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.
We are supporting restaurants as much as we can. These are the worst of times and all restaurants are hemorrhaging money. While nothing is for certain these days chances are that take out food is safer than food you purchased at a grocery store. Remember that you are suppose to avoid contact with as many people as possible and keep at least a six foot distance. I don’t know if the news is factual but on channel 3 news they reported that you are very unlikely to catch coronavirus from food anyway. They reported that even if the person preparing your food has coronavirus that you are unlikely to catch the virus that way. I hope that is true…….
Our first take out this week was from Taco Fusion in Glendale. I’ve been there a couple of times before this second take out. The Tacos really are the best that I’ve come across in this part of town.
Pastor and Shrimp tacosbarbacooa tacoMild habanero chicken, grilled chicken, fish and Tijuana asada
The handmade tortillas are different and also delicious. The flour tortillas are very thin but tasty and the corn tortillas are a little smaller but have a nice corn flavor to them. I still think all the tacos are excellent but the mild habanero chicken taco on corn tortilla is my favorite. It is extra delicious with any salsa on it but my favorite salsa the first time was the pineapple salsa. First take out they didn’t have pineapple salsa but this time the pineapple wasn’t mixed up or something and it was just juice but all the other salsas were flavorful and amazing.
We shared some with our furry companions.
Next take out was from Chino Bandido in North Phoenix. They are a casual Chinese/Mexican Restaurant mixed with a little Caribbean. You get a BIG PAN of food with a fresh baked snickerdoodle cookie there for around $10.00 a pan or less depending on what you get.
Pan on the left is a chile relleno quesadilla with red jade chicken, black beans and steamed white rice. Pan on the right is a pollo diablo quesadilla, carnitas, refried beans and steamed rice. In-between the pans are the fresh baked snickerdoodle cookies. For most people each pan is two or more meals each. Our furry friends love to taste the foods.
We also did take out from Rocket Burger in North Phoenix. This is a casual sandwich shop with a wall of 100’s of sodas. When they first opened the sodas were mostly root beers but after a few years they now offer all kinds of flavors.
On the left is a double Santa Fe Burger that is made with a giant fried green chili, veggies, cheese, bacon and it normally comes with (DELICIOUS) Rocket Sauce (but my husband won’t eat creamy sauces so it was ordered without). On the right is the Pescado de Cohete (Mexican Fish Sandwich). It’s a cornmeal crusted mild white fish topped with DELICIOUS, slightly spicy Mexi-Slaw and pico de Gallo. These sandwiches only cost less than $9. each.
Next take out was from Tratto the fine Italian restaurant from the James Beard Award Winning chef and the famous Mastro of pizzas Chris Bianco.
We got the family meal take out special that included a salad, hand made pasta, creamy chick peas, a loaf of Bianco bread and chicken sauce. Everything was prepared to perfection. Everything was amazing.
Last take out of the week was Grassroots Kitchen and Tap in Scottsdale. The food is always delicious from Grassroots Kitchen and Tap.
I got the house smoked salmon and orzo salad. My husband got the bbq brisket with cheese grits and beans. A MUST GET is the key lime pie because 40 yes FOURTY key limes get squeezed into every pie making it THE BEST Key Lime Pie in Metro Phoenix and maybe beyond.
“That’s all Folks!”
We tried to support as many restaurants as we could this week. This week we did take out from-
Taco Fusion in Glendale
Chino Bandido in North Phoenix
Rocket Burger in North Phoenix
Tratto in Phoenix
Grassroots Kitchen and Tap in Scottsdale
Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.
During the pandemic we are giving our support to as many restaurants as we can. These are the worst of times and all restaurants are hemorrhaging money. We’ve also noticed that some restaurants have already closed permanently.
First place that we did take out from was our long time favorite for take out….Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix. It’s a Pho-Free eatery but does offer most of your other Vietnamese favorites. We packed up the dogs to come for the ride and they started licking their mouths in sync when we got there.
I got the delicious curry chicken.
My husband got a shaking beef banh mi.
We always enjoy Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery.
