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Executive Chef Jose Paul Farias of Vintage 95 in Downtown Chandler likes this recipe for creamy Portobello pasta because it doesn’t dirty a lot of dishes. And that’s a plus whether you’re cooking at a restaurant or at home. “It’s essentially one pan and then a pot of boiling water,” he says.

The recipe listed below is fairly straightforward, Farias says, but there are two important variables to consider: When you cook the pasta, be sure to rinse thoroughly to stop the cooking process as well as to remove excess starch; and when adding goat cheese to the sauce, let it melt rather than cook it into high heat or you’ll get a grainy texture and the cheese will separate.

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The relatively new MATCH restaurant opened inside FOUND:RE hotel in Downtown Phoenix late last year, and has quickly become a destination for locals, who praise its stylish surrounds and ever-changing menus from Executive Chef Akos Szabo.

The Feel: Hipper than the first Lollapalooza festival. Feast your eyes on a giant painting by local artist Randy Slack of a young Burt Reynolds naked on a bearskin rug behind the reception desk before walking around the corner to ultra chic MATCH, with its long and loaded bar, wall of wine, floor-to-ceiling windows and modern minimalist design.

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In the pantheon of pricey Valley steakhouses, this sleek new contender from the Cold Beer & Cheeseburgers Crew falls a bit short of top shelf.

For those of us who don’t light our cigars with $10 bills, a night out at a high-end steak restaurant is a splurge reserved for special occasions. We know up front we’ll be shelling out at least $100 for two steaks. Factor in appetizers, sides, wine and dessert – not to mention tax and tip – and we’ve reached the $300 threshold at breakneck speed.

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Each month, we of the PHOENIX Magazine creative team ask ourselves a different question about our favorite dining and drinking experiences in the Valley. Our picks are usually hidden in the back of the magazine among our Dining Guide restaurant listings. Not any more. Our picks are going digital! Feel free to follow us on social media (at least, those of us who tweet) and be sure to tag us (@PhoenixMagazine on Twitter and @PHXMagazine on Instagram) on pics of your favorite picks.

December: Which Dish or Drink Puts You in the Holiday Spirit?