Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Take Out During the CoronaVirus Pandemic Week 10 – Twisted Italian, Pane Bianco Van Buren, Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante

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These are the worst of times and all restaurants are struggling. Some have already closed permanently due to the lack oof business from the coronavirus pandemic. We are trying to support as many restaurants as we can. Not all but many restaurants have opened for indoor dining but we feel safer doing take out but will consider sitting on a patio because it is far less likely to catch the virus outside in the open air.

Our first take out this week came from Twisted Italian in north Peoria.

I went with the Friday Dinner Special and they gave me a WHOLE BUFFET PAN OF FOOD. I got pan fried walleye in citrus cream sauce. It came with vegetables and a whole dinners worth of angel hair pasta (this was only $17.50) My husband had the Italian Relleno. It was a poblano pepper stuffed with house made Italian sausage, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, peppers onions basil. It was in a creamy tomato sauce and came with three fried raviolis. As per usual our fur buddies didn’t mind a bit helping us eat all that food.

Next take out was from Pane Bianco Van Buren.

I got the line caught tuna salad and my husband got a sandwich called the Italian Combo. We also took home a side of olives. The tuna salad is very good and comes with a large piece of that famous crusty Bianco bread. My husband just loves his sandwich. My dogs anxiously wait for some meat and cheese.

Our last take out for the week was from Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale/Arrowhead. They offer a new variety of Pizza called Pina Romana so I wanted to try it.

We tried a Margherita (cheese, sauce, fresh basil) and a Patata E Cipolla (mozzarella, provola, multi color potatoes and red onion.

It’s completely a different dough and crust from regular pizza. It doesn’t sit heavy in your stomach like regular pizza.

It’s thin and airy but shattering crisp and the bottom is covered with either corn meal or semolina. It has heavier toppings than a regular pizza would have. I saved some of the cheese from the margherita for my dogs.

I think a reduced balsamic drizzle goes really well with the potato pinsa Romano.

This week we did take out from –

Twisted Italian – North Peoria (#UpperWestSide)

Pane Bianco Van Buren – PHX

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante – Glendale/Arrowhead (#UpperWestSide)

We also did our first Patio Dining during the pandemic at Confluence in Carefree. The Patio stayed mostly empty the majority of the time we were there and the food was truly amazing.

I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.

Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Best EATS of the NINE WEEKS of Take Out Food in Metro Phoenix During The CoronaVirus Pandemic

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I tried a lot of restaurants for take out during the pandemic. Most were good. Some old favorites are great for dining in but lost some of the magic with take out. But surprisingly some were GREAT beyond my expectations. Here are most but not in any particular order. One of the best take outs was from Confluence in Carefree.

This fried chicken with chilitepin honey is to die for. OMG it really is that good!

Binkley’s Dinner was pretty much over the top too!

It was the only take out dinner that felt like dining out when I ate the carefully packaged five courses.

A new restaurant that opened during the pandemic called Twist Bistro and Gallery in North Scottsdale was also AMAZING!

They gave us these delicious complimentary muffins that were moist and seemed light as air. The muffins were studded with feta cheese and were laced with dill and also came with this warm honey butter with fresh chives…….(these alone were amazing)……We enjoyed an amazing appetizer. Both our dinners were incredible.

I had the salmon and it was one of the very best salmons that I had anywhere in metro Phoenix.

The Bianco pizza (left pizza) from La Piazza Al Forno just might be the best pizza in metro Phoenix……It’s that GREAT!

The untraditional smoked corned beef sandwich special from NakedQ BBQ in Phoenix just might be the BEST corned beef in ALL of ARIZONA! It was tender like butter but the flavors were just out of bounds!

The fried chicken thigh sandwich from CHZBURGR in Glendale is CRAZY CRAZY GREAT! I’ve been told that the cheese burgers are just as great!

Desert Island Eatery in North Phoenix serves some the most DELICIOUS curry and jerk chicken.

The best tacos in town come from Taco Fusion in Glendale. All the tacos are really great but my favorite is the mild habanero chicken.

Alzohour Market serves delicious food. This time I had the chicken kabob and it is tender juicy and developed with flavors. All the food from Alzohour Market is delicious.

I may have forgotten a few and for the most part everything I took out really was good…but these are the ones that seemed the most memorable because they traveled well for take out and also were “knock it out of the park’ delicious.

Everything IS subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Safer Curbside Pick Up Restaurants I’ve Been to in Metro Phoenix AZ

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Nothing is for certain and you can never be too careful. Dine in restaurant meals mean more contact with more people and germs flying threw the air conditioned air in restaurants. There are also other diners who are probably not wearing masks to hold in their droplets that might contain the coronavirus. We’ve done take out where we’d walk into a restaurant with a small amount of risk but curbside is safer. I note that I haven’t been everywhere but here are the restaurants that offered curbside pickup that I have been too..

Fabio On Fire (N Peoria)

At Fabio On Fire you order and pay on line. They communicate with you by text and a table is sanitized and your order will be placed on the table.

CHZBURGR in Glendale offers you to call in your order but it’s 100% touch free paying.

At Kawaii Sushi and Asian Cuisine you order and pay on line. You park at a special parking spot and call to let them know that you are there and they place your order on a table in front of your car.

The Grassroots Kitchen & Tap in Scottsdale also offers curbside pick up.

You order, pay on line pull into a curbside parking spot and someone runs out and drops off your order.

Vincent Market Bistro (Phoenix) offers curb side pick up.

We ordered and payed on line and gave them our pick up time. As soon as we drove in they asked who we were and placed our order in the back seat.

Chino Bandido in North Phoenix also offers curbside pickup. I don’t remember how we paid but I do remember a worker with a mask did run the food to our car.

The Larder and the Delta in Phoenix also did a curbside pick up. We paid over the phone and our order was placed on a pick up table outside of the restaurant.

Curbside pick up is also offered at Desert Island Eatery in North Phoenix. I don’t remember how we paid but I do recall that your order was placed on a table outside of the restaurant.

Tratto in Phoenix also offered curbside pick up.

We paid there and then we picked up at a table out side of the restaurant.

Binkley’s in Phoenix no longer offers curbside pick up and has returned to being a dine in fine restaurant again but they also were very careful and did contactless curbside pick up food a few weeks..

These restaurants we went to that had the safer curbside pick up were -.

Fabio On Fire – N Peoria

CHZBURGR – Glendale

Kawaii Sushi and Asian Cuisine – N Glendale

The Grassroots Kitchen & Tap – Scottsdale

Vincent Market Bistro – PHX

Chino Bandido – N PHX

The Larder & The Delta – DT PHX

Desert Island Eatery – N PHX

Binkley’s – PHX But as of this date (5-19-20) has discontinued curbside and has gone back to dine in service.

Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Take Out In Metro Phoenix AZ During The CoronaVirus Pandemic – Week 9 – Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, La Piazza Al Forno, CHZBURGR, Vincent Market Bistro, Greek Palace

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These are the worst of times and also the worst of times for restaurants. Many restaurants already permanently closed because of the pandemic. We are trying to support as many restaurants as possible. As of May 14th there is no evidence that you can catch coronavirus by food (subject to change). Earlier reports stated that even if someone had coronavirus and prepared your food that it was unlikely that you would catch coronavirus that way too. I do note that I don’t know if that is factual. This week some restaurants have opened and now offer indoor dining again. It’s a fact that many people are still catching coronavirus and many people are still dying from coronavirus. I think I’ll still be doing take out for a while. At the moment I feel safer doing take out than dining in.

We packed up the dogs and did take out from Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix.

My husband got a shaking Beef Banh Mi Baguette Sandwich.

I got a noodle bowl with chicken that comes with an egg roll. It’s way more food than I can eat but I had some help with that. (BTW – both dogs helped)

Next take out was from La Piazza Al Forno in Old Town Glendale.

We shared an antipasto plate called Tavola mista and we had a Bianca Pizza with added Calabrian Chilies and a Savatore Pizza. My GOSH! These pizzas were FORKING AMAZING! I almost didn’t want to share but I did.

Next we packed up the dogs and went to CHZBURGR in North Glendale.

They had a really great curbside completely contact free ordering and paying system.

Soon I was enjoying a BIG JUICY DELICIOUS fried chicken thigh sandwich with added Calabrian peppers.

My husband already got his teeth into his triple cheese burger. He said it was a great as this kind of burger can be.

I guess we will be going to CHZBURGR more often.

Next take out came from Vincent Market Bistro.

