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I'm not sure what appeals to me more -- the fact that Paradise Valley Community College's spring film festival is full of food-obsessed flicks, or that they're all free.

Dinner Rush (2001), set in an Italian restaurant, kicks off the lineup tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. Coming up, see what the French housemaid cooks up in Babette's Feast (February 13), get stirred up in the romances of Tortilla Soup (February 27), and slurp up the noodles in Tampopo (March 5).

All screenings will take place in the PVCC Center for the Performing Arts.

One of my good friends just got back from a fabulous vacay in Buenos Aires, "The Paris of South America," where he had all the great food and wine he could handle. Argentina might be the one place left in the world where the currency exchange rate doesn't suck for the dollar, so he was living large for nada mucho.

So after hearing all about this awesome destination, I can't stop thinking about it. Luckily, I found a place that will certainly help soothe my wanderlust in the meantime: Bomberos Cafe & Wine Bar, a South American-inspired spot situated in an old firehouse building on Central, between Northern and Dunlap.

I used to think of Sunnyslope as a destination for kickass Mexican food, but not much else, especially in the way of a scene. Now with the debut of Bomberos, there's a stylish place to hang out, nibble on some snacks, and sample interesting wines from Chile, Uruguay, Brasil, and of course, Argentina. I enjoyed a Tannat called Monte de Luz, which had a deep, dark berry aroma.

Right now, there are just a few options on the menu: a three-cheese plate (choices include Brie, Manchego, Gorgonzola, Iberico, and Drunken Goat), and a meat platter with really good prosciutto, salami, and slices of spicy Spanish chorizo. There's also a selection of bruschetta that could definitely fill you up if you wanted to make a light meal out of it.

Out back, the patio looked inviting (it was too chilly to hang out there when I went, though), and inside, the concrete block walls, sleek decor, and candlelight reminded me of another great wine bar, Postino. Bomberos actually opens bright and early -- 7 a.m. daily! -- for locals to grab a coffee and some pastries (how Lola of them!). They're pretty much giving us no excuse not to stop by.

All in all, a great new addition to the 'hood -- I look forward to going back soon.

This morning's batch of email came with a press release for caffeinated, B vitamin- and taurine-enhanced Snickers bars. What the... ??!

"To meet consumer needs and help millions of Americans take back their energy-zapped afternoons, SNICKERS® Brand is proclaiming the post-lunch, pre-dinner hour between two and three p.m. the SNICKERS Charged™ Re-Power Hour," it stated.

Oh, they're proclaiming it, huh? I wonder how long it will take for that to catch on.

This is even weirder than when they came out with Diet Coke Plus. I think it's the idea of caramel and caffeine combined that freaks me out. Also, what kind of loser needs to resort to a candy bar for adequate vitamin intake?

I love candy bars, I'm slightly addicted to caffeine, and I take vitamins often enough. For now, though, I'd prefer not to combine the three...

I enjoyed being a fly on the wall for a friend's dinner at Moto in Chicago, courtesy of YouTube. The video is dark and doesn't go all the way to the end of the meal, but it still gives you a sense of what the night was like. Fun! More people oughta do this.

I doubt you've ever questioned how seriously the Japanese take their fake food, but just in case you have, check out this Iron Chef-style fake food contest. From the glistening plastic meat for a mock shabu-shabu display, to the faux piece of ebi tempura that's actually a computer flash drive (I want one!), this YouTube clip should be all the proof you need.

Restaurateur Tom Kaufman, the wine expert behind two Valley favorites -- Rancho Pinot and Union Wine Bar & Grill -- says he's shooting to open his newest operation this Thursday, the 17th, at the Hilton Village (6149 N. Scottsdale Rd.).

It's called Humble Pie, and although the menu's not available just yet, Kaufman promises a selection of pizzas (baked in a gas and wood-burning Earthstone oven), salads, and organic vegetable sides, as well as an extensive wine list, wine and beer flights, and ten beers on tap.

Kaufman explains that the pizza at Humble Pie will definitely be different. "It's all about the crust for us," he says, adding that he was inspired by L.A.'s Pizzeria Mozza, a collaboration between Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali, and Joe Bastianich. (Years ago, when Kaufman and his ex Chrysa lived in L.A., Chrysa worked for Silverton at Campanile.)

So what's up with this crust that Kaufman has spent two months trying to perfect? The bottom will be crunchy, he says, sort of like the bottom of an English muffin, but there will also be a chewy component. The texture will also evoke the flaky fluffiness of ciabatta or a croissant.

I don't know about you, but I'm dying to try it.

To start, Humble Pie will be open daily for dinner; lunch service will be offered in a week, and pizza-to-go will be available in two or three weeks. For more information, call 480-556-9900.

