Cafe: Ramen in the Valley

Would you believe that Japan’s most beloved combination of broth and starch is available right here in the desert? We didn’t either. Luckily, Michele Laudig knows better. She has revealed the Valley’s best ramen in her latest column. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Republic Ramen: I sampled four of the…

POOL Tests the Waters: Soft Opening July 30

POOL, the new collaborative market in Mesa, opens to the public July 30 at 10 a.m. for a test run before its grand opening this September, and more than 40 merchants will be open for business with plenty of food vendors to taste.

Jonathan Vallo’s S’mores Cheesecake

Close your eyes and imagine you are 10, sitting around a campfire with a long stick in your hand and a marshmallow on the end, quickly turning that perfect shade of gold. Your mind runs ahead a few minutes to the time when that golden marshmallow will be combined with…

Simon Alam at Merc Bar

​For eight years, Simon Alam has been something of a legend at Phoenix’s trendy Merc Bar (2525 E. Camelback, 602-508-9449), serving drinks to stars and regular schmucks alike amidst groovy music and lighting so dim you feel like you’re in a vampire coven. It’s an ambiance that suits Alam, as he…

Five More Food Fixes for Phoenix

Typically, the fur really flies over on our brother blog, Up on the Sun, while things stay pretty staid around here at Chow Bella. But our esteemed food critic, Michele Laudig (who also happens to be our former music editor), keeps telling me that Phoenix is way more passionate about food than music…

BoSa Donuts: Now Entering Doughnut Dreamland

Is it me or does there seem to be a resurgence of Dunkin’ and Krispy Kreme doughnut huts popping up on every corner? Sure, they make it easy to grab a quick glazed and coffee, but where’s the love? Enter BoSa Donuts. With their original location in Chandler, a months-old…

59: Butterfish Tataki at Roka Akor

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…

Getting Glazed at BoSa Donuts

Doughnuts. At their best, they’re ring-shaped cakes of sugary, fried goodness. At their worst, they’re sad lumps of dry, tacky dough doing time as a mindless grab-‘n’-go breakfast, peeking out from a half-open box in the break room, picked through, broken into pieces, and stale as shit. Fry Girl don’t…

60: Eggs Maximilian at Harlow’s Cafe

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…

Chicken Feet: Phoenix Claws from Phoenix Palace

Despite what the supermarket aisles may lead you to believe, there’s more to an animal than neatly wrapped styrofoam trays of meat. From tongue to tail, offal (pronounced awful) encompasses all those taboo edibles that don’t make the cut at your local grocer. Just Offal is here to explore these…

Five Food Fixes Phoenix Desperately Needs

For the most part, I try hard to heart Phoenix. Really. This city and I have a long history together, long enough that I remember the days when Bill Johnson’s Big Apple was considered a night out on the town. I even remember when we had a Sambo’s. I appreciate how…

Jonathan Vallo of The Duce, Part Two

Yesterday we heard from Jonathan Vallo of The Duce. Today the conversation continues. One important thing to know about Jonathan Vallo- he’s a bit of a mystery. After hearing him say many times that he’s gone by different names and really likes to “lay low”, I started to wonder if…

Sun Tea: Solar Brew

Do you have any good tips for making sun tea? In 1904 at the summer St. Louis World’s Fair, the Commissioner of Tea for India could not interest the crowd in tasting his beverage. So he added ice to the glass and created a distinct way for Americans to take…

Chef Wade Moises Leaves PastaBAR

Chef Wade Moises has parted ways with his downtown restaurant PastaBAR and co-founder Nicholas Gentry. Moises opened the tiny Italian eatery a year and a half ago, after heading up Sassi in North Scottsdale (where Gentry was the sous chef), and working for Mario Batali’s New York restaurants Babbo and Lupa, as well…

The New Burger Kings: Smashburger vs. Culver’s

Ever since Supersize Me came out, I’ve been loathe to dine at fast food restaurants. But with so many locals extolling the meaty virtues of the new pseudo-gourmet hamburger chains that have been popping up around the Valley, it was impossible to resist pitting two of these gut-busting gastronomic giants against each other.  Meet…

Raw Milk: Buy It in Arizona, But Buyer Beware

While it may sound foreign to some, the sale and consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk is going on right under your nose. Well, maybe not that close — but definitely in our fair city. Call this The Guide to Most Everything You Wanted to Know About Raw Milk But Didn’t Begin to…

The Fry Bread House: Lunch $10 and Under

Just north of Indian School on 7th Avenue sits a tiny building that is home to your favorite festival treat—fry bread. Yes, you too can enjoy all the fry bread you want without ever having to face a toothless carnival worker or risk being thrown up on by a small…

61: Chickpea Ceviche at Bombay Spice

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…