Yesterday we met Cafe Zuzu’s Jim Schindel, a skyscraper-sized man who’s a fan of Maker’s Mark and a member of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild. Today, he utilizes his vast knowledge of spirits to craft a cocktail he calls the Bourbon Smash — a boozy summer drink that combines lemon, mint,…
The average person’s stomach can hold about a liter of food, or close to two pounds’ worth. But who wants to be average? All over town, restaurants are offering up contests of confection, defying brave eaters to ingest more food than they should eat in a week — daily recommended…
By now, almost everyone knows about the Phoenix version of Groupon.com, the website where you can sign up to get e-mails on a mega daily deal. They’ve offered everything from waxing services at 75% off to $40 restaurant gift certificates for $20. We admit we anxiously await our e-mail from them…
Wine writer Alice Feiring’s The Battle for Wine and Love: Or How I Save the World From Parkerization, my food-centric book club’s latest pick, was a fitting summer read, serving up a lot of insider wine world info in the form of a personal narrative that sees the author visiting winemakers…
Hungry for for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Unique Beer Tasting TonightGreg Eccles, owner of Tops Liquors and Taste of Tops just got back from camp. We aren’t just talking about your normal singing-songs-by-the-campfire camp either, we’re talking about Beer Camp! Eccles spent a…
Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…
Hungry for some pizza?Gasper’s Casual Italian Dining just opened last week in the 16th Street spot that used to be Zest. Since the building sat vacant for quite awhile, it’s refreshing to see signs of life there again. Owner Gasper Manno, co-founder of Sapori D’Italia in Fountain Hills, renovated the space…
In an ideal world, we’d all be able to splurge every time we go out. But sometimes, when funds are limited, you have to prioritize.So instead of skimping on your happy hour budget to put a little grub in your belly, you can have another cocktail at St. Francis.The stylish…
Tucked neatly inside Scottsdale’s Hotel Valley Ho is Cafe Zuzu (6850 E. Main St., 480-421-7997) — a cool, retro café and bar filled with the music and décor of the ’50s and ’60s. Jim Schindel helms this little spaceship, mixing up quick drinks and making nice with the menagerie of characters that…
Ana Borrajo of Sapna Cafe has lived in Phoenix long enough to know that come July we are ready for something, anything cool. Her recipe for Gazpacho Andaluz definitely hits the spot! It’s healthy, it’s simple, and you don’t even have to turn on the stove. See the recipe for…
What’s on your summer reading list? This week, Chow Bella contributors will answer that question with reviews of the food-related books we’ve read lately. If you have a recommendation for us, please leave it in the comment section. Today’s selection: Ratio by Michael Ruhlman. Part of simplifying my life has…
>Suffering from burger boredom? The fast-food joints are. Since last year, they’ve been banishing their buns in lieu of toast, delivering melted fare to the masses, waving the “Hey, look at me! I’m different!” flag. Enter the melt. The patty melt, the grilled melt, the meat and cheese melt. Whatever…
Hungry for for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Wines of Italy DinnerFat Cat Restaurant and Lounge will host an intimate 6 course Italian Wine Dinner starting at 6 p.m. tonight in Chandler. Chef Eldon Rose is serving up 6 courses of food inspired by…
If you can’t change the burger, change the bun. That’s seemingly been the mantra of the many fast-food chains that have, since last year, banished their buns in lieu of toast, delivering a menu of melted fare to those suffering from burger boredom. Is the melt mode here to stay?…
When chef Doug Robson opened his hip, contemporary Mexican spot Gallo Blanco Cafe a little more than a year ago, it was clear that he’d nailed a prime location at the Clarendon Hotel. There, he could serve hungry hotel guests while also building the restaurant’s reputation as an appealing hangout…
I’m all about eating for pleasure, but sometimes I also eat for sanity. Gallo Blanco Cafe rescued me from the depths of depression after a stressful day recently, and now I’m obsessed with the source of my salvation: The Pico Rico Burger. I’m telling you, this thing erased my crappy…
Here is a quick look back at our new restaurant friends and the ones we unfortunately lost during the month of June. Lucky for us, the number of restaurants opening is still greater then the number lost. Open! Starlight Cuisine, AvondaleIndia Oven, MesaTwo Hippies Pizzaria, PhoenixCenturion, PhoenixRenegade Canteen, ScottsdaleSecreto, Ahwatukee…
Yesterday we spoke with Ana about the challenges of navigating a restaurant through a tight economy. Today we’ll pick up the conversation and get to know a little bit more about Ana and what she does when she’s not in the kitchen at Sapna. What is your favorite food? I…
But on Sunday, August 1, I’m tempted to drag myself out of bed and hit the nearest bar at 6 a.m. for the first Bloody Mary of a whole new era…
Despite what the supermarket aisles may lead you to believe, there’s more to an animal than neatly wrapped Styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those taboo edibles that don’t make the cut at your local grocer. Just Offal is here to explore these…
Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…
Though I may have some carnivorous tendencies (mmm…carne asada), occasionally I get an urge to get closer to Mother Nature via some fresh vegetables. When a salad just won’t do and a veggie burger seems too processed, there’s always the classic vegetarian sandwich — or as I like to call it, the Plantwich…
