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: Tofurky & Gravy Soda Makes for a Bizarre Thanksgiving…

Sunday: Arizona Wine Growers Festival at the Farm

Sunday, November 22, is the day to get out and drink some delicious homegrown wines at the Arizona Wine Growers Festival at the Farm. First of all, do you really need any excuse to go to the Farm at South Mountain? It’s one of the prettiest places in the Valley, and…

Sweet Read: Field Guide to Candy

What to say about pastry chef/blogger/cookbood author Anita Chu’s new book except that you have to have it? Her Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable is just as mouthwatering as it sounds, with more than 100 essential recipes packed into one thick, tiny…

Alchemy Restaurant Set to Reopen Next Week at CopperWynd Resort

CopperWynd, the AAA Four Diamond resort in Fountain Hills, took such a beating in the recession that it suspended operations earlier this year. That included a shuttering of its restaurant, Alchemy. But there’s a new chapter in the story. On Tuesday, November 24, Alchemy will reopen with a new chef/co-owner, Paul O’Connor…

New in Tempe: Sleepy Dog Saloon & Brewery

Just in time for the weekend, there’s a brand-new microbrewery to quench your thirst in Tempe.Sleepy Dog Saloon & Brewery, located at 1920 E. University, is set to open Saturday, November 21. Owner Rob Sizemore’s original brews include Puppy Pale (pale ale), Irish Setter (Irish red), Hound (hefeweizen), and Scottie (Scottish…

Stuffing Showdown: Hot Italian Sausage Stuffing With Thyme

From now ’til Thanksgiving, we’ll be sharing various stuffing recipes — all tested and taste-tested first-hand by Chow Bella contributors. On Thanksgiving Day, our “celebrity judge,” New Times food critic Michele Laudig, will weigh in with her favorite of the lot. Yesterday we checked out Nicki Escudero’s vegan “sausage” stuffing…

Cafe: Tommy V’s Osteria Pizzeria

When out-of-state friends come to visit, they’re surprised and amazed when we take them out for Pizza. “Pizza?” they say, “In the desert?” Absolutely. Everyone knows Bianco’s has great pizza, but this week’s cafe column has us jonesin’ for a new spin on pizza pie. Food Critic Michele Laudig on…

Stuffing Showdown: Vegan “Sausage” Stuffing

Welcome to the Stuffing Showdown of 2009. From now ’til Thanksgiving, we’ll be sharing various stuffing recipes — all tested and taste-tested first-hand by Chow Bella contributors. On Thanksgiving Day, our “celebrity judge,” New Times food critic Michele Laudig, will weigh in with her favorite of the lot. First up:…

Battle of the Meat Chili

Saddle Ranch Chop House vs. Bison Witches Deli Now that fall has arrived (yes we know it’s still 65-70 degrees, but that’s sweater weather to most Phoenicians), there’s nothing that satisfies our bellies like a nice steaming bowl of chili. This week, we hit up two local restaurants to see whether their meat-filled versions warmed…

Limited Edition Sprinkles Cupcakes for Thanksgiving

The folks at Sprinkles come up with special cupcake flavors for pretty much every major holiday, but they’ve outdone themselves for Thanksgiving. A heavy pink “EAT box” filled with a dozen seasonal treats landed in our office today, and I’m pretty sure its contents amounted to lunch for most of…

Piping Hot Udon at Cherryblossom Noodle Cafe

Am I an honorary Phoenician now that eating hot soup and drinking hot tea in the middle of summer doesn’t faze me? No matter — the promise of a steaming bowl of noodles come fall still thrills me to the core. I can’t tell you what kind of mood I…

Postino Starts Brunch Service This Weekend

Good things are happening at Postino, Phoenix’s ever-popular wine bar. Brunch is the biggest thing — starting this Saturday, Postino Central will be serving brunch (9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays). The menu looks as scrumptious as Postino’s nighttime, wine-friendly fare . . …

Tuck Shop Rolls Out New Fall Menu

Fall is ushering all kinds of cozy new food at Tuck Shop, the Coronado District restaurant that’s transformed the corner of 12th Street and Oak into a popular CenPho dinner destination…

This Week’s Meal Ticket is a Touchdown

Sports fans have it easy when it comes to choosing restaurants — sports bars are practically on every corner here in the Phoenix Metro. But finding an upscale restaurant where you can get your sports fix is another story. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, find out which new…

Oakville Grocery Co. Coming Soon to Scottsdale Quarter

Oakville Grocery Co., a California-based market cafe founded in 1881 that’s considered by many to be the West Coast version of Dean & Deluca, is getting ready to open its doors in early December at the new Scottsdale Quarter shopping complex — already home to hot retailers like H&M and…

New in CenPho: Mid City Kitchen

Chef Michael DeMaria’s new Central Phoenix cafe, Mid City Kitchen, should have opened yesterday according to the announcement on its website, but today the Republic reports that it will be open for business tomorrow, Nov. 18. Such is the way with restaurant openings, which are never a perfect science. Located…

Chef Chat: Greg LaPrad, Quiessence

It’s hard to believe Greg LaPrad, executive chef and owner of Phoenix’s farm-to-table sensation, Quiessence Restaurant & Wine Bar, almost didn’t make it as a chef. The 28-year-old, originally from Connecticut, got his start cooking weekend meals with his father when he was a kid, but his parents weren’t too keen of…

It’s Not Too Late for Ballpark Eats

[jump] But I still got my bratwurst fix this past weekend, when one of my friends scored a bunch of tickets to an Arizona Fall League game. A group of us took a trek out to the westside, to Camelback Ranch in Glendale — during Spring Training, this is the…