Monthly Archives: December 2017

The Forking Awesome Veggie Burger Recipe

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The Forking Awesome Veggie Burger

This is a Vegetable and Grain Burger that eats like a real burger. It isn’t mushy like most vegetable burgers. It not bland either and has flavor sort of like meat….My husband is very anti vegetable burger and even he said this one was very good. The burger is mostly a combination of shiitake mushrooms, polenta, lentils, bulgar, beets and oatmeal that’s held together with egg and whole wheat panko bread crumbs. I thought the burger would be really great with tellegio cheese and arugula. I also made a sauce of mayonnaise mixed with lots of smoked paprika, aleppo pepper, a little dijon mustard and a tiny bit of an Italian condiment called Bomba Calabrese…..Bomba is really hard to come by but it’s a really a delicious very spicy condiment that goes a really long way. It’s a FLAVOR BOMB. If you enjoy spicy foods I do recommend that you order a jar of Bomba off the internet (I like the Coluccio Brand). The sauce, tellegio cheese and arugula would be great with this Forking Awesome Veggie Burger. This burger takes a day to prepare. I made the mixture one day and left the patties to set over night.

This Forking Awesome Veggie Burger really is like a real meat burger!

 

Ingredients for about 6 servings.

4 oz shiitake mushroom caps – chopped well

2 1/2 oz. sweet onion – fine chopped

1 garlic clove – grated

1/3 cup polenta – not the instant kind

2 cups water

1/3 cup black lentils – the small type

1/3 cup bulgar

1/3 cup beets – grated

1/3 cup oatmeal (not the instant)

1 Tablespoon dry white wine

3 large eggs – beaten

2/3 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

non stick spray – preferably canola or vegetable

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Spray a fry pan with non stick spray. Put the pan on a medium high heat. When the pan is hot add the mushrooms and the onions. Stir occasionally. When the onions are translucent add the garlic and let it go till the contents look lightly caramelized. Then take off the heat and set to the side.

In a sauce pot add water and salt. Put the pot on medium high heat. When the water just starts to boil add the polenta …..stirring very well with a whisk. Now add the lentils, bulgur, beets, oatmeal, wine and black pepper. The mixture needs to boil but then you reduce the heat near to a simmer. You need to stir occasionally for about 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes add the mushroom mixture and keep it simmering about another 20 minutes stirring occasionally. The mixture will get very thick.

Take the mixture off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Once it’s at room temperature add the eggs and the panko and mix well.

Put 6 sheets of plastic wrap on your counter and make 6 patty shaped burgers and wrap them up and place to set in the refrigerator over night.

“Those burgers smell good!” “Aren’t they meat?”

 

The next day……

Set your oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray baking sheet(s) with non stick spray.

Put your burgers on the sheet and give the tops a light spray and then set the sheet pan in the oven.

At 30 minutes flip the patties over and let them go another 15 minutes. Add fresh ground sea salt and black pepper to the burgers to taste.

Ready to serve!

 

The Forking Awesome Veggie Burger

The Forking Awesome Veggie Burger.

The Forking Truth

 

NEW WEirD DiFfereNT Special and Limited Edition Foods December 2017

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There is ALWAYS something New, Weird, Different and Special or Limited Edition out there in the wonderful world of food. I never know WTFork I’ll come across when I go to any store. Here in the frozen section of a local supermarket is a spin off of  Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal. The spin off looks like Cinnamon Crunch Cereal doughnuts with filling. Ummmm?

Limited Edition Apple Cider Yogurt Pretzels….sounds yummy don’t know if they are!

Here is Breyer’s Brand Ice Cream in New Butterscotch Blondie Flavor. I was going to purchase this ice cream…Sounds yummy and it’s finally something without caramel or cheap chocolate….but look…..It’s Forking melted already….Bah…guess I’m not going to try it.

Here’s FORKING Artificially Flavored Oreo’s in Apple Pie with Graham Cookies. Sounds like something I’d skip. Why the Fork would I eat Artificially Flavored Apple Pie when I can eat a real apple pie?

Lookie here! CHIPS called Kraut Krisp made with SAUERKRAUT…..in Sea salt and Smoked Jalapeño flavors. Now THAT is pretty different…Isn’t it?

