Restaurants

A kitchen sponge has more germs than the seat of the toilet being used by that man in the airport.

In response to Macayo’s recent ad campaign to anoint the Chimichanga as Arizona’s official state food, we started our own very unscientific poll.

Here comes another one. On the heels of the announcement that the potent pair behind FnB — front-of-the-house pro Pavle Milic and chef Charleen Badman — are planning to launch their three-concept experience, one of which is a wine bar, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Craftsman Court (in…

The abundance of Sonoran-style Mexican food in the Valley is so great, it’s almost taken for granted. On the other hand, Oaxacan food, from the state of Oaxaca in southwestern Mexico, is something you have to look a little harder for. And for those looking for Oaxacan eats, served up…

​American drinkers don’t often trouble themselves with Mexican affairs, but with the future of agave-based spirits suddenly unsure, perhaps they should. Trouble is brewing in our neighbor to the south, where legislators have proposed a bill that could harm the variety and quality of the agave-based spirits we enjoy, as…

The abundance of Sonoran-style Mexican food in the Valley is so great, it almost is taken for granted. For most of us, it’s like chicken soup when we’re unwell, an obvious go-to. Oddly enough, it was the familiarity of chicken soup that led to a spot serving less commonly found…

​The Mill Avenue area surely must be approaching a critical mass of frozen dessert purveyors. As of a couple of weeks ago, on the short quarter-mile strip there are now six shops exclusively offering chilly sweets. Of the six, half of them offer hand-scooped ice cream sandwiched between fresh-baked cookies.  With…

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. A few weeks ago, we were alerted to the fact…

Honey bees are one of nature’s best examples of keeping it local. Most bees travel no more than two miles to pollenate, and are even more perfectly content if there’s a lemon tree a few yards away. The end result? Honey that tastes of lemon zest, which you spread on toast…

Over the past two days we’ve brought you the highlights of our time with pastry chef Linda Schneider of 21 Cakes. If you haven’t made it out to the shop since it open last August, the elegant confections and beautiful space in which to enjoy them will make the drive…

Jennifer Woods Glenn Wagner, Vice President of Sales – Retail Division for Sogno Toscano ​While doing some evening mall errands at Scottsdale Fashion Square earlier this month, we noticed an olive oil kiosk named “Olive Oil Boutique.” At first we weren’t too excited; this appeared to be just another mobile retail space…

On the heels of its fourth anniversary this month, Humble Pie, the locally-owned pizza chain with three locations (Hilton Village, Desert Ridge, and Central Phoenix), has announced it will open a fourth restaurant in Scottsdale’s Kierland Village in mid-February. The largest of all the locations, the coming-soon Humble Pie, at…

Lately, in this In Season 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 that extra bag of greens (spinach would be great here) and frozen or…

This week we bring you Pastry Chef Linda Schneider of 21 Cakes, the gourmet cupcake and macron bakery in Scottsdale. Yesterday she told us about her childhood baking with her grandmother and explained the difference between a macron and a macaroon. Today, we ask her advice for new bakers and…

From hiring ex-Noca chef Chris Curtiss to run his new NoRTH location in Arcadia last November, to taking over the Oakville Grocery Co. space at CityScape in October to open Chloe’s Corner with co-owner Ashly Young last week, restaurateur Sam Fox has been a busy boy indeed — and just…

Many of us in the Valley consider Over Easy, restaurateur Aaron May’s concept of breakfast eats with some unique twists (with locations in Arcadia and North Scottsdale), our neighborhood go-to spot for a.m. goodness. Now, it looks like Travel + Leisure, the travel magazine and website based in New York…

Hold onto your dental work, Phoenix. It’s that time again. Caramelpalooza 2012 will take place Friday, March 2, at Smeeks candy shop in central Phoenix, from 7 p.m. til the caramel runs out. And we’re looking for chefs interested in participating in this year’s third-annual caramel tasting, co-sponsored by Smeeks…

In this week’s Chef Chat we satisfy our sweet tooth by sitting down to chat with pastry chef Linda Schneider of 21 Cakes in Scottsdale. Schneider, a classically trained chef and cupcake master, grew up baking with her grandmother and mother. Today family recipes like her grandmother’s chocolate cake live…

In what is clearly a plan for COMPLETE WORLD DOMINATION, Dunkin’ Donuts, the international chain of sub-par doughnuts and muffins, horrible breakfast sandwiches, and deliciously sweet coffee I’d eat a box of sub-par doughnuts for, announced this month that it will be doubling the number of its U.S. locations over…

Cool Gelato Italiano, a new gelato shop set to open in early February at 7373 East Scottsdale Mall (behind the Scottsdale Center for the Arts) will feature twenty varieties of the cool treat (don’t call it ice cream) as well as sorbet made with fresh fruits, gelato sandwiches, and gelato…

It’s not always easy to find a place that serves quick, healthy, and satisfying vegan and vegetarian options. Those in Chandler are lucky to have 24 Carrot Juice, conveniently located on Chandler Blvd. near the 202, I-10, and the 101.

Good parents who love their kids dearly don’t intentionally make choices that they know will end up making life challenging for their children. But it happened to Jackie Evans. She scheduled lots of sports for her kids but then would drive them all over town and swing by the fast…