You might want to quelch your hunger before you head to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa–they’ve got the self-proclaimed “largest gingerbread village in the Valley” on display, and the confection is a mouthwatering structure smothered in frosting, chocolate and gumdrops. To create the masterpiece, the resort used…
We were looking for a holiday-ish date night and nothing says Christmas in the desert like strolling the luminaries at the Desert Botanical Gardens with a cocktail in hand. During the annual holiday event, there are several drinking and dining options available. The Patio Cafe, which offer snacks and wraps in a casual…
Looks like Phoenix is really growing up this year, at least when it comes to alcohol. Local wines are gaining popularity, new brewers are opening shop and P-Town is finally getting its own tequila festival. Elias Entertainment Group, the same company that produces Phoenix’s Christmas Mariachi Festival and the Las Vegas Tequila…
Editor’s note: Michele Laudig is on vacation. Her column will return next week. A couple of weeks ago at lunch, a foodie friend and I lapsed into our monthly debate on the merits of Emeril vs. Rachael Ray. Emeril’s a fine chef, though I’d rather follow his recipes than watch…
We’re headed into Wednesday night, and that means the Downtown Phoenix Public Market on Central Ave. will be opening in less than an hour. From 4-8 p.m. this evening, the market is hosting two free wine tastings. Sam and Dana Pillsbury of Pillsbury Wine Company will be pouring wines from their Arizona…
Not too many places have weathered 80 years in the Valley. The Orpheum Theatre. The Hayden Flour Mill in downtown Tempe. And Tom’s Restaurant & Tavern, the ubiquitous downtown hangout that was once a pool hall and the city morgue. In celebration of the joint’s 80th birthday, owner Michael Ratner is offering Depression…
Headed to Glendale for a game, but don’t want to deal with screaming bar crowds or kitschy tropical decor? In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, we’ll profile a hot West Valley restuarant that’s big on elegance, romance and traditional Italian food. We’ll also have the scoop on a local chef…
It’s no wonder greasy spoon diners are often packed–the fat-filled food’s addicting, and the prices are often dirt cheap. 12 East Cafe in downtown Phoenix is no exception. The small spot has a mom-and-pop feel, serving up breakfast goodies, sandwiches, salads and wings. The food comes in huge portions, and…
At Caffe Boa, executive chef Payton Curry (whom we profiled yesterday in Chef Chat) uses farm-fresh, local ingredients in his dishes, and these two recipes are no exception. The Fall Panzanella Salad features products that are in season right now, so if you want the freshest dish available, head to a…
You might think Valley diners are all about greasy Mexican food or gigantic chain restaurant-style portions, but a new study by Dole Fresh Vegetables claims Phoenicians are among the top salad eaters in the nation…
We couldn’t resist checking out a coffee-table cookbook called, Entertaining From an Ethnic Indian Kitchen because the author Komali Nunna bills herself as the “Indian Martha Stewart”. (Nunna is a California-based cook born in Southern India). The book is full of pictures, recipes and tips for entertaining Indian style and Nunna’s…
Hanukkah is a time for food, gifts and spending time with family. In New York or Chicago, it’d be a snap to find local restaurants serving Hanukkah dinner or offering latkes, brisket and kugel. Here in Phoenix it’s a little more difficult to find Hanukkah-related foodstuffs, unless you resort to the Kosher section…
Early this morning, a small kitchen fire broke out at Durant’s, the legendary lounge that hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne in its heyday. The blaze was quickly contained by firefighters, but there was some minor damage to the building’s roof and ventilation system. No one was…
If you’re looking for an easy way to help others this holiday season, dining at Roka Akor in Scottsdale means you’ll also be giving money to St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix. The trendy Japanese and sushi restaurant gives 20 percent of its profits to the charity through Sunday, December 13,…
Now, before you get all up in arms about our insensitivity to the thin set, we’re just talking about Kim Barnouin, co-author of the Skinny Bitch in the Kitch series. Barnouin is making a guest appearance at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S. McClintock Dr. in Tempe, to discuss…
Thanks to Payton Curry, the 30-year-old executive chef at Caffe Boa, the Valley’s dining scene is becoming more local-oriented due to his “locavore” approach. And to think that he almost didn’t make the move to the Valley. “I was scared shitless,” Curry says about moving here from San Francisco. “One of…
We’ve been eyeing the leftovers in our fridge, some of them of questionable lineage, possibly dating back to Thanksgiving (don’t worry — we’re talking about this Thanksgiving), and pondering whether we should tackle the fuzzy brown contents inside or just toss them, unopened, into the trash. Either way, we might…
Ed Mabrey The CEO/founder of Black Pearl Productions LCC, which is the parent company for Black Pearl Poetry Tempe Thursdays and Black Pearl Poetry Phoenix Fridays, as well as the home of the ASU Sun Devil Poetry Slam Team, the Phoenix Brave New Voices Youth Poetry Team, and the Phoenix…
Word has come in from family in Denver that the temperature’s in the single digits. We’d swear it’s that cold here. We even have the long johns out, and we’re taking a vow to stay indoors til spring. Looking to curl up with good blog? Let us recommend one of our…
[jump] The Tamale Store (www.thetamalestore.com): There’s a reason why The Tamale Store nabbed a 2009 Best of Phoenix award, and it’s not just because they seem to be everywhere — First Friday, culinary festivals, street fairs… Their tamales are made with fresh ingredients, sans lard, in varieties from chicken mole…
Baking for vegans may seem like a task, but ever since we made a gaggle of vegan buddies, it’s become a necessary evil. Really, it isn’t that difficult to do, with the help of some simple tricks like using Earth Balance in the place of butter and replacing eggs with…
Jan D’Atri and The Spatuloons might sound like an all-girl fifties band, but the phrase actually refers a trio of wooden kitchen utensils, the latest product offering from local cookbook author and television personality, Jan D’Atri. D’Atri will be hosting a cooking show and signing copies of her books this…
