Cafe: Ramen in the Valley

Would you believe that Japan’s most beloved combination of broth and starch is available right here in the desert? We didn’t either. Luckily, Michele Laudig knows better. She has revealed the Valley’s best ramen in her latest column. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Republic Ramen: I sampled four of the…

POOL Tests the Waters: Soft Opening July 30

POOL, the new collaborative market in Mesa, opens to the public July 30 at 10 a.m. for a test run before its grand opening this September, and more than 40 merchants will be open for business with plenty of food vendors to taste.

Jonathan Vallo’s S’mores Cheesecake

Close your eyes and imagine you are 10, sitting around a campfire with a long stick in your hand and a marshmallow on the end, quickly turning that perfect shade of gold. Your mind runs ahead a few minutes to the time when that golden marshmallow will be combined with…

BoSa Donuts: Now Entering Doughnut Dreamland

Is it me or does there seem to be a resurgence of Dunkin’ and Krispy Kreme doughnut huts popping up on every corner? Sure, they make it easy to grab a quick glazed and coffee, but where’s the love? Enter BoSa Donuts. With their original location in Chandler, a months-old…

59: Butterfish Tataki at Roka Akor

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…

Getting Glazed at BoSa Donuts

Doughnuts. At their best, they’re ring-shaped cakes of sugary, fried goodness. At their worst, they’re sad lumps of dry, tacky dough doing time as a mindless grab-‘n’-go breakfast, peeking out from a half-open box in the break room, picked through, broken into pieces, and stale as shit. Fry Girl don’t…

60: Eggs Maximilian at Harlow’s Cafe

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…

Jonathan Vallo of The Duce, Part Two

Yesterday we heard from Jonathan Vallo of The Duce. Today the conversation continues. One important thing to know about Jonathan Vallo- he’s a bit of a mystery. After hearing him say many times that he’s gone by different names and really likes to “lay low”, I started to wonder if…

Sun Tea: Solar Brew

Do you have any good tips for making sun tea? In 1904 at the summer St. Louis World’s Fair, the Commissioner of Tea for India could not interest the crowd in tasting his beverage. So he added ice to the glass and created a distinct way for Americans to take…

The New Burger Kings: Smashburger vs. Culver’s

Ever since Supersize Me came out, I’ve been loathe to dine at fast food restaurants. But with so many locals extolling the meaty virtues of the new pseudo-gourmet hamburger chains that have been popping up around the Valley, it was impossible to resist pitting two of these gut-busting gastronomic giants against each other.  Meet…

Raw Milk: Buy It in Arizona, But Buyer Beware

While it may sound foreign to some, the sale and consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk is going on right under your nose. Well, maybe not that close — but definitely in our fair city. Call this The Guide to Most Everything You Wanted to Know About Raw Milk But Didn’t Begin to…

61: Chickpea Ceviche at Bombay Spice

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…

Jonathan Vallo of The Duce, Part One

Equal parts Anthropologie and old Hollywood movie set, The Duce is an ambitious attempt at recreating an entire city neighborhood. Think New York or Chicago in the 1940’s. Complete with news stand, soda fountain, coffee bar, organic grocery market, various other retail nooks and perhaps most important a restaurant and bar,…

Ernesto Moncada, What Are You Eating?

Ernesto Moncada The author, poet, improviser and actor with experimental theater ensemble Arcana Collective and The Empty Frames Experiment conducts and produces the variety show Firestage at the Firehouse every Third Friday, hosts the monthly live talk show Grand Avenue Live! at The Trunk Space, and acts as host for…

Chef Marcellino Verzino’s Tuna Tartare

Last week’s Chef Chat was with Marcellino Verzino of Marcellino Ristorante. Below is a simple, light, summer recipe of his that you can make on your own at home. Buon Appetito! Tuna Tartare (Serves four: antipasto portion) Ingredients: ½ lb. fresh Ahi tuna juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp fresh…

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: S’more Please Sundaes Craig Chenery, What Are You Eating?…

Where Am I Eating?

Talk about a breakfast of champions. It was far too early to be up on a Tuesday morning, but a weekly breakfast with a great friend is a must do. Any sleep sacrificed was quickly forgotten when the waffle arrived. Considering there aren’t too many breakfast joints around town, this…

62: Spiced Skirt Steak at Tuck Shop

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, out September 30, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order Leave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section. Visit our sister blog, Jackalope…