April wasn’t quite the harsh month for restaurant closures that March was, but I’m holding my breath now that summer’s coming. Surely any struggling restaurant would try to at least make it through the busiest part of the tourist season, so from here on out, it’ll be interesting to see which…
We’re cross-pollinating Martha Stewart with Rachael Ray tonight. The dish is called “Stuffed Potatoes with Ham, Thyme and Gruyere” AKA “I bought a flippin’ huge bag of potatoes and now I don’t know what to do with them.” We uncovered the recipe in Ray’s book 30 Minute Meals, a classic for…
This week’s Caffiend starts with a couple of caveats: 1) We bought this Mana Energy Potion at Hot Topic, and 2) We were warned to drink only half of the 1.6 ounce bottle. We raise the first point because if an energy supplement is available at Hot Topic, it’s supposed…
This weekend, Earth’s mightiest heroes assembled to drink delicious beer and play bocce ball. At least that’s what the scene seemed to be from a distance, but as I moved closer I realized that appearances truly are deceiving. The Flash was wearing a trench coat and had an extremely fake…
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: Caffiend: Organic Yerba Mate Tea Never Too Much Bacon…
Two brews stepped up to the field of battle. One armed himself with the tastiness of the humble blackbeery while the other trained his dark coffee flavor on his opponent. In the end, only one would remain and that victor is none other than Samuel Adams’ Blackberry Witbier. Competing against…
A jungle, an ocean, a wild maze of huge, sprawling plants bearing thousands of colorful, fragrant fruit. That’s how it feels just a few steps into the tomato beds in Seacat Gardens’ leased acre on the edge of Blue Sky Farms in Litchfield Park. “I just started here last fall,”…
The good people behind TexAZ must be feeling a bit of schadenfreude during the economic downturn, and now they’ve got a deal that lets you, the hungry but budget-minded diner, join in the fun. The popular Texas-themed steak-ribs-and-burger joint on the northeast corner of Bethany Home Road and 16th Street has…
There are a few things that are certain in Phoenix: Summers will be hot, politics will be messy, and Carolina’s tortillas are delicious. For 40 years, this family restaurant has been making enchilada sauce so luscious you can drink it, machacha so silky it melts in your mouth, and tortillas…
How far will you drive for food? Certainly there are some tasty treats that no distance could separate a hungry enough mouth from. Unfortunately, Chef Michael DeMaria’s latest venture, Heirloom, is not one of them. According to Food Critic Michele Laudig, driving all the way out to Heirloom’s North Scottsdale…
Isn’t this supposed to be fro-yo season? Ice Tango, LLC filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy (which prevents creditors from collecting on any debts) on Tuesday, for the Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard location that closed at the end of January. According to David Cha, general manager of Ice Tango’s other two locations –…
Curtis Stone, from TLC’s popular Take Home Chef series, will be hitting up Sur La Table at Kierland Commons on Friday, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the photogenic Aussie surfer has to fight off groupies. After all, he got “Sexiest Man Alive” props from People a few years back…
Life’s full of changes. I get that, but this class seems to be morphing at warp speed. And I’m talking major life changes. One of my classmates took a several month leave of absence to have back surgery. We lost one to excessive absence. Another asked me to recommend a…
You have to hand it to Heirloom’s chef-owner, Michael DeMaria — the guy knows how to keep his momentum, even if he’s not always in the spotlight. In 2007, when he closed his award-winning restaurant Michael’s at the Citadel, he and business partner Brandon Maxwell channeled their energies into Trattoria…
With Southwest tourists galore and more art galleries per square foot than even most Manhattan suburbs, Old Town Scottsdale is a big draw for local artists seeking fame — or just seeking to draw attention to their works. It’s also a hotspot for national artists, whose works can be found…
We’ve tried a lot of sodas here on Pop Culture, but I think this is the first time we’ve had a British soda. Vimto, an old-timey British pop with a “mixed fruit” flavor. Those crazy limeys love it so much they freeze this stuff in to ice pops and cook…
Undecided about where to go to dinner tomorrow? Let Dining Out For Life help you figure out a place to dine for a good cause. The annual event, which happens all across the country on Thursday, April 30, benefits the fight against HIV and AIDS. In Arizona, Southwest Center for…
There are plenty of nameless, unsung brewmasters out there, and Sam Calagione is definitely not one of them. The founder and president of Delaware’s cult hit Dogfish Head brewery is one of the best-known leaders of the extreme beer trend, and was profiled in entertaining detail in last fall’s food…
Sushi is what sells in Scottsdale. That’s what the folks at Geisha A Go Go have figured out. Even though their sister restaurant, Stingray Sushi, is right across the street, that hasn’t stopped the Geisha folks from adding a brand-new eight-seat sushi bar and a new sushi menu, filled with…
With baseball season underway, you might be looking for a good happy hour perch from which to catch a game or two. Try Padre Murphy’s. From 4 to 6 Monday through Friday, Padre Murphy’s offers $3.50 small pitchers of domestic drafts (bar talk for 32 ounces) while cutting $1 off…
When you till the soil in local food and beverage, you learn certain almanac-like lessons in eking out a living. Working in an industry where warm winters mark tourism’s high tide and torrid summers slow income streams to trickle, one keeps an eye on the ebb and flow. As for…
Not sure where to go for Cinco de Drinko? In this week’s Meal Ticket newsletter, find out which local places are sporting the best margarita and Mexican food specials on May 5. We’ll also highlight Corbin’s Bar & Grill in Glendale, where you can load up on eggs and crepes…
