Please welcome Central Pop, a year-old Chandler shop offering 45 flavors of popcorn, as MXSW’s newest sponsor.
Flavors range from Pecan Praline Caramel to Loaded Baked Potato to Texas Chili.
The store, located on the southwest corner of Cooper and Ray, also sells crispy rice and marshmallow treats.
Please thank Central Pop for its support of local food and drink coverage.
Please welcome Hot Bamboo, a new restaurant on the northwest corner of McQueen and Pecos in Chandler, as MXSW’s newest sponsor.
The Asian street food concept offers bao (steamed buns), dumplings, and rice bowls.
Hot Bamboo, popular at Valley festivals and farmers markets for the past decade, opened its bricks-and-mortar location in January.
Please thank Hot Bamboo for its support of local food and drink coverage.
BKD’s Backyard Joint, a new sports bar and grill from the owners of the Valley’s three Melting Pot fondue restaurants, will open Thursday, Jan. 17, on the northwest corner of McQueen and Pecos in Chandler.
It takes over former neighborhood grill Hangar 9, which closed in November. Before that, the strip-mall space housed McDuffy’s Grille.
According to BKD’s marketing director, an official ‘‘scheduled grand opening’’ will be held Jan. 25.
The concept checks all the requisite boxes for a modern-day sports bar:
What sets BKD’s apart from most sports bars will be the 120-inch TV – maybe the biggest in the East Valley – that covers most of one wall.
More details to come next week.
Tryst Café, a health-conscious restaurant at Desert Ridge in northeast Phoenix, will open a second location on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Ocotillo in south Gilbert this summer.
Besides the typical all-day American menu items, there are a number of creative twists, such as breakfast nachos, banana quinoa pancakes, and organic egg omelets for breakfast (served until 2:30 p.m.).
Dinner options start with apps like beer-battered green beans, honey-glazed Brussels sprouts, and tilapia ‘‘crisps,’’ followed by entrees made with free-range chicken and natural beef.
The Gilbert location is expected to open in July.
Love pizza? Flancer’s will hold its 18th annual Charity Pizza-Eating Contest at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, April 8, at its Gilbert location.
The annual event is a fundraiser for Warfighter Sports, Sunshine Acres Children’s Home, and Jewish Family & Children’s Services.
The first contestant to eat two large cheese pizzas will win a $250 cash prize and be crowned by Miss Arizona. All contestants will get a free T-shirt.
The contest traditionally draws a few serious contestants, but most just want to have some fun and support a great cause.
Entry fee is $25. To enter or get more info, call 480-926-9077.
Romeo’s Euro Cafe in Gilbert holds its weekly ‘‘Taste of Romeo’s’’ dinner, hosted by chef Romeo Taus and his wife, Janice, in a private dining room, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 1.
The dinners typically feature five courses selected from the restaurant’s regular menu. This week’s selections:
Cost is $30 per person plus tax and tip. Add five wine tastes for $10. RSVP: 480-962-4224.
GRAZ Kitchen Fresh will celebrate the grand opening of its new home in the Palette Collective building behind Chandler Fashion Center from 6-9 p.m. Saturday.
The independent gourmet sandwich shop launched in 2014Â on the southeast corner of Arizona Avenue and Pecos in Chandler. It moved in August.
Saturday’s party will include free food and gift card giveaways.
Republica Empanada in downtown Mesa is the latest Valley eatery to catch the eye of the Food Network’s ‘‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.’’
Show host Guy Fieri and his crew spent Thursday filming at Republica Empanada for a future episode. The restaurant was closed to the public all day.
Republica Empanada opened in June 2013 and features Latin American comfort food. The signature menu items are a variety of empanadas – hand-held pastries with savory or sweet fillings (pictured).
No word yet on when the episode will air.
Back in April, I wrote about Julian Wright, owner Pedal Haus Brewery in downtown Tempe, buying and closing popular Vintage 95 in downtown Chandler.
At the time, he was planning to partner with Jim Bob and Kelsey Strothers, owners of Worth Takeaway in downtown Mesa, on a new concept called Equal Parts.
‘‘We will most likely have an exhibition kitchen featuring rustic northern Italian cuisine cooked over hardwood and featuring many local food partners,’’ Wright told me.
Well, scratch that idea.
Over the summer, word leaked out that the partnership had fallen apart. The restaurant and its great patio (pictured) still sit vacant after nearly six months.
‘‘(Equal Parts) is no longer in the plans,’’ Wright confirms. ‘‘I’m working on a new concept but don’t have it finalized yet.’’
Besides Pedal Haus, Wright’s other concepts in downtown Tempe have included The Library (now Gringo-Star Street Bar), La Bocca Urban Pizzeria, Modern Margarita and The Handlebar.
