Battle of the Sweet Potato Fries

Stax Burger Bistro vs. Indulge Burgers & MoreGood sweet potato fries are not easy to find. Making them well is like successfully solving a complex equation whose variables include salt, oven temperature, fry grease and potato thickness. This week we check out two Scottsdale burger joints where sweet potato fries…

Campus Coffee: Fair Trade Is Now Available Between Classes

In an effort to show its dedication to sustainability, the city of Phoenix revamped the historic A.E. England Building and opened it to shops. Fair Trade Café snatched up one of the retail spaces, in a prime location across from ASU’s Cronkite School and University Center, and opened its doors about…

Chakra 4 Herb & Tea House Makes Bingeing Good For You

Have you ever gotten on an evil junk food binge that you know you need to kick? That’s been me lately. I’m usually a well-balanced omnivore even when I’m not on the job, but for some reason I’ve been eating unusual quantities of blatantly bad-for-me stuff in the past few…

Campus Coffee: Drip Coffee Lounge Tastes Like Growing Up

Drip Coffee Lounge is tucked away in a multitude of shops and eateries off 7th Street south of Thomas. It’s a little hard to find and usually only open until 3 p.m.Overcoming those hurdles, the strong coffee and impressive lunch menu are worth the minor inconveniences. However, we will say…

Z’Tejas Hosts Chile Fest for Charity

All four Valley locations of Z’Tejas are serving up a special menu of chile-centric dishes this month to raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s fight against cancer. The fifth annual Chile Fest menu features four entrees and a dessert for lunch; Z’Tejas will donate one dollar to the non-profit…

This Week: Half Off at Sushi Roku

For their one-year anniversary, the folks at Sushi Roku, the high-style Japanese restaurant at the W Scottsdale, are offering up an enticing deal for regulars and first-timers alike. Today through September 13, guests will get a 50 percent discount on all food items for lunch and dinner, from traditional sushi…

Campus Coffee: Lola Coffee Might Be the Best Part of Waking Up

U-Pass holders rejoice! This week’s Campus Coffee series uncovers some café gems in downtown Phoenix.Take the light rail westbound to Central and Camelback, head south a couple blocks, and you’ll find  Lola Coffee, a cozy little café popping out of an equally delightful little shopping center. If you need more…

St. Francis Restaurant Now Open

Chef-owner Aaron Chamberlin’s long-awaited St. Francis — located in a completely renovated midcentury Harold Ekman building at 111 E. Camelback — is open for dinner tonight. According to some friends who went to the restaurant’s preview last night, tonight’s soft-opening will have a limited menu. A big wood-fired oven is the…

This Week In Chow Bella

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: Dairy Club Offers Fresh Farm Food at Discount Prices…

Market On Mill In Photos

Despite a valiant attempt by Mother Nature, the first-ever Market on Mill was not rained out last night. Instead, delicious bread, ice cream, herbs and other market-fresh items were up from grabs. Check out a few photos from last night. …

Coming Soon: Lunch at Lola Tapas

Further proof that if enough people wish for something, it just might happen: Lola Tapas will soon start opening for lunch. “It seems like every week I have regulars and new people telling me we should be open for lunch,” says owner Felicia Ruiz. She confirmed the rumor today, explaining…

Sweet Republic at First Friday Tonight

Sweet Republic is worth a visit no matter what part of the Valley you’re in, but tonight, CenPho folks don’t need to trek to North Scottsdale, as the popular ice cream shop will have presence at tonight’s First Friday (complete with a street closure on Roosevelt for a big skateboarding…

Brew Review: Black Boss Porter

I have been accused of being the last person to jump on the pop culture train. I bring this up because I recently discovered (unlike the rest of America) “Like A Boss” by The Lonely Island. And you know what? Like Andy Samberg, I’m feeling extra corporate today, so (like…

Cafe: The Lodge

It was after a game of poker with some friends that it happened. A remaining bowl of cheese puffs sat, ignored, on the counter. The bet was $12 to finish the entire bowl in 5 minutes. The time started and I shoved fistfuls of cheese puffs into my mouth and…

Over Easy Expands to Scottsdale

Rumors have been floating around for a couple of months that chef/restaurateur Aaron May would be opening another location of his breakfast spot, Over Easy. Indeed, it’s true — and it’ll be happening later this month at North Scottsdale’s Ice Den skating complex, reports the Trib today. Details aren’t confirmed about…

Forking: Crab Legs

This week’s Forking column focuses on the perils of getting attached to the live animal you plan to serve for dinner. Now you can bring the fun and awkwardness of serving something with a face home for your next date with this recipe for crab legs. Steaming crab legs: Add…

Summer Break’s Almost Over for Voltaire and Other Spots

Restaurant owners Martin and David Antonelli are getting ready to reopen Voltaire next week, on September 10, after their annual summer break. The traditional French restaurant, located in Scottsdale, is one of a handful of local eateries that close down for extended vacations during the hottest — and slowest — time…

Zipps Sports Grill Replaces Corona Cantina

Is this lucky seven? The seventh location of Zipps Sports Grill just opened on Tuesday at 3647 E. Indian School Rd., in the space very briefly occupied by Corona Cantina. For sports fans, this means 27 flat screen TVs for watching the game. For everyone else, it’s just good burgers,…

Campus Coffee: eJoy Reopens and Loses the Creep Factor

Our favorite place to get fed and caffeinated between classes is probably eJoy Internet Café off Mill Avenue and 7th Street. Now that eJoy is finally out of its creepy gamer phase and under new management, it is better than ever. The back room, full of unused computers, has been…

Sasquatch Burgers Draw Patrons to Aaron May’s The Lodge

I hadn’t really given much thought to reviewing The Lodge, a ski lodge-themed American restaurant/watering hole in Old Town Scottsdale, until a new signature menu item was unveiled a few months back. It’s called the Sasquatch Burger, and it’s as gargantuan as the name implies. When I posted a blog…

Welcome Diner Welcomes Change

Change is afoot at Welcome Diner on Roosevelt downtown. The rumors started last week with this mysterious status update on the Roosevelt Row Facebook page:”Eating lunch at Welcome Diner. Show them some love while you still can.”Phoenix foodies enamored with the blink-and-you’ll-miss it space started freaking out, wondering whether Welcome…