It’s no secret that the advent of the light rail has invigorated the downtown dining and nightlife scenes. Downtown used to be a concrete jungle catering to the 9-to-5 crowd, but has increasingly branched out to lure in Valley residents to eat, drink and be merry after hours. This interest…
A little over a week ago, seven-year-old Basis New American succumbed to summer and a slow economy. Owner Steve Short details the rise and fall of his once-popular Moon Valley eatery on his catering company’s website; he continues to operate Atlasta Catering and Event Concepts. In addition to “modest” sales…
Here we are in July. Is it just us, or does July seem to sneak up and take you by surprise? It’s time for summer plans to unfold. Time to escape the heat, or at least dream about it. Time to enjoy all those mainstays of summer: tomatoes, watermelon, swimming,…
The Tilted Kilt Pub & Eatery is the latest business to sign on with the CityScape project, joining 14 other eateries in the works. This suburban chain with locations in Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, and Peoria will make the jump to Phoenix proper in the fall of 2010. The Tilted Kilt…
Each year, Taco Bell brings back its Bacon Club Chalupa. Then, after altering our lives forever, quietly discontinues it. Some might say it’s TB’s way of creating excitement (a la the McRib) to Bell-bitin’ fans eagerly anticipating the next wave of bacon-style chalupa-mania. But methinks the Bell’s painted themselves into a…
This Wednesday, former All My Children actor and current host of Man v. Food, Adam Richman, travels to Phoenix to stop at Los Reyes de la Torta and Alice Cooperstown, before taking on the Ultimate Slider Challenge at Chompie’s. The challenge, which will air Wednesday night at 9 p.m. on…
Those unfamiliar with the meaning of the slang word “crunk” may not see the humor in naming an energy drink after the term, but in hip-hop speak, “crunk” means being stoned and drunk — hardly an “energizing” state of being.Nevertheless, Crunk Energy is surprisingly refreshing and invigorating. We tried the…
Hungry for for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Beer MeEver wish you had a robot to do the important things in life for you, like get a beer from the fridge for you? Your wish has been granted. The folks at Willow Garage have…
This, friends, is a different kind of chicken and waffles. It was a bit of surprise to see them on this Phoenix hot spot’s menu, but we’re glad we did. Served with a healthy side of syrup and coleslaw, this dish should tide us over for quite some time. Can…
Chef Nobuo Fukuda’s new restaurant, Nobuo at Teeter House, is undoubtedly the most anticipated opening of the past year. When his last eatery, Sea Saw, went out with a bang and a whole lot of hamachi last June, fans of the James Beard Award winner’s stunning modern Japanese cuisine were only comforted…
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…
The bumper sticker on our car should read “Caution, this vehicle stops suddenly for outdoor markets.” On a recent Sunday in Sunnyslope, we took a sharp right into the parking lot shared by Central Slope, a sustainable living store, Bomberos Cafe and Winebar, and Neilson Galleries. Carol Blonder Central…
Yesterday we met Cafe Zuzu’s Jim Schindel, a skyscraper-sized man who’s a fan of Maker’s Mark and a member of the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild. Today, he utilizes his vast knowledge of spirits to craft a cocktail he calls the Bourbon Smash — a boozy summer drink that combines lemon, mint,…
The average person’s stomach can hold about a liter of food, or close to two pounds’ worth. But who wants to be average? All over town, restaurants are offering up contests of confection, defying brave eaters to ingest more food than they should eat in a week — daily recommended…
By now, almost everyone knows about the Phoenix version of Groupon.com, the website where you can sign up to get e-mails on a mega daily deal. They’ve offered everything from waxing services at 75% off to $40 restaurant gift certificates for $20. We admit we anxiously await our e-mail from them…
Wine writer Alice Feiring’s The Battle for Wine and Love: Or How I Save the World From Parkerization, my food-centric book club’s latest pick, was a fitting summer read, serving up a lot of insider wine world info in the form of a personal narrative that sees the author visiting winemakers…
Hungry for for your early morning serving of food news, with no preservatives or additives?Unique Beer Tasting TonightGreg Eccles, owner of Tops Liquors and Taste of Tops just got back from camp. We aren’t just talking about your normal singing-songs-by-the-campfire camp either, we’re talking about Beer Camp! Eccles spent a…
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…
Hungry for some pizza?Gasper’s Casual Italian Dining just opened last week in the 16th Street spot that used to be Zest. Since the building sat vacant for quite awhile, it’s refreshing to see signs of life there again. Owner Gasper Manno, co-founder of Sapori D’Italia in Fountain Hills, renovated the space…
In an ideal world, we’d all be able to splurge every time we go out. But sometimes, when funds are limited, you have to prioritize.So instead of skimping on your happy hour budget to put a little grub in your belly, you can have another cocktail at St. Francis.The stylish…
Tucked neatly inside Scottsdale’s Hotel Valley Ho is Cafe Zuzu (6850 E. Main St., 480-421-7997) — a cool, retro café and bar filled with the music and décor of the ’50s and ’60s. Jim Schindel helms this little spaceship, mixing up quick drinks and making nice with the menagerie of characters that…
Ana Borrajo of Sapna Cafe has lived in Phoenix long enough to know that come July we are ready for something, anything cool. Her recipe for Gazpacho Andaluz definitely hits the spot! It’s healthy, it’s simple, and you don’t even have to turn on the stove. See the recipe for…
