We’re back with the second part of our interview with chef Justin Olsen of Bink’s Midtown. Today, we get the story about how he landed a job with chef Jose Andres at his center for culinary experimentation, minibar in Washington, D.C. He also shares the one thing he wants you…
Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. The Gladly, the new American restaurant from Chef Bernie Kantak, Andrew Fritz, and mixologist Richie…
You may not have heard of restaurateurs and sisters Hue and Lan Tran, but chances are you’re probably familiar with their restaurants: Rice Paper, the modern Vietnamese restaurant in Phoenix opened in 2011; Saigon Kitchen, their family’s two-year-old traditional Vietnamese eatery in Surprise; and Bonjour Vietnam, the duo’s French-Vietnamese spot…
Last month saw the closing of the one and only Saladworks in Arizona, but we welcomed two new pizza outlets and one Chandler neighbor bar and grill. Plus, fall is just around the corner and that means a whole slew of new eateries to look forward to. For now, here…
Así es la Vida is as much an ongoing love story as it is a charming spot for a gratifying culinary journey through the regions of Mexico. And like any good romantic yarn, Así es la Vida’s starts with a twist of fate. Once upon a time, in the mid-1970s…
Red Hut Coffee, located on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Roosevelt, is brand-new to the neighborhood — and already facing scrutiny, backlash, and a boycott after a Facebook post by owner David Marsh…
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. Olive Garden is the poster child for corporate restaurant mediocrity. Dumbed-down food posing as “authentic,” catering to the masses…
We’re just about ready to release our annual guide to the best dining, entertainment, shopping, nightlife and recreation found in this fair city. That’s right, New Times’ 35th Annual Best of Phoenix issue will be hitting stands on September 26, 2013. As always that also means it’s time to party…
Justin Olsen Chef de cuisine Bink’s Midtown binksmidtown.com This is part one of our interview with chef Justin Olsen of Bink’s Midtown. Today, he dishes on how he went from fixing cars to the culinary arts and how he ended up working at Binkley’s four years ago. Be sure to…
Jeff Kraus is at it again. The artistically minded chef of Crêpe Bar — his breakfast and lunch spot in Tempe (opened July 2012) featuring seasonally inspired and thoughtful creations of crepes, baked goods, and small plates, as well as outstanding specialty coffees — is planning on opening a new…
While most of us spent the Labor Day weekend relaxing, Bashas’, the Arizona-owned grocery store chain with more than 130 locations in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, was doing some serious explaining. The company, which also operates AJ’s Fine Foods and Food City, has admitted to mislabeling meat and overcharging…
The countdown to Best of Phoenix is on. Mark your calendar: This year’s issue will be on newsstands September 26. What better way to warm up than by asking some local “experts” to list their own personal bests? This week Natalie Morris — the founder/owner of Good Food Finder (a…
Summer may be taking its sweet time saying good-bye, but the good eats served up on this critic’s plate for the month of August seem all but a blur. From dishes like heady asparagus at one of my favorite new restaurants, to food truck pho, to a handful of a.m…
This weekend, Salut Kitchen Bar joined the Tempe brunch scene in a big way, with Oreo pancakes, breakfast nachos, Cinnamon Toast Crunch fried chicken and waffles and other signature dishes…
The restaurant company Vivid Lifestyle Concepts (VLC), is hosting a job fair on Tuesday, Sept.3 to fill various positions for Renegade by MOD and the soon-to-be-open Wicked Six Bar & Grill at SunRidge Canyon golf course in Fountain Hills…
After a little over three months, the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel has found a replacement for Michael O’Dowd, its former executive chef. O’Dowd started with the hotel in October 2012 after leaving the acclaimed restaurant Kai, a sister property, following a 10-year run there, and he now owns Vivid Lifestyle…
Mojito – white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water, and mint. Refreshing on a hot summer’s day. Necessity when you are a prominent author sipping them in a Cuban bar called La Bodeguita del Medio. Cheers, Hemingway! Made famous by Ernest Hemingway, the birthplace of the mojito is suspected to…
In case you’ve missed previous Valley Permaculture Alliance’s mesquite pancake breakfasts, make this the year you show up. For starters, there’s a new venue (O.H.S.O.), and at $10 for the buffet, it’s a nice deal for a Saturday morning. Unlike in past years, tickets are not being sold in advance…
Today, organizers say fast-food workers in Phoenix are expected to walk off their jobs in what’s expected to be the largest-ever strike to hit the $200 billion industry, spanning 50 cities and every region of the continental United States…
Dottie’s True Blue Cafe in Scottsdale, the second location of the famous 20-year-old diner in San Francisco from chef-owner Kurt Abney, has shuttered. Opened in February of last year by Abney’s brother, Brent, at 4151 North Marshall Way (in the former home of Bada Boom Pasta Room), the Scottsdale Dottie’s,…
When Starbucks, the Earth’s largest chain of coffee houses, decided a good place to plop its newest store (one of 20,891 locations in 62 countries) was right next to Urban Beans, the Midtown java shop owned by Virginia Senior (who also owns its wine bar, Tertio), state Senator Katie Hobbs…
Phoenix Cooks! Saturday, August 31 The annual Phoenix Cooks! event is just around the corner, which means that we’ve officially kicked off the fall culinary event season. This year, the Westin Keirland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale will host chefs including Stephen Jones of Bluehound Kitchen and Cocktails, Michael Rusconi…
