By Amy Silverman Sure, everyone has a bad day now and then. But back to back “no award” inspection reports for a restaurant as tony as Chelsea’s Kitchen — the fun and funky casual dining spot on the north bank of the Arizona Canal? Yuck. And even after the inspectors…
By Michele Laudig Although plenty of restaurant openings have been delayed or flat-out nixed (hello, Mexican Standoff, Shell Shock, Leche, REM?), October’s shaping up to be a decent month for new eateries in Scottsdale. The most high-profile among them is The Mission, a Latin-inspired eatery that’s taken over the cozy…
By Jonathan McNamara Il Terrazzo, the “authentic italian restaurant” occupying the space that used to be The Terrace, opened its doors and its kitchen to hungry members of the press on October 16. See more tasty shots in our Il Terrazzo slideshow…
By Eddie Matney Okay, turns out Chow Bella readers are alright. I had a dozen or so of you over to Eddie’s House for dinner last week to chat about food, families and fly fishing. I expected to get beaten up a little bit. I expected to defend some of…
By Jonathan McNamara If you find yourself down in the dumps about the dwindling economy, I have an instant panacea. Find a whole-roasted then smoked pig and eat it. Trust me on this. I found myself in a position to do just that during BLT Steak’s media invite only dinner…
By Amy Silverman A late September inspection at Coach & Willie’s — a bar/restaurant not far from the ballpark in downtown Phoenix — revealed a litany of concerns. The report is pretty straightforward: The cooled chicken wings weren’t cool enough; the bar sink was out of paper towels; the sweet…
Considering that Arcadia isn’t a mecca for any kind of Asian food, it seemed a shame when Sushi Mishima, a casual Japanese joint, closed its doors last year. No, the place wasn’t destination sushi by anyone’s definition, but it was an affordable and friendly neighborhood spot. But you know what?…
By Michele Laudig If you’re out in the East Valley and hungry for some pizza or a salad, stop by the place that’s getting all the buzz: Liberty Market. It just opened its doors yesterday on the city’s main drag (230 N. Gilbert Rd.), and it promises to be the…
By Michele Laudig Move over Lee Lee’s and Ranch 99 — there’s a gargantuan new Asian supermarket in town. It’s called Mekong Plaza, and it opens this Saturday. The 100,000 square foot market, located at the southwest corner of Main Street and Dobson in Mesa (across from Asian Cafe Express,…
By Michele Laudig For a while, the sign in the window of FOODBAR, at SouthBridge, indicated that it was closed for renovations this summer. But when it finally reopens on Monday, October 20, it’ll be a whole new restaurant: Metro Brasserie, a traditional French brasserie open daily for breakfast, lunch,…
By Amy Silverman I’ll be honest: Raw fish does not pass these lips. But I know enough to know that if you’re going to eat it, you want it to come from a very, very clean place. The Maricopa County restaurant inspectors apparently understand that, too, because they seem to…
By Michele Laudig As they say, better late than never — especially in this bizarre economic climate. Fate chef-owner Johnny Chu’s new Asian tapas and sake bar, Sens, was supposed to have opened by now, but like many new restaurants around town, the launch was postponed by a couple of…
By Michele Laudig It’s still pretty toasty outside, but all it takes is the mere suggestion of fall for me to start craving certain foods that have been on the backburner during the sizzling summer. Like soup. Specifically, tonkotsu ramen at Cherry Blossom. Yes, I’m a bit of a broken…
By Michele Laudig David Tanis must lead a charmed life. That’s the impression I have of this Renaissance man after reading his lovely new cookbook, A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes. I mean, the Chez Panisse chef got a cover blurb from none other than Michael Pollan (who, btw,…
By Michele Laudig Here’s an exciting upcoming event to put on your calendar (although you should get tickets a.s.a.p.). It’s the October 19th booksigning and tasting held in honor of the new cookbook, Cooking with Les Dames D’Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and…
By Michele Laudig Three sister restaurants in Chandler — 56 East Bar & Kitchen, 98 South Wine Bar & Kitchen, and KiZake Sushi & Martinis — closed abruptly on Tuesday. Any one of those places shutting its doors would’ve been a loss to the East Valley dining scene, but losing…
By Michele Laudig Lydia Ruiz didn’t expect to be back in business at In Season Deli, but now that she’s in the swing of things, she’s happy to be in her old digs. Ruiz owned the Mill Avenue eatery for 27 years, but sold it a year ago after she…
By Michele Laudig When I heard that The Art of Soup was expanding its hours to include breakfast service, I had to stop myself from shaking my head in bewilderment. Of course soup for breakfast makes sense. The Vietnamese already have that figured out (pho), and so do the Japanese…
By Amy Silverman I have always believed that diners should have a separate rating system, when it comes to cleanliness. C’mon, haven’t you ever heard the term “greasy spoon”? But apparently the Maricopa County health inspectors don’t share my nostalgia for a time when waitresses smacked gum and no one…
Tacos and burritos will always be reliable standbys, but when it comes to Mexican fast food that Phoenix does really well, tortas are my hands-down favorite option for a quick, cheap bite. What’s not to love about the scrumptious Mexican sandwiches? When they’re made right, tortas are one of life’s…
By Amy Silverman At this point, I’ve gotten accustomed to seeing news of cockroaches and soda guns with “bacterial slime” — both of which afflicted the Texas Roadhouse on Stapley Drive, during a recent inspection. But there was something about the litany of complaints involving hands that got me: A…
Aji sushi with scallion and ginger (left), and fresh katsuo with shiso, onion, and roasted garlic chips By Michele Laudig Do you have a favorite restaurant that is the first place you visit when you get money in the bank? Whenever I’m dying for payday and need a light at…