Leccabaffi chef-owner Michael Lepore has teamed up with vocalist Khani Cole (who's been a featured performer at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort for more than a decade) and her husband Mike Florio to turn the restaurant into a swanky jazz venue called Voce Ristorante & Lounge.

They expanded into the adjacent space to create a new dining room, while also revamping the old dining room into a music lounge, where Cole and other local artists will be joined by national touring jazz acts. Voce opened late last month, but an official grand opening celebration will be held on Jan. 18.

And if you're hooked on Leccabaffi's Italian fare, don't despair -- there's only more to love. The dinner menu includes such tempting options as baby ravioli with swiss chard and veal, and pappardelle with sauteed wild boar and light tomato sauce. Meanwhile, the separate lounge menu features rustic pizzas and a variety of small plates such as arancini, grilled marinated calamari, and homemade spinach dumplings sauteed with butter, sage, and parmigiano.

Voce is located in Scottsdale at 9719 N. Hayden Rd., on the southeast corner at Mountain View.

Here's a link to a great interview with my favorite globe-trotting, smart-assed, chef/author/TV star. I never get sick of this guy. In the middle of reading this, I laughed so loudly that I'm sure my coworkers think I'm a freak. Enjoy...

Ooh, my teeth are turning purple just thinking about Old Town Scottsdale's newest eatery, a wine-centric boutiquey bistro called Fine's Cellar that debuted last Wednesday.

It looks promising -- not only because of the menu, but also because of its pedrigree.

Proprietor Michael Fine is the founder and former owner of Sportsman's Fine Wines & Spirits, while executive chef Cullen Campbell's resume includes several acclaimed local restaurants, such as Camus, House of Tricks, and Atlas Bistro. And GM Larry Canepa is a Valley hospitality veteran, having worked at resorts such as The Boulders and The Arizona Biltmore.

After eyeing up the dinner menu, I'm already getting hungry for housemade duck confit bratwurst with truffled sauerkraut, roasted butternut squash gnocchi with brown butter and fried sage leaves, and braised beef short rib with polenta fries, bacon vinaigrette, and nebbiolo reduction. Fine's Cellar also serves breakfast, lunch, and wine bar "diversions," including several different cheese plates.

The wine list will make it damn near impossible not to have a sip. Offerings by the bottle range from cheap to spendy, but most are quite reasonable. And along with wines by the glass, you can also order a "taste" of something for even less moolah. I suspect I'll have too much fun sampling the vino here . . .

Business hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays (no dinner that day, but the bar food menu will be available from lunch until 6:30 p.m.); 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. According to Mr. Fine himself, hours may be extended if evening business develops. Fine's Cellar is located at 7051 E. 5th Ave. in Scottsdale. Call 480-994-FINE for info.

As of yesterday afternoon, representatives from the Phoenician said they had no information that Mary Elaine's, finally, would close after months of rumors that the resort's legendary upscale dining establishment would become a new concept from celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has a partnership with Starwood Hotels.

But now they admit it's true.

According to Denise Seomin, director of PR for the Phoenician, "Mary Elaine’s is scheduled to cease operations following dinner service on Saturday, April 5, 2008. We don’t have any specific details at this time, but hope to have more information by the end of the month."

I can only hope it won't be *another* pricey steakhouse.

So, will you miss Mary Elaine's? And what kind of restaurant would you like to see take its place? I'm taking an informal poll.

Word was getting around that Welcome Diner, one of downtown's grooviest little eateries -- and I really do mean little -- was closed.

And as it turns out, owner Peter Hearn was planning on closing at the current Roosevelt Street location (a cute metal Valentine diner from the early 20th century) and moving the restaurant into new digs.

"Well, we were going to move, and now we're not," he says. "We were closed for about a day and a half."

Hearn says he still plans on opening a second Welcome Diner location sometime in the not-too-distant future, at Sloane McFarland's Yourland development at 16th Street and Buckeye.

So tell all your friends, the Welcome Diner is still welcoming hungry customers. And starting tonight, the place will be open for First and Third Fridays, from 5 to 10 p.m. (Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.) Check it out at 924 E. Roosevelt.

Break an egg, er, leg, Aaron.

Sol y Sombra's chef Aaron May has branched out into the breakfast biz, and the new place just opened last Friday.

It's called Overeasy, and it's all about the most important meal of the day. I don't know about you, but some fluffy pancakes, bacon and eggs, and strong coffee sounds really good right about now.

The place doesn't have a sign up yet, but it's located at 4031 N. 40th St., right next to The Vig. (It's just south of the southeast corner of 40th and Indian School.) Overeasy will be dishing up the eats seven days a week, from 6:30 to 11 a.m.