Pop chips Galaxy potato puffs in aged white flavor….? Not sure about these…They sure do look and sound cool but I once had some terrible Pop chips in a different flavor………maybe it was just was a defective bag?

Turkey & Gravy flavored Potato Chips…ummmmmm Are you going to gobble them up?

Here are Lay’s Potato Chips in three different flavors- Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese, Cheesy Garlic Bread and Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Popper….? What do you think?

I guess someone wanted to Ham it up with these potato chips?    How often have you come across Serrano Ham Artificially Flavored Potato Chips?

Za’tar Chèvre….Now we’re talking!

Sriracha Baked Tofu…..Why-TFork not?

Noosa Yogurt…I really like some of the fruit flavored Noosa Yogurts but have never till this day have ever spotted a plain version of Noosa Yogurt anywhere. Here is Mexican Chocolate Noosa yoghurt…(spelled yoghurt) Chocolate and yogurt seems strange to me together……..I would rather just eat chocolate or have chocolate in ice cream. Chocolate in yogurt is an unappealing waste to me.

Speaking of unappealing waste……….. New Oreo O’s…..the nightmare continues……………(just my opinion…I note yours might differ.

I can’t say how these P.F. Chang’s assorted Asian Sauces are but I can tell you that this nation wide chain hasn’t impressed me…….so far…..

Assorted sipping vinegars..? I know vinegar is suppose to be very heathy for us but I can’t imagine sipping vinegar.

Snickerdoodle Almonds and Kashmiri Curry Cashews..? Are either of them for you? The cashews sound yummy though…..

These last two are the most FORKED Up!

Bottled Pasta in sauce……..How good can this be? ……..Maybe it’s emergency food for like when all your power is out? ……Or maybe it’s camping food…? ……..Or maybe needed for when your having a dental emergency?

That’s FORKED UP!

And here it is…maybe the most FORKED up thing ever….

WTFork?

Mystery Oreos! with artificial flavor……….BLECH!

Look at the package!

It reads Mystery Flavor Cream ARTIFICIALLY FLAVORED. (like that sounds appetizing?)

Who knows what kind of flavor they are trying to chemically create here….

It might as well be FORKING Dog Poop or Cat Vomit!

***********************************************

Slight UPDATE! I since found out the Mystery Flavor was something really FORKED UP! No it wasn’t a normal flavor like cherry, rosemary, strawberry, garlic, root beer, peanut or anchovy…….The Mystery Oreo Flavor is Fruity Pebbles…….dang.

That was New Weird Different Special and Limited Edition Foods for December 2017. Who knows WTFork I’ll come across next year!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all!

The Forking Truth

Lemon Cucumber with Saffron Salad Recipe

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Lemon Cucumber with Saffron Salad

The lemon cucumbers taste different than other cucumbers.Lemon Cumbers also look different….they actually look like lemons. These cucumbers are sweet and sort of fruity with gentle acid. I thought they’d go well with I’itois Onions, Sweet Yellow Bell Peppers and Saffron. I just add a little sugar and a tiny bit of course sea salt. I think that is all this salad needs. I figure if you are able to find lemon cucumbers that you shouldn’t ave trouble finding an I’itiois Onion. It looks like a scallion but has more complex flavors….sort of scallion and sort of shallot.

Ingredients for about 4 servings

5 medium lemon cucumbers – ends trimmed and cut in 1/2 slices

1 yellow bell pepper (stem and core removed) – cut in thin 1/4 slices

1 I’itois onion – sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

pinch saffron

Directions

Everything but saffron goes in a medium sized bowl. Gently stir bowl. Crumble the saffron well with your fingers and add in.

Chill and serve.

Lemon Cucumber with Saffron Salad

The Forking Truth

Newly Opened Chennai Cafe Glendale AZ – South Indian Food******UPDATE***CLOSED and Reopened as Vaigai (South Indian) Restaurant

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UPDATE*****CLOSED and ReOPENED as Vaigai South Indian Restaurant.

