I can’t begin to tell you how many flowers I’ve destroyed playing this childish game. Truth is, we all play it, one way or another. Is love a game of chance or is it day labor? Some say it’s fate. In some cases, I think that’s true. You have to…
Recently, I heard from chef Don Nason, who was the founding executive chef at Regions Bistro & Bar — and left shortly after the restaurant opened. There were rumors about the circumstances for Nason’s departure, so he wanted to tell me his side of things. In an email, Nason told…
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Man Vs. Food’s Adam Richman bite on this one: The Sasquatch Burger at The Lodge in Scottsdale. It’s a new mega-splurge brought to us by chef Aaron May, who’s added homey American pub grub to a repertoire that already includes Spanish tapas (Sol y Sombra), Italian (Autostrada), and…
For weekday drinking, the price is right at Phoenix City Grille. Happy hour specials run 3 to 6, Monday through Friday. Specials include $2 domestic bottles, $3 draft and well drinks, $4 for house wine and premium beers, and $2 off martinis. Better still: Cheap cocktails at Sunday brunch. If…
Drive past Carly’s Bistro on Roosevelt St. in downtown Phoenix and you might think the place is a total dive; the kind of shady bar & grill where smokers huddle in clusters, puffing under the counter, ready to snuff out their illegal-in-public cancer sticks should the PoPo arrive. If that’s what you’re expecting, you’ll be sorely…
Pearl Sushi, which opened in Old Town Scottsdale in early 2008, is all about the new these days — new management, new chef, and new menu items. Owner Tammy Carlin — former co-owner of Blue Wasabi Sushi & Martini Bar — came on board about six months ago to oversee the…
The new Regions Bistro & Bar location on Mill Ave. in Tempe is celebrating their grand opening this weekend with all-day Happy Hour and 2-for-1 entree specials Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, Regions’ Executive Chef Todd Paige gives us the scoop…
Generosity always goes well with some good food and wine to celebrate. This is the secret to success for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, which is hosting its 35th annual Taste event this Sunday evening at Kierland Commons. It’s the organization’s main fundraiser of the year. The semi-formal…
During service, stuff happens: Drinks spill, wine corks break, and food can have a hard time finding its way to hungry people. Nobody’s perfect. And there’s certainly no shame in confessing occasional instances of clumsiness and/or confusion. A simple apology — or any aplomb demonstrated through problem solving — can…
. . . and don’t let the door hit you on your way out. There was some recent buzz that the longstanding Vietnamese restaurant on Camelback Road was closing, and I just got word that they finally shut their doors (the phone number is disconnected). But I can’t say I’ll…
The folks behind Aiello’s are getting a head start on their next restaurant. In about three weeks, says Myrah Aiello, they’ll start serving fresh, hot New York-style pizzas baked in a clay-bottom oven — available only to go. (She and her chef husband Joe owned an Italian eatery in Manhattan before eventually…
I’ve been taking a calcium supplement for years. It was hard to get into the habit, but the tasty chewable ones make it easier. Turns out that I was taking calcium every day but not in a way that was most effective. When you take calcium, what you take with…
Apparently spring is over. Brace yourself because the temperature is supposed to rise to 100 degrees Tuesday. To keep cool,we’re making strawberry limeade. It’s a makeshift recipe we pretty much created on the spot…
Everyone who’s anyone in the Phoenix metro culinary scene, from local foodies to the stars of Hell’s Kitchen and Bravo’s Top Chef, turned out for this weekend’s Scottsdale Culinary Festival. Libations flowed at the Southwest Festival of Beers and inside the Robert Mondavi wine garden. Restaurant chefs whipped up crowd-pleasing…
What restaurant concept will they think of next? Autostrada is an Italian restaurant in north Scottsdale that, according to its Web site, is “inspired by the Italian car culture.” All we know is that if Aaron May is involved, the food’s gonna be good. Get in the old jalopy and…
The word on the streets is that Vinery 214, a new Mediterranean restaurant/wine bar on Roosevelt Row, finally opened its doors a few days ago. According to their website — a trainwreck if I’ve ever seen one — the menu includes a “Morocaan stuffed burger with spicey sweet potato fries,” “Fruite de Marie,” soups…
In the wake of the tens of thousands of people who flooded into the Scottsdale Civic Plaza this past weekend for the Scottsdale Culinary Festival (stay tuned for Jonathan McNamara and Wynter Holden’s coverage on Chow Bella today), it’s time to look to the other side of summer for the…
It’s been a while since I’ve strolled down Mill Avenue on a Saturday night. This past weekend, downtown Tempe’s main drag was nearly a mob scene, with people of all ages out on the town. No surprise, Mojo Yogurt seemed to be doing a brisk business. I’d never gotten a look…
Walk into vintage soda shop MacAlpine’s (on 7th street, between Thomas and McDowell) on a hot day and ask for something special, something with a super-kick, and they just might make you a delicious shake with coffee in it. It’s not on the menu, but it’s their suggestion, and while…
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: Dutch Bros. ER-911 Big Feature on Chris Bianco…
I won’t lie, Arizona. We’ve had some great times drinking beer. Who could forget our first trip to Four Peaks? Or the Mesa Strong Beer Festival just a few months ago? We’ve had fun and that’s what makes this so hard to say: my beer gut belongs to another state…
Happy hour is odd at Aunt Chilada’s, but this isn’t a mark against the establishment. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, they offer a complimentary buffet that includes chips and salsa, a fruit and vegetable platter, as well as an appetizer of the chef’s choice. Unfortunately, no drink…
