some longtime Chow Bella readers who go crazy for bouillabaise, so this blog’s for you. Petite Maison PR gal Wendy Goldman just dropped a line to tell me about the latest menu change-up at the bite-sized Scottsdale French restaurant. Although their whole fish for two (so…

Digestif Closes in Wake of Payton Curry’s Departure

Chef Payton Curry had planned on staying with Digestif through this coming weekend (for the Crave culinary festival), but last night was his final turn in the kitchen there. Curry recently gave notice at the Old Town restaurant to make a move to Tempe’s Caffe Boa. Spaghetti Western “buzz and…

Prado’s Pavle Milic Leaving to Start His Own Restaurant

Will it be the gourmet panini restaurant, inspired by Ino in New York City, that he’d been trying to open before the economy took a dive? Or will it be an entirely new concept? It remains to be seen, but Prado general manager Pavle Milic — one of the city’s…

“Fat Bitch Sub” at Mamma Mia

We love the East Coast-style pizza at Mamma Mia, but this latest special has us thinking twice about our order. With all of those fried goodies shoved into a cheesesteak, that sandwich has got to be one fat bitch. Do we dare eat one?…

No Wait at Pizzeria Bianco? You Can Bid on It

Thanks to props from Oprah, Martha, and all the culinary mags, Pizzeria Bianco’s wood-fired pies are about as famous as it gets. But the wait at the restaurant is just as legendary. On a good night, you might wait an hour and a half, killing a bottle or two at Bar…

German Food Fest at Tonto Bar & Grill

Guten tag, German food fanatics! If you haven’t been getting your fix of schnitzel, sauerkraut, and strudel, head on over to Tonto Bar & Grill in Cave Creek for their Oktoberfest celebration.German chef Ernst Andreas was brought in from Tonto’s sister restaurant, Stables Ranch Grille, to prepare authentic Deutschland cuisine…

This Week In Chow Bella

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let’s have one last look at the blog posts from this week: Chef Payton Curry to Leave Digestif for Expanding Caffe…

Fred’s Opens Along With Barneys New York at Scottsdale Fashion Square

Yesterday, luxury department store chain Barneys New York opened its first Arizona location ever at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Along with high-end fashion Barneys brings Scottsdale the culinary creations of Fred’s Restaurant. This marks the third Fred’s restaurant with the other two belonging to Barney’s in New York and Chicago. See a…

Sunday: Taste of the Park

This Sunday brings another chance to eat, drink, and be merry in the name of charity. Taste of the Park, Litchfield Park’s third annual culinary festival, will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. on October 18 in downtown Litchfield Park, at Old Litchfield Rd. and Wigwam Blvd. And it…

Saturday: Roka Akor Launches All-You-Can-Eat Brunch

Seafood and sushi fanatics, rejoice. Starting tomorrow, you’ll be able to stuff yourself silly at Roka Akor’s decadent new Saturday brunch buffet. For $35, take a deep breath and dig in to five kinds of sushi rolls, such as the salmon avocado roll, as well as salads and appetizers like…

America’s Taco Shop Expanding to Melrose District

America’s Taco Shop hasn’t even hit its first anniversary yet (that’s next Tuesday) but the successful restaurant is already planning a second location. Remember the short-lived Bantu Bistro on 7th Avenue? That’s the spot (4447 N. 7th Ave.) America’s Taco Shop owner Terry Bortin says he’s already torn up the…

Life After Cupcakes: Five Guesses for What’s Next in Baking

Cupcakes are so last season. Their day in the baking limelight is over. They’re cute, they’re sweet, they’re fun to make, but we’re getting kind of bored with the cake and frosting combo. What could replace the simplicity and grabability of the cupcake?We here at Chow Bella headquarters pored over…

Cafe: Petite Maison

Here’s your bad food joke for the day. We love eating French onion soup, but seldom do we have the thyme to make it. We think that joke works on multiple layers. It’s also completely true. Why cut down a bunch of bulbous tear-jerkers when a restaurant like Petite Maison…

Fleming’s Hosts $10 Cooking Seminars

Unless you happen to catch a free demo at a culinary festival, it doesn’t get much cheaper than ten bucks for a cooking seminar. Sounds too good to be true, but believe it. Fleming’s Peoria is offering the irresistible price for 90 minutes of instruction from chef Jeff Fearing, who’ll be giving guests…

Tomorrow: Third Friday Preview of Giant Coffee

Matt and Ernie Pool haven’t opened their new spot, Giant Coffee, but I just got word that they’ll be hosting another soft opening event tomorrow, in conjunction with the Third Friday gallery reception for the New Times Best of Phoenix “Wonderland” exhibition. Stop by for some coffee and a glimpse of downtown’s…

Folks in the Food Biz Are Going Pink in October

RSVP Public Relations ​Chompie’s just announced that they are selling pink bagels from now until October 30, donating some of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen fund. Besides Chompie’s, we have noticed a lot of other products turning pink for the month of October, so we decided to see…

Now Open in Glendale: BiCE Bistro

Founded in Milan in 1926, the first BiCE Bistro to hit the States opened in New York in 1987. Now the Italian restaurant has a new Arizona location in its lineup. BiCE Bistro’s Glendale home debuted last week in the Westgate City Center (6751 N. Sunset Blvd.), with a modern, 80-seat dining room, a…