Monthly Archives: June 2018

My Trip to Elements at Sanctuary Paradise Valley Arizona – Worth a Fork!

Leave a reply

 

Pulling in by the valet

Elements Restaurant is located at the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in the Paradise Valley part of Scottsdale Arizona. The executive chef is Celebrity Chef Beau Macmillan who has been showing up on various Food Network TV Shows for many years now. The food that is served at Elements is Seasonal Asian Inspired American Food. The menu changes regularly.

Upon arrival you stop at the valet. You are only steps away from Camelback Mountain but you are a lot closer to Elements….I recommend if you are hungry to go to Elements.

Here’s the lobby between the Elements Restaurant and the Jade Bar.

Elements offers formal modern dining rooms with stunning picturesque views of beautiful Paradise Valley.

This was the view from my table. It’s just the beginning of monsoon season and we were having a very rare June Rain Today so the outdoor patio was empty.

We ordered and soon someone starts us with hot crusty chewy sourdough bread and sweet butter that’s embellished with crushed seaweed and sea salt.

The combination is appetizing and resistance is futile.

The salt and pepper on the table appears to be fresh ground and is displayed in a Ying and Yang Plate.

I went with the recommended Tea Brined Fried Chicken Thighs.

My plate is bright and colorful. Everything looks scrumptious! I have the most moist tender chicken you can imagine. It has this incredibly light textured and crisp batter coating that seems free of oil.. Underneath is a flavored oil and a sauce with gingery Asian Flavors. The sauce is  mild and a bit sweet but the flavors are delicious. My plate also contained pickled watermelon that was light and sort of was a break that cut the rich parts of this dish. This plate also contained sprouts, shreds of carrots and fried green beans. In the center of the plate is this scallion sticky rice that is unexpectedly delicious.  This rice has a firm but chewy texture similar to risotto. The rice is almost creamy but what makes it special are those sauces underneath that make it super scrumptious! There are delicious flavors going on here.  As you can see it’s a very large portion. I would have had two meals if it didn’t taste so great AND IF I didn’t share……….

My husband tried the Feature of the Day….it was a Beef Tenderloin in hoisin and five spice with green onion sticky rice, celery, charred cauliflower and peanuts.

The beef seemed like a high quality and was tender like butter with flavors that were delicious. I do note that this plate was smaller in size compared to the Tea Brined Chicken Thighs. For me it would be enough food though.

The dessert menu sounded too great to turn down. My favorite dessert was on the menu so we tried a Lemon Meringue Pie.

It’s a little different with toasted coconut and a coconut brown butter crust.

Ummmmm It’s really great…….The meringue is good as sometimes meringue can have an unpleasant egg white taste.  The lemon curd has the correct amount of sweetness and tart lemon flavor. The crust is delicious and is good enough to be make into some kind of biscuit or cookie. It is way too thick (maybe 3/4 inch on the bottom) so I couldn’t eat much of it but flavor wise is was unusually delicious.

Our server was helpful and made good suggestions for us. She was also efficient and other members of the staff also checked on us.

I’d say Elements at Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.SanctuaryCamelback.com/dining/Elements

The Forking Truth is that EVERYTHING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Pad Kra Pao STYLE Jackfruit Recipe

Leave a reply

 