Chennai Cafe recently opened in Glendale AZ on Bell Rd in the Walmart Shopping Strip by 59th Ave. This is a South Indian Restaurant that offers a Buffet at lunch time and a menu for dinner. I thought for my first visit I’d try the buffet. Service was typical for a buffet. There was no interaction with servers but they did clear plates. They gave us a pitcher of water and pretty metal cups with a tray were already on the table. I don’t think this establishment offers any other beverages but I could be wrong about that. I didn’t see any other beverages in sight and they had an empty Cocoa Cola refrigerator that just looked like it should contain beverages.

Desserts were first on the buffet and they had a lot of them followed by vegetarian soup.

Next was more than ten pans of vegetarian food and the last 5 or 6 pans contained mostly chicken on the bone dishes and one mutton dish.

When i passed the desserts it was difficult to tell what the names of the dishes were because someone wrote with marker on the pans and it sort of steamed off. I tried a good amount of the offerings.

This was the first time I ever saw the Naan Bread on a buffet. Usually they just bring it to you fresh from the kitchen. For being on a buffet the naan bread was still in good shape. Most of the Chicken dishes were moist and flavorful and on the bone. We both favored the vegetarian biryani over the chicken biryani. It had much more flavor. I also tried some eggplant, some okra and a few other things. All good….

Then I tried a sampling of most of the desserts.

I thought the most delicious of the desserts was the Gulab Jamun (the soaked doughnut). That would be the only dessert I would try next time.

When we were finished…….

No-one presented us with a check so we walked up to the register and waited till someone would take payment.

It really is very cool that this New South Indian Restaurant opened in Glendale!

Today it was an amazing value…..for so much tasty food……I don’t like posting prices because I do expect the price to change….but it was only $21.00 for two people. I also am fearful about posting anything about buffets because buffets do tend to differ by the hour.

www.ChennaiCafe.com

EVERY FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

***********UPDATE CLOSED and ReOpened as Vaigai South Indian Restaurant.

The Forking Truth

 

 

A Little FORKING Story about the Christmas Candy Cane

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A Forking long time back in a land far away it was said that children were given candy in church on Christmas to shut the FORK up. It has been written that a person in Germany decided to put a little bit of religion into these church given candy sticks so they shaped the candy like shepherd’s hook like from the dude in the Noel Scene.

As time passed someone got the idea that hyssop should be added to the candies. (in case you forgot……We are talking about the candies that were given to children in church…..so they would shut the FORK Up!)…..because hyssop was used in the old testament for purification and sacrifice. Perhaps nobody actually wanted child sacrifice on their hands…….or maybe…..the real Forking reason was that mint was cheaper and sort of tasted better than hyssop they began flavoring the candy canes with mint.

Some people believe the red stripes were added to symbolize Christ’s Blood……

If you have been shopping for Candy Canes you might have noticed that most Candy Canes these days aren’t actually flavored mint anymore.

I saw in Food Network Magazine that www.McPhees.com sells some FORKING STRANGE Candy Canes

Rotisserie Chicken Candy Canes www.McPhees.com

Pickle Candy Canes www.McPhees.com

Gravy Candy Canes www.McPhees.com

Coal Candy Canes www.McPhees.com

Bacon Candy Canes www.McPhees.com

Doesn’t Forking matter what flavor the candy is. The Forking kid will shut the FORK Up with a Candy Cane!

Merry FORKING Christmas and Happy everything the Fork Else…also a Happy Forking New Year!

The Forking Truth

References

www.Wikipedia.com

www.WhyChristmas.com

www.NoelNoel.com

www.FoodNetwork.com

 

 

 

Pomegranate Rosemary Chocolate Biscotti Recipe

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Pomegranate Rosemary Chocolate Biscotti

This Biscotti recipe is a tweaked and different flavor version of Giada de Laurentiis’s Recipe (chocolate chip biscotti) that is or used to be on www.FoodNetwork.com . The Biscotti just come out delicious. You and all your guest will be thrilled with these Biscotti. The pomegranate just adds a really neat fruity pop and this interesting texture. The fresh rosemary is just something that aromatic and in the background….a hint that you don’t really know it’s there but it just taste delicious.The cookies are great with or without the chocolate drizzle so that is optional….As for the recipe I only changed up the flavor (anise), regular flour for bread flour from the original …… for more texture. I also added lower degree and lower  baking for a crisper biscotti. This recipe will make around 30 Biscotti. Like for most better results for yummier cookies I made the cookie dough the day before and baked up the Biscotti the next day.

