Restaurants

A food processor is essential to success here, but it’s not nearly as pricey as a Hadron Collider and there are more practical applications.

Restaurateur Bryan Chittenden is a busy man. Last week, Chittenden, who, along with partners Greg Donnally and Andrew Nam, own Stingray Sushi, Geisha A Go-Go, Jimmy Woo’s, and Spanish Fly in addition to the now-shuttered Drift, opened Big B’s Hangover, a hoagie spot that took over the location of the…

Here’s a little something to raise a glass to. Four Peaks Brewing Company, the Tempe institution serving up handcrafted suds in a 1892 Mission-style warehouse since 1996, has been named one of the top fifty craft brewers in the U.S. by the Brewers Association — a not-for-profit trade group that…

Dates grow abundantly in the Valley, but for most of us, date shakes are synonymous with road trips to San Diego. We stop at Date Land along Interstate 8 to gas up, use a clean gas station bathroom and consume sweet and chewy dates in the only way some of…

For fans of Fuego Bistro, the tiny Latin-inspired eatery in north Central Phoenix, or its more casual spinoff in the Camelback Esplanade, Fuego Tacos, owner Jeff Ward has some surprises in store — two of them, in fact. Ward is planning to open two additional Fuego-themed restaurants in the next…

The time has come to showcase some of the unnecessary hideousness Pinterest has to offer. Let’s be real… There is a lot of stuff on there that just shouldn’t exist. Beginning with KitchenAid mixer decals. I didn’t realize what a phenomenon this was until I started paying attention. I just…

Opening a restaurant in a former Mexican joint that sat empty for 10 years in a dying shopping center is one gutsy move. But that’s exactly what Bill Sandweg did when he opened Circle H Barbecue at Seventh Ave and Camelback, a few blocks north of Copper Star Coffee, his…

This week we’ve been talking with Brian Kingdeski of The Spot in Gilbert. Open since January, the neighborhood eatery specializes in home cooked classics and friendly service. Their quirky, 13-foot-wide space and beach cruiser delivery system add to the charm. Today, Kingdeski’s going to break down one of the restaurant’s…

Whether it’s decided to jump its throned-ass on the bandwagon of a peaking trend or still smarting from being bumped out of its number two fast food spot by Wendy’s, Burger King has announced it will roll out forty of its own food trucks throughout various cities starting today…

Welcome to Chow Bella’s Bites & Dishes, where Valley chefs and restaurateurs respond to a question New Times food critic Laura Hahnefeld has on her mind. Have a question you’d like to ask? E-mail laura.hahnefeld@newtimes.com. Miss a question? Go here. Spills, the occasional fire — wait, there’s no baking soda…

Like Valley chefs and restaurateurs, most of us enjoy the pleasure of thumbing through the printed pages of our favorite cookbooks. But thanks to the internet supplying all matter of drool-worthy food images and kitchen content at our fingertips, many of us turn to the interweb for culinary inspiration as…

Yesterday we began our talk with Brian Kingdeski of The Spot in Gilbert. The neighborhood restaurant and hangout serves “food you’ll like” in a comfortably tiny and welcoming setting. The Spot may be a baby in the restaurant world, but Kingdeski’s no new kid on the block. He’s been working…

Looks like the building at 1575 East Camelback Road (southwest corner of 16th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix) will have not one, but two styles of cuisines by the end of the month. The home of Fuji Buffet, the space has been split in half to allow a new…

The Spot in Gilbert, where owner Brian Kingdeski talks family values and bringing homemade classics, at an affordable price. Although an undeniably Google-unfriendly name, “The Spot” fits this restaurant like a glove. With dexterity that reveals Kingdeski’s decades of experience in the restaurant biz,a 13-foot-wide retail space has been transformed…

Lately, in this In Season/Meatless Monday series, we’re taking a look at what I take home from Crooked Sky Farms each week and see what I’ve done with my CSA share, or part share. This week I’m using butternut squash but you could use another squash or even sweet potatoes,…

For those full-up with fast food, pizza, or a weekend’s worth of cheap beer, a new healthy eats spot coming to Tempe aims to provide a bit of balance. D’Lish Kitchen and Coffee House, a health-conscious eatery complete with a drive-thru for good food on the go, is opening its…

Hey Chandler, ready for some BBQ? Texas style or Mountain style? You now have both! Texas barbecue franchise Rudy’s Country Store and BBQ opened earlier in April and are dishing out Texas style brisket, ribs, chicken and smoked sausage. And right across the street, New Mexico’s Can’t Stop Smokin’ is…

Pizzeria Bianco, celebrated pie master Chris Bianco’s award-winning Heritage Square eatery, continues to secure its place in history as a pilgrimage-worthy destination with a nod from Food & Wine magazine as one of its 25 best pizza spots in the U.S. Chosen from new and established pizza places from all…

Just utter (or type) the words food and truck in close proximity, and some people freak out — while others drool. It’s the same among Chow Bella’s staff, which is why when we decided to unveil our first “Point-Counterpoint” (with thanks/apologies to our sister blog in Houston, Eating Our Words)…

Phoenix isn’t exactly a culinary hub, and the Valley’s restaurants don’t always get the kind of attention as those in New York, L.A., and Seattle. But we have our fair share of star chefs, and if there was a leader of the pack, it might just have to be Chef…

Yesterday we told you about our experiences with coconut shampoo rum and the surprisingly similar Malibu Red, a blend of coconut rum and tequila. Dedicated tasters that we are, we tried the drink in many forms: neat, on the rocks, mixed with coke, and in the many cocktails posted on…

For those in Old Town Scottsdale in search of cheesesteaks, meatball sandwiches, and cold hoagies — especially in the late evening hours — and who might not have heard the news that the Philadelphia Sandwich Company has moved (and re-opened) to a larger space at 4225 North Craftsman Court, not…