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Phoenix-based food blogger Lauren Allen grew up in a home where her mom cooked everything from scratch. So when she went off to college, Allen was surprised that many of her fellow students didn’t know how to cook or appreciate good food. “It was weird for me to meet other college girls my age who didn’t even know how to boil water,” Allen says. “I wanted to teach people that cooking is easy. You can...

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Opening Bamboo Asian Kitchen This new spot at Christown Spectrum Mall has all your favorite Asian dishes to go or dine in. 1818 W. Montebello Ave., Phoenix, bambooasiankitchenaz.com Belly A popular Phoenix restaurant sets up shop at Epicenter, featuring a modern take on Southeast Asian cuisine and drinks. 3150 E. Ray Rd., Gilbert, 480-500 6464, bellyphx.com Big’s American Sports Bar & Grill Belly up to the bar and watch your favorite sports teams and choose...

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In our continuing series about Valley nonprofit organizations, we recently caught up with Lost Our Home Pet Rescue founder and executive director Jodi Polanski to learn more about her organization. Why did you start Lost Our Home Pet Rescue? I was working as a mortgage banker and volunteering at a pet rescue during the housing crisis of 2008 and kept hearing stories from realtors about pets found abandoned in foreclosed homes, often without food or...

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Executive chef Jorge Gomez takes great pride in all the recipes he’s crafted for Humble Pie and Humble Bistro, including his updated Caesar salad. “I wanted to create something a little different,” he says. Gomez’s recipe veers from the iconic Caesar with the addition of pickled jalapeños for a “little kick” in the dressing and fried Brussels sprout leaves and toasted panko bread crumbs in the salad. “I want every bite to have a crunch,...

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If you’re craving pizza, peaches probably aren’t the first topping that comes to mind. But you might want to reconsider. Myke Olsen of Myke’s Pizza has served up a recipe for peach pizza that you can easily make at home. Since peaches are in season, you won’t have any trouble finding them in your local supermarket, Olsen says. “They’ll be pretty tasty if you give them time to ripen.” Olsen doesn’t include pizza dough in...

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TJ Culp and Esther Noh, the restaurateurs behind Restaurant Progress, Sottise and The Montecito Bottle Shop, have recently made a few changes to their successful lineup. Restaurant Progress has been rebranded as “Progress,” and the restaurant will be connected to The Montecito Bottle Shop, providing diners with a more seamless experience. Culp is also dropping the tasting menu in favor of more informal fare that includes small plates and a handful of entrees. To administer...

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Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona is a Phoenix-based nonprofit organization with a mission of “transforming children’s trauma to resilience through the arts.” The staff and volunteers work with children who have experienced abuse, neglect and/or homelessness in a variety of settings. Free Arts provides a weekly mentoring program, professional artist series, free arts days and a camp where children learn how to express their stories through art. Michael Jung, a freelance writer who...

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Strike up a conversation with Zoya Vora-Shah about Arizona wines, and she’ll have a hard time controlling her enthusiasm. The former wine representative discovered her zeal for local vintners while working at the Carlson Creek Tasting Room in Old Town Scottsdale. “I started tasting local wines at other tasting rooms and it inspired me,” she says. “I was very impressed.” That inspiration led Vora-Shah to open The Wine Collective, a tasting room, wine bar and...

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Opened Angie’s Lobster If you’re in the market for a lobster roll on the fly, Angie’s Lobster drive-thru has opened its first location in Mesa. 2848 S. Signal Butte Rd., Mesa, angieslobster.com Anoche Cantina This Latin-inspired restaurant by day and night club after dark is Tempe’s newest hot spot. 640 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, anochecantina.com Backyard Taco Queen Creek now has a branch of Backyard Taco featuring tacos, quesadillas, chorreadas, tostadas, burritos, bowls and papas...

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Opening Beirut Market A Middle Eastern market featuring daily lunch and dinner dishes along with fresh produce, desserts and groceries has opened in the Rose Garden Center. 21043 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, 602-675-0647 Caffé Vita Seattle’s leading independent coffee roaster sets up shop in Arizona. 509 W. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, caffevita.com Chick-A-Dee This new Thai restaurant specializes in chicken and rice dishes topped with cucumber, cilantro and a choice of sauces. 49 W. Thomas...

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Chrisie Funari founded The Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children in 2014 after losing her daughter, Ava, to cancer in 2012. Funari serves as president of the nonprofit, which provides social, emotional and financial support to families who have a child with cancer. She started the foundation out of her home and has since expanded to a second office. Recently, the organization purchased a 12,000 square-foot-building near Scottsdale Road and Shea Boulevard to house all their...

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Hailing from Mexico City, Hector Cruz began working for Jocque Concepts in 2008 and now serves as the company’s executive chef, overseeing Chop Shop, Diego Pops, The Montauk, The Hot Chick and Eat Up Drive In. While he doesn’t get to do much cooking these days, he creates new menu items and makes sure that all concepts are up and running.  How does he keep track of all those formats?  “I have a person in...

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Opening B & B Cocktail Lounge The folks at Bourbon & Bones Chophouse have opened a cocktail lounge adjacent to the mother ship with a tidy menu of sushi, salads, shared plates and desserts. 4222 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, bourbonandbones.com Café Balkan Authentic European Kitchen This new restaurant features “home-cooked meals,” including goulash, stuffed cabbage rolls and lamb shanks. 21043 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix, cafebalkanaz.com California Fish Grill A second location of the California-based...