Phoenix Food Blog

​Arizonans have an understandable affinity for all things cold and sweet -- hello, that's a survival mechanism most of the year! -- so it's no surprise that ice cream giant Haagen-Dazs is focusing on our state (along with California, Florida, and New York) to test out a new line called Classic Sundaes.

What's more unusual, though, is how they're soliciting customer feedback on Twitter and Facebook. Who needs focus groups when you can go directly to the people through social media? 

"As the world quickly transitions to a life of social media, we want to be on the forefront of customer service and communication," says Dawn Uremovich, president of Häagen-Dazs Shops.

"We value customer feedback and engagement when deciding on new shop recipes, so it seemed obvious to launch discussions about new products through social media, where customers' opinions can influence desserts featured in Häagen-Dazs shops across the country."

​St. Francis

That's because he's waiting to see what kinds of exotic organic produce farmer Patrick Duncan will drop off for his Brophy Farm to Table Dinner.

Chamberlin will cook up a four-course feast ($60 per person, $90 with wine) made with just-picked ingredients, in celebration of that night's blessing of the restaurant, conducted by Father Eddie Reese, SJ, and Father Dan Sullivan, SJ. The president of Brophy College Preparatory and the pastor of the St. Francis Church, respectively, will break bread at the restaurant in observance of the Jesuit "haustas" tradition.

​The evolution of Mill Avenue continues. While retailers might've taken the biggest economic hit along downtown Tempe's walkable stretch (witness the sad row of empty storefronts just north of P.F. Chang's), the restaurant scene is burgeoning.

Open since Friday, Robbie Fox's Public House is the newest addition to the mix, giving Rula Bula some competition with fish 'n chips, corned beef sandwiches, cottage pie, and other Irish dishes, as well as several all-American offerings. And in the oyster department, Casey Moore's gets a challenge, too -- Robbie Fox's has them on the half-shell, fried, and Rockefeller.

That's what restaurateur Lobby Syregelas is betting on with his new concept, Lobbys Beef, Burgers, Dogs, which opened late last year in the Basha's Center at McClintock and Southern in Tempe (3141 S. McClintock). Sure, there's competition from the chains, he says, but so far the neighborhood is supporting the indie fast-casual spot.

The menu is all about straightforward Chicago-style eats -- homemade burgers, Italian beef , grilled Italian and Polish sausage sandwiches, chili, and hot dogs with everything, served in poppy seed buns.

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let's have one last look at the blog posts from this week:

The Cheesiest Food Tour We've Ever Seen

New Restaurant Round-up

Re-creating Pie Zanos' Pizza at Home

Sprinkles Cupcakes Debuts Vegan Red Velvet

A Peek at Tammie Coe's Improvements

Top Chefs: Phoenix Culinary Students Compete for Regional Title

Man, oh man, was this a hard one. Toughest competition yet. I've been angsting all week about picking a winner for our Dip Showdown, where Chow Bella's ambitious cooks all brought in their own tempting dip recipes, in anticipation of our country's most dip-worthy holiday, the Super Bowl. (Yes, I said holiday. Whether you like sports or not, you know it's true.)

Jonathan knocked us out with shameless decadence, serving warm Nothing Left to Lose Beer Cheese, while Claire went old-school with delicious Don't Ask, Don't Tell Artichoke Dip. Cheri got creative with her original Curry Some Flavor Dip, and Sativa busted out her mom's recipe, Teacher's Lounge Spicy Dip. Laura's Zingy Bean Dip was also killer, the kind of thing you could spend an afternoon scooping up with chips.

​Many moons ago, our father took us to Ray's the Steaks in Virginia. The wait was exceptionally long. They don't take reservations (yes, one of those places) and once we got inside the weight for service was pretty unbearable. In fact, we were asked to come back at a later date to free up a table for a party that included a pregnant lady.

Talk about waiting.

But eventually we got to you know, actually try the food at Ray's the Steaks and it was amazing. So a little waiting like that described in this week's cafe column about Modern Steak is not going to stop us from getting at some gastronomical delights.

Food Critic Michele Laudig on Modern Steak:

This restaurant was marketed as a novel, female-friendly take on a steakhouse, but there's no better way to bring out the bitch in any lady than to make her teeter on her foxy stilettos as her blood sugar plummets and her stomach growls as loudly as the music blasting from the sound system. Or maybe that's just me.

Once seated, with some fragrant, warm focaccia to nibble on and a cold martini in hand, my mood steadily improved, especially as our affable, hard-working waiter and an army of lavender-shirted staffers doted on us. From there, the pace of dinner went smoothly. (I should note that lunch at Modern Steak was a breeze, thankfully)...full story

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Even before I walked through the door, the changes were evident, with more umbrella tables and seating on the sidewalk. It feels a lot more like a mini-cafe than just a coffee nook, and the food selection is broader.

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Congrats to "food philosopher" Nikki Buchanan on her two-day-old baby, The Wild Lavender.

