Behind the Bar: Erik Hecomovich’s Silver Sip

When the Boulders Resort was trying to come up with a tasty drink to celebrate their 25th anniversary, the bar aimed to make it mighty loaded with alcohol, but smooth and simple enough to make it enjoyable to most drinkers. The Silver Sip was formed, and the Long Island Iced…

Cafe: Mid City Kitchen

Culinarily speaking, it’s the simple things that keep us coming back. Pizza, sandwiches, coffee: these are the things we need. And now they’ve just got a bit more convenient thanks to Chef Michael De Maria’s new venture: Mid City Kitchen. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Mid City Kitchen: De Maria’s…

La Hacienda Returns to Fairmont Scottsdale

There is no shortage of gastronomic luxuries at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak has been mentioned numerous times in Chow Bella and the weekly cafe column. New Times has covered DJ nights and other events at the Stone Rose Lounge as well. Yet last night we…

Eddie V’s Leaving DC Ranch

For a while now, we’ve heard rumors that both Eddie V’s and Fleming’s are pulling out of Scottsdale’s DC Ranch. Turns out the rumor mill actually yielded some accurate info this time — at least on one count. We spoke with the manager on duty at Eddie V’s yesterday and he confirmed the restaurant is…

Sara Snacker’s Handmade Tootsie Rolls for V. Day?

Still exhausted from making all those holiday treats? We are. No. More. Sugar. Cookies. While trolling half-heartedly for a recipe for homemade granola the other day, we landed on New York-based Sara Snacker, whose mouth-watering array of cute treats had us filling up an online shopping cart before you could…

Behind the Bar: Erik Hecomovich of Boulders Resort

“You get a lot of requests for certain things that are illegal.” And no, they’re not alcohol-related, but we couldn’t get this friendly guy to go any farther.  Maybe you can.  Hecomovich got his start in the business in the 90’s, bartending at Fumbles, a now-defunct ASU spot. He got a…

Closed for Business: Mill’s End

This just in from blogger David Bickford (a.k.a. PHX Rail Food), who Tweeted a Twitpic of the empty storefront this morning: Mill’s End, the long-running cafe located on the northern end of Mill Avenue, has closed. It was never a culinary destination, just a cozy hangout for students and urbanites…

Toffee and Coffee at Urban Beans

A giant latte was all I thought I needed when I stopped by Urban Beans today, but then I walked up to the counter. Hello, toffee! Having been one of those weird kids who always craved the strangely adult-sounding Heath bars when everyone else was stocking up on Nerds and…

Battle of the Bruschetta

For a starter that appears on practically every restaurant menu, from Olive Garden to Postino, bruschetta (broo-SKETTA) is a remarkably appealing — and mispronounced — dish. The concept is simple: toast a slice of crusty bread and top it with pretty much whatever sounds fresh or appealing. Yes, die-hard Italian style bruschetta fans, crostini does…

The Mac Snack Wrap, Rap: Provisional Poet

The Mac Snack Wrap Rap (to the tune of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s, “Baby Got Back”) I like Big Macs and I can not lie, you other eaters can’t deny, that when a burger comes in with a big, fat taste, and nothin’ to waste, you get sprung, wanna pull out your…

Chef Chat: Gio Osso of Estate House

When Chef Gio Osso graduated high school and told his parents that he wanted to go to culinary school, they weren’t surprised. He wouldn’t eat as a child unless he could stir a few ingredients in a pot with his wooden spoon (all from his high chair).   Years later, after…

Chris Bianco Stays Away From the Oven at His Famous Pizzeria

A story posted on AZCentral this afternoon appears to have drastically slowed the newspaper’s website (numerous attempts to log on stated that the link was broken) — all because of two magic words: Chris Bianco. If you can manage to get through to the article, it details how the James…

Next Week: America’s Taco Shop Opening in Melrose District

With its eclectic mix of independent retail shops, the stretch of 7th Avenue between Indian School and Camelback known as Melrose on 7th seems a prime location for a cheerful, locally owned restaurant like America’s Taco Shop. Owners Terry and America Bortin opened their original location in the Coronado District (2041…

Know Your Buzzwords: What the Hell is a Gastropub?

It sounds like something you’d want to get surgically removed from your small intestine, but the term “gastropub” is actually a combination of the words pub (short for “public house”) and gastronomy (the study of the relationship between culture and food)…

Day Drinker: The Simple Life at Harvey’s Wineburger

Who says you have to wait until the sun goes down to have a good time? Pulling up to Harvey’s Wineburger for the bar’s 10:30 opening on a sunny morning feels a lot like seeing a charming old friend: the red and purple crown on the sign by the road;…

Locally Made: Bill Hutchison Solves the New Mexico Pepper Debate

​The secret to Bill Hutchison’s Kissed With Fire Salsa starts in New Mexico, where the official state bird is the roadrunner and the official state question is “red or green”?   The question refers to the New Mexico Chile, a pepper with a long and somewhat heated history in the…

Hartford Court Wine Dinner at BLT Steak Scottsdale

We know how expensive meals can get after you’ve downed a couple glasses of vino. All of a sudden, the hunger caused by the alcohol has caused you to eat five courses, and the bill is the last thing you want to see.Thankfully, for people like us who are looking…

Jamba Juice: $1 Oatmeal Wednesdays

It’s hard enough to wake up in the morning (and find a vein for the caffeine drip), let alone have time to make a healthy breakfast. For those who enjoy mouthfuls of mushy, warm cereal bright and early, or late in the day, this is your month. Introducing Jamba Juice’s…