Pad Kra Pao Style Jackfruit

This is a very easy recipe that anyone can do. This recipe is similar to dishes you see on Thai Restaurant menus called Sweet Basil. My recipe is NOT authentic because I used anchovy oil and anchovies instead of fish sauce or oyster sauce. In my home I don’t use enough fish sauce for it to stay fresh in my house. I use a bottle and then the next time I go to use it the bottle is always spoiled. Anchovy is what not all but what the better fish sauces are made from. I don’t mean to brag but this version of Pad Kra Pow does taste better than from many of the restaurants I order it from. I had some Jackfruit and somehow I thought it would be good this way and it was! For this recipe you boil a piece of Jackfruit for 45 minutes. Cleaning it up is easy. put the sweet yummy bulbs from the jackfruit and the delicious edible peeled seeds to the side. The meat of the Jackfruit (parts between the bulbs) you only use when the Jackfruit isn’t ripe or it doesn’t taste good and it will be hard to take out……So do a taste test and figure out if it’s good…Use it if it’s good. It’s easy to peel the membrane off the seeds. The seeds are the best as soon as they are cooked because under the membrane the seeds sort of have an edible shell that is difficult to peel…..it’s not so hard as soon as it’s cooked. The seed is like a mix between a bean and a chestnut. The next day the outside of the seed gets crunchy but keep in mind it’s edible with a delicious center. Get a pan on high with anchovy oil and fry the bell pepper, than add the rest and it’s just yum! Of course if you don’t want to mess with Jackfruit you can use the recipe with whatever chopped protein you like.

Ingredients for about two servings.

One piece of cut jackfruit from the Asian Market….(I didn’t weigh but they are always the same size…..and look like this.

Water to boil jackfruit

1 Tablespoon kosher salt (to boil jackfruit)

1 2oz can anchovies (just the oil and 3-4 anchovies***amount might differ depending on anchovies)

5 cloves garlic – ground to paste

5 Thai Chilies – fine chopped – then ground to paste with garlic

1 red bell pepper – seeds and stem removed – thin slices

big splash soy sauce – (I used Lee Kum Kee Brand)

big splash Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce

1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

big handful thai basil leaves – (would be better with holy basil leaves…but impossible to find mostly all the time)

Directions

Put Jackfruit in a pot of water with salt and boil 45 minutes. Remove from pot and when cool enough to handle remove the jackfruit bulbs and the seeds. The seeds must be peeled….(please use them as they are DELICIOUS….taste like a cross between a chestnut and a bean) If the meat is unripe you can scrap out the meat too……but do a taste test first…..on ripe fruits the meat part usually isn’t good.

Orange are the bulbs to the side. Meat is still in fruit

Remove skin on seed

Get the fry pan on high heat with anchovy oil and about 3-4 anchovies (maybe less if you have really nice plump ones) Stir them around about a minute and they will break down.

Add bell pepper next. Let them go till they look almost cooked.

Turn down to medium add the garlic/chili mixture.

Give it a splash of soy sauce and golden mountain sauce. Stir it a little. This should smell very appetizing now.

Stir and then you can toss in the jackfruit and seeds

Shut off heat and stir in the basil and serve.

You can serve with rice or noodles and if you want to go authentic style you can top with a crispy fried egg.

Pad Kra Pao Style Jackfruit…

My husband was afraid to try this one….but he couldn’t believe how delicious it was…..He said I really nailed it. This really came out better than many Pad Kra Pows we had out………….Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

The FORKING Best Foods I Tried in Metro Phoenix in 2018 so far

Leave a reply

 

Christopher’s in Phoenix AZ

This is a collection of what I thought was most delicious that I tried in Metro Phoenix in 2018 so far. I note that the foods are in no particular order.

In the beginning of the year I made it to Christopher’s again before the Chef relocated to Geordie’s at Wriggly Mansion. All the food I ever tried at Christopher’s over the years has been superb. The Chef is well known for classic and contemporary French Cuisine.

But my last meal there was lunch and it was exquisite! Things start out with the unforgettable amazing shattering baguette like no other. What not to enjoy about expertly  prepared house smoked salmon that blankets this thin crisp crepe like no other holding this magical lemony salad. It even came with an edible spoon filled with cream…..Dessert was so detailed and equally as STUNNING……Actually MOST of  the very BEST DESSERTS I’ve ever had in Metro Phoenix might have come from Christopher’s over the years…….. This lunch was deserving of a standing ovation.

WOW!

