So many new restaurants, so little time. But hey, at least I’m trying to keep track of them for you. Here’s a quick cheat sheet on new spots that have opened recently. In Phoenix, there’s Postino Central, Moira Sushi, Scramble, Corona Cantina, Barrio Cantina & Grill, Saito’s Japanese Steakhouse, and…
When was the last time you ate at Top of the Rock, the fine dining spot at The Buttes in Tempe? The place never seems to come up in conversation, but maybe that will change, now that the resort has overhauled the restaurant, hired a new chef, and as of…
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: Happy Hour Deals at Caffe Boa in Tempe Caffiend:…
This week was Prado vs. Prado in the world of restaurant reviews, and this morning, EaterAZ handed me a sweet plug. Thanks, guys!…
Food Critic Michele Laudig has had many great things to say about her reviewed restaurants lately. Consider that streak finished. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Prado: Ultimately, the lavish surroundings only intensify my disappointment with the dining experience at this pricey eatery. After five months in business, I’d expect a…
Tapino’s Locavore dinners started off as special events at the restaurant, always featuring locally grown produce, ingredients from local purveyors, and Arizona wines. Inevitably, the events would sell out, and they’d have to add new dates. Lately, Tapino has taken things to the next level by going straight to the…
Spring weather hereabouts is famously capricious, and no one knows that better than produce growers and their fans. Right now, we’re sitting smack in the season of dependable year-round crops like tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, and citrus. Some farmers have other items at the moment, and some don’t, and it changes…
A couple days ago, I reported that Old Town Scottdale’s Lyte Lounge had just closed, and that a dueling piano might be filling the void. Yep, it’s true. Former Lyte operator Robert Burghart tells me that he’s involved in a joint venture called Howl at the Moon, a “rock and roll…
Nothing lasts forever. Here’s a rundown of the latest local eateries to throw in the towel. In Phoenix, Lil’ Mama’s Soul Food Restaurant is gone, alone with the award-winning Wicked Bakery (that one was a bit of a surprise) and downtown breakfast joint Palatte. As for Ninetta’s Passion Bistro, well, their…
Chef de cuisine Jack Strong of Kai, the AAA five-diamond restaurant at Wild Horse Pass, has given notice with his employer after three years with the fine-dining destination. After his last day on April 18, the Oregon-born Native American (from the Confederated Tribes of Siletz) will return to the Northwest to…
There’s something magical about the atmosphere at Prado, the Andalusian-inspired fine-dining spot at Paradise Valley’s brand-new InterContinental Montelucia. Indeed, the resort as a whole has a special luster — thanks to President Obama’s recent stay here — but the restaurant, in particular, deserves a nod as one of the prettiest…
Check out the latest post on one of my favorite local food blogs, Eric Eats Out, where you can get the lowdown on La Naranja Grande’s fabulous “heaux-heaux.” Boy, this guy can write, and he is funny as hell!…
A trip to Texas two weeks ago reawakened a long-held love of mine: Big Red. The creamy, bubble gumesque concoction is ubiquitous in the The Lone Star State, particularly in the hallowed halls of smokey barbecue joints. We didn’t have any brisket to pair with it, but I put the…
Skip happy hour and splurge on the latest swanky culinary event, Forks and Corks, on Thursday evening. Proceeds benefit scholarships for the Arizona Hotel and Restaurant Foundations. Chefs from the Arizona Biltmore, Lon’s at the Hermosa, Fairmont Scottsdale, Hyatt Regency, and many other resorts and restaurants will be on hand…
Really, really late-night eats are hard to come by no matter what part of the Valley you’re in, but in Old Town Scottsdale, where there are plenty of places to go boozing, there definitely aren’t enough places to grab a bite and soak up a night’s worth of sake bombers. The folks behind…
A restaurant can only get so far on notoriety and vagina jokes. Pink Taco closed its three-year-old Scottsdale location today, with plans to expand its operations in Southern California. That’s okay, California can have ’em. I just took a look at a review I did of the Scottsdale Waterfront eatery…
Lyte Lounge, the Scottsdale eatery where executive chef Justin Chacon (known for his now-defunct Justin’s Ragin’ Cajun Cuisine in Cave Creek) cooked up health-conscious tapas for the hungry nightclubber set, has closed, according to restaurant co-founder Robert Burghart, president and CEO of JB Entertainment Group. Lyte opened its doors a little over…
Maybe you should call it Red, White & EEEEWWWW. The Chandler restaurant on Gilbert Road had some issues regarding old meat (and we’re not talking about aged in a good way) during its last (failing) county restaurant inspection. …
Go get seconds of Pierino Jermonti’s luscious caramel cheesecake creme brulee while you still can. T. Cook’s executive pastry chef, who’s been at the restaurant since 1996, is on his way out. Today marks his last day on the property. According to the Republic, Jermonti’s headed to Terranea, a Southern California…
To me, coming home, thrashed, at the end of a long day and finding a new mag in the mailbox is one of life’s simple pleasures. Better still is to flip it open and find something familiar in its shiny pages. This time, I expected there’d be some kind of Phoenix…
Arizona Capitol Times just announced the winners of its annual “Best of Capitol” survey a few days ago, and it’s interesting to see the restaurant picks of our local political movers and shakers. Not surprisingly, Cheuvront’s gets props (owner Ken Cheuvront is a state senator), while Durant’s seems to be…
A Februrary 23 inspection of the restaurant at the San Carlos Hotel in downtown Phoenix revealed, among other things, “white sauce containing cooked chicken and vegetables…date marked 2/11/09.” The manager discarded the mystery sauce. Good. We figure most things that are white have a much shorter shelf life. Speaking of…
