We heard about the Bacon Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Queen Creek Olive Mill last month and decided we need to get our hands on a bottle and give it a little look-see and taste. Even though Queen Creek is within the Phoenix Metro Area, we still had to pay…
Note: This post was edited from its original version to reflect the correct name of How Do You Roll? sushi.In places like Australia and England, folks use the term “tuck shop” to refer to a small shop selling sweets and crisps (that’s cookies and potato chips to us). Tuck means…
Last month, the James Beard Foundation announced its semifinalists for the 2012 JBF Restaurant and Chefs Awards — and the Valley got loved on — hard. Silvana Salcido Esparza, owner and chef of Barrio Cafe and Barrio Queen, and chef Kevin Binkley of Binkley’s Restaurant and Café Bink were both…
The Market: Singh Family Market is an escape to a farm oasis that even locals would be amazed could exist, let alone flourish in the middle of the desert — a 20 acre patch of land on Thomas Rd., not even a minute east of the bustling 101 freeway. The…
Cupcakes have been the golden child of the baking scene for years. They’re cute, they’re miniature, and they’re easy to love. Enter Lisa Even and Katie True of Our Lady of Cupcakes. They’re shaking up the typical cupcake facade with wicked awesome recipes such as the salted-caramel-frosted and pretzel-crusted “Pirate’s…
Lately, in this In Season series, we’re taking a look at what I take home from Crooked Sky Farms each week and see what I’ve done with my CSA share, or part share. This week I’m using lemon, dill and kale. I’ve been asking all my friends with lemon trees…
After battling lines, dust and pricey eats at two previous festivals in the Valley, mobile eats enthusiasts found a better experience Saturday at Superstition Farm’s first food truck round up. The event drew hundreds of people and more than a dozen trucks, including Phoenix Ale Brewery with watermelon ale…
[jump] I’ve spent the last 30 years eating Mexican food around the Valley, and I’ve eaten at all of the old places, the standard places, the places that people have been shot in front of an hour after I left, and sure, the gringo places. Restaurant Mexico stands alone. There…
While FEZ isn’t exactly fine dining, the restaurant is a popular hangout that serves a noteworthy selection of cocktails along with some pretty tasty food. (Try the Key Lime Pie Martini, which just landed on our list of six favorite specialty cocktails.) We recently stopped by for dinner and decided…
There’ s more than one way to drink like an Irishman on St. Patrick’s Day. You could, of course, go wild with the Guinness and food-coloring-spiked beer, but you’d be missing out on the true national drink of Ireland: whiskey. And while Steve Goumas, owner of Rula Bula, recommends tasting…
Seriously … Gilbert? That was my first thought when I learned Postino was extending its reach out there to the far East Valley (yeah, I’m a Central Phoenix guy). Despite my apprehension, I got outta the bubble and ventured way past the strip malls and tract homes of varying shades…
It’s been said that God created whiskey to keep the Irish from taking over the world. If it’s true, he didn’t do a great job of it — the Irish take over the world every day on March 17. But while everyone may be from the land of the clover…
FREE CUPCAKES!!!!! We love free cupcakes, and we bet that you do, too. Starting last night, Sprinkle’s Cupcakes in Scottsdale will be staying open until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and until 8 p.m. on Sundays. To celebrate their new extended hours, they are giving away one of their heavily…
What better use for an extra case of Girl Scout cookies than a Chow Bella Showdown? In years past we’ve challenged our contributors to make something delicious out of Thin Mints and Trefoils. This time: Savannah Smiles. Stay tuned for more recipes and a decision from our “judge,” web editor…
Hey there, super busy weekend. It’s nice to see you! It’s another packed Phoenix weekend. Not only will every Irish (and not so Irish) bar in the city be partying hard this Saturday, but the Superstition Farms Food Truck Festival and the sneak peek at the brand new Postino Gilbert…
I’m headed to a neighbor’s for dinner, and I want to bring something besides a bottle of wine. I want to bring dessert. I have apples, and I tell myself that I should be able to make a pie. So what if it’s only 3 apples, and I don’t have…
For fans of Jamaican food, the Jerk Hut Jamaican Grille in Phoenix delivers on the island’s rich and highly seasoned flavors from a small selection of traditional, street-side dishes — including, quite possibly, some of the best jerk chicken in the Valley. And with its plentiful portions and wallet-friendly fare,…
What better use for an extra case of Girl Scout cookies than a Chow Bella Showdown? In years past we’ve challenged our contributors to make something delicious out of Thin Mints and Trefoils. This time: Savannah Smiles. Stay tuned for more recipes and a decision from our “judge,” web editor Eric Tsetsi. Everything…
When a new spot opens in town, we can’t wait to check it out — and let you know our initial impressions, share a few photos, and dish about some menu items. First Taste, as the name implies, is not a full-blown review, but instead a peek inside restaurants that…
Homemade Nutella is making the Pinterest rounds lately. That is, it’s super popular right now. I like Nutella, but I never buy it. But I’ve been eying the various recipes for so long that it was time I tried it. Plus, I’ve had a bag of hazelnuts sitting in the…
The Phoenix Film Festival begins at the end of this month, bringing with it one of our favorite combos: film and food. This year the pairing gets even sweeter with a chance to win a pair of VIP passes along with dinner for ten at Chipotle. To further support the…
If you have been to Jamaica or know something about its cuisine, then you are undoubtedly familiar with its most popular dish: jerk. Dating back to the island’s earliest days, Christopher Columbus got an eyeful of Jamaica’s beginnings at the end of the 15th century, when he watched its indigenous…
