There’s a new family-owned Italian restaurant, Jimmy’s of Chicago, that brings home cooking from the ‘burbs of Chicago to the ‘burbs of Phoenix. It opened at 3107 S. Gilbert Rd. (at Pecos) on December 19. Owner Kerry Kersting says his new eatery has the same menu and neighborhood vibe as Jimmy’s…
Things have been dark at Zest Spirited Dining lately. Recently, a sign posted on the door of the once-bustling Central Phoenix restaurant said, “Sorry! We are closed for renovations.” But that was pretty fishy. Closed for renovations during the holidays, the time of year when people might actually justify a nice…
Even Martha deserves a night off, so this week we’re offering you the option to ditch the kitchen for the bar. It’s hard to find a decent restaurant open Mondays in this metropolis (particularly in Phoenix, but other ‘hoods, as well), which is why we’re delighted to remind you that Digestif –…
Tastes like: A full, tangy citrus tea with a rich Bergamot flavor (Bergamot is a Mediterranean citrus fruit, and Earl Grey derives its taste from the fruit’s oil).
Just found out that Kitchen Classics, the long-running store on Thomas Road (4041 E. Thomas), will be closing its doors for good, sometime next week. (They’re playing it by ear on the exact day, an employee told me.) Chalk this retail casualty up to the economy, like so many other…
We interrupt this regularly scheduled Brew Review to bring you a taste sensation direct from Belgium given to us by a fellow beer connoisseur. You may have already guessed by the frothing beer float (that’s what I said) floating over there on the right of the screen that today we’re…
What to do this Saturday? Well, if you want to hit up the very newest place in town, there’s Autostrada, a casual Italian spot at DC Ranch. Tonight’s their last night of “friends and family” service, and tomorrow is their first full day open to the general public. This is…
Richardson’s Cuisine of New Mexico offers flavorful fares of the Southwest. The restaurant’s known for smothering just about everything with green chile, and while its celebrated New Mexican meatloaf is no longer on the menu, Richardson’s does offer such carnivorous culinary delights as chicken, beef, and shrimp skewers; pork enchiladas; and our new Richardson’s favorite, rack of lamb.
Fuggetabouit! If you’re hungry for a neighborhood Italian deli, the kind where Tony Soprano got his cannoli and mortadella fix, look no further than Niccoli’s Deli (www.niccolisdeli.com). Joe and Peppy Niccoli run this small but stellar spot on 16th Street, north of Bethany Home in Phoenix. The business has been…
Chow Bella’s been running for more than two years now. Can you believe it? (Me neither — I should’ve at least put up a Chow Bella birthday post, huh?) What started as a ramshackle one-woman-show is now a sprawling empire of food bloggery, with a whole cast of assorted characters…
Was it the economy that did them in? Stephanie Case, a representative for Chandler’s Fulton Towne Center, confirmed that popular gelato shop Aunt Lena’s Creamery closed at the end of November, although she couldn’t comment on the cause. Co-owner Ray D’Ottavio, pictured above, appeared on TV with Food Network personality Guy Fieri this past August, for…
Move over, chick lit. According to a recent article in Publisher’s Weekly, the new trend is food-inspired fiction where cooking is part of the plot, and memoirs where there might even be recipes. They’ve dubbed it “quiche lit.” Entertaining Disasters, by Nancy Spiller, is one example (at left). In the way…
Here’s a great idea that I wish Slow Food Phoenix would steal from our sister city to the south: a Slow Food film festival! Tonight, Slow Food Tucson kicks off its fourth annual event with dinner and a movie — of course — followed by three more nights of festivities…
Fine’s bruschetta with house-smoked mozzarella: Wow.Happy New Year, Budget Beaters! It ain’t a news flash when I say that times are tight as we enter the new year. After the missus and I put pencil to paper on New Year’s Day to add up all the money we blew in ’08,…
Things are getting spooky around town. Driving to work, I pass Chef Robert McGrath’s never-opened REM project on Lincoln Drive. Having boarded it up along with the Pischke’s property he took over in 2006, subsequent to the suicide of Chris Pischke, McGrath’s suddenly disappeared from the food scene he’s poster-boyed…
Last week, I shared some of the dining highlights along the light-rail path. And while many of those restaurants have been around for years — and struggled as the streets in front of them were torn up during construction — some have cropped up more recently, almost as if in…
The full name, en francais, is the Coupe du Monde de la Patisserie, and it sounds about as strenuous as a sporting event. And Roy Pell, executive pastry chef at the Phoenician, will be on Team USA (along with team captain David Ramirez from Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida,…
Family-owned Maizie’s Café & Bistro is a great example of the new wave of eateries that have opened up along the light rail path, a stylish, urban neighborhood joint that’s friendly and down to earth. The accessible American menu, available all day, features shareable starters, sandwiches, pizzas, and more; on…
Free live music, discounted bourbon, and a special lounge menu are three good reasons to start hitting up Bourbon Steak on Thursday nights, beginning on January 15. From 7 to 9 p.m. in the restaurant lounge, there will be performances from local blues bands (The Blue Zone will kick off…
Everybody’s doing it, man. Riding the light rail, that is. Whether for a daily commute or just a joy ride, people seem to be packing the cars, and it’s not even the free ride period anymore. The folks at District, the restaurant at the downtown Sheraton, hope even more people…
The vegan black bean burro a la Votichenko. Alex Votichenko is completely dialed in to Phoenix’s downtown art scene. When he’s not working various jobs at the Great Arizona Puppet Theatre, the 35-year-old artist and turntablist can often be found at CenPho drinkeries like The Ruby Room or Bikini Lounge…
It’s only been open for two weeks, but Bantu Bistro has already gained some repeat customers in Central Phoenix. Located in the 7th Avenue spot that formerly housed Melrose Cafe (4447 N. 7th Ave., at Campbell; 602-604-2489), the eatery brings something new to the local dining scene: West African cuisine. Co-owner Emmy…
