No Reservations does a drive-by

By Michele Laudig Huh. So Tony Bourdain finally comes to Phoenix, and the only thing that merits attention to this city -- or hell, this state -- is a two-foot chili dog from Cooperstown? I still don't know if the brief AZ segment pissed me off, made me sad, or...

By Michele Laudig

August 5, 2008

With 3 days left in our summer campaign,
we have a new $10,000 goal!

Phoenix New Times members have already contributed more than $7,000 - can you help us hit our new goal to provide even more coverage of current events when it’s needed most? If New Times matters to you, please take action and contribute today.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$10,000

$8,500

Audio By Carbonatix

[
          {
            "name": "GPT - Billboard - Slot Inline - Content - Labeled - No Desktop",
            "component": "21251496",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "STN Player - Float - Mobile Only ",
            "component": "21327862",
            "insertPoint": "2",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
          },{
            "name": "Editor Picks",
            "component": "16759093",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "17980324",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - 2x Rectangles Desktop, Tower on Mobile - Labeled",
            "component": "21934225",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 8,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
            "maxInsertions": 25          
          
          },{
            "name": "Inline Links",
            "component": "17980324",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          },{
            "name": "GPT - Leaderboard to Tower - Slot Auto-select - Labeled",
            "component": "17012245",
            "insertPoint": "8th",
            "startingPoint": 12,
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
            "maxInsertions": 25
          }
        ]

By Michele Laudig

Huh.

So Tony Bourdain finally comes to Phoenix, and the only thing that merits attention to this city -- or hell, this state -- is a two-foot chili dog from Cooperstown?

I still don't know if the brief AZ segment pissed me off, made me sad, or simply bored me to tears. No offense to Alice Cooper or Randy Johnson, but there's just so much more to this place than the Big Unit wiener. In Tony's four-state road trip through the Southwest, it would seem that he spent all of an hour in the Valley.

Actually, the most exciting part of the show was the commercial for next week's episode, where he goes back to Tokyo. I will consider that the consolation prize.

In a related note, Guy Fieri's Food Network show Drive-In, Diners, and Dives (which profiled Matt's Big Breakfast a few months ago and blessed/cursed the place with an hour-long wait) visited Aunt Lena's Creamery in Chandler for an upcoming episode. Titled "Brain Freeze," it was allegedly scheduled to run next Monday, but now the producer's on vacay and the air date remains unconfirmed. (***Update: Yes, according to the owner of Aunt Lena's, that date on their website is unconfirmed, and the episode is not yet listed on the show's own site.)

Michele Laudig

A message from Food & Drink Editor Tirion Boan: If you value independent journalism, please consider making a contribution to support our continued coverage of Phoenix's evolving dining scene and the chefs and restaurants that serve our community.

Support Today