Restaurants

Rico’s American Grill opened this weekend adjacent to the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort boasting classic American fare with a Southwest twist and keeping hush-hush the fact its executive chef is still TBD.

Somewhere between BK’s Subservient Chicken and “Avoiding the Noid” at Dominos Pizza, comes the best and longest-lasting game the fast food world has to offer: McDonald’s Monopoly. Starting today and ending November 1, Mickey Dees Monopolites can eat, peel, and (possibly, maybe, sometimes, not often) win prizes from free food…

A couple of local food trucks hit a bump late last week, one trucker tells Chow Bella. Two popular vendors — creme-brulee-wielding Torched Goodness and barbecue connoisseurs Pork on a Fork — were approached by an enforcement official Friday for violating city code near Scottsdale Industrial Airpark, 15770 N. Greenway Hayden…

Last week we asked you to tell us your superpower, in exchange for a chance to win a pair of tickets to this Saturday’s Best of A’Fare at the new CityScape in downtown Phoenix. We got some great responses — though some had to be tossed, since we also asked…

Does Smashburger know something we don’t? Rather than introduce a new tasty burger to its lineup (shed tear here), the place that bills itself as “Every City’s Favorite Burger Place” has gone chicken, with three new Smashchicken sandwiches: BBQ Ranch, Avocado Club, and Buffalo — and four new chicken Smashsalads:…

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: Mystery Macaron: Guess Essence’s New Flavor Dine Out with…

​ A story posted on azcentral this morning reported the closure of My Florist on Seventh Avenue and McDowell Road.The restaurant’s phone is disconnected and azcentral reported equipment being pulled out of the kitchen on Friday. The cafe was well known for it’s “bohemian” atmosphere and live music. If My…

That’s a Wrap get a new home​October is here and our fingers our crossed that we can get outside and enjoy a little patio dining in the upcoming weeks. For now, lets take a quick look back at the new restaurants that have joined the Valley in the month of…

As a chef de cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Scottsdale, Chef John Deflieze can whip up a few dishes some at-home cooks would have trouble pronouncing. For a recent interview, however, we asked Deflieze to tackle some foods most chefs aren’t known for. “I’ve served…

Mention Southbridge and watch us have a Pavlovian reaction. We’re hungry for tapas and now we’ve got new destination to get our fix. Food Critic Michele Laudig on Tapas Papa Frita: Dinner started off with a basket of freshly baked rolls and a ramekin of garlicky, tangy allioli, the Catalan…

Chef Damon Brasch at Green is a self-proclaimed cheese fiend who specializes in making vegan versions of great American classics, so what better than a baked Mac-n-Cheese?

Unleashing seven new chicken entrées may sound reasonable for a chicken-chow chain, but Smashburger? That’s right. The acclaimed “better burger” restaurant has gone chicken, with three new Smashchicken sandwiches: BBQ Ranch, Avocado Club, and Buffalo — and four new chicken Smashsalads: Honey Mustard, Caesar, Harvest, and BBQ Ranch — all…

Things are starting to look up for SouthBridge, if new eatery Tapas Papa Frita is any indication. This vibrant Spanish restaurant is a welcome sign of life in these parts. The space where it’s located — upstairs from swanky Marcellino’s, right next to the canal bridge — has been vacant…

Damon Brasch of Green grew up in awe of his grandmother’s magical cooking powers: “She could cook massive feasts out of this teeny tiny kitchen in the cabin house my grandfather and great-grandfather built.” That inspired him to take some kitchen risks of his own, cooking up tons of tasty vegan food in a teeny tiny kitchen himself.

[jump] Number 1: Braised leeks with mozzarella at FnB It’s really, really hard to blog about a favorite dish that isn’t available just yet. I make myself hungry as I write this, knowing that I’ll have a craving for a while. All summer long, I’ve been thinking about an item that…

Mexican food is everywhere in Phoenix — toss a chili pepper anywhere in the city and you’ll likely hit a food cart, grocery or restaurant dishing up tasty tacos and burritos. But no Mexican-inspired dish has been more successful than the quesadilla, a tortilla and cheese delight that can be found on restaurant…

Hungry yet? We’re working up our appetites for our huge Best of Phoenix issue, which hits the streets tomorrow, with daily servings of Chow Bella’s 100 Favorite Dishes from across the Valley — in no particular order.Visit our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch, for a companion series on 100 Creatives who make Phoenix a little more interesting for all…

See if you can guess today’s gadget and check back next week for the answer, and to see if you’ve won a most-awesome prize. No cheatin’, playa haters! Here are a few shots at this week’s trickster, add yours to the comment box below: – Wizard’s Club – Why Your…

​ It’s a bird, it’s a plane — it’s a glamorous evening featuring food and drink from more than two dozen Valley restaurants! Our Best of Phoenix issue comes out this week, and that means it’s time to celebrate. We want you to join us at our annual soiree –…

Damon Brasch of Green wants to “pull back the weirdness”of veganism, cooking up comfort food sans meat, dairy and other animal byproducts.

Visit our sister blog, Jackalope Ranch, for a companion series on 100 Creatives who make Phoenix a little more interesting for all of us. We’ll be posting the next 2 picks leading up to this week’s issue…

Usually when a fast-food chain introduces a new item to its menu, there’s something about it to set it apart from the rest: crazy-big, premium ingredients, Double Down disgusting-ness, you get the picture. Too bad about Subway’s newest menu additions — the Steak & Cheese (on the right) and the…