The Bourbon Cellar (now closed but soon to relocate near by) specializes in Burgers by day and in the evening also serves steaks and fish.  I tried the House Ground Prime Filet Burger with Bourbon Pickles on an Apple Cider roll topped with a Wasabi deviled egg and a Bourbon Cherry. WOWEEEEEEEeeeee it  was so FORKING SCRUMPTIOUS it just might flip Vegetarians to eat beef……DAM it was that great! ******FIRST Burger I’ve ever had anywhere that didn’t even need a sauce…..I’ll be honest like I always am that this burger was all the packed with LOTS of mixed greens that were annoying. BUT who cares?  The greens fell out and the actual burger was so incredibly flavorful and juicy….Dang it was Great!. I’m looking forward to the reopening of The Bourbon Cellar in the fall in North Scottsdale. I have hopes that they are more than a one hit wonder. But that one hit is sure worth trying again!

The Luna Flavor Gelato was also FORKING INCREDIBLE from Luna Gelateria in Scottsdale…..it was so smooth……so creamy……just the perfect amount of sweetness…….the most amazing flavor with great mouth feel………THIS WAS THE FORKING BEST GELATO I’VE EVER TASTED…WOW! It must be tasted to be believed!

The Hot Chicken from Starlite BBQ in Scottsdale was Mighty Forking TASTY……It was the most developed with delicious flavors of the hot chickens I tried so far….not just hot but also delicious….The house made pickles, and that really awesome house made mustard also helped to elevate things….

I do have to say the Thai Style Ice Cream Roll from Nomadic Ice Cream Rolls were the best Ice Cream Rolls I’ve Tried…..others I’ve tried were also good…..but Shhhhhh….these were Forking Better……..Nomadic were the most creamy with the best rich and most interesting flavors. This one was made with avocado, a Brazilian Candy, high quality chocolate and agave……sounds weird but it was crazy good.

From La Piazza al Forno in Glendale came the Bianca Pizza – It’s made with a house pulled mozzarella like no other, a high quality ricotta, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, Sicilian oregano and we added Calabrian Chili peppers…..This was insanely delicious. Nobody’s crust is as light, tender and chewy…..This is the one pizza that is lighter than all the others. It really melts in your mouth. The mozzarella here is the best I’ve tried anywhere. When La Piazza al Forno gets it right….there are angels singing…..

The Other BEST Pizza I had this year was the Bufalina from Fabio on Fire in Peoria. The Flavors were unexpected…..Everything was happening here….The Bufala cheese was unlike any Bufala Cheese I’ve ever had before and was very flavorful and not watery….This pizza had sweet from the balsamic and peppery from the arugula. The cheese and San Marzano Tomato sauce was scrumptious……It was just everything you want and MORE! in a pizza. I seriously think this gotta be one of the BEST pizzas in Metro Phoenix.

Cafe Monarch is a fine dining restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale. The two dishes I enjoyed most were the Squash Blossom Relleno and the Tuna on a rice cake with Calabrian Chili Oil and Capelin Caviar……. I could do a serious number of the Squash Blossom Rellenos……I could eat them all day till my gut explodes……….Cafe Monarch should open a side window just for those dam Squash Blossoms……….Yes they were that great!

Pizzeria Bianco is well known for possibly serving the best pizza in the country and sister restaurant Pane Bianco is well known for their original high quality sandwiches……But what lingers in my memory the most from these places was the Nutmeg Ice. It is something to FORKING reckon with…It should be on everyone’s bucket list……It’s a wonder. It’s among the best desserts you should get in Metro Phoenix. It’s so unique light but creamy with that unexpected refreshing surprising taste…..YES bucket list if you haven’t tried it yet.

The dinner I recently had at Prado in Scottsdale was all delicious and very enjoyable. The house baked Sour Dough baked with Brie and served with lemon curd can help to aid the world to make world peace. (providing they supply a steak knife to cut the crusty bread) Prado also makes one of the most delicious Chicken Dishes in Metro Phoenix……Be real…..Who doesn’t enjoy an insanely moist, juicy and flavorful chicken with a thin crisp well seasoned skin. This was Forking Delicious and the rest of the plate wasn’t too shabby either.

Notable Honorable Mentions.

The Pecan  Smoked Chicken from The Rogue Tomato in Glendale AZ with Sweet Potato Hash was pretty darn good!

The Semifreddo from Botegga Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale AZ was delightful.

