One of my favorite Valley restaurants, Phoenix’s Noca, will be opening its kitchen on the second Thursday of each month, welcoming in guest chefs to create delicious bar bites along with Noca’s chef Chris Curtiss. (The bar bites menu is a collection of five or six menu items that are much smaller than an entrée [...]

Looking for an all-American repast to kick off your Fourth of July weekend (think fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes and ice cream sundaes)? Phoenix’s NOCA is hosting a special menu on Saturday and Sunday to celebrate Independence Day. Take a look:
Course One
Wedge Salad with Romaine, Bacon, Sunburst Tomatoes, Pickled Red Onions, Radishes, Carrots, Thousand Island [...]

A four-course meal in the (almost) summertime just doesn’t seen all that tempting. However, NOCA in Phoenix, will be hosting a light, refreshing tasting menu that spotlights heirloom tomatoes. This Thursday, June 11, NOCA will host four delicious, summer-friendly courses. Here’s what to expect:
First Course
Tri-Color Heirloom Gazpacho
Marcona Almonds, Avocado Mousse, Queen Creek Olive Oil
Txomin Etxaniz [...]

On Thursday evening, Phoenix’s NOCA restaurant will be hosting a Four Peaks tasting event. The Tempe-based brewery will supply its award-winning beers–all year-round selections–which will be paired with six delectable courses. Here’s the menu:
First Course
Fluke
Pickled Radish, Rice Crunchies, Ponzu Gelee
Sunbru Kölsch-Style Ale
A very light golden ale that is malty sweet, almost honeylike in the nose. This [...]

Wednesdays don’t usually call for much celebration. It’s still a bit too early to get into weekend mode, but Manic Monday is over and done with. The highlight for me is usually the “American Idol” results show. Phoenix’s NOCA (which was crazily omitted from the James Beard Foundation Awards Best New Restaurant finalist list), however, has found [...]

I first visited NOCA, a chic eatery at 32nd Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix, a few months ago when it first opened. I recall that my plate of seasonal vegetables was sheer perfection–yes, a plate of veggies–and that our meal was completed with a bowl of complimentary cotton candy. Yes, cotton candy (or c-squared, as my [...]

Update: Unfortunately–and very surprisingly–none of the Valley’s glorious chefs or restaurants are among this year’s James Beard Foundation Award finalists. For a list of nominees, visit www.jbfawards.com. Winners will be announced in May.
Need proof that Arizona is home to some of the nation’s most incredible culinary talent? (You know, besides the amazing food at our [...]