So last week, Andrew Zimmern goes on a quest for real Sonoran cuisine in Arizona on Bizarre Foods and hooks up with Chris Bianco, the wait-in-line-for-two-hours pizza guy of Pizzeria Bianco. Huh? What? Why? Were all the Mexican foodies in the Valley busy? Did Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner of Barrio…
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: McDonald’s “Great Tastes of America” in the UK: Cue…
A few sweet pastries, good company and a huge, refillable cup of coffee. This, friends, is truly a breakfast of champions (or at least it’ll tide us over until the weekend officially begins). Can you guess where I’m eating? Last week’s winner guessed the answer in record time. Congratulations “Booger,”…
Sunflower Market is the latest in a long line of restaurants, food manufacturers and grocery stores catering to the gluten-free market. No, they’re not ditching the Bertolli pasta and burning whole wheat tortillas in effigy. But they are labeling all of the gluten-free products in the store with special “Smart Tags,” offering…
Fast-food value menus and dollar deals. These days, you can’t swing a bag of burgers without hitting one. And when you’re hungry and have only a few dollars to spare, they may be your best bargain. But then again, maybe not. So far, Jack in the Box has avoided dollar-menu…
Is there anything as satisfying as a huge bowl of noodle soup? We don’t think so. That’s why we’re so stoked to hear about Pho Thanh. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Pho Thanh: As the name would suggest, pho is the house specialty, with quite a few different variations, including…
We knew something wasn’t quite right today when we walked into Tradiciones, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. The music was a little too loud, the servers looked flustered. When our chicken fajitas arrived, they looked different, too. Then the tortillas hit the table, and we knew something had gone…
Chef Greg LaPrad of Quiessence at the Farm at South Mountain joined us for this week’s Chef Chat. When LaPrad’s not busy planning the day’s menu, he can be found in the kitchen experimenting with local produce. This week, he shares his recipe for a Quiessence dessert: Lavender Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta …..
As the Average Joe and Jane become more interested in the culinary arts, gourmet trends like edible flowers are increasing in popularity. Just look at the number of lavender desserts that popped up in Phoenix last year: blueberry-lavender ice cream at Roy’s, lavender streusel at Bourbon Steak, strawberry-lavender jelly sandwich cookies from Sweet Pea…
The lid of the black, shiny box holding the new fire-grilled ribs from Burger King says, “Straight From the Grill.” That’s an error. It should say, “Left On the Grill.”…
I mourned the loss of Pho Bang restaurant even before it closed last year. For many years, the longstanding Vietnamese eatery at Camelback and 17th Avenue was my go-to place (in that part of the Valley, anyway) for a steaming, soul-satisfying bowl of pho, a cheap, filling rice dish, or…
You’re hungry, on the road, and have just a few bucks in your wallet. The fast-food giants are waving value menus and dollar deals in your money-starved face. Will most of us bite? Sure, we will. Grab a burger for a buck and a regular-size soda and we’re on our…
A tamale is like a holiday present — you never know what’s inside the wrapping until you open it, and the likeability of what’s inside is often dependent on who gave it to you. That’s why we opted to check out two local favorites, one Mexican and the other Spanish-influenced, for this week’s Battle of the Tamales. …
Yesterday we heard from Chef Greg LaPrad of Quiessence. Today the conversation continues. Chef LaPrad describes his own kitchen as boot camp. The hand full of cooks and chefs in the kitchen are constantly reinventing the menu and their recipes — it’s a new menu every day. “It’s hard…
The daily menu is not a new concept by any means — LaPrad thanks his younger kitchen experiences in Italy for the inspiration — but the challenge fit nicely with the restaurant’s location on the Farm at South Mountain. The chef just has to walk outside every morning to look…
We can all thank KFC’s Double Down Sandwich for raising the grossness bar when it comes to eating. Since April, nothing has touched it. They have expanded the playing field of repulsive, have gone the extra mile to create colon explosions of untold severity, and have raised their middle finger…
When Aric Mei stumbled upon Salon De Venus on Camelback Road, he had no intention of getting a haircut. In hot pursuit of a location for his new restaurant, Mei met Ted and Mary Williams, who were in their 80s and looking to hand over ownership of the building they…
How well do you know your favorite cookhouse contraptions? See if you can guess today’s gadget and check back next week for the answer, and to see if you’ve won a most-awesome prize. Here are a few shots at this week’s trickster, add yours to the comment box below: -…
Kathy Cano-Murillo The namesake/operator of www.CraftyChica.com, artist, author and Senior New Product Developer and National Spokesperson for iLoveToCreate recently added “novelist” to the list with the release of her new book, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter (Grand Central Publishing). What’d you eat for dinner last night? Where’s the…
Finally, some truth in advertising. Dig this spot for McDonald’s fourth annual “Great Tastes of America” promotion in the UK, a five-week program involving the introduction every Wednesday of a new American-themed burger. Beginning with the New York Special, Mickey Dee’s “Great Tastes of America” will also feature the Chicago…
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: Now Open in Scottsdale: Nourish Joe’s Real BBQ to…
In this week’s Chef Chat, we heard from Chef Bryan Hulihee of Roaring Fork. Today he shares his recipe for a Roaring Fork classic: Fondue Pot and Chile Pecan Bread (lamb chops optional). Here’s how it’s done…..
