It seems like I’ve been hearing about it for months now: Noca’s mythical wagyu pastrami. Owner Eliot Wexler was busy tracking down wagyu brisket — definitely an unusual cut of the pricey, succulent Kobe beef — while chef Chris Curtiss was fine-tuning the ultimate recipe. Wexler was inspired by both the killer…
A few months back, the New York Times magazine published a special Food Issue, with an intriguing essay by Michael Pollan, an “open letter to the Farmer in Chief,” explaining why the President-elect should consider national food policy a matter of national security. It inspired the Brockmans, a farm family in…
Every restaurant owner seems to fancy himself (or herself) an art expert these days, whether it’s the Burger King franchisee with a taste for retro prints or the young, hip entrepreneur who decorates with bold abstract paintings. Each week, we’ll be serving up a slice of the best — and the worst — local restaurant decor. Will these hand-picked…
There is a shell of a building at the southeast corner of McClintock and Broadway in Tempe that can’t hold a restaurant to save its soul. Every time some aspiring businessman gets the bright idea to open a new venture there, I want to go in and slap them upside the…
It can’t all be appetizing news. Today’s big story is downright nauseating. The fundraiser that Mesa’s new Pizza Fusion restaurant held in conjunction with its grand opening — which was intended to help Frank and Tracy Smith, who were seriously injured in a car accident that killed their two young…
If you’re steeped in the culinary world — whether professionally or just as an enthusiast — you’re probably already familiar with Phoenix Knife House, the go-to shop for chefs in need of a good blade. But this Thursday, there’s a special reason to stop by. It’s the second annual Kikuichi…
Cardinals go to the Super Bowl, Arizona gets a windfall of PR. Totally expected. But publicity for a local chef is certainly an unusual perk for the Phoenix culinary world. Turns out, executive chef Beau MacMillan, from Elements at the Sanctuary on Camelback, is the lucky one getting the national exposure…
Polly Levine and her friend Marilena Sacks had long fantasized about owning their own cafe — nothing unusual about that. But three weeks ago, they finally realized their dreams when they opened Chestnut Lane Cafe. Tucked into the tiny Camelback Road (4225 E. Camelback) spot that housed Kohnie’s until last summer, Chestnut…
In honor of the massive cuts sure to come to Arizona government soon, this week Chow Bella is dipping into the archival recipes of Grandma Hernandez, who was born in 1929, the year the Great Depression began. What’s lovely about grandmotherly recipes is that they often have a heavy reliance…
A free wine tasting, a champagne toast, a bottle signing by winemaker Robert Pepi Jr., and complementary hors d’oeuvres from Fleming’s Steakhouse are four good reasons to hit up tonight’s grand opening party for WineStyles in Peoria. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. Located at Park West, the new open-air…
Citrus Cafe, the long-running French bistro in Chandler (2330 N. Alma School), just reopened two weeks ago after a brief hiatus. Now it’s called Andrew’s New American at Citrus Cafe, and as the name suggests, chef-owner Andrew Paparella is ushering in some changes. Paparella, who purchased the restaurant in May 2007,…
Eat pizza, save the planet. That’s the thinking behind Pizza Fusion, an Earth-friendly pizzeria with franchises across the country. The restaurant serves certified organic food, operates out of LEED-certified buildings, and even uses hybrid cars for pizza deliveries. The newest Pizza Fusion, at 5735 E. McKellips in Mesa, is hosting…
JNK Concepts, the company behind Bombay Spice, is replacing the 16th Street and Glendale Ave location of the healthful Indian restaurant with another one of its concepts, San Gabriel Mexican Cafe, opening Monday. Currently, Illinois has the only other branch of the eatery. Meanwhile, Bombay Spice will continue to operate at…
Pholicious (7582 W Cactus Rd. Ste. B5, Peoria, 623-773-2020) serves up a lunch special combo that includes the soup of the day, a crispy wonton, all you can drink iced tea, steamed white or fried rice and the main meal of your choice from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for only $6.95. …
In the name of welcoming back the students at Glendale Community College, as well as celebrating their first anniversary, the folks at Cheba Hut in Glendale (5925 Olive Ave., Ste. #2, at the southwest corner of 59th Ave. and Olive) are offering a sweet deal on Friday, January 23: four-inch…
Finally, something to cheer about. In a city where preservationists have new reasons to gripe all the time — sharp mid-century homes getting razed to make way for McMansions, architecturally significant buildings being bulldozed so somebody can slap up another generic bank or strip mall — there’s good news about…
Chef Michael DeMaria’s Tempe restaurants, Trattoria M and Aroma Market, might be facing delayed openings, but Heirloom, his new spot at North Scottsdale’s DC Ranch, is coming together really quickly. Opening night is next Tuesday, January 27. “We took over the Flo’s space and demoed it a month ago, over…
Here at New Times, we’ve long been vocal about our love for the Cornish Pasty Co., and how we wished the popular Tempe eatery would serve its savory, flaky English pies all across the Valley. And guess what? They just opened a second location in Mesa last Saturday. The place looks great — bright…
Who says there’s no such thing as a free meal? We found one. On certain days at certain times, Pullano’s Pizza and Wings will give you free pizza with the purchase of any beverage. This includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages — and domestic drafts are only $1.50. Not bad. …
Unforgettable mole poblano, mouthwatering carnitas, and naughty flan drenched in Almendrado tequila were already reason enough to head to Los Sombreros in south Scottsdale, but now the charming Mexican restaurant has a revamped menu with some new additions (old faves remain, of course): Los Sombreros Jan Menu.doc Look for the fig…
Move over, cupcakes. I’ve found a new tiny dessert to obsess over. Lisa G Cafe & Wine Bar just started serving miniature pies every Friday and Saturday night, available individually or as a “pie flight.” The flavors change frequently, but I recently got a taste of the most recent ones: Nutella with vanilla…
Sometimes you find an appetizer so good it passes for the main event — and these days (time-crunched, wallet-crashed) that can be a very good thing. Such are the Boiled Won Tons at China Chili near downtown Phoenix. Served in a big bowl, the soup features ten pork dumplings swimming in a…