I ordered the Arctic char with basil pesto and ratatouille but they accidentally gave me salmon with rice and asparagus. We also got fresh local peaches, a lemon pomelo tart, some complimentary desserts and my husband got the pork loin. (my husband did call to let them know that they gave me the wrong dinner and they did the right thing and took it off the bill) My dogs were there to try Vincents Market Bistro.

Last take out of the week was from Greek Palace in Peoria.

Both entrees were served with fresh side salads and warm pita bread. On the left is the firefighter place that is gyro meat with vegetables, spicy peppers and rice. I ordered the salmon. Today it came with lots of rice and peppers and onions. It was a very large portion of fish so I will be making two meals out of it but I did have my usual help with that too.

“Don’t worry, we are in this thing together”

That was take out during the coronavirus pandemic week 9. The restaurants we went to were-

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery – N Phoenix

La Piazza Al. Forno – Old Town Glendale

CHZBURGR – Glendale

Vincent Market Bistro – Phoenix

Greek Palace – N Peoria

Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Know what to expect when you buy a jar of Pommery Mustard Royal Cognac – It’s Hard to Open

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I got this $17. jar of mustard for free when I made a purchase from yummy bazaar .com . It looks impressive and the mustard comes in a big crock that has some sort of plastic coating on the top near where the lid should be. I didn’t know how I should open this baby up so I started whacking the plastic off with a knife around the edges first. The ends of the plastic started coming off.

After most of the plastic on the ends got whacked off I stuck a little knife into the cork to lift it up.

I think that is a lot of work to do to open a mustard. I’m ok doing this but I imagine that many people could get injured opening up one of these mustards.

It really is a very good mustard though. It’s not harsh at all like most American Mustards. It’s very smooth, mild and creamy and is like mostly mild dijon with some grain mustard that is light with mustard grains and is laced with some cognac.

Now you know what to expect if you need to open a jar of Pommery Mustard Royal Cognac.

The Forking Truth

Take Out In Metro Phoenix During The CoronaVirus Pandemic Week 8 – Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante (twice), NakedQ BBQ (PHX), Binkley’s, Aiello’s East Coast Italian Restaurant

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We are trying to give our support to as many small business restaurants as we can. These are the worst of times and all restaurants are hemorrhaging money these days. Many restaurants have already closed permanently. I heard reports on the news that it is unlikely that you will catch coronavirus from food even if the person preparing the food has coronavirus. I also heard reported on the news that there is no evidence of catching coronavirus from food. I do note that I am not a scientist and have no idea if those reports are factual. I look at it this way. It’s best to avoid as many people as possible and most restaurants are empty these days so you hardly run into anyone at a restaurant and most restaurant workers wear masks.

Our first take out this week from from Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante. They closed in March just before we were suggested to stay in because of the pandemic but recently opened for curbside take out. Not only did they open but they donated lots of food to first responders.

We took out a delicious margherita pizza, a salami piccante pizza and they had a $12. wine sale so we bought two bottles that we all drink on the weekend. Our furry friends are very familiar with Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante and often can be seen dining on their dog friendly patio.

“Ohhhh Bottega food that’s very good stuff!”
“Bottega is one of my favorite restaurants in Glendale!”

Next take out was from NakedQ BBQ in N Phoenix. NakedQ BBQ also donated lots of food to first responders. Today we took out DELICIOUS non-traditional smoked corned beef sandwiches.

“OMG that smells amazing”
“I need to taste that now!”

For our 3rd take out we went back to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante again. They packed our take out in plastic bags that were sealed shut.

This time I got the strawberry salad with chicken and my husband got one of the handmade pastas.

Our fur buddies were waiting for theirs.

Next take out was from the fine dining restaurant called Binkley’s in Phoenix.

This is what each person got

We got gazpacho, smoked cod couscous, caesar salad, black truffle chicken pot pie, Parker house rolls and strawberry short cake. My dogs even got to try Binkley’s.

Last take out this week was from Aiello’s East Coast Italian Restaurant.

They had a very nice package deal where we got one appetizer, two dinners, one dessert, a candle and A BOTTLE OF WINE for either $50 and $65 menus.

We got an antipasto plate, a salmon dinner with artichokes in lemon caper sauce with green beans and a potato croquette, a veal dish in a fontina cheese sauce with green beans and potato croquette, a candle, a bottle of wine and a chocolate mousse torte cake.

