Every week, there's a cornucopia of Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you're like most people, you probably just don't have the time to get to all of it. So, here's a recap of some of the top stories from the week that you may have missed.
Jeff Kraus' 5 Best Things to Eat with Your Hands in Metro Phoenix
As Snoop Dogg (now known as Snoop Lion) would say, "Drop it like it's hot."
The flatware, that is.
As a diner and as a culinary artist, hand-to-mouth eating has always been at the forefront of my philosophy of eating and cooking. The additional sensory stimulation elevates the overall dining experience.
The top five favorite places I go to get "flatware-free fare" are shown in no particular order, other than Joe's Farm Grill, because it is the most interesting place to wash your hands before dining.
--Jeff Kraus
The Fry Bread House in Central Phoenix Moving to New Location
The Fry Bread House, the Phoenix restaurant that, in 2012, won the James Beard Foundation's America's Classics award honoring legendary, family-owned restaurants across the country, is moving.
Opened in 1992 by Cecelia Miller of the Tohono O'odham Nation, the place the Beard Foundation recognized for its "timeless appeal" currently is located on North Seventh Avenue near Indian School Road. But soon, all that will change.
--Laura Hahnefeld
Artisan-Minded Eatery and Market Coming to Camelback Corridor
Lobster Cobb salads, artisan pastries, MJ Breads, a coffee program featuring Cartel beans, and an avant-garde floral boutique are coming to the Camelback Corridor by way of Chestnut Fine Foods and Provisions.
Described as "incorporating the refined culinary influences of Los Angeles, New York and London," the new artisan eatery and market will be located in a former office building at 4350 East Camelback Road (northwest corner of Camelback Road and 44th Street).
And if the name (and the lobster Cobb salad) sound vaguely familiar, they are.
Check out the full story here.
--Laura Hahnefeld
10 Best Bowls of Pho in Metro Phoenix
A Vietnamese dish incorporating Chinese flavors and French style, pho is a beef broth soup of rice noodles, vegetables, and meat. Typically accompanied by garnishes, sides, and sauces, this meal is an interactive experience in which you, the eater, choose your own destiny of taste. You could do a bit more hoisin sauce for a sweet and savory soup, or a dash of sriracha on top of those bean sprouts, or even just plain and simple with a light squeeze of a lime.
A derivative of the French pot-au-feu, or classic beef stew, the Vietnamese have made this soup their own, as is expressed in the many restaurants offering these hefty bowls around the Valley. Here are 10 of the best.
--Nina Gruber
July Restaurant Openings and Closings in Metro Phoenix
Summer months can be hard on the restaurant biz, but this July, we welcomed a pair of county-themed bars and said both hello and goodbye to a pop-up restaurant worth popping into.
We'll have to bid adieu to a Tempe Mexican dining institution, but at least one Valley liquor store will rise from the ashes this fall thanks to local chef Mark Tarbell. Check out the full list of July's restaurant openings and closings.
--Lauren Saria