Next take out was from Confluence Restaurant in Carefree. We also been to Confluence many times. The food is always astonishingly FANTASTIC!
OMG YUM! The food really is Forking Extraordinary!
I had the halibut tacos. WOW they are melt in your mouth amazing! Almost nobody prepares fish this great!
My husband had the pork belly Rueben on chocolate rye.
This was another YUM-DINGER! We both with with the side salads as our sides, shared some delicious Brussels sprouts and enjoyed macerated strawberries! This really was quite a treat!
Since we are dining at home we had to share the goodies.
We also did take out this week from Pita Kitchen in Glendale. It’s a little casual Greek Restaurant.
I got my usual chicken kabob Greek salad but I tried their jalapeño cilantro hummus for the first time.
The chicken is developed with flavors and has a nice char. The fresh baked pita breads are very good too. The hummus is creamy and taste like cilantro…..I’m not getting the jalapeño but sometimes jalapeños can be very mild sometimes.
My husband got his usual Gyro Greek Salad.
We happened to have help eating the large portions.
We thought it was time to treat ourselves and we did the 5 course take out from Binkley’s in Phoenix. ($$$$$fine dining restaurant) ((but take out was many times less than dining in there))
First course was green garlic and potato soup.
Next was marinated cucumbers with crab, kumquats, yogurt, dill and red onion.
Third course was spinach and sorrel salad with spiced hazelnuts, feta, cranberries and sherry vinaigrette.
Our main courses were house made corned beef with red wine braised cabbage, apple balsamic mustard, Irish soda bread and honey butter.
Dessert was mulberries with mint and maple quark…WOW what a treat!
Oh and we had some help with this.
My dogs don’t know that they are lucky dogs that eat better than most people.
Last take out this week was from Cucina Tagliani in Glendale.
I got the strawberry and goat cheese salad that comes with grilled chicken.
They always have really great strawberries and their house made dressings are very good.
My husband had a Stromboli today.
The dogs enjoyed sharing our meals.
That was week 5 of Take Out During the CoronaVirus Pandemic. The restaurants we did take out with this week were-
Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery
Confluence
Pita Kitchen
Binkley’s
Cucina Tagliani
If you care about any restaurant you should at least do some take out from them.
Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better!
The Pandemic is only increasing and grocery shopping is becoming more deadly. Among the more crowded places that people need to shop from are the grocery stores. It is necessary to avoid as many people as possible. We need to keep a distance of at least 6 feet between people. We need to shield our eyes, nose and mouth. Our hands need to be sanitized after touching anything. It’s also important not to touch our faces. As crowded as the supermarkets are here it is difficult to maintain a six foot distance at all times. Especially now when everyone is out of work and are on the hunt for paper products. I’ve decide to do my first grocery pick up to avoid people.
My first choice was Sprouts Grocery. I’m embarrassed to admit this but…I had trouble logging in. I got a message that my password didn’t match my email and didn’t see an option for a new password or an option of how to change password. I got very frustrated and tried Safeway.
At Safeway I didn’t have any trouble logging in. I didn’t find everything I wanted but found enough. Then when I was about to finalize things I got the message that my order wouldn’t; be ready for SIX DAYS. So I left Safeway.com and went to Walmart.Com
I was able to log in.
I ordered a bunch of produce and some other food. They didn’t have everything I wanted but I got most things I wanted.
One thing I wanted was yeast so I can bake some bread. I typed in yeast and seriously got feminine products. Then I brought the baking category up and all 17 pages were free of yeast but I found cake batter extract.
I have no FORKING idea of why anyone would buy cake batter extract. If you make a cake doesn’t it taste like cake? Why would anyone need cake batter extract?
Then I tried to get paper towels.
The only paper towels I could buy were some sort of Scott Professional Towels for glass so I bought one.
I’m real paranoid about toilet paper now. I got a bunch of rolls by accident before the pandemic (luckily I was forgetful and forgot I had bought a pack and bought another big pack) but I am frightened that I will never be able to buy toilet paper again. I got plenty for now but I know it won’t last forever. So I tried to buy a pack of toilet paper.
