Good morrrrrrning, sunshine! What an eye-opener at Conspire this morning — a large latte with four shots of espresso to get my brain cranked up, plus some sweets to share. Vegan doughnuts are a Conspire staple that I can’t resist, while the pumpkin-chocolate chip cupcake with cream cheese icing was…
Ooh, here’s some exciting news — there will soon be a superstar in our midst. The term “celebrity chef” gets thrown around a lot these days, but there’s no question that Thomas Keller truly is one. Whether you think The French Laundry in Yountville, CA, is the best restaurant in…
Pan searing is the secret to making your tongue bend to its knees and accept the healthiness of chicken breast. The best part is you can put it on anything. Salad, pasta, me, and it still tastes good.
I promised not to name him yet, because he hasn’t given notice with his current employer. But if I could tell you who’s opening a stylish new downtown Mexican restaurant called Verde this coming month, I would most certainly put this chef’s name in bold letters. That’s what I did…
Schnepf Farms may have gotten a reputation for hosting rowdy music festivals, but that isn’t what is attracting fall foodies. Schnepf is another great example of an Arizona you-pick-it farm, and it’s a lot easier to get to than Buckelew or Apple Annie’s.Currently, the farm is putting on a pumpkin and chili…
Seasonal. Local. Organic. Those three words always seem to go together, and you hear them more and more. They’re the unofficial mantra of the Slow Food Movement, which was founded 20 years ago when delegates from 15 countries signed a manifesto against fast food, fast life, and the erosion of…
Yupha’s Thai Kitchen vs. Wild Thaiger Visit even a semi-authentic ethnic restaurant — Thai, Indian, Vietnamese — and you’ll generally find two types of dishes on the menu: traditional specialties with unpronounceable names and flavors that pay homage to the homeland, and bastardized versions more suited to the average American palate. Though…
There’s nothing better than a crisp, clean beer on a cool fall night. Ok, maybe a hot toddy, but we’re still all about fall seasonals like Dogfish Head’s Pumpkin Ale and Four Peaks’ Pumpkin Porter. In this week’s Meal Ticket dining newsletter, find out which upcoming event will feature seasonal beers…
The next farm in our round-up is in southwest Tucson. Buckelew Farms is about an hour closer to the Phoenix-metro area than Apple Annie’s, which we explored yesterday.Buckelew Farms is strictly a pumpkin patch, so orchard enthusiasts should look elsewhere. However, the $4 fee makes it a good destination for a…
Effin’ A, they’re calling it FnB. Restaurateur Peter Kasperski has teamed up former Digestif GM Pavle Milic — who just gave notice at Prado — and chef Charleen Badman of Rancho Pinot to open another gastropub in the Stetson Drive space that was the longtime home of Sea Saw, and…
One of the best parts of autumn is the pick-it-yourself patches and orchards opening for public fun. Despite the 90-degree October and desert landscape, Arizona boasts some lovely farms for picking. However, most places close for the season on or around Halloween, so here’s a few farms to hit up…
You didn’t expect to read the terms “cognitive dissonance” and “homemade candy corn” in the same sentence, but there they are.And so apt — as soon as we got the idea to make our own candy corn (not knowing if it was even possible or had ever been attempted) we…
Celebrity chefs. Blind wine tasting contests. Food samples from dozens of Valley restaurants. Only two weeks after Scottsdale’s Dine Out With the Chefs event, culinary afficianados from across the Valley loosened their belts for another huge epicurean event: CRAVE Arizona, formerly known as Eats3. This year’s event was a relaxed, outdoor affair. It seemed…
It’s been a long time coming. Tuesday marks the first official day for the new Phoenix Public Market Urban Grocery & Wine Bar, after non-profit Community Food Connections’ extensive fundraising efforts, planning, and renovation of the vintage red brick building that’s now its permanent home. Business hours are 11 a.m. to…
Yesterday was perhaps the longest — and most ridiculously fun — brunch of my life. Some friends invited me to meet up for a bite at Casey Moore’s in Tempe, and somehow we killed 5 or 6 hours on the patio, laughing it up and entertaining our waitress with our increasingly…
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: “Fat Bitch Sub” at Mamma Mia Prado’s Pavle Milic…
We’ve always wanted a solar-powered burrito, and now, thanks to Chipotle, our wish is coming true. Representatives for the Mexican grill announced this week that they plan to install solar paneling on 75 of their restaurants. The panels are designed to alleviate pressure on the power grid during peak hours from 11…
We will admit to being wildly enamored of the classic old school steakhouse. When we think red leather banquettes, old men tucking into their scotch, and vats of heavy bernaise sauce over a bloody filet, we think of heaven.Which is why we were curious to check out Modern Steak, Sam…
Sushi chef Shin Toyoda likes to keep his dishes simple at Sushi Roku, letting the super-fresh, high-quality ingredients speak for themselves. However, he does admit there are a lot of other sushi restaurants near Old Town Scottsdale that he has to compete with.One thing that sets Toyoda’s sushi bar apart…
In this week’s Cafe column, Food Critic Michele Laudig can’t help but wonder if Chef Aaron Chamberlin is holding back at his new Phoenix eatery St. Francis. Food Critic Michele Laudig on St. Francis: The food was comforting and tasty, but I can’t stop thinking there was a disconnect between…
There’s nothing like candy to release your inner 5 year old. From all day suckers to wickedly sour candies strong enough to make a grown-up wince, there’s a sticky sweet treat to satisfy every taste bud. Nowadays, it seems like nostalgia reigns supreme as quirky candy from the good old…
wo separate events are donating their proceeds this week to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, a non-profit organization that serves 300,000 meals to the hungry every day.Hickman’s Family Farms has challenged local restaurants and culinary students to create a tasty “Egg on Top” dish; one dollar of each dish sold will…
