Barrio Queen  Local Mexican concept lands at Desert Ridge Marketplace with tasty food and festive ambiance. North Valley residents can finally get their Barrio Queen fix without having to drive to Old Town Scottsdale or Gilbert. Barrio Queen’s third Valley restaurant recently opened at Desert Ridge Marketplace at Loop 101 and Tatum Boulevard, much to the delight of the restaurant’s devout fans. The festive ...

Farm Fresh  The MIM’s Café Allegro hits high notes with local ingredients. By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Chris Lenza is a firm believer in “shop local.” As the executive chef of the Musical Instrument Museum’s Café Allegro, Lenza and his staff serve creative dishes they’ve made from farm-fresh, Arizona ingredients. “I start with what’s in season,” Lenza says. “That’s our priority: what are we getting that’s ...

A Tasty Original Introducing Mama G’s famous Highway Cafe banana bread. Let me share with you Highway Cafe banana bread. The original recipe was my great grandmother’s. She once owned the famous Highway Cafe during the 1940s. Located in South Dakota, service men and women would visit daily to get a delicious piece of warm, buttery, banana bread. The best part about this bread is the gooey texture, which soa ...

Liberty Station  A tantalizing mix of options delight at smokehouse tavern in North Scottsdale. By Andrew Leach Photos by Joanie Simon I often crave dishes from the East Coast, where I grew up––think New England clam chowder, fish and chips made with Atlantic cod, or a lobster roll. Frequently, I also have a hankering for smoked barbecue too. Turns out, I can satisfy both cravings at Liberty Station America ...

Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North welcomes Chuck Kazmer. By Michelle Talsma Everson Earlier this year, Chef Chuck Kazmer packed his bags and moved from his post as executive chef at Four Seasons Hotel Amman in Jordan to Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. A 25-year veteran of the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts brand, Kazmer says that he was interested in relocating to Scottsdale because of ...

Over Easy  North Valley dining spot offers a unique take on breakfast and lunch favorites. By Andrew Leach A sun filled room awaits you at Over Easy in North Scottsdale. Connected to the Ice Den, one of the few local ice rinks around town, this dining spot serves up breakfast and lunch favorites with a twist. The restaurant has three Valley outposts in addition to their Scottsdale location, as well as one i ...

Beef Stroganoff  For a comforting weeknight dinner, try Mama G’s family classic.   Beef stroganoff is a sturdy dish of beef sautéed and served in a sour cream sauce. The unusual name of this dish is courtesy of Count Pavel Stroganov. The count was a noted gourmet and 19th century diplomat. My quick and easy recipe calls for McCormick beef stroganoff sauce mix. This recipe was beloved by my great grandm ...

Coup des Tartes French-inspired restaurant serves up delectable dishes. By Andrew Leach Take a trip to a more refined era at Coup des Tartes, Arizona’s longest running, award-winning French-inspired restaurant. Here, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Housed in a 1922 house situated on a one-acre lot, it has a quaint, romantic outdoor patio cooled by old shade trees and lush gre ...

Crazy for Cookies  The Fourth Annual Girl Scout Cookie Challenge. By Alison Bailin Batz Everyone has a special place in their hearts for Girl Scout cookies. Not only because they’re spectacularly delicious, but because the Girl Scout Cookie Program helps girls fulfill their dreams, follow their passions, and change the world. “Girl Scout cookies not only help our local Girl Scouts earn money for fun, educat ...

Thanksgiving Apple Bread Pudding Serve this perfectly sweet treat during your seasonal celebrations. By Leann Grunwald Bread pudding is a dish with old roots. It began as a use for stale bread. Wasting bread was unheard of, so cooks created savory and sweet dishes to use the stale bread in. Bread puddings have remained popular throughout time. But more so in Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and Belgium, than ...

Buck & Rider  LGO Hospitality’s latest restaurant boasts fresh seafood and some serious charm. By Andrew Leach The brains behind eateries including Le Grande Orange Pizzeria and Grocery, Chelsea’s Kitchen, Ingo, and Ingo’s Tasty Food, LGO Hospitality’s newest restaurant, Buck & Rider, is inspired by a house in a beach town in Australia and gets its name from a fisherman’s term for mating crabs. This ...

Flavor Profile The dish from the chefs behind The Rogue Tomato, a North Valley restaurant whose name says it all. By Sondra Barr Photos by Shannon Fisher Photography When your restaurant is called The Rogue Tomato, the food better be as imaginative as your moniker. And, it is. Since opening in February, The Rogue Tomato has earned a reputation for serving flavorful Sonoran-influenced food that feature fresh ...

Afternoon Delight Traditional afternoon tea is perfectly paired with buttery chocolate pecan scones. By Leann Grunwald There is something very special about traditional afternoon tea. This British custom is an exquisitely beautiful way to entertain. History is uncertain as to when afternoon tea was first introduced in England, but the celebration became fashionable in the 1840s. Credit is given to Anna, the ...

The Living Room Wine Cafe & Lounge announces plans for two new locations this year. The locally owned group is set to bring their innovative wine concept to Ahwatukee and to Scottsdale's Gainey Ranch. The Living Room in Ahwatukee Foothills Towne Center – next to the AMC 24 - is scheduled to open the end of May. The Living Room in the Shops at Gainey Village will follow and open mid-October. The Living R ...

Tutti Santi  Authentic Italian food and service await at iconic Scottsdale restaurant. By Nadine Bubeck Photos by Stellar Photography When I first heard Leonardo Zacchino voice, it brought me back to my babymoon in Florence. I visited Italy nearly 20 weeks pregnant, and upon touching ground in the breathtaking country, I felt a sense far-far away, taken aback by the rich culture and magnificent history. Whe ...