The Hot Pot from Shabu Fondue in Phoenix was FUN and Delicious. This makes dinner like a date night. You don’t just eat you dip, swish the meat in the hot bubbling broth and talk the night away.

You might not be aware that is very rare that you will find any restaurant that brines their own corned beef. Most restaurants either purchase already prepared or they just finish the cooking process of the already brined corned beef in house. 3on Smith Cafe in Phoenix impressed me with their in house brined corned beef, Although this corned beef sandwich is a very NON-TRADITIONAL tasting it still is very good and 3on Smith deserves a shout out!

We regularly enjoy the Banh Mi Baguette sandwiches and more from Banh Mi Bistro in North Phoenix. I like these Banh Mi Sandwiches best.

Both plates we tried from La Mejor Comida Barbacoa Restaurant in Glendale were quite good. I enjoyed my Corn Smut Quesadilla. I might be slightly more impressed with the Bisteck Huarache. It starts with a hand made flat bread that might be made from corn and it was topped with a house made green sauce, Mexican Crumbling Cheese and the tastiest tender nicely caramelized steak…I’m impressed because I usually don’t enjoy steak…It has to taste really good and be very tender like butter for me to eat it and it really was.

April – 22 – 2018

My last meal from Zabari Mediterranean Grill was a pita sandwich but it truly was the best pita sandwich I’ve ever had. They made a tastier, juicier and more caramelized Chicken Shawarma than any other I ever had anywhere. The pita bread was amazing and they also made all these delicious interesting  sauces and salads that none of the other Mediterranean Restaurants that I know of offer. I was particularly found of the Matbucha (cooked tomato salad) that was also in this pita. Sadly Zabari Mediterranean Grill has closed their brick and mortar restaurant. But who knows..maybe they aren’t done yet.

Saffron Jak Bakery and Cafe is located in North Phoenix and offers Modern Persian Food. They do make a great caramelized Chicken Thigh platter served with DELICIOUS charred vegetables. Most of the food they offer come with Persian Sangak Bread also known as Pebble Bread. It’s a flat bread that’s tasty and chewy…Saffron Jak also offers Persian Tacos and Pizzas made from Sangak Bread. This is a Great Value restaurant…delicious reasonably priced food and big portions.

The FORKING BEST FOODS of what I tried in Metro Phoenix AZ so far in 2018….

There’s so much more out there!

Don’t know what I’ll taste next!

Feel free to leave your favorite food finds in Metro Phoenix in the comment section……If you care too.

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Vegetarian Mexican Style Black Beans Recipe

Leave a reply

 

Vegetarian Mexican Style Black Beans

I had a pound of black beans in my pantry so this is what I came up with today. This is a very flavorful and EASY recipe to prepare. The one ingredient you need that is harder to find is Epazote. You can find epazote at any Mexican Supermarket and I do come across Epazote at Whole Foods every now and then. You should purchase Epazote and keep it in your freezer because it is a very strong herb and a little goes a long way. I do have one jalapeño in the recipe but one jalapeño doesn’t add much heat here. If you want to kick up the heat a little I HIGHLY RECOMMEND sending away for Chitepin Peppers……(many different spellings). They are expensive and difficult to find but are worth it! They are tiny peppers only the size of peppercorns but are so darn delicious and flavorful…you only need 2 or 3 of these peppers to make a world of difference. You might have noticed that I didn’t sauté the majority of the vegetables first. That is because I wanted the flavors of the vegetables to go into the beans..when you sauté the vegetables the vegetables are tasty but I want to flavors to go into the beans……It’s easy and it works.

Ingredients for about 6 servings

1 lb dried black beans – rinsed and inspected and then soaked over night in twice as much water as beans. Refrigerate.

2 teaspoons course sea salt

1 carrot – peeled and well chopped

3 garlic cloves – chopped fine

1 celery rib – well chopped

1/4 cup onion – well chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon epazote – fine chopped

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 cup green bell pepper – roasted or sautéed – cut in strips

1 jalapeno pepper – roasted or sautéed – chopped fine

fresh ground sea salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin – to finish

1/4 cup fresh cilantro – chopped – to finish

optional – if you like spicy 2-3 chiletepin peppers

Directions

The black beans get rinsed well and go in a pot and get covered with JUST WATER an inch over the beans. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer for an hour. Put a loose cover on the pot after the beans are simmering.

After an hour add the salt, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, epazote, cumin, chili powder, oregano, green bell pepper and  jalapeño.

let the pot continue to simmer 30 minutes. You might need another cup or two of water here.

Taste and adjust seasonings and add fresh ground sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Decide if you want to add Chitepin peppers.

Decide if the beans need another 1/2 hour….Undercooked beans can be harmful or TOXIC…….you want the beans cooked all the way but only fresh dried beans will get creamy. You might need a little more water again.

When the beans are done serve with fresh scallions, fresh and cilantro. You might also want  some sort of sour cream and  Mexican Crumbling Cheese.

Vegetarian Mexican Style Black Beans

This dish is well seasoned and delicious! You will make people happy with this.

The Forking Truth

 

La Mejor Barbacoa Mexican Restaurant in Glendale AZ is Worth a Fork!

Leave a reply

 

La Mejor Barbacoa Mexican Restaurant is just by Old Town Glendale in Arizona. (The sign on road specifies Barbacoa Restaurant)…… The Specialty of the restaurant is their Lamb Barbacoa (BBQ Lamb) but they also offer, a Cured Meat Platter, Pozole Verde (pork soup), Tacos, Huaraches (long corn flat cake like tortilla with toppings), Quesadilla (LONG grilled tortillas with traditional fillings that include squash blossoms and or huitlacoche ((corn smut)), Meunudo (peppery soup with tripe and posole), Caldo de Rez ( Beef Vegetable Soup) and many Mexican Desserts too!

Here are the menus. (sorry I couldn’t avoid the glare)

This isn’t a fancy place but it seems spotless.

There is bilingual wait service.

I soon receive my Huitlacoche Quesadilla.

The Huitlacoche is slightly saucier and less stringy than huitlacoche I had in Mexico.

Huitlacoche and Squash Blossom Quesadillas I had in Mexico

You might be wondering…WTFork is Huitlacoche?

A fungus or disease causes corn kernels to swell in size and turns the corn kernels a blueish color………and boy does it look ugly. The kernels must be cooked to a black color to be edible.  But somehow then it turns the diseased corn kernels into something special……and is even also called Mexican Truffle at this point. Huitlacoche has a kind of mild earthy taste but is also described as a woody sweet and savory mild mushroom flavor. I’ve read that the Huitlacoche is more nutritious than the corn it once was.

Huitlacoche has been considered a delicacy for centuries in Aztec Culture and is many times more expensive than the corn without the fungus or disease.

This is the first time I’ve had Huitlacoche with at least two kinds of roasted corn in it. I like the fresh sweet white corn in it and the yellow corn kernels has a more roasted flavor. The huilacoche is earthy but not too earthy………….  It’s mushroom-ee and corny. They grilled the tortilla lightly and they got the mild white cheese inside nice and melty. We got two house made sauces and I enjoyed the house made green sauce with this quesadilla very much. It was delicious!

My husband got the Bisteck Huaraches.

I’m sorry now that I didn’t have a fork in the picture to show how big this really is. This is BIGGER than the Quesadilla on an EVEN BIGGER plate…..I mean platter. This is some sort of flat bread or cake that seems fried and is spread with refried beans, a little green sauce, Mexican crumbling cheese and very tasty caramelized tender steak slices.

The food we tried was delicious and both platters cost less than $20.00 before tip.

I’d say La Mejor Barbacoa is  Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

I couldn’t find a website but you can find La Mejor Barbacoa is on Facebook.

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

The Forking Truth

 

Shabu Fondu Restaurant in Phoenix AZ is Worth a Fork!****UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

Leave a reply

*******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS******Shabu Fondu is a casual Hot Pot Restaurant located in a strip mall in Central Phoenix AZ. This restaurant is connected to it’s sister restaurant called Red Thai that they share a lobby with.

Your appetite gets ready for something Asian as soon as you get seated.

The dining room is filled with many booths and also tables that are equipped with heating elements.

The menu is presented to you as a check list for what you want.

You have to pick from nine broths that are either vegetarian or not. You also have the option to split the pot to get two broths called Ying Yang. There also are many  choices of meats, vegetables, tofus (including house made), noodles and more.

Our server suggested three – four selections per person so we went with seven.

We picked Spicy Mala Broth.  Mala means numbingly spicy……I was told it contained Sichuan Peppercorns….it was very spicy and tasty but not mouth numbing to me. We also went Ying Yang with Spicy Lemongrass Broth, White Fish, Chicken, Angus Beef Rib, White Beech Mushrooms, Napa Cabbage, Korean Pumpkin and Egg Noodles.

Before we know it the food arrives.

A server advises us on how long to cook the food by dipping and swishing in the hot broth hot tub. We are also advised to do a little at a time so food does get over cooked or cold.

We start by cooking up the fish with some vegetables.

Ummm The Fish and vegetables taste really great in the lemongrass broth and also the spicy mala.

Next we try the chicken with some vegetables in both broths. We both like the lemongrass better with the chicken but the mala is still ok.

Now we are trying the Angus Short Rib with some vegetables in both broths. We agree again…This time we both think the beef is better in the Mala Broth. But I should note that this beef is unbelievably tender and does melt like butter in the mouth.

Everything we tried is very flavorful and delicious.

I am over stuffed now and can’t eat anymore but my husband is still hungry and finishes the remaining vegetables and egg noodles.

Seven selections was about right for us.

Service was informative and efficient. All the servers work as a team to serve you.

In the end the food was incredibly delicious and very reasonably priced. We both really enjoyed everything.

*******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*******

I’d say Shabu Fondu is Worth a Fork!

www.ShabuPHX.com

Worth a Fork!

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Fried Salmon Cakes Recipe

Leave a reply

 

Fried Salmon Cake with Orange Aioli and Corn Cilantro Cucumber Salad

We read that one of Costco’s most loved and high rated item is surprisingly the canned Wild Alaskan Salmon. I decided to try a pack of them to see what I thought. Honestly it is indeed better than not all but most of the fresh salmon I can get within 15 miles of my house. (with the exception of AJ’s Fine Foods but Fresh Salmon usually runs $29.00 to $39.00 a lb there so I’d never purchase that salmon to make into a cake.). I don’t even try to purchase fresh salmon near me because at least 50% of the time I have to return it because it’s too old to eat and sometimes I have settled for nearly passable. For canned salmon Costco’s is the best I’ve tried. Last time I made a Crispy Baked Potato Cake with this canned Wild Alaskan Salmon….This time I’m doing a fried Salmon Cake made in a similar way to the way Crab Cakes are prepared but with flavors that I think go with Salmon. I made the Salmon Cake mixture and let it sit in my refrigerator over night so everything settled together really well.

Ingredients for two servings

1 6oz. can Wild Pink Salmon – drained

1 L egg – slightly beaten

2 Tablespoons mayonaise

1 teaspoon dijon mustard – (I only use Grey Poupon)

1 teaspoon sriracha – (I like Shark Brand for this)

1 Tablespoon ketchup

10 saltine crackers – I used whole grain – crumbled fine

Canola or vegetable oil – for frying (guessing 3-4 Tablespoons but it seemed like none absorbed…I still had all the oil leftover when I was done.

Directions

In a small bowl Mix everything but the oil and salmon together. Carefully and gently add the salmon and try to keep it chunky and don’t break it up too much. Set it in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to over night.

Set oven to 300 degrees F.

Before frying make the salmon mixture into two patties.

Put the fry pan on medium high heat with enough oil to cover the pan very well. When the oil is hot carefully add the Salmon Cakes. Fry about three minutes on each side.

When done put cakes on a pan in 300 degree F oven while you whip up an aioli or make your side dish.

I made an Orange Aioli. I didn’t get down on paper exactly what I did but it was something like.

2 heaping teaspoons mayo

1/2 teaspoon dijon

small dash prepared horse radish

small dash bomba (a spicy but delicious Italian Condiment made with Calabrian Peppers)

really small dash ketchup

zest of a small sweet orange

juice of 1/2 a small sweet orange

Serve and Enjoy!

Fried Salmon Cake with Orange Aioli and Corn Cilantro Cucumber Salad

These Salmon Cakes came out very tasty. I have to add the Orange Aioli is a nice addition to these Salmon Cakes.

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

A Few of the Novelty Restaurants of Metro Phoenix AZ

2 Replies

Slick’s Garage Peoria AZ

Metro Phoenix AZ offers a WIDE variety of restaurants to try. Some of the restaurants out there are the Novelty Restaurants. They all offer a unique atmosphere or theme.

****UPDATE****SADLY SLICK’S GARAGE BAR AND EATS HAS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS***

In Peoria AZ is Slick’s Garage Bar and Eats. They offer a casual menu that includes Burgers, Sandwiches and New Mexican Cuisine spiked with New Mexican Chili Peppers. ……Oh so yummy! …………Besides filling up on the food it is like dining in a museum of model trucks, vintage gas memorabilia and other things. The surroundings will keep your motor roaring and the vegetables they use don’t give you unwanted gas.

www.SlicksGaragePeoria.com

*****UPDATE****SADLY CAMP SOCIAL HAS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*******

Camp Social is located in Phoenix. Camping can be fun..it’s a also a family friendly thing. You don’t need to bring a tent or bug spray to dine here…..the hostess steps out of a camper and then you get seated.  There is one camper on the floor to be seated in. There are also tire swings at the bar….Maybe you can be a swinger at the bar here while camping out?

The menu has changed since my visit but it’s still all casual and they offer Burgers, Sandwiches, Pizzas and MORE! I have to wonder if they added a bush to the restroom…because everyone pees behind a bush when you go camping.

www.CampSocial.com

The Fictional Mel’s Diner from The Alice TV Show is alive and hopefully still doing well in Phoenix.

You are not going to see Alice, Flo or Mel and you don’t have to kiss anyone’s grits. The people working there offer breakfast and lunch items at very reasonable prices. ………..(gosh the burger was only like $5.99 at the time I was there.)

As a child growing up I used to enjoy the TV Show but I never thought I’d actually dine at Mel’s Diner.

Look Mel’s Diner Phoenix AZ on Facebook, watch the re-runs! Or just stop right in.

Corleone’s is a Philadelphia Cheesesteak Themed Novelty Restaurant with more than one location in Metro Phoenix.

You can have a taste of Philadelphia without the traffic. You can a try a Cheesesteak on a genuine Amoroso Roll with hot and or sweet cherry peppers. Lots of Philadelphia Memorabilia to make you feel you are there and you don’t have to ride down the Schuylkill Expressway to get there.

www.Coreleones.net

Out here in Phoenix we really are a part of the Wild West and in Chandler AZ you can dine at Rawhide Western Town at Wild Horse Pass.

My few pictures here don’t do justice….This is a really neat place to visit. It’s really a small theme park with some entertainment, a train ride, panning for gold, activities, some cute shops and a restaurant. I don’t recall what I ate here (the few times I’ve been here) but at the time they served steak and my niece and nephew were very excited to eat the rattlesnake. My husband also entertained co-workers here and they seemed just as thrilled with Rawhide as my niece and nephew. It’s a place that you want to re-visit.

www.Rawhide.com

Maybe the most UNIQUE NOVELTY RESTAURANT THAT IS LIKE NO OTHER might be Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa AZ.

Check it out! Look! Some guy is at the BIGGEST WURLITZER ORGAN IN THE WORLD and Belts out all kinds of music. Themes from Star Wars, Star Trek, Lots of Disney…..Classics….lots of Americana…….It’s all Amazing!

