It’s an idea so obvious it’s surprising it hasn’t been done before: beer with donuts.Though someone somewhere has probably tried it (maybe Paul Westerberg?) Mesa’s Il Vinaio took the pairing of microbrews and hot-out-of-the- fryer gourmet donuts to a new level Saturday with its first in a planned semi-annual series…
Just got the word that local celebrity Chris Bianco will be spinning tunes instead of pizza dough today. He’s set to be a guest DJ on ASU’s The Blaze 1330 AM today from 1 to 2 p.m. Ever talked music with Bianco? Dude’s got great taste, actually — I’ve run…
Wow, being asked to join a major network like NBC must be quite an honor. Imagine being in the same category with respected show hosts like Jay Leno and Regis and Kelly. Looks like the Food Network’s own cutting-board jumping/Mortimoro offending chef, Bobby Flay, is going to take the leap…
Oh, the anticipation of Twitter.This morning, the James Beard Foundation live-tweeted the finalists for its prestigious culinary awards.Nobody from Arizona made the cut. There were five finalists for each category.In the running was Sam Fox of Fox Restaurant Concepts (Outstanding Restaurateur), Janos Wilder of Janos in Tucson (Outstanding Chef), Vincent on…
They came for delicious smoked meat. They left having found long lines for some of the worst barbecue served this side of the Mississippi.If you follow a lot of local foodies on twitter — or if you’re otherwise plugged in to the world of barbecue — you’ve probably heard that…
What a sugar rush! Usually, we shy away from super-sweet coffees, choosing instead to add sugar and cream on our own to often bitter house blends. But in the case of Urban Beans’ caramel toffee nut mocha, we didn’t need to add a thing.Urban Beans serves a variety of coffees,…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. Free pastry day at Starbucks! Tomorrow until 10 a.m. you can get a free pastry when you purchase a “handcrafted beverage”. Click here to get the coupon. Tomorrow night, Nils Venge, owner of SaddleBack Cellars in Napa Valley,…
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: A Sweet Ending for the Devoured Culinary Festival Phallic…
It may be their shared Germanic roots — or their common Midwestern ubiquity. But for some reason, we’ve always associated burgers with beer and beer with burgers.But not anymore. Now we’re thinking burgers and wine, baby!The genesis of this happy change of heart? Sam Fox’s latest gift to Phoenix, Zinburger…
We knew he’d show up sooner or later. How could Man v. Food host Adam Richman resist the chance to get his picture on the wall at Chompie’s? Word is, the Travel Channel star is in town right now — earlier today, he tweeted, “Hellllloooooo Phoenix!” — and joined in the Tempe restaurant’s…
You don’t generally associate Scottsdale’s Phoenician resort with “affordable retail,” but in the case of it’s latest endeavor Grape & Grain, you actually can. While it is considered a wine, beer and spirits boutique, the Grape & Grain doesn’t purchase any of its inventory and can therefore can keep the…
Sens Asian Tapas and Sake Bar is working to make a name for itself as the sake headquarters of Phoenix, offering more than 60 varieties of the rice-based libation, in different cocktail formations reaching far beyond your standard sake bomber…
A while ago I blogged about Groupon, the cool website that has daily discounts on everything from dinner at The Dhaba to trapeze lessons to yoga. The downside, as discovered after a friend purchased a “$40 of food for $20” Groupon special, is that you have to use your entire Groupon at one sitting. With The Dhaba’s very…
This just in: Tammie Coe — baker and cake decorator extraordinaire — will compete in our caramel tasting, Caramelpalooza, a week from today. Details about the event — and how you can be a judge — here. Tammie joins Tracy Dempsey, Sweet Republic, Bourbon Steak, Urban Cookies and the La-Dee-Dahs…
[jump] Warm, steamy pancakes drizzled with sweet hoisin sauce, plus a pinch of green onions, complimented the rich duck meat. My favorite part was biting into the light, crispy skin. Incredibly, we housed the whole plate. The artist formerly known as Dining Companion was kind enough to share the last pieces with me. Ginger and green onions…
Heather Hales (Note: Judges have been chosen. But join us Friday!) Caramelpalooza is almost upon us — and it’s not too late to apply to be one of our special guest judges at our caramel tasting event, to be held Friday, March 26 at 7 pm at Smeeks candy store in…
In less than a year, chef-owner Leonard Jay’s Roosevelt Row restaurant has undergone three name changes. What started last April as Vinery 214 morphed into Bambino Bistro by the end of the year. I’d recently heard that it shut down — which, based on last month’s gnarly inspection report, wouldn’t…
Molecular gastronomy. Sure, it sounded interesting at first: Buy a kit, make some fun stuff using chemicals and food. The brochure even said, “Easily Get Started…” – easily! Soon, ingredients were impossible to find, an invasive measurement system reared its ugly head, additional money was needed for supplies, recipes couldn’t…
An early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives. The first annual Downtown Barbecue Throwdown in Chandler is goin’ down this Saturday March 20th from 10 a.m. till 9 p.m. The Throwdown is billed as a fierce competition where pros as well as amateur chefs will compete…
Open barely more than a year, The Kitchen by Good Eats Grocer, located at The Shops at Gainey Village, is the latest restaurant casualty. Today, the doors are locked and the lights are off.Calls to the gourmet grocery store/bistro end up in a voicemail menu to nowhere, while the website…
At a place serving more than 60 sakes, you might think a bartender could end up feeling a little limited in drink options. Not Jason Catlin– the psychedelic, country-western musician by day, bartender by night, and constant cocktail pioneer uses the Asian flavors at Sens as his muse, finding new…
A bar with good atmosphere is enough to draw a crowd. A bar with good atmosphere and lip-smacking good food is enough to draw a crowd of regulars. Such, so it seems, is the way at The Vig. Food Critic Michele Laudig on The Vig: There’s just something about this…
