Email AuthorNikki Buchanan
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Royal Palms Closes T. Cook's for Summer to Renovate, Operates Out of Pop-Up Called Cervantes Bistro, Hires New Executive Chef
May 22, 2013 in Chow Bella
Courtesy of the Royal PalmsNew executive chef Paul McCabeThe executive chef position at T. Cook's at the Royal Palms felt like a revolving door for a while there. Long-timer Lee...
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Kelly Fletcher of House of Tricks on Thomas Keller, Chris Bianco, and What They'll Say About Him When He's Dead and Gone
May 21, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananKelly Fletcher at the garden gateThis is part two of my interview with Kelly Fletcher, executive chef at House of Tricks in Tempe. If you missed part one, where Fletcher...
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Kelly Fletcher of House of Tricks on Lori Hashimoto, the Boys at Citizen, and the Next Big Thing
May 20, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananKelly Fletcher with a favorite bottle Kelly Fletcher House of Tricks 114 E. Seventh Street, Tempe 480-968-1114, houseoftricks.com See also: -- House of Tricks: Happy Hour Report Card -- Quiessence Chef Greg LaPrad Leaving the Farm at...
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16 Favorite Places in Metro Phoenix to Eat at the Bar
May 20, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananThe bar at WindsorRestaurant bars stopped being strictly bars years ago. Nowadays, many people consider them the best seats in the house for a casual dinner that doesn't require reservations,...
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Quiessence Chef Greg LaPrad Leaving the Farm at South Mountain for Sonoita
May 16, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananGreg LaPradIt's the end of an era. Chef Greg LaPrad -- the talented farm-to-table chef who made Quiessence a destination restaurant and kept it in the media spotlight for eight...
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Matt Taylor of Market Street Kitchen on John Besh, Michael Mina, and the Best Southern Restaurants in the U.S.
May 14, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananTaylor at front door with hostessThis is part two of my interview with Matt Taylor, executive chef at Market Street Kitchen. If you missed part one, where Taylor dished about...
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Just in Time for Summer: Julian Wright's Gringo Star Street Bar Is Open in Tempe
May 13, 2013 in Chow Bella
Benjamin LeathermanIt may be lacking a few finishing design flourishes, but Gringo Star Street Bar, destined to be the coolest new hangout on Mill Avenue, is up and running and...
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Matt Taylor of Market Street Kitchen on Robert McGrath, Brad Thompson, and the Trend He Hates (You'll Be Surprised)
May 13, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananMatt Taylor on the patio at Market Street Kitchen Matt Taylor Market Street Kitchen 20825 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale 480-278-7044, marketstreetkitchen.com See also: -- Matt Taylor Becomes Head Honcho at Market Street Kitchen; Robert McGrath...
Nikki's Five Picks for Arizona Restaurant Week (May 18-27)
May 13, 2013 in Chow Bella
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Tucker Woodbury Has Big Vig Plans -- Downtown, Flagstaff, and North Scottsdale -- Plus a Country Western Bar in Old Town
May 13, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananTucker Woodbury has been keeping himself mighty busy lately. He and his partner, Jim Riley, have been refurbishing the historic house at Fillmore and 4th Avenue most recently occupied by...
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Ehren Litzenberger of BLD in Chandler on Mario Batali and Why It's Hard to Be a Three-Squares Chef
May 07, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananLitzenberger in the kitchen at BLDThis is part two of my interview with Ehren Litzenberger, executive chef at BLD in Chandler. If you missed part one, where Litzenberger dished about...
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11 Favorite Salads in Metro Phoenix
May 07, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananCitrus salad with honey, watercress, hazelnuts at Bink's MidtownSummer is just weeks away, which means it's panic time for those of us who packed on the lbs. over the winter....
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Aaron Chamberlin's Phoenix Public Market Cafe Opens Wednesday
May 06, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananIt's been almost exactly a year since Phoenix Public Market Urban Grocery closed its doors, leaving downtown devotees feeling bereft without a locally focused brick-and-mortar market and a convenient, affordable...
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Ehren Litzenberger of BLD in Chandler on Simplicity, Chocolate-Covered Grasshoppers, and Who We Can Blame For "Foodie" Obnoxiousness
May 06, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananLitzenberger with his face in a sandwichEhren Litzenberger BLD 1920 W. Germann Road, Chandler 480-779-8646, bldchandler.com See also: -- Cork Earns Wine Honors From OpenTable -- Chou's Kitchen in Chandler Makes Travel + Leisure's List of...
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Daniel Malventano's Caff Daniel to Open Monday, May 6
May 02, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananThe brand new Caff DanielAfter construction delays and hassles with his wood-burning oven, restaurateur Daniel Malventano is finally ready to get back in the restaurant game, opening Caff Daniel at...
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Chris Bianco on One of the Most Under-Rated Chefs in America and What's Great About Italian Cooking in Italy
April 30, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananThis is part two of my interview with Chris Bianco, chef-owner of Pizzeria Bianco, Bar Bianco, Pane Bianco and Trattoria Bianco. If you missed part one, where Bianco dished about...
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11 Great Cooking Supply Stores in Metro Phoenix
April 29, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananA typically pretty vignette at Crate & BarrelPrevailing wisdom says great dishes begin with great ingredients. And while that's certainly true, kick-ass cooks and the rare birds who have the...
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Check, Please! Arizona Festival at CityScape Was a Hot Hit; Celeb Chefs Informed and Entertained
April 29, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananChannel 8 hosted its first-ever Check, Please! Arizona Festival at CityScape on Sunday and despite the ridiculous temperatures (100 degrees, but it felt hotter), everybody seemed to have a good...
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Chris Bianco on Jamie Oliver, the Local Chefs He Most Admires, and What Makes an Awesome Pizza Awesome
April 29, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananBianco at Town & CountryChris Bianco Pizzeria Bianco, Bar Bianco 623 E. Adams Street, Phoenix, 602-258-8300; 609 E. Adams St., 602-528-3699 Pizzeria Bianco/ Trattoria Bianco 4743 N. 20th Street (Town & Country), Phoenix, 602-368-3273 Pane...
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Chris Bianco Opens Full-Blown Pizzeria Bianco at Town & Country; Italian Restaurant Moves to Back Dining Room and Morphs to Trattoria Bianco
April 24, 2013 in Chow Bella
BuchananNew (but old) sign at Town & CountryIt may have gotten off to a rocky start, but Chris Bianco's Italian Restaurant has been earning rave reviews from local foodists for...
FnB's Charleen Badman to Host Chinese Pop Up + Beer Pairing
April 22, 2013 in Chow Bella
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8 Great Guacamoles in Metro Phoenix
April 22, 2013 in Chow Bella
Buchanan Gallo Blanco guacamoleSome snooty conquistador way back when once noted that in Mexico, avocados and guacamole were "butter for the poor." My, how times have changed! Guacamole -- a...
Rick Phillips of EATERAZ to Open Casual Restaurant with BBQ Component + Moonshine -- and Guess Who's Partnering with Him?
April 22, 2013 in Chow Bella
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Edward Farrow Leaves The Caf at MIM, Chris Lenza Takes His Place
April 17, 2013 in Chow Bella
Courtesy of The Caf at MIMChris LenzaEdward Farrow has forsaken his executive chef-general manager position at The Caf at MIM for a similar gig at SLAM -- the acronym for...
Chris Bianco to Open Pizzeria Bianco in Tucson This Fall
April 16, 2013 in Chow Bella