Ingredients for about 30 servings

2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon course sea salt

3/4 cup sugar

4 oz unsalted butter – room temperature

2 large eggs – beaten

1 teaspoon anise seeds

1 pomegranate – all the fruit from the pomegranate

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary – chopped fine

optional 6 oz chocolate chips for drizzling (I used milk chocolate….)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl add the sugar and butter and mix well with a fork. Then add the eggs and mix well. Now dump in the flour, baking powder, salt and anise seeds and mix well. Add the pomegranate and rosemary. Mix well. Cover dough bowl with plastic wrap. Put bowl of dough in the refrigerator and let sit overnight.

Next Day

Set oven to 350 degrees F

Get out a baking sheet and line it with a silicon mat if you have one. If not parchment paper should work almost as well.

Roll the dough into two logs and place on lined baking sheet. It should look something like picture below.

Put it in the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes it will look something  like this.

The dough will be hot and soft. Let it cool for a couple hours on the counter.

Remove one dough log and slice it slowly in a sawing motion with a serrated knife in about 1/2 inch slices.

Turn down the oven to 300 degrees F.

If you have two silicon mats line two baking sheets with the silicon mats. (parchment is second choice. The Biscotti need to get baked on each side. Lay the biscotti on the side to get baked like picture below.

Bake the biscotti for 20 minutes and take the biscotti out of the oven. (you might have 4 hard small ends that you might need to remove now and set to the side for drizzling or just eat them)

Turn the oven down again to 275 degrees F.

Flip each biscotti over on the other side so the other side can get cooked. Let them cook for another 20 minutes. After 20 minutes I shut the oven off and opened the door and let the biscotti stay in there to crisp up a little more. (maybe another 20 minutes)

If you are adding the chocolate drizzle…….

Line baking sheets with parchment paper

Then line up the biscotti like this.

In a cereal size bowl microwave the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Mix them up with a spoon and microwave the chips for another 30 seconds and stir well. You might need another 10 seconds.

With a disposable pastry bag……..Fold it down half way over your hand and spoon in the chocolate.

Snip off about an 1/8 inch of the tip and just go from the front to the back over the biscotti about 6 times each row.

You have to leave the biscotti sit out for around 6 hours because it takes that long for the chocolate to harden.

“OMG those Biscotti smell heavenly”

A special Thanks to Giada de Laurentis for her really great Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe on Foodnetwork. I feel that recipe taught me how to make biscotti.

ENJOY!

Pomegranate Rosemary Chocolate Biscotti

These Biscotti are Forking Scrumptious!

The Forking Truth

Most Memorable Food served to me In Metro Phoenix 2017

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Memorable is something that’s not forgettable. It’s something that you think about from time to time. It’s been a tradition here on The Forking Truth to do Memorable Food Lists…..I’ve been doing them since 2014. Here is a list in no particular order of the most memorable foods I tried in Metro Phoenix in 2017…….Above was an individual Chicago Pizza I tried from a restaurant on the West Side. I hated the hard as a rock, inedible burnt crust and it was filled with so much cheese I actually felt sick from it. I know not all chicago style pizzas are like this one but I can’t stomach trying another Chicago Style Pizza for maybe another year yet.

On my first visit to Mora in Phoenix the Gnudi and the Sea Bream were Amazing. They were very memorable. The Gnudi were light as air and melted in the mouth. The fish (sea bream) tasted like it was just caught.

I’m not much of a wings person…but the Crispy Wings from Great Wall in Phoenix were quite good and very crispy!

Oh this was a bad memory…….They gave me a very large portion of steak that didn’t taste great and was chewy with a weird slimy sauce.  I remember some things on my plate tasted sour. I thought this food could also make my dogs sick. I ate the potato cakes and the tortillas. The waitress wasn’t even surprised that I didn’t want to take the meat home. This restaurant is located right by or in Carefree.

Chicken Rice Bowl

This Saffron Chicken and Rice Bowl from Saffron Jak in Phoenix was Delicious! It was different…extra tasty with tahini under the chicken.

This Pizza was from Lamp Pizza in North Scottsdale was maybe the best pizza I had this whole year. The crust and very flavorful toppings were really great and this pizza had THE PERFECT CHAR….char is delicious until it taste burnt…This was really great char. Really great flavors here…This pizza was memorable and delicious!

