When we visited Barbara Gardner at Let Them Eat Cake, we didn’t find the Michael Jackson Cupcake. Instead, a tribute to I Love Lucy was on display, and that is what Barbara likes to do: switch up flavors, decorations and continue to create beautiful and whimsical cake designs. Today Barbara shares…
After a recent announcement stating that steak would be getting sacked from its menu and chicken would be the fowl focus, El Pollo Loco rolled out two new fish tacos as a limited-time offer. What the cluck? Why now? Of course — Lent starts in March. How could my guilt-ridden…
We can already tell that this competition is going to be sticky. Chow Bella and Smeeks are proud to announce the line-up of candymakers for Caramelpalooza 2011 — a free, open-to-the-public caramel tasting to be held Friday, March 11, at 7 pm in the parking lot at Smeeks candy…
Transitioning from the corporate life to running a restaurant of your own is no easy task. Close to 28 years in the making, Sunshine Moon Peking Pub in Old Town Scottsdale shows it can be done. Emilio Morales of Sunshine Moon, shares his journey from sous chef with P.F. Chang’s to…
Ignite Phoenix 9 happened Friday, and we at Chow Bella are still aflame about the food-related topics discussed. If you’re unaware, Ignite Phoenix is an event at which citizens of the Valley’s creative community get on stage to present short, five-minute lectures about the things they’re passionate about while slides shoot rapid-fire…
We popped into Chakra 4 Café and Tea House Saturday to start off our Valentine weekend with a Chocolate Festival. Chocolate vendors Lisa Reinhardt, Wei of Chocolate, and Michelle Calio, Calio Confections were there to entice customers with their lines of organic, fair trade and vegan chocolates. Kita Centella, owner…
There are days, even meatless days, when the craving for a burger takes over. Portobello mushrooms are the perfect replacement for a beef patty along with custom toppings (raw or sautéed onions, avocado, fresh tomatoes, fresh greens, cheese) on a toasted bun. The mushrooms are great on the grill, but…
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. The Nogg — Why Keep Your Chicken, Um, Cooped…
We’re just days away (7 days 21 hours to be exact) from Arizona Beer Week and the ultimate kick off party…. the Strong Beer Festival. Do you have your tickets yet? The VIP tickets are already gone and the general admission tickets are limited. If you don’t have your tickets…
Cluttered with old license plates, ball caps and business cards tacked to the ceiling, TEXAZ Grill is the town’s finest redneck watering hole. But underneath the award-winning chicken fried steak and ham buns this restaurant is hiding a secret. See, there’s a dessert so simple and so frighteningly “country”…
in Sage and Shallot Brown Butter on Arugula Salad Beverage: Italian Prosecco or a French Sparkling Rosé Get the rundown on the movie and the recipes after the jump…
Is The Duce the neighborhood hangout that time forgot or a vision of what neighborhood hang outs might be in the future? We’re not sure, but we definitely love stopping by. Where else can you get a vintage soda, spar a few rounds, pick up some soap, and watch Rocky…
Oh no. Sunnyslope can’t take a blow like this. And neither can we. You’ll have have to excuse now — we need a drink. Better get one at Bomberos while you still can…
Our chat with Matt Carter ended yesterday with him explaining a little about why The Mission is different from other Latin restaurants in the area. The proof may not be in the pudding, but in the black cod dish that he will show us how to prepare today. …
Hummus is the glue — sometimes almost literally — that holds a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean meal together. Do it wrong, and indeed, it’s a little like cement. And not in a good way.But do it well and some of us will fill up on the chickpea dip long before the gyro…
A little birdie (okay, Facebook) told us that our new favorite lunch spots, Chaka Chaka, added a few more items to their already fabulous, yet small, menu. We paid our favorite chef/comedian, Charlie Blonkenfeld, a visit this week to try out the new eats. Just as we suspected — soooo good.The hardest…
Taco Bell: Hey, remember that lawsuit filed against us a few weeks ago saying that we use a “meat mixture” containing less than 35 percent meat? Fast Food Nation: Um, sort of. Taco Bell: Well, check this out, it’s our new Quad Steak Burrito and Quesadilla, made with real USDA…
Our Virgin Cook, Wynter Holden, refers to the Valentine dinner menu as a competition! In spite of the size your knife (is that from the tool shed?) Wynter, game on! And no apologies, Cyndi Coon, Thrifty Cook, we planned our menu to celebrate with a little extravagance for the night…
Where am I again? To set foot in The Duce — a quirky mix of retail and dining in a cavernous, circa 1928 brick warehouse at Central and Lincoln south of downtown — is to experience a delighted sort of bewilderment, as if you’d stumbled into a funhouse-meets-time-machine, or at…
Taco Bell: Hey, you. Wanna free taco? We’re giving away 10 million of them on Facebook. Fast Food Nation: Hey, thanks. Wait a minute, this wouldn’t have to do with that lawsuit claiming your “meat filling” only contains 36 percent beef, would it? Weren’t your snarky newspaper ads enough to…
Keyon Fareghi Yesterday we spoke with Chef Matt Carter of The Mission and Zinc Bistro about some of what he loves about the culinary industry. Today he enlightens us about foie gras and lets us in on one of his biggest indulgences. What is the worst experience you have ever…
Chipotle is the new black…er, ingredient in the barbecue sauce for McDonald’s latest versions of their Angus Third Pounders and Snack Wraps. Hey, remember when McDonald’s owned Chipotle? Good times. The Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon & Cheese Burger is a third-pound Angus beef patty, topped with American cheese, bacon, pickles,…