Organ Stop Pizza

The pizza isn’t the type you’d drive across town for but the experience is like no other anywhere!

www.OrganStopPizza.com

These are just a few of the Novelty Restaurants in Metro Phoenix AZ.

Every Forking Thing is Subject to Change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Tunisian Inspired Carrots Recipe

Leave a reply

 

Tunisian Inspired Carrots

There are many different Moroccan and Tunisian Vegetable dishes out there you might not know about that are insanely delicious. I am trying to discover them. I taste them when I come across them and read all the recipes I can find on them. Then I sort of wing them. This recipe is based on the flavors of a Tunisian dish called Horia. I saw the ingredients from the back of a jar and then did research searching out Tunisian Dishes for carrots so I’d get a feel for it. This dish I have NOT found at any restaurant yet. The Jarred version of Horia is more of a spread. You are welcome to blend everything up so get something closer to the actual dish called Horia. You can serve these carrots with olives, hard boiled eggs and tuna for a closer to a Tunisian feel. This dish is easy and comes out delicious.

Ingredients for about 4 servings

1 lb + 5oz carrots – peeled and cut on diagonal in about thumb sized pieces

1 Tablespoon kosher salt – to boil carrots

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil – to drizzle on carrots

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro- chopped

1/2 cup harissa vinaigrette – (preferably my recipe)

optional – serve with olives, hard boiled eggs and tuna

Directions

Set the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put a pot of water on to boil and add the kosher salt. When water is starting to boil add the carrots. Let them boil four minutes and remove from pot on to a baking sheet.

Drizzle the carrots with the olive oil.

In a small bowl mix together the sea salt, sugar, cumin, caraway,  coriander and garlic.

Sprinkle the dry spices all over the carrots.

Put baking sheet on the top rack of oven for about a half hour.

Drizzle with harissa and add fresh chopped cilantro.

Serve

Tunisian Inspired Carrots

The Forking Truth

 

My Trip to Amuse Bouche in Surprise AZ*****UPDATE **NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS ******

Leave a reply

******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS****If you haven’t been to Amuse Bouche lately then you haven’t been to Amuse Bouche. That’s because Amuse Bouche was recently sold and has a new Chef and Owner. The new owner might not have trained in France but is an experienced and formally trained chef that serves some French inspired dishes. The former postage stamp sized restaurant has doubled in size and has a fresh new modern decor and an enclosed patio. This is no longer a B.Y.O.B. restaurant as they also offer a bar with seating.

They started us off with an Amuse Bouche of a stuffed nicely cooked mushroom cap and also HOT breads and butter.

We started with the Risotto Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli.

While not technically perfection the flavor of the risotto balls was spot on and delicious. I didn’t really care that the rice was sort of mushy…the fritters was very tasty and the aioli had a pleasing flavor.

For dinner I tried the Grouper Special.

I received a succulent perfectly prepared Grouper with a delicious Spiced Honey Orange Glaze. The Lemon Citrus Rice was barely touched with flavor and was pretty much neutral rice. The Apple Fennel Slaw did sound great to me but on the plate it seemed like an odd addition….as it was crunchy with little flavor other than fennel…. ……..But getting back to the Grouper……It’s a more difficult unforgiving fish to prepare and was executed to perfection and was delicious and melted in my mouth….I enjoyed the Grouper and the sauce.

My husband tried the Beef Bourguignon.

I hear it had a delicious flavor and was mostly very good with only a few pieces of the beef being very dry. The creamy potatoes were well received.

We thought the Bananas Foster sounded mighty delicious so we gave that a try.

The Crepe and Bananas and all that booze inside were delicious for the sake of reviewing I should just stop here……  Not perfect……I could detect the caramel came from a pot with a burnt bottom and the cream was over sugared……….maybe the next batch will be better.

I note that most people will not be as picky as I am.

Cute little restaurant with offerings you just don’t come across on this side of town..

We thought pricing was very reasonable and our server was efficient.

*****UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*****

www.AmuseBouche.biz

The Forking Truth is that EVERY THING is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth