So Much for Tutto . . .

No photos to share right now, dear readers, just a little rant. The other night I ended up eating dinner at Tutto, the Italian restaurant that Joseph Gutierrez opened in the space that used to be Digestif. I didn’t have an agenda, per se — just was curious to try…

Maynard’s Own: Tasty Locally-made Wine You Can Afford

If you pay even the slightest attention to local booze news, you probably know by now that Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan has taken up winemaking right here in AZ (check out Michele Laudig’s 2008 feature story if you’re out of the loop). But what you may not know is…

New in CenPho: La Condesa Gourmet Taco Shop

16th Street might as well be called Taco Row, for all the Mexican restaurants lining the street between Washington and Indian School, but hey, there’s always room for me. The newest one in the neighborhood looks appealing because it’s not the typical Sonoran spot. Open since last Friday, La Condesa…

Make Your Own Wine, Quick & Easy!

​Famed director Francis Ford Coppola did it. So did Sam Neill and Olivia Newton-John and Tool’s Maynard James Keenan. If they can get into the wine business, so can you! All you need is a large grape arbor, some vats, processing equipment, oak barrels, bottles, massive amounts of time and money…..

A Champagne Dinner at Avalon

We love champagne for its high alcohol content and celebratory vibe, but it needn’t be reserved only for special occasions. This Thursday, January 28, Avalon in Scottsdale hosts a champagne dinner, where guests will learn all about the sparkling wine from France and how to pair it correctly with meals. To practice,…

The Klute, What Are You Eating?

The Klute The co-host/founder of “The Poe Show”, the only annual celebration of Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday west of the Mississippi, hosts the Mesa Poetry Slam every Thursday at 8 p.m. at Queen’s Pizzeria in Mesa, which is free to attend, $1 to slam What’d you eat for dinner last night?…

Stealthy Table Unveils Debut Menu

The James Bond theme song is playing in my head as I type this.I just got a look at the complete menu for Stealthy Table’s inaugural covert dining event — “My Bloody Valentine,” scheduled for V-Day, of course — and it’s looking mighty fine. Pork belly? Cocoa nib-crusted short rib?…

Arizona State’s Budding Cake Boss

Working out of her mad-lab apartment kitchen, Gabi DiFerdinando never thought her cake hobby would make more than a few good birthday presents. More than 30 cakes later, she’s starting to change her mind…

Guess That Gadget

How well do you know your favorite cookhouse contraptions? Can you tell a melon baller from a cookie scoop? See if you can guess today’s gadget and check back next week for the answer. Here are a few of our guesses, add yours to the comment box below: – Nemo…

Einstein’s Responds to Our Facebook Promo Concerns

Gee, that was fast. No sooner had we posted our concerns about Einstein’s Facebook bagel promo — wondering just what they were going to do with all that info they’re admittedly gathering when we sign up for a free bagel with cream cheese — than we’d heard back from Corporate…

Cornish Pasty Co.: Lunch $10 and Under

The Cornish Pasty Co. in Tempe inhabits a long narrow space. The walls are painted black and the floor is covered in tile.It makes us feel like we are in an old diner in Brooklyn rather than a strip mall in Tempe. There are two-tops along one-side and a long…

Beyond Bianco: 6 More Favorite Valley Pizza Spots

I’m a fan and regular reader of Sunset Magazine, with its timely mix of food, travel, and living articles, as well as it good-looking layout. Flipping through its pages and spotting region-specific gardening advice and profiles of beloved local restaurants and entrepreneurs always gives me a tiny jolt of Arizona pride…

Cakespy Deep-Fries Cupcakes

​Yes, you read that right, folks. Deep-fried cupcakes. Two trends collide, and while we haven’t tasted the results, we can guarantee this is not the next Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup you’re looking at. Still, we had to share, because frankly, it takes a lot to suprise us these days, jaded as we…

Closed for Business: Havana Cafe in Ahwatukee

As it is, Cuban food isn’t easy to come by in the Valley, and now a local Cuban favorite has scaled back due to the tough economy. Havana Cafe closed its five-year-old Ahwatukee location a week ago Saturday. Chef-owner BJ Hernandez continues to operate the flagship Havana Cafe on Camelback (4225 E…

Monday Night Martha: Who Doesn’t Like a Cookie?

We’ve got to hand it to Martha; the lady knows how to make a cookie. With hundreds of cookie recipes in her repertoire the hardest part can be deciding which one to try first. Luckily we had the help of a cute little girl with definite ideas about what she…

BYOB: Local Places to Bring Your Own

We skimp on the appetizers, order the cheapest entrée, pass over dessert entirely, and the dinner bill is still twice as high as we expect, so what gives? Ahh, yes, dinged by the drink prices again. Sometimes the only way to beat back the booze sticker shock and guarantee that you’ll…

Now Open at DC Ranch: Beauregard Food Co.

In the mood for Cajun food? You’re in luck. With Mardi Gras right around the corner, the timing is spot on for the opening of Beauregard Food Co., which debuted last Friday at DC Ranch in North Scottsdale. Owner Dan Brinton also is a franchise owner of Krispy Kreme Arizona,…

Closed For Business: Better Than Sex Cake Cafe

​ ​Another east side eatery bites the dust. The infamous Better Than Sex Cake Cafe in Historic Downtown Chandler went down last week, right on the heels of 98 South Wine Bar & Kitchen’s recent demise. When we heard the news, we were convinced the worried moms and religious fanatics who’d been complaining about the tiny…