For most people I know, hot dogs are usually an occasional indulgence — maybe a dog with the works and a huge beer at a baseball game, a Nogales dog when the mood strikes, or hot dogs on the grill on a lazy Sunday by the pool. But Joe’s Farm…
After recently overhearing a few out-of-town visitors discuss their aversion to sampling fish from a “non-coastal state” (oh, the horror!), we felt compelled to shed some light on the Valley’s fine seafood offerings. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, we’ve got a hot tip on a North Valley Japanese restaurant that offers traditional sushi, oak-grilled…
The clouds are still on the horizon, but it feels like a monsoon of restaurant closures is suddenly raining down on the Valley. In Scottsdale, Pink Pony (Old Town’s baseball memorabilia-laden institution) and Quilted Bear (the old-school American eatery founded by the late restaurateur Dale Anderson) have closed, as have Mesa’s Pizza…
What’s chef Matt McLinn been up to lately? Among other things, the former Methode Bistro owner has been working as the menu consultant for Dos Diablos Fine Mexican Food, a new upscale Southwestern restaurant that takes over the former Mancuso’s space at the Summit Shopping Center in north Scottsdale (32427 N…
Just a month after we said R.I.P. to Canal, chef Joseph Gutierrez is already up and running in that space with his second of three restaurants at Scottsdale’s turnover-prone SouthBridge development. Acua opened for dinner service last Thursday, serving an Asian-French fusion menu comprised of ten small plates, ten large…
All the time I spent studying Japanese literature was not in vain, as of this morning, when I got a look at the Eric Eats Out blog. I’m giggling as I write this. No, Eric doesn’t simply write a haiku. He actually writes a restaurant review in some approximation of a…
Andy and Jan Goldstein, the two husband-and-wife hippies behind Two Hippies, are expanding their mini-empire. By the end of this week, Andy Goldstein tells me, they’ll be opening Two Hippies Dropped Out of College and Opened a Pizzeria. Has there ever been a restaurant whose name was a full sentence?…
This week’s recipe comes from a friend who has a knack for going into the kitchen and whipping up quick little dishes that she seems to pull out of thin air. This is the same pal who was kind enough to share her recipe for cranberry sorbet. Spicy cucumber salad…
So what, exactly, is the “Coffee Conspiracy” at Conspire coffee house in downtown Phoenix? We can let you in on one thing — this offbeat mom-and-pop shop uses the house blend of Tempe’s Cartel Coffee Lab for its brews, so CenPho folks can enjoy Cartel’s heady roast blends without having…
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: Monday Night Martha: Leeks with Eggs and Cheese Foie…
Looking for something new this weekend? Chef James Porter’s new French bistro, Petite Maison, opens its doors to the public this Sunday at 5 p.m. It will be dinner-only until September 5, when breakfast, brunch, and lunch service start up. Petite Maison is located at 7216 E. Shoeman Ln. in…
Lately I’ve been looking outside the U.S. for tempting brews to try. Last week Tiger from Singapore left me feeling flat as, well, the beer itself. This week I’m heading to Brazil to try out Xingu Black Beer. But first, a brief history lesson about the word “xingu.” Xingu refers to…
Great news for the caffeine-deprived: Fair Trade Cafe, an indie coffee shop that specializes in hand-roasted, small-batch, certified fair trade coffee, is about to double its downtown presence by opening its second location tonight. The original shop is just off the Roosevelt stop of the light rail (1020 N. 1st…
Trudy Thomas spent her childhood in the bourbon distilleries of Kentucky. She spent her a good part of her twenties working under Wolfgang Puck in Chicago, and now she’s spreading the mixology gospel in the Valley. The Director of Beverage at the Camelback Inn, the co-founder and vice-chairman of the…
When it comes to work week cooking we’re with Food Critic Michele Laudig. After slaving away on blogs we’d rather let someone else handle feeding us. So we’re taking Laudig’s recommendation and checking out Spices Mediterranean Kitchen. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Spices Mediterranean Kitchen: The offerings aren’t expansive, but…
Michael Jackson is back — in cupcake form. Barbara Gardner, owner of the Arcadia bakery Let Them Eat Cake regularly features a “guest star” on her lengthy menu of baked goodies. Last month, it was an Elvis-inspired confection, but this week’s hit a particularly interesting note. …
There are bartenders. And then there are bartenders. Trudy Thomas is the latter. By bartenders (emphasis on the art), we mean those who take their jobs a lot more seriously than the rest – those who discuss bartending in terms of dedication and passion; those who treat their craft with…
I always used to say, “It’s a fine line between being alone and being lonely.” I think I’ve crossed that line. I know I made this decision to live in the desert all summer, but the solitude is maddening! I’m now having full conversations with my dog; I’ve started to sing…
I’ve always considered myself a pretty DIY person, even when it comes to cooking. Although I haven’t tried to tackle a culinary masterpiece like Mastering the Art of French Cooking à la blogger Julie Powell, I can at least list from-scratch puff pastry among my kitchen accomplishments. But let me…
Chicago Hamburger Company vs. Boomer’s Sweet Home Chicago This week we went to two Chicago-style restaurants to compare sliders, those adorable mini burgers that are so small they slide down your throat. Why Chicago? It’s not completely clear but apparently Walter Anderson, the founder of White Castle, wanted burgers to be…
If you’re craving a juicy hamburger but don’t want to deal with kiddie playgrounds and cartoon characters, check out this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter for info on a late-night date place where burgers are king. We’ll also have the scoop on a back to school party for grown-ups and one of the…
A lot can happen in six months. For Regions Bistro & Bar in Scottsdale (9343 E. Shea), that span of time included a February debut (followed a month later by the opening of a sister location in Tempe), the swift departure of its original executive chef, a sudden closure in June…