WTFORK!
I typed in toilet paper in the search and this is what I got.
Walmart search recommended Reynold’s Cookie Baking Sheets that are pre-cut.
That’s FORKED UP!
So I paid and I get to pick up my groceries with no added charge for pick up in two days. I forgot a few things that I wanted and even for me it was very easy to add them on.
Since I’m getting paranoid about toilet paper I called up Smart and Final (the store were I normally buy most of my paper products). The manager told me that if I want to buy paper towels and toilet paper from them that I have tp come on their delivery days and wait in line before they open at 6am. He said every delivery day they have a line of people out there that buy out all the paper products within an hour.
YIKES this sucks!
So my pick up order from Walmart is ready.
YIKES! I didn’t know I have to communicate with Walmart with some app I didn’t install.
My tech…(my husband)…worked that out for me.
Oh they made 7 substitutions.
4 things were out of stock.
Then I let them know that I am on my way.
We pull into a pick up spot.
I call the number and it’s the wrong and the message says to call another number. I panic because I can’t remember what number they said to call. My husband jumps in and calls the number and uses two phones and calls the number on message. We get an old Walmart message that the store is closing early on December something. Then he gets the menu of departments and picks #3 for pick up. The phone rings and rings and nobody answers. He calls again and speaks to the operator. The operator says it’s not her fault that nobody answers the phone. We are one of ten cars that are waiting for pick up. My husband get out and talks to someone. We get our groceries before everyone else who is waiting…(yeah one for us!)
We see people leaving Walmart with toilet paper but for some reason I couldn’t order toilet paper for pick up. My husband bravely goes in and gets a pack of toilet paper. (just so I feel better)
This was crazy.
A few days latter I ordered some stuff from Costco. The delivery is free if you buy a certain amount of groceries. I don’t know if the service that I received was typical but I ordered (toilet paper was out of stock) and paid. I had an option to pick different time frames of delivery for TODAY! The delivery person asks if I want to add on toilet paper to my order!!!!!!! So I said YES and in 25 minutes my order was delivered to me!!!!!! and I got paper towels too!
WOW! COSTCO WAS FORKING AWSOME!
Everything is subject to change. I sure hope it does change for the better.
We are trying to support as many local restaurants as we can during the pandemic.
Our first stop this week was a sandwich shop in north Glendale called Phila-Deli.
Today I got a very generously sized small (not small at all) chicken steak wrap.
Got lettuce, tomatoes, onions and hot pickled peppers. It’s tasty.
My husband enjoyed a full size cheese steak.
He got it with peppers, onions and hot peppers.
Next stop was Desert Island Eatery for DELICIOUS Caribbean Food.
I ordered and paid on the phone. They practice safe distancing and have a table set up in front of the restaurant for your order.
I got a combo plate of jerk and curry chicken with rice, peas and cabbage. My husband got a tri-plate of the same as mine plus bbq chicken. We tried a vegan macaroni and cheese and a chicken and a beef hand pie. All was Incredibly FORKING Delicious. The chicken is so flavorful and just falls off the bone. Portions are extra large so this is 2 meals or more. We had some help with all this delicious food.
Who opens up a brand new restaurant during a pandemic?
Mochilero Kitchen just opened a few days ago in Peoria in the area that is considered the upper west side so we wanted to try it.
They are practicing social distancing and have 6 feet marked with tape by the entrance.
We tried chips and salsa, a papa bravo taco, a chicken pibil bowl and a short rib bowl.
Everything was very fresh. The proteins were cooked nice. Some of what we tried was very delicate with flavors. My favorite was the papa bravo taco. It had the most flavors and was slightly spicy. This new restaurant sure have TONS of potential with lots of delicious sounding things to offer when they turn into a dine in restaurant. Their esquires with chiltepin sound great! So does their Chula Swordfish with ancho butter with Brussels sprouts. I can’t wait to try their shishitos with corn smut and esplette pepper when they fully open.
We also did take out from Fabio On Fire in Peoria. This place has the local distancing down better than anyone. You order and pay on line and they communicate with you by text. You order goes on a sanitized table outside.
We got tasty vegetarian butternut squash raviolis, gnocchi in bolognese sauce some fresh baked bread and the FORKING BEST STRAWBERRY Gelato in the whole wide world!
Last Take Out this week was from Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol in Glendale.
I got my usual chicken fajita salad and my husband got the carnitas.
Today they forgot the peppers and onions for my salad but they gave us chips and salsa (last time they forgot the chips and salsa) But the salad is tasty. My husband enjoys the carnitas.
We also took out four margaritas. They are very strong….so strong that they can do push ups.
As usual we had help with the food.
Our take out this week during the pandemic was from…..
Phila-Deli
Desert Island Eatery
Mochilero Kitchen
Fabio On Fire
Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol
Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.
We are supporting local restaurants during the coronavirus crisis. We did Fabio On Fire in Peoria and took out two pizzas.
They converted the restaurant to “CURB SIDE ONLY” and ordering and payment is online. They communicate with you by text messaging. Then you order is placed on an outside table. After you pick up your order the table is sanitized.
My husband enjoyed a sacciccia e funghi pizza $14.95. (sausage and mushrooms)
“Good Stuff!”
I enjoyed a bufalina pizza $15.95. (arugula, imported buffalo mozzarella, balsamic and extra virgin olive oil.
Another take out was Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix.
Everyone was doing take out from here because they ran out of rice, noodles and pork.
They are a PHO-FREE Vietnamese Eatery…Most of your usual Vietnamese favorites but no pho.
Eat a banh mi instead!
Today I took out a chicken banh mi ($7.00. I ate half today and will eat the other half tomorrow.
half the sandwich is pictured
I had some help from my furry friends.
My husband had a shaken beef banh mi ($8.00).
This is half
We always enjoy everything from Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery.
We also did take out from Cucina Tagliani in Glendale.
The dinners came with lots of garlic toast.
I had grilled salmon with asparagus and spaghetti squash in a lemon caper sauce ($23.99). My husband had shrimp diabolo ($21.99).
My husband surprised me with an added on mascarpone chocolate cake.
It’s a very big slice and feeds at least four people but it really is delicious!
That was my take out in Metro Phoenix during the coronavirus.
Fabio On Fire
Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery
Cucina Tagliani
It’s important during these times to support your local eateries!
The Devour Culinary Classic is considered to be the most grand food festival that Arizona has to offer. It is hosted by Local First Arizona and the Devour Phoenix Restaurant coalition. This is where chefs and restaurants do their best to razzle and dazzle you.
I started attending DCC in 2012. Back in 2012 you could get a great deal on tickets. If you purchased your tickets in advance general admission was only $45 a day. They used to offer the general admission a very nice reception before the actual culinary event. here are some pictures of a few of the past general admission receptions. My photos show mostly sweets but I do remember enjoying many savory items too.
They also used to have some other things like a live band and some other things like foodie T shirts and a photo opportunity.
As the years went by the general admission price climbed from $45 in 2012 to $105 a day without any discounts in 2018.
In 2018 the food part of the general admission reception was discontinued and replaced with a one man band.
Prior to 2018 one of the wines I enjoyed with my general admission ticket was Merry Edwards (actually 3 varieties) and the others were more expensive).
In 2018 the wine choices differed greatly and I drank this instead.
In 2018 was the first year that a section of food tents was reserved for VIPS only. These were many of the restaurants that I was expecting to try like Kai. I was ok with the discontinued food reception and the lower end wines. But the selective restaurants were the reason why I would attendant this event every year since 2012. VIP tickets were the only way to be entitled to everything. (today in 2020 VIP tickets are $205) One day would cost over $400 for me and my husband. That is not a bad price for such an event……but it is a lot to me. I don’t get invited to attend and have to pay my own way. I would love to attend as I always did but for $400 I will enjoy two really nice dinners out instead. For me the general admission 2018 was so disappointing…….. Lower end wines, discontinued reception, less food offerings (first year that I didn’t get stuffed). I saw all the restaurant line ups but had no idea at the time that some of the restaurants listed were only for VIPS. Felt deflated…..sort of bamboozled.
