Central Bistro on Facebook

When one door closes another one opens -- fortunately for you, you can stumble through both on Sunday, February 3.

As the Waste Management Phoenix Open marks its last day, Phoenix's Central Bistro will be unveiling a brand new brunch menu. To celebrate, the restaurant specializing in modern French and Italian fare will be offering a special Brunch and Bus package.

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Andy Broder

Plantain Ripe, and Segmented

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Invite the plantain to your next meal. It will be like having the banana's exotic cousin as a houseguest. At first you might be a little unsure about the whole arrangement, but after a meal together you'll wonder why you worried. The plantain is actually like a perfect houseguest. It likes to be left alone; it cooks with almost no fuss or extra ingredients; it's versatile enough to be dessert or a side dish, and, within reason, the older it gets the sweeter it becomes (unlike a houseguest).

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Double Check Ranch

This St. Patrick's Day (yes, we're already talking about St. Patrick's Day -- rather, the day before), Double Check Ranch is going green, with a one-night-only event they're calling "Celebrating Green: A Beyond Organic Pasture Dinner."

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This exclusive farm to table event hosted by Double Check Ranch, will be served on pasture at the Ranch's scenic Winkelman, March 16 from 2 to 8 p.m.

The six-course dinner and drinks menu created by Chef John Hall (former owner/operator at Canela Bistro and now chef at Chris Bianco's Italian Restaurant) will feature all forms of Arizona-grown and raised goods including: meats, cheeses, baked goods, produce- and let's not forget, locally crafted beer and wine.

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Andy Broder

It's 5 P.M., I just got back from an out-of-town wedding, I'm hungry, and the only thing I know for sure is that I'm staying home. I have a spaghetti squash on my counter, and some cherry tomatoes that I put in the refrigerator before I left for the wedding. I know that tomatoes ought not be refrigerated, but I didn't think they'd survive on the counter for four days while I was away.

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I also have some lovely Queen Creek olive oil - Meyer lemon infused, and a shallot. It's as if my nearly bare kitchen and my eat-less-meat New Year's resolution conspired to see if I was really serious about going meatless a couple of days each week.

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Carly's Bistro

Hot rum cider

When temperatures in Phoenix are lower than they are in Anchorage, Alaska - you know it's time for a drink. Fortunately, these three Phoenix based bars are serving up drinks both hot and heavy - perfect for the over 21 in need of a solution to the under 21 (well, it feels that way) weather.

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Hot Rum Cider at Carly's Bistro
Stop by this Roosevelt Row restaurant for a seasonal pick-me-up of hot rum cider. This downtown drink, garnished with a fresh apple slice and served in a warm mug, is perfect for wrapping your hands around as you watch the gallery foot traffic. For more information visit Carly's online.

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Every week, there's a cornucopia of Phoenix food news, features, and reviews to report here at Chow Bella. If you're like most people, you probably just don't have the time to get to all of it. It's kind of like those burgers at Old Town Whiskey; it just won't all fit in your mouth ... or in this case, your day. So, here's a recap of some of the top stories from the week that you may have missed.

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Photo by Michael McNamara

Shrimp Pizza at Humble Pie

Humble Pie is turning 5 (aww) and to celebrate they're giving a gift to you.

On Tuesday, January 15, the locally owned pizzeria with currently 5 metro Phoenix locations (the sixth Humble Pie at Stetson Village is set to open sometime during the week of the restaurant's anniversary) will be offering all of its wood-fired pizzas at half price. This offer is one-day-only at all Humble Pie locations and only for dine in customers.

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-NYPD Pizza Partners With Phoenix Ale Brewery for Exclusive Brew
-Austin-Based Hopdoddy Burger Bar Coming to Scottsdale

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Andy Broder

Pomelo Salad with Pomegranates, Beets, and Pea Shoots

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Nothing says "Happy New Year" like a pomelo; Chinese New Year, that is. As a practical matter, you can use a pomelo (also spelled pumello) as a substitute for grapefruit. The grapefruit we eat on a day-to-day basis is actually a hybrid of a pomelo and an orange. Once you've peeled away the incredibly thick and bitter skin, a segment of pomelo is hard to distinguish from a segment of grapefruit. The biggest difference is that a pomelo in your house at the start of Chinese New Year is said to bring good fortune.

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Perry Czopp

Get ready to meet your Phoenix coffee culture mentor-- Perry Czopp.

Ever feel like your coffeehouse cool is blown once you get up to the register and see an option other than drip? Still think espresso has an 'X' somewhere in it? Well, you're in luck, java novices -- a local coffee connoisseur has started a noble mission to teach everyone all they need to know about coffee tasting, roasting, growing, and preparation.

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Perry Czopp of the Coffee Chop has begun offering customized tours of local cafes, roasters, equipment stores, and even some historical coffee sites to immerse groups in Arizona's coffee culture. While each tour is customized to the group's coffee know-how, some common spots to hit up are:

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digitaltrends.com

If you're like us, you have a smart phone...a smart phone that is being highly under-utilized, subjected to menial tasks when it could really be tackling complex algorithms or at the very least launching virtual birds out of a slingshot.

Which is why we at Chow Bella have decided to start using our mobile devices to their full potential- by downloading some very slick apps. Here are Chow Bella's Top 5 Food and Drink Apps.

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AndyTalk: Five Easy New Year's Resolutions That Will Make You a Better Cook

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