The longtime local restaurant critic, who freelances for The Arizona Republic's "Everyday Dining" beat and spent the better part of her career with Phoenix Magazine, just launched her own blog, where she'll be writing about all the "topics for which there's often no room in print."

Interestingly, Buchanan has decided to ditch anonymity altogether, and will begin hosting weekly Wild Lavender cooking classes with Estate House chef Gio Osso. Starting February 27, the classes cost $100 apiece, run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and include lunch and wine.

It's not easy being a food spy these days.

​No wonder food critics are feeling introspective.

Between publishing's industrywide troubles, the ever-increasing speed (and seemingly decreased value) of online information, the mushrooming presence of food blogs, and the unexpected closure of foodie bible Gourmet Magazine, the future looks like one big question mark -- or, for someone like me who's navigating the busy intersection between old and new media, a moving target.

Restaurant reviewers around the country are wondering aloud about their role.

Last month, New York University's Institute for Public Knowledge hosted a by-invite-only discussion of "Taste and Authority: The Restaurant Review." A recent dissertation by James Beard Foundation vice president Mitchell Davis, entitled "A Taste for New York: Restaurant Reviews, Food Discourse, and the Field of Gastronomy," was featured in the discussion.

Francis Lam covered the event for Salon ("Restaurant Critics Stare Into the Abyss"), sounding quite pessimistic but making no conclusions about what kind of food writing (trusted professional criticism or handy amateur review) readers really want to consume.

​Does the food tax leave a bad taste in your mouth? It's not too late to do something about it.

Yesterday, the Phoenix City Council voted 6-3 to approve a two percent tax on groceries, intended to raise an estimated $62 million over two years to preserve the jobs of cops, firefighters, and other city employees facing layoffs amid the budget deficit.

When the tax takes effect in April, the only Valley cities where you'll be able to stock your fridge tax-free will be Mesa and Surprise.

But starting a week from today, residents will get a chance to speak up about the tax and a slew of proposed cuts in city services and programs at a series of public budget hearings. You can also leave comments at Phoenix.gov or at 602-262-4800.

Depending on the results of the hearings, the council could reverse the decision in March.

​Chef Aaron May says he was "being cat and mouse about it," but his new gastropub Mabel's on Main opened quietly a week ago, in the Old Town Scottsdale space that used to house Mabel Murphy's (7018 E. Main).

Right now, there are a dozen "gourmet bar snacky" menu items -- braised pork belly with homemade cracklings is May's current fave.

​It's a good thing my editor just got back from lunch with a few freshly baked cookies to unload on me, because I need something sweet to nibble on as I look at the menu for Shelley's Specialty Desserts, a month-old bakery in downtown Glendale (5845 W. Palmaire).

Owner/pastry chef Shelley Au has been baking for years, supplying restaurants such as Phoenix City Grille and Sierra Bonita Grill, but now she's finally got a place of her own where fans can indulge in Shelley's Sweet Buttermilk Pie, Kentucky bourbon cheesecake, oatmeal caramelation bars, cookies, petits fours, bread, cinnamon rolls, and other made-from-scratch treats.

​Talk about short-lived.

Amid various retail changes at Scottsdale's Promenade in the past year, Bad to the Bone BBQ replaced Redfish Cajun Grill in May and hosted a grand opening celebration in November -- and now, there's word that the restaurant has already been shuttered by the landlord.

Bad to the Bone's phone number has been disconnected as well.

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Chowhound, the popular foodie message board, reorganized its regional coverage in January and created a new Phoenix board -- which also includes food and restaurants in Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Glendale, and elsewhere in the Valley. 

The longstanding Southwest board remains intact, but some active threads pertaining to Phoenix are being moved to the new one. Now, instead of sorting through countless posts about Lotus of Siam and L'Atelier Joel Robuchon and all the restaurant happenings in Las Vegas -- as well as those semi-bitchy comments from people asking which city you're posting from -- all the local chit-chat is in one easy-to-find spot.

​It's official.

Cielo, the brand-new Italian restaurant at Mondrian Scottsdale, opens tonight at 6 p.m. It replaces three-year-old Asia de Cuba, which served its last dinner there on Saturday.

Executive chef Donald Lemperle remains in charge in the kitchen, and as it turns out, Italian food is his forte.

At the tender age of 16, Lemperle started cooking at his father's Italian restaurant, Genentoni's, in Staten Island, New York. He went on to launch Fiamma Trattoria in New York and Fiamma Osteria in Las Vegas, as well as the Fiamma that preceded Asia de Cuba in Scottsdale.

Cielo's menu features handmade pastas such as braised oxtail tortelli with tomato sugo and parmesan crema, wood-fired pizzas, a variety of antipasti, and several entrees featuring seafood, chicken, and steak. Prices run from $8 to $28. There's also an extensive selection of specialty cocktails.

Read on for the full menu:

​Phoenix has lost a hidden gem, at least in part.

The restaurant at Backstreet Wine Salon -- a classy little spot behind Gaslight Square on Indian School -- served its last dinner this past Saturday night. However, Backstreet's wine shop remains open for retail sales.

Owner Jock Wulffson got the word out in an email newsletter on Friday.

"I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of my customers who have become more than just customers -- you have become friends as well," he wrote.

Backstreet's retail hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and noon to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

Another week has come and gone leaving us to ponder the upcoming events that will shape our lives and, more importantly, our dinners out. But before we move on, let's have one last look at the blog posts from this week:

Toast to Your Health With the First Acai Berry Spirit

Haiti Relief: Wildflower Bread Co., Dilly's Deli, Bombay Spice, Other Locals Lending a Hand

Locally Made: Bill Hutchison Solves the New Mexico Pepper Debate

Day Drinker: The Simple Life at Harvey's Wineburger

Battle of the Bruschetta

Nothing came of it, as management would not confirm or deny the insider information. But they were certainly taken off-guard by my inquiry, pressing me to reveal my source -- which this secret agent wouldn't do.

But that wasn't the end of the story.

Last time I had a chance to chat up Ernie, who was busy serving the late lunch crowd at Matt's Big Breakfast, the holidays and their personal lives had been keeping the CenPho foodie couple extra busy, although she said the staff was finally trained on the brand-new espresso machine at Giant.

Well, now it appears that the highly anticipated opening is just around the corner. Giant Coffee just debuted on Twitter -- you can follow updates from @GiantCoffeeAZ -- and the very first Tweet mentions an opening in two weeks. Giant Coffee is located at 1437 N. 1st St.

​There's been a boom in Central Phoenix coffee shops lately, but so far, there's certainly room for more -- especially one serving locally roasted java, sandwiches, and homemade pastries.

Something else that two-month-old Dolce Espresso (1025 E. Camelback) offers is even more novel: live video DJs.

Brothers Cesar and Leo Marin opened their shop back in November, with the hopes that customers would come in after hitting the clubs on weekends. On Fridays and Saturdays, Dolce is open 24 hours, and showcases DJs playing music videos on three large plasma screen TVs.

"I wanted to create more of a hangout," says Cesar.

But now McLinn's back on the scene as executive chef at The Grind, a brand-new spot set to open near 40th Street and Camelback (3961 E. Camelback Rd.) in mid-February.

Two 1000-degree coal-fired ovens, claimed to be the only ones of their kind in the U.S.,  will be showcased in the restaurant's exhibition kitchen, set amid a 2,100-square-foot space.

​Chef Beau MacMillan must be high on life right now.

Between his new Food Network show, Worst Cooks in America, becoming a sudden success, and his restaurant, elements, getting a big-budget makeover, the one-time Iron Chef America winner has more star power than ever.

But he's still been busy in the kitchen, updating the elements menu for the January 14 relaunch. Now, along with MacMillan's signature Asian-inspired entrees, there's a raw menu featuring dishes such as hamachi carpaccio with dungeness crab, uni, and yuzu vinaigrette, and albacore tartare with sesame hummus, white soy, and onion sprouts. 

Joining MacMillan is the restaurant's new pastry chef, Renee Cade, who's added three new desserts to the rotation -- cantaloupe mousse, bamboo torte, and Cracker Jack soup with salted caramel. Chocolate peanut butter decadence, an old favorite, is still available as well.

​Culinarily speaking, it's the simple things that keep us coming back. Pizza, sandwiches, coffee: these are the things we need. And now they've just got a bit more convenient thanks to Chef Michael De Maria's new venture: Mid City Kitchen.

Food Critic Michele Laudig on Mid City Kitchen:

De Maria's cooking team works the L-shaped open kitchen efficiently, dishing up entrees and making sandwiches to order for customers who check their choices off a list and hand them in at each station. Even when they're slammed during the lunch hour, the service is welcoming. There's also a well-stocked salad bar (surprisingly hard to come by in these parts), self-service beverages, grab-and-go sandwiches and side dishes like potato salad, plus a small selection of pre-packaged hot entrees.

An espresso counter with bar seating stretches across the front of the restaurant, making for a quick pit stop if you prefer a sweet treat like a muffin or Danish with your morning latte. (There's also a small ice cream fridge next to the pastry case.)...full story

It was never a culinary destination, just a cozy hangout for students and urbanites looking for a place to study, work, socialize, and maybe eat a homemade crepe while getting their caffeine fix.

That said, there's a lot of potential for something better in that prime piece of real estate. It'll definitely be one to watch.

Hello, toffee!

Having been one of those weird kids who always craved the strangely adult-sounding Heath bars when everyone else was stocking up on Nerds and Garbage Pail Kids, I still have absolutely no resistance to buttery, softly crunchy toffee.

​A story posted on AZCentral this afternoon appears to have drastically slowed the newspaper's website (numerous attempts to log on stated that the link was broken) -- all because of two magic words:

Chris Bianco.

If you can manage to get through to the article, it details how the James Beard award-winning chef has gotten doctor's orders to stay away from the wood-fired oven at Pizzeria Bianco, as smoke and flour have exacerbated his asthma.