Cafe: Hope Kee

There are some (namely just us) who would call us asian food enthusiasts. Dim sum? Yes, please. Udon? Slurped loudly with chop sticks. We know where fish sauce comes from and it makes us want to eat it even more. That’s why we’re salivating like bakas (idiots in Japanese) and…

An Introduction to Cheuvront at AZ Restaurant Week

​That’s why we loved the idea of sampling the cuisine at Cheuvront, a downtown staple that we hadn’t yet visited, during Arizona Restaurant Week. At $29 for three courses, you can afford to venture outside your tried-and-true culinary standbys. If you don’t like a dish, no worries; you’ve got two more. Or five more,…

Battle of the PB&Js

District American Kitchen and Wine Bar vs. Arcadia Farms at the Phoenix Art MuseumIt’s hard to find a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich in this town. Most restaurants that serve sandwiches don’t even bother with this most basic of lunch items. We set out to find a good PB&J…

Chef Chat: Edip San, Med Fresh Grill

Med Fresh Grill has been a Mill Avenue constant for four years, surviving the wave of desolation the downtown Tempe stretch has faced in recent times. Like many restaurants on Mill, Med Fresh serves quickly and on disposable plates, but one taste of the food shows what sets this spot…

Hope Kee Saves You from Shopping on an Empty Stomach

Grocery shopping on an empty stomach has its pitfalls, especially when you make it to the register and find out how much you’ve spent on random, hunger-induced impulse buys. The experience can be even more intense at ethnic markets, where the shelves are stocked with unusual ingredients to inspire creative…

New in Phoenix: Tommy V’s

The field of gourmet pizza parlors in Phoenix is getting a little more crowded. Tommy V’s Pizzeria opens Thursday on Camelback — the little brother of nearby Tomaso’s Italian restaurant. Owner and chef Tomaso Maggiore says diners can expect classic pizza that’ll be “the best this side of the Atlantic.” Maggiore brags…

Meal Ticket: Canadian Chef Comes to Chandler

Now that Phoenix’s culinary scene is attracting attention through profiles of local chefs and eateries in magazines like Bon Appetit, and on the Food Network, even international chefs are heeding the call of the desert. Find out which brand new Chandler restaurant enticed a Canadian chef to head up their kitchen, and see what’s…

Thursday: Free Omelette Day

Eat an omelette, help the homeless. That’s the deal this Thursday, September 24, at all four Valley locations of First Watch. The bustling breakfast joint is hosting its annual Free Omelette Day, with (you guessed it) free omelettes to customers who make a charitable contribution to St. Vincent de Paul…

Dining at Roka Akor for AZ Restaurant Week

We’d heard all the hubbub about Scottsdale’s Roka Akor, the palindromically-named Japanese Robata Grill (like how Bon Appetit had recently named it one of the ten best new places for sushi) but we weren’t true believers until we tasted their Arizona Restaurant Week menu on Saturday night…

Farmers and Chefs Mingling at the Montelucia

Arizona farmers, ranchers, cheese makers and chefs will be hanging out at the InterContintenal Montelucia Resort in Scottsdale this afternoon for the Phoenix Farmer Chef Connection. The second annual conference is a networking bonanza for the 150 or so slow food types who will be there. “The whole idea is…

TV Chef Wants to Fix Your Love Life with Food

Courtesy of Producer Gay Gilbert Why spend countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars on professional couples counseling when you can just fix your relationship with a $15 pork loin, saffron-infused rice and an asparagus medley? Of course, if it really worked that way, 90% of marriage therapists would…

This Week In Chow Bella

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: Monday Night Martha: Exploding Chicken Cold Comfort From Crave…

AZ Restaurant Week Starts Saturday

It’s time to get your prix fixe on because the second-ever Arizona Restaurant Week starts Saturday. It’s a week long foodfest where diners can enjoy special three-course dinner menus at more than 100 Valley restaurants. “Arizona Restaurant Week is an opportunity for diners, foodies, you know, whoever, to experience restaurants…

Homage to the Pink Pony: Top 5 Classic Valley Restaurants

A little dart of sadness pierced my black heart when I heard that the 61 year old Pink Pony Restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale closed. I loved passing by its salmon pink painted facade with old west saloon style writing…its silhouette of a bucking pony…and the two massive wooden doors…

New in Phoenix: Thai E-San

Remember when we were complaining that there weren’t enough Asian restaurants in downtown Phoenix? Well, now there’s one more. It’s called Thai E-San and–if the menu is anything to go by–it looks like it might just do the trick. Thai E-San (translating to “North of Thailand”) provides a sample of…

Forget Bianco’s, Give Me Mama Celeste!

We’re going to catch hell for this, but here goes anyway.Everyone knows Phoenix is famous for its pizza, specifically, for the almighty Pizzeria Bianco downtown. And while that’s all well and good, there’s another pizza story happening here. It’s a sad story that’s gone under-reported until today.Has anyone ever noticed…

Hula’s Modern Tiki Opening Soon

Back in March we gave you the skinny on a new Downtown Phoenix restaurant coming from Chris and Craig Delaney called Hula’s Modern Tiki. Well hawaiian food enthusiasts, the time has come to gorge on such island delicacies as “luau pork” sandwiches and spicy thai fish cakes. Hula’s Modern Tiki opens…

Cafe: Murphy’s Law

Murphy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. We can’t help but wonder if that concept was floating anywhere inside the brain of a bear who now makes his permanent residence (despite being thouroughly deceased) at the Murphy’s Law Irish Pub in Chandler. Was he perhaps…

Recipe: Firecracker Shrimp from Local Breeze

Sid Campbell’s dining philosophy comes from his love of entertaining. The food should be an accent to the ambiance, adding flavor to the fun.His Firecracker Shrimp is the perfect dish for a relaxed evening with friends. The creamy, spicy sauce served over pan-seared shrimp is sure to impress and satisfy…