This pasta was served to me at Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale. Absolutely perfect in a delicious perfect sauce.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Pierogis from The Twisted Italian in Peoria are memorable! Have you ever had corned beef and cabbage pirogies before? I don’t think I’ll ever forget corned beef and cabbage pierogis.

The Fiery Hot Catfish was something to reckon with from Original Cuisine in Mesa. I usually don’t care for the muddy taste and slightly jelled texture catfish has sometimes. In the right hands and with enough spices and heat Catfish can be Forking Delicious! I piece I pulled off was almost like eating super spicy fried chicken. Also at Original Cuisine they made these little Rice Dumplings with a RICH sweet sesame filling that were so new and different to me…They also seemed like a tahini treat to me.

I had a Smoked Brisket Sandwich with Asian Slaw from Ocotillo in Phoenix. It might have been the most delicious sandwich I had this year.

My pictures and words could never do the Tomato Dinner from Cafe Bink in Carefree AZ Justice.  It was the most incredible dinner I had in Metro Phoenix this year.

The Tuna Lollipops from Nona Cafe in Old Town Scottsdale were truly amazing. If you see them on the menu you must get them.

The food from this particular restaurant in Phoenix is good but this Apple Pie they serve here SHOCKINGLY FORKING AWFUL. It’s not sweet. It lacks spice. The apples are hard. The dough taste raw and the ice cream taste like some sort of government surplus budget confection. I think a pie from the .99 cent shop would taste a whole hell of a lot better than this pie.

This Tuna Sandwich is from Stock and Stable in Phoenix. It’s only a simple tuna sandwich but it surprisingly taste elevated. It was very good!

This restaurant in Phoenix served me a very large grilled Chicken Sandwich on a delicious fresh baked bun. They also made with an enormous side of slaw. This sandwich would have been two meals if the chicken wasn’t like just like chewing on a steel belted tire. So it wasn’t even one meal.

Crispy Eggplant from Cafe Bink

Would like to enjoy the Crispy Eggplant from Cafe Bink again!

$13.99 Salad from a Mexican Restaurant in Phoenix AZ

This was one of the most uninspired things I ever had anywhere. The chips and salsas were even worst. This is what nightmares are made of. Instead of me paying for this salad…This restaurant should have Forking PAID ME to eat it.

The sandwiches from Pasto di Forno in Scottsdale are made on unusually great house made bread. They are very memorable. The Bread is so FORKING GOOD! Everything was really good actually.

The wine, the bread, the food the dessert were all AMAZING from Christopher’s in Phoenix. Up there for one of the best dinners I had this year. Everything was perfect and mouth watering. It’s always a joy to experience really perfect food.

Zabari Mediterranean in Phoenix was the best overall Mediterranean Restaurant I’ve been to this year. The Chicken Shawarma is to die for as well as the Tomato Salad and outstanding falafels.

The Food was really great from Mowry & Cotton in a Scottsdale Resort but it was this incredible Dessert that was the most memorable. Look at the apple…It’s Ice Cream!

The Barrio Gran Reserva was pretty darn Forking Amazing. Tried many things I never had before that were all delicious and had no idea some sort of smoked yam could be amazing! This was really very special!

This should have been a good memory but sadly it’s just another nightmare. I hit this restaurant in Scottsdale when they were in-between chefs. I can only imagine they let the dishwasher take a swing at cooking this night. I got crappy fishy tasting fish topped with sour tomato paste and surrounded with yellow splats that resemble vomit and gooey pierogis that didn’t taste right. I know they got a new chef since but I’m still frightened to try them again.

The Spinach Raviolis in Walnut Sauce and the Strawberry Gelato are PHENOMENAL  from Fabio on Fire in Peoria AZ.

So Happy that Nagoya Sushi opened on the West Side (Peoria). They serve the best tasting sushi on the west side. The sushi is very good here. You sure won’t find better tasting spicy tuna rolls ANYWHERE!

 

Spiciest thing I ate this year came from Famous 48 in Old Town Scottsdale. The Nashville Style Hot Chicken Sandwich is FORKING HOT!

