By Jay Bennett On Saturday mornings, I like to head downtown to what is casually referred to as the farmers market, at Second and McKinley streets. It’s really called the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, a more suitable name than “farmers market” because, in my opinion, it’s way short on farmers…
By Wynter Holden In my notebook of odd dieting theories, I have one that’s completely ridiculous. Not that the idea is bad, mind you. Just that executing this particular plan requires that I look like a complete fool in front of dozens of strangers. I knew I was going to…
Somebody at Roka Akor really did their homework. When I heard that this spin-off of Roka, a London-based Japanese restaurant, was coming to Scottsdale, I felt ambivalent. On one hand, the menu looked mouthwatering. But I wondered whether we really needed one more trendy Japanese joint — especially one imported…
By Michele Laudig You have to hand it to the Spaniards — they’ve come up with one of the world’s most, uh, unique ways to work up an appetite: running their asses off as ornery bulls chase them down the street. That’s their idea of a party. Sol y Sombra’s…
Mmm … good! by Sarah Fenske I’m starting to think I’ve got a problem. I was on a ship for seven days eating some of the best food known to man: wild Alaskan salmon, pecan-crusted trout in beurre blanc sauce, prime rib and giant prawns stuffed with crab. Every meal…
By Michele Laudig In a small pond like Phoenix, there are only so many places for the big fish to swim. The news of former Phoenix Magazine restaurant reviewer Nikki Buchanan landing at the Arizona Republic is an interesting study in the feng shui of local food critics. As you…
By Wynter Holden I’ve seen canned aloe vera at the Phoenix Ranch Market, but I can’t imagine how that’s appetizing. In college, I had an aloe plant named Fanny. If I burned myself on a candle (which I did often, since I was totally goth and had a candelabra in…
By Megan Irwin I was particularly amused by the tiny pickle used as garnish for my sandwich at Lisa G’s. Ahh the “Veggie Sandwich.” The staple of cafe/bistro menus that cater mostly to meat eaters, but don’t want to exclude us veggies. Veggie sandwiches all share key characteristics: fancy bread…
By Michele Laudig I’m an extremely intuitive person, but sometimes I still second-guess myself. On a recent visit to Roka Akor — the high-style robatayaki joint in Scottsdale — I saw somebody from behind who immediately reminded me of Republic critic Howard Seftel. Keep in mind, I’ve never met Howard…
by Amy Silverman Look, I know times are tough. Money’s tight. I’m happy to shop the clearance racks at Target, buy my kids’ shoes at Last Chance and fork over my Safeway card to save a few pennies, even though it means some creepy marketing types will know my family…
By Wynter Holden When I was a kid, my mom would sauté liver with onions and unconvincingly try to pass it off as steak. The funny part is, she tried to fake my dad out, too. He bought it. I didn’t. Maybe it was my keen sense of smell, or…
By Michele Laudig Independence Day last Friday just gave us a sweet three-day weekend, but zut alors, the French have to celebrate Bastille Day on a Monday this year. But there’s still plenty of reason to party. (Isn’t French food and French wine worth celebrating all the time?) Check out…
by Robrt L. Pela My spouse claims that I manage to work into every conversation the fact that we are not allowed by law to marry one another. He’s exaggerating, of course, but I am pretty bitter about this. His accusation came to mind when I sat down to write…
By Steve Jansen The one and only I’ve never understood the standing-in-line-to-buy-stuff phenomenon. Call me a selfish snob, but I absolutely relish my leisure time, plus I’m an extremely impatient person when it comes to queuing with other people. So why would I waste my time smelling some dude’s B.O…
by Robrt L. Pela Not only is there no rabbit in this Rabbit Omelet, but it tastes like shit, besides. There isn’t enough cheese, and there’s too much beer, which might not have mattered if I’d made it with something other than Old Milwaukee, which was the only beer I…
By Wynter Holden Who is Fair Trade Café barista Xoë McAleece? Go back a few years and there’s no record of her existing at all. No birth certificate. No high school records. No trace of her before she turned eighteen. We caught up with the mysterious Xoë (pronounced zoh-ee) and…
By Michele Laudig Let’s face it: As groovy a bar as Mickey’s Hangover might be, the name of this retro-fabulous Scottsdale scenester joint really lends itself to a breakfast spot. Well, nobody’s turning off the beer tap at the bar, but now the folks at Mickey’s really are going to…
By Michele Laudig eat.shop.phoenix, subtitled, “The Indispensable Guide to Inspired, Locally Owned Eating and Shopping Establishments.” Author Anna H. Blessing makes it pretty clear that she doesn’t live in the Valley, but has family connections here. For her compilation of blurbs on local eateries and boutiques, she solicited recommendations from…
By Jonathan McNamara Avid New Times readers may be under the impression that working here is a never-ending party. We cover concerts. We write about sexist chocolates. We get to have our say about the actions of public officials. But believe me when I say there are times when working…
By Michele Laudig Someday soon, I won’t be surprised to see a sushi restaurant on every corner. Yes, folks, there are two more new restaurants where you can get your fresh fish fix. Last weekend, Kizake Sushi & Martinis finally opened for business at San Marcos Plaza (91 W. Boston…
By Jay Bennett I have declared it to be the “Summer of the Summer Rolls.” Not sure whom in the world of officialdom I must talk to in order to make my declaration recognized, so, dear readers of Budget Beat, it might end up being our little secret. But that’s…
By Wynter Holden I’ve never had the experience of simultaneously finding it incredibly easy and agonizingly difficult to stick to my diet. That is, until now. I hadn’t been to the little cafe that opened up just south of MacAlpine’s on 7th Street, so I scheduled an interview there last…
