The first dish I ate at Nine 05 pissed me off, and the second one depressed me. But it pretty much went uphill from there, and now I’m looking forward to returning. When you’re a restaurant critic, first impressions aren’t always everything. I’d gone to the stylish new “modern Asian”…
Phoenix java hot spot, Royal Coffee Bar, opened a new location at the Downtown Phoenix Public Market’s Urban Grocery, giving Royal lovers a second spot to enjoy their drinks.The new grocery store near Pierce and First Street hasn’t opened quite yet (it’s due later this month), but Royal at the…
The Fry Bread House vs. Sacred Hogan Navajo FrybreadIndian tacos are bean tacos with lettuce and cheese, served on fry bread instead of a tortilla. In this Battle of the Dishes, we scope out two central Phoenix locales to compare the best for you. In One Corner: The Fry Bread…
The first thing you should know about Smashburger, the new burger joint that opened today on College Ave. in Tempe near the ASU Fulton Center, is that there are several items you won’t find on the menu. No, I’m not talking about secret menu items all the cooks dole out…
Joshua Riesner and fellow Atlas Bistro chef Keenan Bosworth like to switch up their menu day by day, while goofing around in the kitchen together and bugging their intern. Riesner is an avid foodie and says he could cook with bacon, fennel, and tarragon everyday. His creative culinary tower, Smoked…
The folks at Edible Phoenix aren’t just putting out a seasonal food magazine anymore. Starting tomorrow, they’re also kicking off a monthly food-centric film festival, held at Madcap Theaters (730 S. Mill) every second Thursday to benefit the new Tempe farmers market, Market on Mill. Edible Film Festival features the documentary film…
Where in the Valley can you order a decadent cream-filled dessert in a hidden oasis, while warming yourself by the fire on a cool fall night? Find out as we examine hot new changes to local resort restaurants in this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter. We’ve also got the scoop on which local restaurant icons are…
One of the neatest things I saw when I was out and about on First Friday wasn’t actually a painting or a photograph, although you could call it a work of art. Giant Coffee isn’t open just yet, but Matt and Ernie Pool of Matt’s Big Breakfast (get it?) opened up…
Indian food is always fun to eat. Making it, on the other hand . . . well, let’s just say it’s not for the inexperienced cook. For us, the hardest has always been the spices. For any one Indian dish, you need a whole arsenal of spices that don’t exactly…
Food critic John Mariani’s annual list of best new restaurants for Esquire magazine hasn’t hit the streets yet, but it’s already shown up on the web, courtesy of the Eating Las Vegas blog. For 2009, the lone Arizona pick in Mariani’s roundup is Prado, chef Claudio Urciuoli’s Spanish-themed fine dining spot…
A little more than six months ago, the grand opening of an independently owned neighborhood grocery called Luci’s Healthy Marketplace stirred up excitement in the neighborhood around 16th Street and Bethany Home. But that was nothing compared to the shocking news that came in July, when Richardson’s, the legendary restaurant…
Cooking is all about the rock ‘n roll lifestyle for chef Joshua Riesner. He stays up late, wakes up at noon and sometimes gets to enjoy a drink before Atlas Bistro opens. His menu is based on whatever he has in stock for the day, and he enjoys the freedom to…
Looking for somewhere new to go for lunch in Scottsdale? Add Estate House to your rotation. Last week, the SouthBridge fine dining restaurant launched a casual, reasonably priced list of starters, flatbreads, salads, sandwiches, and pastas available at lunchtime (11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Saturday). Prices range from…
PETA caused some hullabaloo (shocker) a couple months back with a billboard posted in Jacksonville, Fla. that said “Save the Whales, Lose the Blubber: Go Vegetarian.” The billboard had a picture of a heavy-set lady on the beach in a not-so-itsy-bitsy teenie-weenie pink polka-dot bikini. Understandably, issues were raised questioning…
I need another cup of coffee.The big, big, big shocker news of the a.m. today: the New York Times reports that Conde Nast is closing Gourmet magazine, which has been in publication since December 1940.A must-read for food fanatics for its impeccable writing, lust-worthy photography, and of course, recipes, Gourmet…
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: Brew Review: Biergarten at Desert Botanical Gardens New Restaurant…
One of the more high-profile fine dining destinations in the Valley is no more.Chef Deborah Knight released a statement explaining that she and her husband, GM/wine director Matt Rinn, will not be reopening their restaurant Mosaic after their summer hiatus.”We are closing Mosaic because we have decided it is the…
Z-Trip, Murs and Supernatural said it best: “On Saturday mornings I used to like to get a big, fat bowl of cereal and watch cartoons.” Well guess what gang, so do we. But we’re sophisticated adults which means we can afford to make sure we have the right cereal for…
The other day, a friend and I stopped by the new La Casita Ice Cream & Deli on 16th Street, and recognized a familiar face. The girl behind the counter was a longtime employee at Calabria Italian Grocer & Deli, so we were surprised to see her out of context.Sure…
To celebrate the mid-October opening of the Downtown Phoenix Public Market’s Urban Grocery and Wine Bar, market organizers put together a raffle to tantalize taste buds. Two lucky winners will get the opportunity to dine at some popular Phoenix hot spots. We were pretty jazzed because the website says “Enter to…
It’s no secret that the Lone Star State — and all of its legendary down-home cooking — is the inspiration at TEXAZ Grill. All year long, the place serves up chicken-fried steaks and barbecued brisket fit for any Texas-sized appetite.There’s a little extra love right now, though, since the restaurant…
