Two dining areas were set up in the spacious home, where tables were decorated in a black and white damask design, contrasted by red roses.

It may not be gourmet, but it is cheap — and the proceeds go to a charity that helps local first responders and their families when they’re the ones in crisis.

Another Italian eatery is preparing to open in the recently closed Anzio Landing restaurant space in Mesa.

Finding good Mexican grub in this town is no problem; we could celebrate Cinco de Mayo once a week if pressed. But if you’re looking to do justice to this weekend’s other big almost-holiday, the Kentucky Derby, that’s a little more of a head scratcher. Here are three ways to indulge in the Southern spirit of the Run for the Roses, no big fancy hats required.

The best-tasting veggie burger I’ve ever met is falafel. A product of the Middle East, falafel are deep-fried fritters made from ground chickpeas or fava beans that are tucked into pita pockets and drizzled with tahini. They are delicious, hearty, inexpensive and relatively healthy.

There are restaurants that slash prices on margaritas or invite a mariachi band for Cinco de Mayo - and then there are restaurants that go a little nuts.

The latest release from Philadelphia guitarist- songwriter Kurt Vile is a 69-minute double LP of lengthy, languid meditations on the everyday and beyond. The songs unwind slowly, their charms leaving imprints on the way back around.

On Sunday, the popular PBS restaurant review show, “Check, Please! Arizona,” hosts its first food festival at CityScape in Phoenix. While attendees enjoy a plethora of food and wine samples and live demonstrations from award-winning chefs like Robert McGrath and Chris Bianco, one humble festival booth — Pittsburgh Willy’s Gourmet Hot Dogs — takes the next step in its Cinderella story.

They may be so commonplace they’re unappreciated, so simple they fail to activate the saliva glands at first sight, but in our book it’s hard to go wrong with chips and salsa.

While Arizona is home to several upscale dining establishments that meet the most discriminating palates, the state is also home to several fun and kitschy places to nosh at as well. Whether diners are on a road trip or just seeking out the unusual, below are some suggestions for AAA One and Two Diamond restaurants known for their quirkiness as much as their food.

Whenever Esi Impraim’s mother made jollof — a rich, tomato-laced dish of meats, rice and sometimes seafood — the time it took to bubble away on the stove was always excruciating.

Feeling like you should do something for St. Patrick’s Day but missed Saturday’s downtown parade or don’t fancy a drive all the way to Fountain Hills for a spray of green water?

How many times has this “Medical Advice” column reported a change in prevailing medical recommendations? Here we go again. Humpty Dumpty could certainly identify with the angst a humble egg currently has to deal with. Talk about self-esteem issues. For years, eggs have been slashed from “healthy” diets because they were considered too loaded with fat and, therefore, a leading contributor to heart disease. The general recommendation was no more than two eggs per week. Even yours truly ascribed to that theory and personally was responsible for instructing her patients in that direction.

If you’ve never seen an ostrich race, it’s a good reason to head to Tumbleweed Park March 8-10. If you have seen an ostrich race, it’s probably a good idea to go down there and see another one to make sure it wasn’t some odd, exhilarating dream.

We know we should eat better, but let’s face it: When we find ourselves at a fast food drive-thru, we’re probably not going to order a salad — not with all those burgers, fries and shakes on the menu board.

It’s ba-aaack: The Arizona Renaissance Festival opens this weekend in Gold Canyon, and it’s celebrating 25 years of transporting modern Valley dwellers to a 16th-century English village.

Deep-fried gator, barbecued turkey legs, monster baked potatoes, funnel cakes and cotton candy. These are just a sampling of menu items at Piggly’s at the Fair, a new restaurant in Mesa.

Chinese New Year is the sort of new year celebration I love.

These noodles are a fun and approachable dish equally good for a busy weeknight or to celebrate Chinese New Year.

If you think you’ve done nearly everything a cook can with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, it might be time to talk turkey.

With a simple “recipe” of a low-calorie diet and an hour of exercise everyday, one Ahwatukee Foothills couple lost more than 130 pounds combined in a year’s time.