When I shake Daniel Trotter’s hand, it’s soaking wet. Down two kitchen staff, the owner of the Chick-fil-A on East Mayo Boulevard in Scottsdale has graciously washed up before rushing out to chat about the chain’s new Spicy Chicken Sandwich, introduced last week. It’s lunchtime, the joint’s packed, and Trotter’s…
It’s no secret that the Valley has a quirky urban fabric when it comes to the restaurant scene. Some cities have stretches of restaurants along busy, walkable blocks, but here, it doesn’t faze us to find fine dining in a strip mall or a high-style hangout in a souped-up vintage…
Yesterday we heard from Chef Aaron Chamberlin of St. Francis. Today the conversation continues. Though Chef Chamberlin worked for nine years with French chefs in the U.S., he decided that St. Francis wouldn’t be pigeonholed. Rather, he wanted to utilize the talents he has on his staff, allowing room for…
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…
International foods have found their way into the heart of American (and Phoenician) cuisine, from sushi rolls and ramen bowls to gelato and panini. For this week’s battle, we visited two places with international flavor — one a tiny vegetarian friendly cafe owned by a self-professed world traveler and the other a chic wine…
Ahwatukee’s Secreto is a secret no longer. Word of mouth is spreading about this New Mexican restaurant which quietly opened last Thursday in the former Havana Cafe spot in SE Phoenix (4232 E. Chandler Blvd., 480-706-2200). Secreto is named after a group of Franciscan monks who smuggled Spanish grapevines into New Mexico…
Aaron Chamberlin’s central Phoenix restaurant St. Francis may only be seven months old, but he’s not new to the restaurant business. Coming from three generations of a food industry family made an impact on the chef. You can see it from his grandparents’ tasting spoons embedded into the restaurant’s entranceway,…
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 orderLeave your suggestions for upcoming favorites in the comments section.Visit our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch, for a companion series on 100 Creatives who make…
Scott Pierce, aka Pandora DeStrange The actor and drag queen, who is one of the founders of Soul Invictus Gallery and Cabaret, performs in The Follies drag show every Saturday at 10 p.m. at Ice Pics Video Bar What’d you eat for dinner last night? Green corn tamales, chicken taquitos…
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: – Table – Wood Table – Wood Table With Four…
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…
Summer’s just started and already this Fry Girl feels more “fry” than “girl.”Big thanks to Sonic for bringing on some chill. The 3,500-unit drive-in chain is promoting its “Real Ice Cream” with “buy one, get one free” shakes and 99 cent one-topping sundaes. What’s Real Ice Cream? A richer, creamier…
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 Damon Brasch, What Are You Eating? New Summer Foodie…
Nothing says, ready for the weekend like a big bowl of nachos and a house-made brew. … Whoops, sorry, we just caught ourselves drooling. This spot is a southern oasis during sports games and weekends — really, we’d go any day. Can you guess where I’m eating?Last Week’s contest had…
You know the Alice Waters-inspired hunt for truly perfect ingredients has reached its zenith when restaurants are boasting about their designer ice cubes.Seriously — it turns out that having the highest quality ice is a huge deal for some high-end restaurants. And we’ve got the scoop in New Times summer…
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…
Here’s a quick look back at our new restaurant friends and the one (only one, as far as we know!) we lost in the month of May. OPEN!IrunaPrimeBarGiant CoffeeChina Magic Noodle House …
Fondue is great…unless you’re alone. Surely it is far better to have friends to eat with. According to Food Critic Michele Laudig the same is true of Glendale’s Le Chalet. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Le Chalet: Our mouths were watering just from the rich smell of melted butter that…
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…
The original Al’s Beef on Taylor Street in Chicago started serving up authentic Italian beef sandwiches 70 years ago. In addition to being named one of the best sandwiches in America by Esquire magazine, Al’s Beef has recently been featured on Travel Channel’s Food Wars (losing out to Windy City…
I have plenty of fond memories of dining solo — routinely splurging on pierogi in Manhattan, cozying up to a six-seat sushi bar in Kyoto, running rampant in a Singapore food court as I filled my plastic tray with as many dishes as would fit. In the middle of a…
A good Italian beef sandwich is a delicious mess. The Italian beef sandwich at Al’s Beef in North Scottsdale is just a mess. The sandwich is a staple of Chicago cuisine, and the original Al’s Beef is a fixture in that city’s Little Italy neighborhood, but the fare at the…