It was more food than we could eat but we had some help with that.

“Don’t worry we will get threw this thing together”

If you want your local and favorite restaurants to exist then you have to do business with them by buying take out or gift cards. Today some restaurants are rushing to re-open. We are not ready to dine in yet.

Restaurants that we did take out from this week were.

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante Glendale/Arrowhead (twice)

NakedQ BBQ -N Phoenix

Binkley’s – Phoenix

Aiello’s East Coast Italian – North Central Phoenix

Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Grocery Shopping During The CoronaVirus Pandemic – Week 8 – Costco Delivery Phoenix AZ (you can’t always get what you want…..or what you need or what you order)

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This week I thought I’d shop at Costco again since the delivery was so great last time. I didn’t need toilet paper or paper towels since the nice delivery person I had last time asked me if I wanted to add them n to my order. That didn’t happen this time but II don’t need those things yet. It’s still the same on line and you can’t order those paper products for delivery. I was surprised that I couldn’t order fresh whole carrots but most things that I wanted to buy I was able to order…………but I wasn’t able to get 🙁

I liked that I could virtually see my order going into the cart.

I also liked that I could add lots of wine.

I liked that my order was to be delivered in around 2 hours.

This time when I got my order I noticed that I didn’t get my major things that I needed for my lunches next week (romaine lettuce and spinach). We were also missing my husband’s meat and cheese roll up snacks that he likes. It’s no biggy but instead of oranges I got tangerines. I also got a few things that I didn’t order like apples, bananas and mangos….Oh my!

We texted the delivery driver to see if she would fix things and never heard back that whole day.

We waited an hour and didn’t hear back so I filled out the questioner from Costco and I got this before their response.

Then I got this.

I asked for a refund.

That’s how my Grocery Shopping from Costco delivery went week 8 of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Lay’s Thai Taste Green Curry Potato Chips

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I was looking for some unusual chips to try and I found these Thai Taste Lay’s Green Curry flavored Potato Chips from Thailand. It’s a medium size bag that weighs less than 3 oz.

Here’s the back.

Here’s the ingredients.

One of the ingredients is packing gas? ….OMG did someone fart into the bag?

Another ingredient is natural identical flavor…LOL WTFork is that?

Anyway I open up the bag and take a whiff.

It smells delicious like green curry.

I pour some chips out.

They are very small ridged chips that feel powdery.

Gosh they actually taste better than green curry from some restaurants.

These chips are full of lots of flavors and some heat.

I taste coconut milk and lemongrass the most.

Next I taste chillies, garlic, shallots, lime and fish sauce a little bit of sweet and something sort of gingery and salt.

Not sure what else is in here but these chips have a very good flavor.

If you are a fan of Thai Green Curry then you should be a fan of Lay’s Thai Taste Green Curry Potato Chips.

Worth a Fork!

Your opinion may differ.

The Forking Truth

Take Out During The CoronaVirus Pandemic in Metro Phoenix AZ – Week 7 – Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, The Larder & The Delta, Phila Deli, Twist Bistro and Gallery, Kawaii Sushi and Asian Cuisine

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We are trying to support small business restaurants as much as possible. These are the worst of times and all restaurants are hemorrhaging money. A few weeks ago our local channel 3 news reported that it is unlikely that you will catch the coronavirus from food even if the person preparing your food has the coronavirus. (Don’t know if that report is factual) This week sister station channel 5 said it different and reported that there is no evidence that you will catch coronavirus from food. I look at this way……..It’s best to avoid as many people as possible. All restaurants are nearly empty these days. It seems safer to do take out food than it is to shop for groceries from the supermarket.

First take out this week was from our long time favorite take out restaurant Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix. It’s a Vietnamese Restaurant that is free of Pho and specializes in serving Banh Mi Baguette Sandwiches and most of your other Vietnamese Favorites.

Today (off of the $5.00 menu) I had the chicken cabbage salad and the chicken potstickers (off the $4.00 menu).

The salad seems light and is delicious. The potstickers are very tasty and seem like a treat!

My husband had the pork rice plate today.

The rice plates are always really great! For some people they might be more than one meal.

We had plenty to share…..