FnB makes the most incredibly crafted vegetable plates I ever had. The plate on the left is a Hungarian fried bread topped with garlic aioli, potato chips radishes and cured egg. The plate on the right is Butterkin Squash in a sort of mole made with pumpkin and sesame seeds and topped with quinoa.

I went to this small little hole in the wall kind of restaurant that has a 5 STAR rating on a popular review site. Maybe my expectations were too high ?…..263 reviews a 5 star rating and this was the Cole Slaw from this restaurant.

Isn’t this strange? It Forking Looks like a Big Frog Threw up on my Cole Slaw. I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon. The rest of the food was another story you might hear latter.

That was the most memorable food from Metro Phoenix that was served to me in 2017. Happy New Year and Take Care. I don’t know WTFork will be served to me next year!

The Forking Truth

Dining out with Dogs in Metro Phoenix AZ December 2017

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#We are on our way to Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen in Scottsdale AZ”

Dining out with Dogs in Metro Phoenix is just a “Fluff” story about taking my dogs out to eat. These stories are not restaurant reviews. We usually go out to the same local casual places but once in a while we go out to another location. Many restaurants in Metro Phoenix have outdoor patios but not all patios are dog friendly. It’s always best to call a restaurant and ask if it’s ok to dine with your dog that day for several reasons. Sometimes restaurants suddenly stop accepting dogs. Other times the patio might be booked for a party. It’s also best to dine with your dog at off times to try to avoid other people and other dogs. Some people don’t feel the love you do for your dog and might complain. Some people are allergic to dogs and also complain. Sometimes when other dogs are on the patio all the dogs might start barking and you might be asked to leave so try to dine at off times. There are a few rules for dining out with dogs. Your dog(s) must stay by your side at all times. Dogs are NOT to sit on furniture or to eat off of restaurant plates. You also NEED TO BE AWARE that most food and drink you consume can be HARMFUL or TOXIC to your dog! You should consult your veterinarian for a list of safe foods and non-safe foods. A small amount of plain lean meat without sauce is usually a best bet for dogs.

We wanted to go a nicer place that’s dog friendly and were about to head out to Surprise AZ to Amuse Bouche but found out they changed their hours again and were closed today. We also found out that Rhythm and Wine in North Scottsdale changed their hours too and were also closed. So we went to Carvalho’s in North Scottsdale.

We went to the front patio that has a “PET FRIENDLY” sign on the gate. I’m sorry I couldn’t take a picture on how lovely the patio was. It’s very lush with flowers and flowing bushes that accent a small man made stream. They start us off with seasoned tasty plantain chips and a Big Bowl of Ice Water for my Dogs!

We decided to try the Bolinho De Bacalham – Salted Cod and Potato Croquettes

The server told us how to eat them. You cut the croquettes in half, then drizzle with olive oil and add a fresh squeeze of lime. The croquettes had a slightly stringy texture and were made with far less potato than I was expecting.

“The Croquettes have onions and garlic in them so we can’t eat them because that stuff is harmful and Toxic to us dogs.”

I went with a grilled chicken salad but they were 86th so I went with a Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

It was just a basic sandwich with fresh baguette and nicely seasoned chicken.

Both Dogs got to enjoy Chicken.

It seems that anything BEEF is the way to go at Carvalho’s. Here is the Beef Tenderloin Tip Sandwich. (sorry for the BAD picture…The sun was so bright I couldn’t see the screen)

The beef is flavorful, tender and buttery and is married with Grilled Red and Green Bell Peppers and covered in a blanket of cheese (he picked pepper jack).

Both dogs really REALLY enjoyed the beef.

“We did Forking Great at Carvalho’s!”

www.Carvalhos.co

“We are on our way to Amuse Bouche in Surprise AZ”

Amuse Bouche is a very small bistro with patio. The owners are a married couple that met at and attended culinary school in France and are French Trained Chefs. Currently this restaurant is open for brunch and lunch (M-F). They currently run occasional cooking school classes and do some special event dinners. This restaurant is well known for serving a really great Quiche and amazing desserts. The dinners they used to serve here were among the best on the west side. I also liked that they were a B.Y.O.B. so I saved a good amount of money on my wine when I used to enjoy well crafted dinners here. I am saddened that Amuse Bouche is no longer a regular dinner option for me but I’m happy that they are still here.

