Grassroots Kitchen & Tap in North Scottsdale: Plainly Delicious

At first glance, you might think you could run Grassroots Kitchen & Tap yourself. You’d be wrong — and therein lies the genius of this North Scottsdale restaurant. What seems obvious about the place is really a kind of deceptive simplicity. Look closer and you’ll find the approachability of this…

Top 5 Things to Eat and Drink This Weekend in Metro Phoenix

Vegetable Literacy for Thanksgiving Saturday, November 23 Any good host or hostess knows that sides are no mere backup singers to the giant, golden turkey on the Thanksgiving table. They’re stars, too. But serving the perfect side dishes means dealing with vegetables, which can be a make-it-or-break-it situation with picky…

Beaver Choice vs. Welcome Diner: Poutine Punchdown

If you’re looking for a hearty, stick-to-the-ribs hangover cure, look no further than a nice, hot plate of poutine. The Canadian classic post-bar snack hasn’t quite taken roots in the Valley yet, but a few local spots like Petite Maison and Rose & Crown offer the dish for the culinarily…

Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House in Cave Creek Gets Remodel, New Menu

After 13 years, Cartwright’s, the sophisticated Southwestern restaurant in Cave Creek, is getting an upgrade — cowboy style. Recently, partners Eric Flatt and John Malcolm, who also own Cave Creek’s Tonto Bar & Grill, completed a remodel of their restaurant, named after the historic Cartwright family of the late 1800s,…

The Phoenix Food Scene Has a Long Way to Go

Welcome to “Schaefer,” in which Eric Schaefer — a local guy with a big (but discerning) appetite and a sense of humor to match — takes on the Phoenix food scene. As much as I hate to admit it, U.S. Representative Michelle Bachmann is right: The end times are upon…

6 Brining Tips from Chef Stephen Jones of Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails

Brining. “It gets confused a lot with marinating,” Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails’ executive chef Stephen Jones says. “It’s a totally different beast.” Brine is a salt solution in which proteins or vegetables are submerged to give them flavor. Marinating uses an acid or oil base that desaturates. Brining saturates…

The Simple Farm Named Finalist in 2014 Good Food Awards

Note: This post has been edited from its original version. In addition to The Simple Farm, Arizona’s Fiore di Capra Inc. has also been nominated for a Good Food Award. We regret the mistake. If you didn’t already have a good enough reason to visit The Simple Farm, the farm…

Sweet Republic Opening Second Location in Phoenix

Just months after celebrating its five-year anniversary in June, Sweet Republic, Scottsdale’s top-notch artisan ice cream shop from Jan Wichayanuparp and Helen Yung, is giving its fans another reason to celebrate: a second location in Phoenix…

Eat St. Is Filming Food Trucks in Phoenix

Another television crew is coming to Phoenix and surprisingly, they’re not headed for Amy’s Baking Company this time. The Cooking Channel show Eat St., “a lip-smacking celebration of North America’s tastiest, messiest, and most irresistible street food,” has a few Valley food trucks on their radar for the show’s fifth…

Top 5 Things to Eat This Weekend in Metro Phoenix

Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market Saturday, November 16 With a huge variety of colorful produce and just about every other type of vendor you can imagine, it’s no wonder the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market is one of the busiest in the Valley. Last weekend, we headed out to take…