2018 was the last Devour Culinary Classic that I attended. I don’t expect to return to the Devoured Culinary Classic.
I enjoyed Devour The World this year (2020) in Peoria. That festival is a new favorite for me.
Those were some of my memories from Devour Culinary Classic.
www.DevourPhoenix.com
Everything is subject to change and your experience may indeed differ.
Devour the World is a food and libation festival. In 2020 DTW was held in Peoria AZ at the Peoria City Hall Complex. This festival celebrates international foods. Other features are cultural music and dance performances and also live artist demonstrations. The festival took place Saturday February 15th. 2020 from 11am-3pm. Tickets were $55.00.
It’s different from the Devour Classic. No long lines. No waits and close easy parking. Just go and get what you want and sit at a table or stand at a high top. There was so much to try that I couldn’t try everything but I tried A LOT. My husband tried even more!
The first thing I tried was a very tasty garlic mochiko chicken and rice from Red Ginger.
Here are pork and cheese pupusasa with rice and beans from Salvadoreno Restaurant.
There was a coconut bao milk bread to share from Happy Buns.
Carolina’s Chocolates were FORKING Amazing and complex…full of flavors. Some of the chocolates we tried were Spicy Sonoran Chocolate, Jalisco Jalapeño and Hole Mole Chocolate.
Really delicious Ethiopian Food from Abyssinian Restaurant and Cafe. They offered cabbage, lentils and spicy beef on home made bread.
They were overly generous with the bread
Paz cantina offered barbacoa tacos and pork belly tacos
Some of the artwork
Kawaii offered California rolls with lots of cream cheese in them.
Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante offered a mini buffet of bruschetta, pasta with meat sauce, really Forking Great meatballs and cannoli. They are so nice….the owner even asked about my dogs.
“We are big fan of Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante.” “We are regulars.”
Casa Corazon Restaurant brought chicken mole, red beet sauced cheese and enchiladas and cochinta.
Rodger Cline Moonshine (soon a name change…..) Served pairing with the tastings….This. was really good!
More art
Scallop Aguachili from Mochilero Kitchen (soon to open end of March in Peoria by Christ Church of the Valley)
OMG…this was soo Forking Good! The eggplant tabouli hummus nachos with shrug sauce….so fresh, herby, spicy tasty delicious!
The arroz con pollo and cabbage slaw was another that was among my favorites.
Checking out some of the art again.
This was unexpected.
This was also unexpected.
Pachamama served coconut ceviche and potato tacos.
Everest Momo and Sherpa Kitchen offered butternut squash tikka, chicken tikka and raita naan.
The Breadfruit and Run Bar gave out Spicy escowitch oyster shooters.
That wasn’t everything and there was a lot of booze to try but I ate instead and was ready to bust.
Devour the World was really great in Peoria 2020. I hope it’s here next year!
******UPDATE ******SUSPENDED out of respect for Kobe Bryant.
The Planter’s Peanut Company just released that Mr Peanut was involved in a tragic accident. The 104 year old Mr Peanut lost control of the Nut mobile to avoid hitting an armadillo.
According to someone from Planter’s, Mr Peanut had Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh as passengers in the nut mobile. It’s not confirmed but someone was heard screaming that Mr Peanut was driving like an “OLD NUT.”
The tragic accident has been filmed and leaked on the internet. It’s been written that Mr Peanut died in an explosion and the funeral will be shown at during the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl.
The Planters Peanut Company was founded by Amedeo Obici. He was an Italian born American from Wilkes Burro PA.
The Planters Company some time back merged with Nabisco foods and is currently owned by Kraft Heinz.
Many decades back there was a Mr Peanut Store on the Atlantic City NJ boardwalk.
Photo from Pinterest
Planters Peanuts was once a fixture in Atlantic City.
Things like this were sold in this store along with peanuts that smelled delicious.