Today I ordered the Kale & Quinoa Salad with added Chicken.

My salad came with a hot roll and butter. This time the seasonal fruit are strawberries. The salad also contains toasted almonds and creamy goat cheese. The chicken is moist and juicy. I have LOTS of chicken to share with the dogs.

The dogs are very happy with the chicken.

My Husband had the Cabernet Burger. He was really thrilled with this burger and thinks it’s the best burger you can get on the west side. This is one of the very few restaurant were you can actually get a Medium Rare Burger. The beef is also ground in house (seldom if at all found anywhere on west side) The rich roll is the correct size for the burger and had a bit of quality sea salt applied to the bun. The sandwich also contains a bacon jam, garlic aioli and really great fries that have a moist interior and a crisp exterior. My husband said that I should try a burger from here because he thinks these burgers are among the VERY best that you can get out….maybe I will try one of the  burgers next time……..

Sadly the dogs can’t eat any of the burger because of the wine added to the burger. (anything grape related is harmful to dogs)

www.AmuseBouche.biz

“We’re on our way to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in PhoenixAZ”

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery is a casual Pho Free Vietnamese Eatery. They specialize in the Banh Mi Sandwich.   We think the Banh Mi Sandwiches they serve here are the best we’ve tried anywhere. I am also a big fan of the Rice plate and the Vietnamese Chicken Curry from this eatery.

Today we both went with Banh Mi Sandwiches.

I went with the Chicken Banh Mi. The Baguette seems lighter than a regular baguette with a crunchy exterior and a moist interior made from wheat and rice flour. They brushed the roll with house made aioli. Inside is moist flavorful white meat chicken, sliced cucumbers, jalapeños, pickled radish and carrots and fresh cilantro. It is a delicious tasty sandwich and one of the best bargains around in this part of town. Only $6.00 and I usually make two meals out of it.

“I’m getting me some Banh Mi Today!”

“I’m also getting ME some Banh Mi today too!”

My husband got the pulled pork Banh Mi and the dogs enjoyed some pulled pork too!

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

“We are on our way to Leo’s Island BBQ in Peoria AZ”

Leo’s Island BBQ is among the few of the independently owned restaurants in the Arrowhead Mall area of Peoria. Leo’s Island BBQ specializes in the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. A Hawaiian Plate Lunch is a Big Styrofoam Container that’s filled with an enormous amount of meat, a double scoop of rice, heavy macaroni salad and some steamed vegetables. Leo’s Island BBQ offers about 30 choices of the Hawaiian Plate Lunch and most are priced at around $10.00.

My husband got the BBQ Chicken and Pulled Pork Combo.

I got the Maui Maui Grilled Fish with Brown Rice…..(they now offer egg fried rice as a choice…)

It’s a FORKING ENORMOUS Plate of food. My dogs helped me out with all that food and I took half home too.

www.LeosIslandBBQ.com

That was Dining Out with Dogs in Metro Phoenix for December 2017.

Take Care, Happy New Year and we hope to see you next month.

The Forking Truth

In Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017

My Trips to The Sicilian Butcher in Phoenix AZ

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The Sicilian Butcher is a very unique newly opened Sicilian Restaurant located in Phoenix. The specialty of the house are the Craft Meatballs in about 9 varieties that you mostly customize with a choice of sauce and a house made pasta or polenta, risotto, bread or salad. They also offer Charcuterie Boards, Pane Cunzatu (Sicilian Style Bruschetta Boards), Schiacciata (flatbreads), Salads, Panini and more!

The atmosphere is clean, airy and whimsical. My photos don’t do justice. There are so many details to see, such as a see through meat case and Butcher Hook light fixtures. They some of the playful reminders to remind you of where you are. Patio dining is also offered.

I thought for my first visit I had to try one of the Meatball offering with one of the House made pastas.

Went for the Sicilian Ahi Tuna made with raisins, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, lemon and herb bread crumbs in arrabiatta sauce.

Oddly my first meatball was already cut in half but arrived looking like it was together.

This meatball seemed to differ from my other two meatballs. It seemed dryer, dense and didn’t have as good as a flavor as meatball #2 and #3.