Next take out was from The Larder and The Delta in down town Phoenix.

We got the pop up hot chicken special that was eight pieces of hot fried chicken, pasta salad, two slices of white bread and four cans of beer. The chicken is delicious and full of flavors. It’s not very hot but it is delicious. I don’t drink beer but I’ll use it for cooking or marinating.

My dogs can’t get their eyes off the chicken.

Next we packed up the dogs and did take out from Phila Deli in Glendale. It’s a small cheese steak and hoagie joint.

They recently added salads to the menu so I got one.

WOW! That’s a really great salad for only $7.50 (plus 75cents for avocado)

My husband always gets a full size cheese steak from Phila Deli.

We tried a brand NEW restaurant that just opened May 1st in North Scottsdale called Twist Bistro and Gallery. It’s a little restaurant but they offer a very unique detailed Mediterranean menu. They offered an INCREDIBLE Take out special for two ($55.) That was truly AMAZING!

They started us off with these insanely delicious light as a cloud biscuits that were studded with feta cheese and were laced with dill and they came with a spiced warm honey butter.

Our appetizer was a wild mushroom crepe stuffed with mushrooms, black truffle ricotta and it came with sweet pea pesto and an heirloom tomato arugula salad.

My dinner was the Bistro Salmon. It was Loch Duart Salmon (same salmon that Thomas Keller uses in his restaurants) black rice, basil pistou, asparagus and heirloom tomato salad.

My husband had the Shrimp and Sausage Diablo. It was made of spicy Italian sausage, gulf shrimp, basil, asparagus, olives, tomato confit and three cheese polenta.

He said it was so good that he would have to order it next time!

For dessert were their beignets with cream anglaise and berry sauce.

Twist Bistro and Galley was really super awesome!

Last Take out of the week was from Kawaii Sushi & Asian Cuisine. They were on the news when they closed for the pandemic. They showed the owner cooking up all his food and giving it away to first responders. I thought that was a great deed so I wanted to try them again.

They practice safe distancing and you order and purchase on line. Then all communication is by text. Your order gets placed on a table in front of your parking spot.

Today we ordered off the Asian Menu and I tried the Shui-Zhu Flounder and my husband tried the shrimp she mai (dumplings) and the Kung Pao Beef.

The proteins are tender as can be. The fish is in a mild ginger soy broth. The kung Pao Beef is very delicate with flavor and is extra mild.

That was week 7 of Take Out in Metro Phoenix during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Don’t worry we are all in this thing together”

This week we did take out from-

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery (North Phoenix)

The Larder and The Delta (Downtown Phoenix)

Phila-Deli (Glendale/Arrowhead)

Twist Bistro and Gallery (North Scottsdale)

Kawaii Sushi & Asian Cuisine (North Glendale)

If you want your local or favorite restaurants to stay in business you need to do business with them.

Every THING is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Grocery Shopping During CoronaVirus Pandemic – Week 7 – Grocery Pick Up from Safeway in Metro Phoenix AZ

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During the pandemic we are suppose to distance ourselves from other people as much as possible. Grocery stores are the places we go to with the most people these days so I elected to do grocery pick up. I had a good experience from Costco with grocery delivery two weeks back. Last week I didn’t need any groceries so I did without. This week I decided to try Safeway because I can’t get everything I want from Costco like scallions, herbs and many assorted other little things.

It was pretty easy to order and pay on line. I was surprised that I couldn’t buy radishes…or dry milk. I also couldn’t buy the 65cent watermelons that were on sale unless I paid $5.00 each for them….But I admit maybe I just messed that one up.

AnyWHO…….

When it came time to pick up we got into a parking space, called a number that someone answered.. Soon someone comes out with a cart of groceries to our car and loads the trunk.

When I got home I checked out my groceries.

They were out of a couple things that I really needed like garlic… 🙁

A few things were substituted …………but I marked no substitutions….. 🙁

But the one thing that made me upset was the rotten moldy basil they stuck me with.

I guess the person packing my cart for me was very tired and didn’t even look at the basil….?

But I wonder why would something like this even be on the shelf?

They also neglected to give me my Monopoly Tickets…for prizes and discounts. 🙁

That was Grocery Shopping During the CoronaVirus Pandemic – Week 7 – Safeway in Metro Phoenix AZ.

The Forking Truth