It’s Saturday morning. I really haven’t had enough coffee yet. But there’s nothing like big news to wake me up, and today’s word is a shocker. Lisa G Cafe & Wine Bar is closing. Tonight — Halloween — is the last night of service.Owner Lisa Giungo tells me, “It actually came…
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: Oysters and Bloody Marys at Casey Moore’s CRAVE Arizona…
Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that help fight free radicals and stave off aging, and a glass of wine a day can reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. So that fistful of dark chocolate medallions and glass of Cabernet you’ll be downing tonight are totally healthy!
Guess where I’m eating!!
Scottsdale’s Old Town Farmers Market is back and reportedly going to be bigger than ever. How big? Well, just about double the size of last season’s.Big name local produce growers McClendon’s Select, Seacat Gardens, and Maya’s Farm will all be selling fresh fruits and veggies at the market, something other…
Sometimes being a vegan in Phoenix can get pretty lonely, but on November 1, animal product-free Phoenicians will gather at the Spectrum Mall light rail station to celebrate World Vegan Day with a potluck full of vegan goodies.
Good morrrrrrning, sunshine! What an eye-opener at Conspire this morning — a large latte with four shots of espresso to get my brain cranked up, plus some sweets to share. Vegan doughnuts are a Conspire staple that I can’t resist, while the pumpkin-chocolate chip cupcake with cream cheese icing was…
The Shark Fart tastes better than it sounds, I promise. This is one of Dar Bieling’s favorite drinks to make because she loves shaking the hell out of the tumbler. Hey, she’s gotta get that aggression out somehow if she wants to remain, as owner Beth Johnson says, “The only…
I’m a Phoenix native. Which, they say, is rare. Even more unusual is that I actually love this place.There are just a handful of us out there and while there are so many things that make us uniquely Phoenician (we don’t talk to our neighbors and we shower 7-12 times…
No one will argue that a restaurant based around using local, sustainable ingredients is a great idea. Unfortunately, it takes more than that to get our taste buds going. See what we mean in this week’s Cafe column. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Calistro Bistro: In theory, I should love…
What if you could quit your day job and just eat and socialize all the time? (Picture this: Nights filled with wonderful conversation. Lovely hosts. Duck confit and huckleberry waffles with bourbon maple syrup. American Wagyu ribeye. Fluke crudo! Grand Marnier souffle!!! Mmmm, we’re getting all worked up just writing about…
Ooh, here’s some exciting news — there will soon be a superstar in our midst. The term “celebrity chef” gets thrown around a lot these days, but there’s no question that Thomas Keller truly is one. Whether you think The French Laundry in Yountville, CA, is the best restaurant in…
Pan searing is the secret to making your tongue bend to its knees and accept the healthiness of chicken breast. The best part is you can put it on anything. Salad, pasta, me, and it still tastes good.
Dar is a class act. She never forgets your drink and is as pleasant as can be. She’s a top notch bartender, and is atrociously gorgeous. This isn’t how Darlene (or “Dar” as she’s more commonly known) Bieling describes herself, nor is it my own personal judgment upon meeting her…
I promised not to name him yet, because he hasn’t given notice with his current employer. But if I could tell you who’s opening a stylish new downtown Mexican restaurant called Verde this coming month, I would most certainly put this chef’s name in bold letters. That’s what I did…
Schnepf Farms may have gotten a reputation for hosting rowdy music festivals, but that isn’t what is attracting fall foodies. Schnepf is another great example of an Arizona you-pick-it farm, and it’s a lot easier to get to than Buckelew or Apple Annie’s.Currently, the farm is putting on a pumpkin and chili…
I think the year was 1998 when my friend Indigo emerged from my bathroom smiling. She was impressed that I had Aveda shampoo in my shower. I guess it stuck in my mind because it was the moment I realized that women notice the little things. She went on to…
Seasonal. Local. Organic. Those three words always seem to go together, and you hear them more and more. They’re the unofficial mantra of the Slow Food Movement, which was founded 20 years ago when delegates from 15 countries signed a manifesto against fast food, fast life, and the erosion of…
This week’s Forking column gets down to the dirty truth about what your surroundings say about you. For the sake of making a good impression on your would-be significant other, make damn sure to clean your bathroom. As for your kitchen, have a pot of this German bread dumpling soup…
It’s like your 30-something gal pal is just gabbing about her latest food adventures, and they just so happen to always be healthy.
Yupha’s Thai Kitchen vs. Wild Thaiger Visit even a semi-authentic ethnic restaurant — Thai, Indian, Vietnamese — and you’ll generally find two types of dishes on the menu: traditional specialties with unpronounceable names and flavors that pay homage to the homeland, and bastardized versions more suited to the average American palate. Though…
There’s nothing better than a crisp, clean beer on a cool fall night. Ok, maybe a hot toddy, but we’re still all about fall seasonals like Dogfish Head’s Pumpkin Ale and Four Peaks’ Pumpkin Porter. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, find out which upcoming event will feature seasonal beers…