Number #2 and #3 had more raisins, were moist and were much better tasting….I don’t know why?????? Was it because the last two meatballs had more raisins they seemed much better or if it was because they sat in the sauce longer?????? Or perhaps it was a combination of the two…? ???? Don’t know….. (If only the meatball could talk)

Well any who two of the Sicilian Tuna Meatballs were good but the sauce and pasta were VERY GOOD! The Arrabiatta Sauce was very flavorful and MUCH more spicy than I was expecting. That sauce sure isn’t for the masses. That’s a one spicy sauce! The Paccheri Pasta were wide open tubes.  When you ate them they were like mini lasagnas in your mouth. I liked the way they held sauce and cheese. It was like putting a little gift in your mouth.

My husband had the Sausage Meatballs (pork, veal provolone, fennel, wine braised green onions, garlic and Calabrian Chili) also in Arrabiatta Sauce. But with Mafalde Pasta (long ribbons). He loved it!

I wasn’t able to finish my meal but I did want to try dessert.

We took out a hard to come by Sicilian Cassata for later.

It was a well crafted melt in your mouth sponge cake with all kinds of surprises. There was citrus, a little marzipan, ricotta, imported cherries and it was all yum!

Our server Christie was awesome! She was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable on the menu. She checked on us often. Gave and offered us things like extra ice, cheese, crushed peppers without us asking for them. She was on top of everything!

Sicilian Butcher is newly opened …..maybe not 100% perfect but seems to already be Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

I went back and my second visit did differ…….

We sat on the patio. The menu has changed little bit and the Tuna Meatballs are no longer on the menu. I went with the eggplant parmesan meatballs and stuffed gnocchi. We were served and nobody offered us grated cheese……

The gnocchi were mushy and served in oil but they were stuffed with spinach and cheese….maybe an off batch?

The Eggplant Parmesan Ball was very mushy and COLD!!!!!!!! in a sauce that differed from the delicious spicy arrabiatta sauce I had last time. Maybe they gave us marinara sauce???? Sauce was good just not the same. Nobody checked on us during out meal. We did inform someone that acted as a manager. I left the two mushy balls in my dish. I ate one because I was very hungry and I managed to eat the mushy oily gnocchi….I was asked if I wanted the remaining balls wrapped but I didn’t because they were awful. The woman acting like a manager said she’d tell someone who could do something about the situation. We were offered a dessert by our server and that was it.

Any who…….

www.TheSicilianButcher.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience (OR MY EXPERIENCE) may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

Tim Finnegan’s Irish Restaurant and Pub – Glendale AZ – Worth a Fork

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Tim Finnegan’s Irish Restaurant and Pub is located in the 59TH Ave and Bell Road Strip Mall that’s anchored by a WinCo Grocery Store. This is a small but cozy Irish Pub. The decor is lots of dark wood, decorated with homey artifacts and a big well stocked bar.

The soft opening menu offers Modern Irish Food, Not so Irish Food and Traditional Irish Favorites. On Finnegan’s Website you can watch a “Check Please” Video of when this restaurant (from former location) was a feature. On the Video they say that they are actually Irish Owned and Operated. I saw in the video and was told in the restaurant that everything they serve is made by scratch in house.

We started out by sharing a Wasabi Caesar Salad.

We received fresh crisp romaine leaves that were tossed in a DELICIOUS dressing mixed with parmesan cheese. The salad was topped with extremely crisp and flavorful croutons. It was a very tasty salad.

For dinner I had the Large Fish and Chips.

Everything on my plate was great! I received a lightly battered meaty juicy filet of Cod in a thin but shatteringly crisp batter. I also received a generous portion of hand cut seasoned fries, a well seasoned tarter sauce and delicious tasting fresh cole slaw. The cole slaw was a bit wetter than I like but it still was delicious and seasoned just so.

My husband had the Lamb Shepard’s Pie.

It came with a great mashed potato topping and brown bread. I hear it was really really good!

Everything was a win and the service was phenomenal too!

I think Irish Eyes and Non-Irish Eyes are smiling because this seems to be a very good restaurant that just moved into the neighborhood!

Tim Finnegan’s seems to be Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.TimFinnegans.com

EVERY FORKING Thing is subject to change and YOUR experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth