Food ReviewsDining Review: West African Cuisine
Nikki BuchananNovember 4, 2022
Three new West African restaurants in Phoenix send our critic into an exploratory tizzy.
Desert DigestFood & DrinkChef Claudio Urciuoli Parts Ways with Pa’La to Focus on New East Valley Venture
Nikki BuchananOctober 14, 2022
In a move that surprises no one who knows him, chef Claudio Urciuoli has left Pa’La and Pa’La Downtown, the Italian-influenced, seafood-centric restaurants in which he partnered with Omar Alvarez of Tortas Paquime. As you may recall, the two opened the first Pa’La on 24th Street in late 2017, followed by a larger, full-service Pa’La Downtown — where the kitchen was (and is) helmed by Jason Alford – in 2021. He has amicably parted ways...
Drink ThisDrink This: Leche de Pistacho from Barcoa Agaveria
Nikki BuchananSeptember 30, 2022
Cool and creamy, sweet and nutty, tangy and smoky, this balanced sipper uses a meaty mezcal called El Silencio Espadín.
Food ReviewsPhoenix Dining Review: Tia Carmen
Nikki BuchananSeptember 30, 2022
At long last, Desert Ridge scores a culinary bullseye with this sexy, modern Southwestern restaurant from celebrity chef Angelo Sosa.
Food ReviewsEast Valley Dining Review: Brunch Snob
Nikki BuchananSeptember 30, 2022
Snob is an acronym for seriously nuts over brunch.
Weak Wagyu, buzz-killing karaage doom this Downtown sushi tavern from the team behind Arcadia’s Nanaya Japanese Kitchen.
Rising chef Karan Mittal brings destination dining to Chandler with faintingly delicious Modern Indian cooking.
Food ReviewsNorth Valley Dining Review: Cafe Balkan
Nikki BuchananSeptember 2, 2022
Don’t let your possibly shaky understanding of the Balkan Peninsula keep you away from this immaculate café.
Desert DigestFood & DrinkNew Restaurant Alert: Dom Ruggiero’s Fire at Will Set to Open This Fall
Nikki BuchananAugust 1, 2022
Dom Ruggiero, the chef-owner of wildly popular Hush Public House in North Scottsdale, has a knack for figuring out where the market is under-served, and a good restaurant is needed. Case in point: North Scottsdale was a dining desert until Ruggiero opened Hush and resolved the problem in 2019. From day one, the place was packed with customers who loved Hush’s laidback vibe and Ruggiero’s sophisticated version of comfort food. Now, he and his wife...
Unlock magnitudes of Thai food rapture heretofore unknown to Phoenix at this new couple-operated restaurant on Roosevelt Row.
Though not as high-toned as the name suggests, this seafood-focused Scottsdale restaurant cashes in with great oysters and a raucous vibe.
Try this refresher inspired by the flavors found in Southeast Asian bakeries.
Chef Danny Grant’s rustic companion piece to Maple & Ash hits its marks in trendy North Scottsdale.
Desert DigestOur Top 5 Flagstaff Food Experiences for the Summer of 2022
Nikki BuchananJune 10, 2022
Best places to eat and stay in the cool pines of Flagstaff this summer.
When my friend and I wander into Far Away Wine and Provisions, we consider the cozy living room set-up — couch, chairs, coffee table — near the entrance but settle instead for a couple of stools at the tiny bar. We know we want to eat something and hunching over a coffee table is never a fun way to go about it. Besides, the bar seems to be where the action is. At 5:30, there...