Despite spring being a great season for Valley restaurants with tons of out of towners coming in and giving the scene a cash boost, not all restaurants made it through the season. However, in a very springy way, there was much more growth in the restaurant scene this month than…
The Guilty Pleasure: Mountain Dew Baja Blast Where to Get It: All over the place pretty soon. Price: Varies by a number of factors. Expect the same price as regular Mountain Dew. What it Really Costs: The usual soda schtick of empty calories and liquid candy. Plus loads of caffeine…
It’s been almost exactly a year since longtime Valley chef Eddie Matney last made headlines for something besides his cooking. This time, it’s because the chef’s five-year-old Scottsdale restaurant, Eddie’s House, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to settle a claim with the Arizona Department of Revenue, Phoenix…
Fox’s hit television show featuring celebu-chef Gordon Ramsay, restaurateur and winemaker Joe Bastianich, and Michelin-starred chef Graham Elliot will return for its fifth season in May. The show, which searches for the country’s best home cooks, will feature 30 contestants from 14 states competing to win the title of MasterChef,…
It’s been a big year for chef Gio Osso and his new restaurant, Virtu Honest Craft. The restaurant was nominated for the James Beard Award Foundation’s “Best New Restaurant” award in February — and that’s on top of a heaping pile of love from local and national media alike. You’d…
Devouring a “little fat one,” known as a gordita, is one of the joys of life. They resemble arepas or pupusas, and are filled with meat, cheese, onion, and sometimes cabbage, all stuffed in a thick tortilla. We did the dirty work and tried gorditas at Gorditas El Tio and…
Chris Mayo Executive chef Central Bistro 3160 E. Camelback Road www.centralbistroaz.com Chris Mayo didn’t grow up with a dream of becoming a chef. He didn’t learn the basics of the craft as a child, at his mother’s hip. In fact, he thought he was going to be a firefighter –…
Few among us think of a museum cafe as a destination — especially those of us who haven’t eaten at Phoenix Art Museum’s Palette, one of the city’s nicest downtown lunch spots. A museum restaurant, like a department store cafe, is typically good for a salad or a sandwich after…
Thursday night, the Arizona Restaurant Association announced the winners of the second annual Foodist Awards during an event at the Montelucia Resort in Scottsdale. The awards celebrate “the most amazing tastes, faces and places in Arizona food and beverage.” Finalists were announced in early April with 30 chefs, restaurants, and…
If you live anywhere near the northwest corner of Ray and Rural Roads in Tempe and haven’t tried Hong Kong Asian Diner by now, you’ve been doing yourself a huge disservice. This family-run, strip mall spot has been in business for more than a decade and offers remarkably good Cantonese…
If you’ve been following our Ultimate Battle of the Ramen, then you already know about the upsets, drama, and good eats we’ve shared over the last month and half. For those just joining the action, here’s a quick review. We started our March Madness-inspired ramen battle last month by gathering…
If you compulsively shop local or hit up farmers markets on the weekend with reckless abandon, as we admittedly do, you might have noticed some awesome new stuff. Lots of businesses have expanded with new offerings to seem to have come out of nowhere. From books to botanicals, we’ve been…
If you’re a soup fan, look forward to trying the silky smooth tofu soup at Chodang Tofu and BBQ in Chandler — that is, if you haven’t experienced it already. The dish, which can feature your choice of meat and vegetables, arrives at your table in bubbling hot in a…
Artopia Friday, April 25 This Friday night, we’re announcing the winners of the fifth annual Big Brain Awards at Artopia, a celebration with food, drinks, and, of course, art. We’ve already introduced you to all the finalists in the Culinary Arts category, which includes Aisha Tedros of A.T. Coffee Oasis,…
Having recently traveled to Asia to attend classes at a few cooking schools, I brought back a number of great recipes, memories and a long list of ingredients not available at Fry’s. While in Thailand I had the opportunity to attend day long classes at two very different schools. Chiang…
We’re calling it. It may only be April, but summer in Phoenix has pretty much arrived. We know because Chef James Porter’s Petite Maision has switched over to a dinner-only schedule, making it the first (we’ve heard) of the many restaurants in town that will either cut back to limited…
Get ready, people, because restaurateur Sam Fox seems confident that his newest restaurant concept is going to turn your entire life upside down. Opening Tuesday, April 29 near the northeast corner of 44th Street and Camelback, Flower Child, “is the start of a food revolution by Sam Fox” — at…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Chef Payton Curry of Brat Haus and Taco Haus isn’t playing nicely. The chef, clearly unhappy about a recent review of his restaurant Taco Haus written by local food writer Gwen Ashley Walters, outed the undercover restaurant reviewer on Twitter on Monday. Walters, who writes reviews for Phoenix Magazine and…
The Guilty Pleasure: Specialty Chicken Where to Get It: Domino’s Pizza. Locations everywhere, but you were getting delivery anyway. Price: $5.99 when you buy another item from their mix-and-match menu What it Really Costs: [opens box] Jeez, that’s it for six bucks? Domino’s Pizza has me scratching my head lately…
James Fox Executive Chef Bootleggers (Phoenix, Scottsdale) www.bootleggersaz.com It’s taken a while, but if you’re a fan of slow-smoked barbecue, then you’re probably already aware that we have a solid selection of ‘cue joints in this town. There are the standby options like Bryan’s Black Mountain BBQ in Cave Creek,…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
