Monthly Archives: December 2018

My Trip to Po Chicken in Mesa AZ

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Po Chicken is a casual Korean Restaurant in Mesa Arizona that specializes in Korean Porridge and Korean Fried Chicken. They also serve other Korean Dishes and Beer. This isn’t a fancy place and the atmosphere is a mix of new and worn.

I noticed something odd and saw something I’ve never seen in a restaurant before.

Each table had it’s own call button to ring a server.

We ordered and soon a few plates of side dishes arrive that are referred to as banchan.

The pickles were very unusual tasting to me…..sort of like regular pickles but mixed with Asian Flavors. We received crunchy salad with sweet thousand Island type dressing, fish cakes, kimchi, pickled radish, pickles, miso soup and a condiment for our hot pot.

We shared the Hot Pot with Flying Fish Roe.

We were told that this dish was meatless except for the fish roe. This was a rice dish with nori, shrimp, fine chopped vegetables, onions and fish roe. We mixed the condiment into the dish. It’s a mild but tasty dish. I like the texture of the onions. They are cooked but sort of crispy in a different way.

We also shared a split order of Korean Fried Chicken. We picked Sweet and Spicy and Soy Garlic. They serve a very large portion that might be enough to share between four people.

On the left is the Yang Nyum (the Sweet and Spicy). The Chicken is hot and very juicy……The sauce runs very sweet for my taste and I am a big fan of sweets but this is too sweet for me with very little heat. It’s like eating a warmed up jar of duck sauce. But the chicken on the left would be good if I liked the sauce. It would be my luck that I hit this restaurant when the “B” crew was on because the Ganjang (Soy Garlic) Chicken on the right was almost cold and was very dry……………..very VERY dry…stringy dry and almost cold…..If this chicken could talk what would it tell me?………Clearly this chicken wasn’t fresh made for us…..it was cooked…..chilled….possibly re-heated again for a long time so it could get all dried out (and awful)…and possibly chilled again……and slightly reheated to below a safe serving temperature for us… I tried to eat one piece and the piece I tried was a back bone that hardly had any meat and should have been saved for a stew …….but hey it did have an ultra crispy skin! We had a great deal of leftover chicken that we didn’t box up.

If you need service or the check you have to walk to the front desk or hit the button on the wall.

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

That was my trip to Po Chicken in Mesa.

1/2 a Fork…

www.Po-Chicken.Business.site

The Forking Truth

Some of the Forking Food I Made in 2018

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Summer Vegetable Stuffed Peppers


Baked Asian Inspired Rice Potato Patties


Waffle Falafel


South West Style Hatch Chile Corn Fritters


Sriracha Apricot Glazed Acorn Squash with Nectarines, Cherries and Almonds


Avocado Harissa


Potato String Crusted Spicy Mexi-Style Beef Stuffed Anaheim Pepper


Buffalo Chicken Meatballs


Bouchon Bakery Mini Coffee Cake


Sriracha Ginger Apple Slaw


Richard Blais Style Ginger-Orange Carrots with Furikake


Mini Horseradish Potato Waffles


Spicy Avocado and Orange Salad


Chinese Mustard Cabbage


Pastrami Carrots and Beets with Kraut Style Chic Peas


Anise Infused Chipotle Corn


Spicy Avocado Cabbage and Black Bean Slaw


Twisted Date Bread


Brisket Pastrami “Cold”


Delicious Cheesy Crispy Potato Squares


Spaghetti Squash, Feta, Harissa in a Chickpea Crust Mini Pie


Vegetarian Tikki Masala Style Potato Stew


Tequila Lime Cilantro Turkey Meatballs with Herb Sauce


Easy Forking Great Roast Beef


Potato Fennel Apricot & Green Garlic Salad


Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls


Bunt Pizza Bread


Yellow Mango Frozen Confection


Red Quinoa Salad


Korean Inspired Fried but really Baked Tomatoes


Jean George Vongericten’s Saffron Cucumber Pickles


Refreshing Cucumber Herb and Lime Ice


Corn Cake Surprise


Corn Cake Surprise and Sous Vide NY Strip


Gazpacho


Brûlée Pineapple Sriracha Slaw


Savory Jalapeno Red Corn Meal Cakes


No Mayonaise Mexican Style Corn Salad


Kabocha Squash Cake with Drizzle and Chestnuts


Italian Style Green Bean Casserole


Matbucha


Asian Style Cabbage with Saffron and Chestnuts


Crispy Baked Salmon Potato Cakes


Red Wine Poached Beets


Focaccia di Recco


No Dairy Potato Quinoa Chicken Meatloaf


Vegetarian Italian Style Beans


Vegetarian Mexican Style Black Beans


One of my favorites…Seasoned Heirloom Tomatoes on top of Cheese Blend


Parmesan Cauliflower Recipe


Tunisian Inspired Carrots


Pad Kra Pao Style Jackfruit


Mexican Style Beer Marinaded Roasted Chicken and Potatoes


South West Style Potato Casserole


Braised Beets with Pickled Golden Raisins, Spiced Walnuts and Mint


Cucumber Cabbage Salad


Baked Breaded Roasted Poblano Peppers stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese Potatoes


Strawberry Salsa


Dukkah Feta and Barberry Bread


Italian Style Baked Mashed Potato Fries


Levant Inspired Shishito Peppers Recipe


Mixed Fruit Cobbler with Malted Milk Crust


Hatch Chile Blueberry Corn Salsa


Forking Tastiest Crisp Battered Cauliflower


Tuna Salad with Neonata


Easy Slow Crispy Hash-browns


Italian Style Neonata Crispy Baked Potato Balls


Bukhara Inspired Cauliflower


Thai Style Spaghetti Squash Salad


Vegetarian Crab Boil Corn and Potato Stew


Vegetarian Chili with Jackfruit Beans and Corn


Baked Breaded Poblano Pepper stuffed with Potato and Cheese


Forking Amazing Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken


Sardine Empanadas


No Added Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake


NEW Favorite Italian Style Cauliflower with Tellegio Cheese


Italian Style Slightly Spicy Cauliflower


Spicy Chicken Meatballs


Red Beet Potato Provolone Gnocchi in Green Pea Veloute


Pastrami Brisket (The Flat – Cold)


Rosemary Parmesan Cauliflower Puree in Spaghetti Squash Nest


South West Style Potato Butternut Squash Casserole


Thanksgiving Turkey Meatballs


Zippy but Delicious Corn Bread Stuffing


Moist Fresh Herb Turkey Stuffing


Turkey Stock


Brussel Sprouts, garlic, hazelnuts and parsley


Plum Pomegranate and Pine Nut Cake


Fancy Schmancy Deviled Egg

Chicken Meatloaf Surprise over Potato Nest
Forking BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies ever!
The Forking Truth

Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix December 2018

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“We are Going Out to Eat Yippie”

Dining out with dogs is just a fluff story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie came down with cancer and was given only 3-6 monthsto live. He couldn’t do a lot back then but he enjoyed going out to eat so we took him out as often as possible. Instead of the 3-6 months he made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat. 

Most restaurants in Metro Phoenix do have patios but not all restaurant patios are dog friendly. It’s always best to visit a certified dog friendly patio and it’s also best to call before your visit to make sure the patio is available. I also recommend to go at off times to avoid other diners and other dogs for numerous reasons. Some of the reasons are not everyone wants to dine with dogs. Also some people are allergic to dogs. Sometimes dogs bark at each other. You could be asked to leave for these and other reasons. Remember it’s always best to call first and dine at off times with your dog(s).

There are some rules for dining with dogs. Your dog must be by your side at all times when you dine with dogs. Dogs are NOT to sit on restaurant furniture. Dogs are NOT to eat off restaurant plates. Most of the food and drink that you consume is not safe and might be toxic to your dog. You must get a list of dog friendly foods and foods to avoid from your veterinarian. It’s also important to know that your dog is not as heat tolerant as you are. Dogs absorb heat threw their paws and can’t sweat. 90 degrees F and above your dogs should stay home. Each dog is different (just like people) and do have different heat tolerance. Most younger healthier dogs might be able to tolerate up to or almost 90 degrees F BUT ONLY IN FULL SHADED PATIOS. Hopefully you know your dog well enough to figure out your dog’s heat tolerance. When there is any doubt it’s best to leave them home.
“We are on our way to Humble Pie in Glendale”
The first week of December was very cold for dessert standards so we had to wait for week two of December to dine out. We made it to our local Humble Pie. Humble Pie is an Arizonian Group of nine restaurants that specialize in serving pizzas with house made mozzarella cheese. They feature their own house made sausage but also offer the locally made Schreiner’s sausage. 

I ordered a Margherita for myself and a side order of grilled chicken for the dogs ($3.00).

Someone thought this smelled yummy!

“Ummmm I can’t wait to dig in”
“OH you FORKING RUNT!” ……”GET OUT!” “I’m getting first taste!”

“OK whatever you say Big Pretty Woman.”

“That’s better little boy now we can get along.”
“That Margherita is very thin….Good thing we got grilled chicken!”
“Our other human got the Humble Pie Signature Sausage Pizza.”

“We enjoyed ourselves at Humble Pie!”
www.HumblePieUSA.com 

“We are on our way to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale.” 

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante is an Italian Restaurant that specializes in serving Neapolitan Pizzas,  House Made Pastas and more! They recently updated their menu so we thought we’d  give it a try.

“Why does she drink wine when there is beer?”
New Menu item Chicken Pizzaiola (Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella and Imported Prosciutto) 

“OMG look at all that chicken (Chicken Milanese)…she can’t eat all that we will have to help a lot!”

“Ummmm that’s some good chicken….I can’t wait for my next bite….I’m so hungry!”

#We need to sample the Chicken Pizzaiola too!”

“Everything was delicious and portions were super extra large!” 

“We enjoyed ourselves at Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante 

www.BottegaRistorante.com 

“We are on our way to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix”

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery is a Vietnamese Casual Restaurant that is Pho Free and specializes in offering about a dozen different varieties of the Banh Mi Baguette Sandwich. They also offer almost anything other Vietnamese restaurants offer except for Pho. They offer delicious rice plates, noodle bowls, appetizers, salads, curry chicken, desserts and MORE!

Today my husband went with a BBQ Pork Banh Mi that I forgot to photo and today I went with the Curry Chicken with Rice.

“The food is always so tasty that it can make even dogs smile.”

“We LOVE going to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery!”

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

“Well that was Dining Out With Dogs in Metro Phoenix for December 2018.” “We hope you enjoyed and we also Wish You a Happy New Year and Hope to see you next month!”

The Forking Truth
In Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017

WTFork Happened to the Christmas Candy Cane?

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A long time ago in a land far away it was said that children were given candy in church to shut the FORK up. It has been written that a person in Germany got the idea to put a little religion into the candy sticks so they made candy shaped like Shepherd’s Hooks like from the dude in the Noel Scene.

As time passed someone got the idea that they should add hyssop flavoring to the Candy Canes because hyssop was used in the old testament for purification and sacrifice. Perhaps nobody wanted child sacrifice on their hands? ……Or just maybe the real reason they stopped using hyssop was because mint flavoring was much cheaper and better tasting than hyssop so they switched over the Candy Cane recipe to be made with mint flavoring.

Some people believe the red strips were added to symbolize Christ’s Blood.

If you have been shopping for cane canes you might have noticed that Candy Canes aren’t actually flavored with mint all the time.

Jelly Belly
Smarties
Hershey’s 
Bacon
Rotisserie Chicken
Pickle
Gravy
Clam Flavored www.mcphee.com
Mac & Cheese Flavored www.mcphee.com
Oreo Flavored www.Spangler.com
Coal Flavored Candy Canes

Merry FORKING CHRISTMAS! and HAPPY EVERY THING THE FORK ELSE! 

Have a Happy New Year too!

Doesn’t Forking matter what flavor the candy is. The kid will shut the Fork Up!
The Forking Truth

References www.Wikipedia.com , www.WhyChristmas.com , www.NoelNoel.com , www.FoodNetwork.com

“That’s All Folks”

1st Taste at The Social on 83rd Restaurant at P83 in Peoria – Worth a Fork!

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The Social on 83rd Restaurant and Bar recently opened in P83 section of Peoria Arizona (former location of Slick’s Garage). This area is also known as part of the Upper West Side. The Social on 83rd offers a full bar and an intriguing Modern American Global Menu with reasonable pricing. The atmosphere is clean and modern and maybe sort of lounge-like with a mix of all sorts of tables and booths.

The bench was very comfortable

Seating is available indoors and also outdoors. They offer an indoor-outdoor bar and a two level patio for dining or libations.

We shared two appetizers and a salad. The appetizers were reasonably priced and were larger than we expected them to be. We shared the Bao Buns that were filled with 24 hour short rib. The Buns were topped with pickled vegetables and came with a side of mandu sauce. ($8.50 – subject to change)

The menu reads Bun so we only expected one bun and not two. Inside the fluffy steamed bun was a generous amount of short rib that was compacted into a meatball sized ball. The meat was tender and the fat was cooked out. All together with the pickled vegetables and mandu sauce it was delicious!

The Mac ‘N’ Cheese Balls had a thin crisp exterior and creamy cheesy pasta inside that was prepared to perfection. ($7.50 subject to change)

Mac ‘N’ Cheese Balls seemed free of oil and were flavorful. They rested on top of a little lemon herb aioli.

How often to you come across a Jerk Chicken Caesar Salad made with iceberg, peppered pecorino and mango caesar dressing? ($9.50 subject to change)

The first thing I tasted was a crouton. It was buttery with a tender crunch. The Jerk Chicken was not spicy hot but very flavorful with allspice and other flavors. All together it was a delicious interesting salad.

That was my First Taste at Social on 83rd.

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Can’t wait for my second taste!

www.TheSocialAZ.com

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

The Forking Truth

Chicken Meatloaf Surprise on Potato Nests Recipe

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Chicken Meatloaf Surprise on Potato Nest 

This was very well received. You will get great compliments if you make this one. I made an extra tasty chicken meatloaf….I made it extra tasty with the jelled drippings of chicken I prepared yesterday for extra flavor but you can substitute chicken broth. I boiled eggs for 6 minutes and patted the meatloaf around each egg and that’s basically it. I thought it was pretty easy and the meatloaves re-heated with the same runny egg too! Potatoes I sort of winged….I spiral cut with the Paderno spiral slicer a red potato for each serving squirted a aroun a tablespoon of oil into the potato strings and mixed threw. They went in a 500 degree F oven for 15 minutes and then got flipped and in for another about 10 minutes and hit them with salt and pepper. That’s all there was to the potatoes…..You can fry if you prefer.  I didn’t have time to make a cooked sauce so I just made a basic common ketchup spiked with Franks Hot Sauce and Worcestershire sauce. This really did come out FORKING GREAT!

Ingredients for 6 servings

1 lb ground chicken 96% lean 

1 cup whole wheat panic bread crumbs

2 eggs – slightly beaten

1 shallot (about 2.5 oz.) – chopped fine

1 garlic clove – microplane or ground to paste

1 celery rib – chopped fine

1/2 carrot – shredded fine

2 Tablespoons dried parsley 

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons vegetable base (instead of salt..more flavorful)

4 Tablespoons jelled chicken drippings (or substitute chicken broth)

non stick spray

6 eggs

Other ingredients you might want to use.

6 potatoes

6 Tablespoons canola oil (about)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

12 tablespoons ketchup (about two a meatloaf)

Franks Red Hot Sauce to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Directions

Put on a pot of water on to boil for eggs. When the water is at a medium-medium high boil carefully add the 6 eggs and set a timer for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes remove the eggs from the water and get them right away in a dish of cool water and add ice to stop the cooking and to cool the eggs. Set them to the side and let them cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl add ground chicken, panko, eggs, shallot, garlic, celery, carrot, parsley, thyme, black pepper, vegetable base, chicken drippings (or broth). Mix well and set to the side.

By now the eggs are very cold and will be easy to peel but be careful and don’t be too rough with them because they are delicate with soft centers. Put the peeled eggs to the side.

Eyeball (or measure) the meatloaf mixture into 6 even piles.

Make a dent in each for the egg and then insert the egg.

Roll each in your hands so the meat encases each egg. Then set each on a non stick sprayed sheet pan(s).

They go in the 350 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the meat is cooked.

For baked potato string nest use the spiral cutter and mix each potato with around a Tablespoon of Canola oil and place each on a sheet tray. They go in a preheated 500 degree oven for about 15 minutes and then get flipped over and go back in for another 10 minutes.

Hit them with fresh crushed sea salt and fresh ground black pepper (these nest didn’t get flipped yet)

While everything is cooking whip up some ketchup and season it with a good amount or Worcestershire sauce and Franks Red Hot unless you have time to cook down tomatoes and basically add these seasonings and a few others.

Serve the meatloaves over the nest and drizzle with sauce.

Chicken Surprise Meatloaf over Potato Nest
Chicken Meatloaf Surprise over Potato String Nest

These Meatloaves re-heat well at 300 degrees F at room temperature about 20 minutes or when chilled 350 degrees F at 30 minutes. But these don’t freeze well because of the egg center.

People will FORKING LOVE THEM!

The Forking Truth

Confluence Restaurant in Carefree AZ is Always Worth a Fork

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Confluence is a small casual upscale restaurant located in beautiful Carefree Arizona. Confluence offers detailed elevated Modern Cuisine. The atmosphere is classic with modern touches. Seating is at the bar, standard tables or outdoors with mountain views. Currently Confluence is open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays – Saturdays at this time (December 2018). 

Between use we tried around twenty different plates so far at Confluence. Dining at Confluence never gets boring and the food is always exciting.

Today we started out by sharing the Grilled Eggplant with Sesame Seeds, Peanuts, Fresno Chili, Miso and Bonito Flakes.

Delicious! Now I know new flavors to do to eggplant!

For my main I went with the BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Celery Root, Spicy Pickles, Beet Greens, Smoked Onion Mayonnaise on a Fontina Roll.

OMG! YUM! This is from another planet DELICIOUS! This is another one of the best things I’ve tasted this year! It’s MAGICAL! I’m almost speechless…..I’ll start with the Fontina Roll. It’s rich but light textured. I think it taste eggy and buttery…but it’s very strong with a strong yummy-licious Cheese Flavor. The bun alone taste almost like the most delicious grilled cheese sandwich you’ve ever had! The middle of the sandwich is a MIX of all the fillings and became almost like a messy but FORKING DELICIOUS Chicken salad with all kinds of DELICIOUS Flavors….A little sharp crunch and bite from the pickle. Chicken that seemed slow cooked or Sous Vide and was tender like butter. Sharp beet greens. Smoked Onion Mayonnaise that should be bottled……..OMG…BIG FAT YUM! 

My husband went with the Beef Tips with Sun-choke, Broccoli, Potato, Mushroom, Cipollini Onion and a Taleggio Sauce.

We didn’t need dessert but Confluence Desserts are among the best…..

A little Chocolate Mousse with Almond, Orange and White Chocolate Biscotti was well received. 

Confluence Restaurant in Carefree AZ is Always Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.RestaurantConfluence.com

Some of the prior dishes we tried

Cured Farm Egg with Faro
Duck
Snapper
Monk Fish
Guinea Hen
Fruit Granite
Roasted Peach, Epoisses Cheese, Mint, Pecans, Honey

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

The Forking Truth

Some of the FORKING BEST Desserts on the Forking Truth

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Pomegranate Rosemary Chocolate Biscotti

It’s that time of year when maybe you need to bring a dessert to a holiday event. Here are not all but some of my most recommended recipes. 

Thomas Keller’s Chocolate Bouchon made by me
Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Cannoli with fresh house made cheese fillings
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Chestnuts with Crisp Sage
Gordon Ramsey’s Clafoutis
Chocolate Pots de Creme
Cannoli 
Biscotti
Melon Salad with Preserved Lemon, Lavender and Whipped Cream Cheese
Tomatio Jicama Fruit Salad with Tapioca and Lemon Cream
Butternut Squash Cinnamon Bun
White Nectarine Crostata
Pear Almond Cake
Forking Adorable and DELICIOUS Mini Apple Pie Bites
Nigel Slater’s Extremely Moist Chocolate Beet Cake Simplified
Kabocha Squash Pie with Coconut Crust
Summer Time Lemon Verbena White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Spicy Hatch Chili and Peach Brownies
Purple Sweet Potato Blackberry Pie with Coconut/Almond Crust
Bouchon Bakery Mini Coffee Cake
Twisted Date Bread
Kabocha Squash Cake with Drizzle and Chestnuts
No Added Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cakes
Plum Pomegranate and Pine Nut Cake
Forking BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies ever!
The Forking Truth

The Worst Foods Served to Me in Metro Phoenix Arizona 2018

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I try many restaurants in Metro Phoenix always hoping to find something special. Sometimes I do find the delicious…….but sometimes I don’t. You know how it goes…..There’s no Ying without a Yang. There’s no Good without Evil. You can’t know Great Food without tasting the Mediocre. Its not in my interest to put a bad word out about these restaurants so I won’t mention the name of the establishments.

Up above is the BEST of the Worst Foods of the year. I have to admit the Chicken Steak Filling is delicious, tasty and overly abundant. But that roll is the worst roll I ever had in my life. It’s soggy and deteriorating. It looks like they dropped in sink of water.

These vegetables were cold and RAW….Blech! They didn’t even bother to cook them for me.

This pizza was disappointing too from the same place as the raw vegetables.

These Cheesy Grits are watery and not cooked. What kind of person serves this?….I can’t believe this restaurant….served me this. When we told someone about the grits they just walked away. There was no I’ll tell the chef or I will get you another one. No I’ll take it off the bill…..The person just walked away. 

The Brisket might have been good if it was cooked more but was chewy with hard fat because it wasn’t done yet.

We went to a fish fry restaurant that possibly had equipment malfunctions and the owner had poor cooking skills. We both had fish that seemed freezer burnt and all the sides seemed spoiled or tasted inedible.

The Macaroni and Cheese was gooey with a bad taste. The tarter sauce was very watery. Sweet potatoes seemed old. I tried to eat a hush puppy and spit it out. After one taste of every thing we threw the food out and ate someplace else.

Chips and salsas should be avoided. …….. Steak Tacos taste like soy sauce. Mashed Potato taco is bland and flat.

This cornbread was too dry.

My smoked Trout Salad lacked Trout.

Very heavy and dense bread pudding…..didn’t taste good either.

These meatballs and the sauce was awful. Meatballs were mushy with hard uncooked carrot chunks and the sauce was bitter, acidic also with hard uncooked carrots…….. BLECH!

Someone served me a geriatric pickle with it’s own Sr Citizen Card but the rice and tomato were good. 

These falafels contained hard chick peas that never got soft. (I think they didn’t soak the chic peas but I don’t know…maybe they used pebbles from the parking lot) These falafels were like mortar and rocks in the mouth. I couldn’t eat them. Really most of the food sucked from here. Beef Shawarma was so dry it was like trying to chew a pony tail. Eggplant dip tasted like an ashtray. The Chicken Shawarma wasn’t but tasted like grilled chicken baloney. Only the rice, tomato and onion was good…..

We got this Fried Chicken Plate somewhere. Chicken on the left is fresh hot and juicy……But it was in a weird sweet sauce that tasted just like fruity duck sauce.  Chicken on the right is almost cold and very dried. The chicken was so stringy  you could use it for dental floss.

I heard that this particular ok but not great restaurant had a new menu so I thought the food would be better…My heart sort of sank when I saw the menu…..but we ordered anyway. I got a plate of greens that was topped with cheap shredded cheese, bottled  roasted red peppers,  and really weird pre-cooked COLD chicken that’s salty and taste like processed. The chicken is also crunchy in a very strange way…….like maybe it was microwaved too long and got crunchy.

Take a closer look. See the hallow piece. It’s like manufactured chicken that got blown up in the microwave and then gets kept cold in the refrigerator for victims ….I mean customers.

My husband was also disappointed with his sandwich but said his chicken was a little better.

His chicken sandwich contained two chicken fingers that seemed like processed from frozen on a low quality bun and was topped with low quality cheese that was hard and melted at the same time. On the bright side the onion rings were fresh made and good.

These were the worst foods served to me in Metro Phoenix in 2018.

WhyyyyyyyWhyyyyyWhy…..Eating at these places was as painful as getting clubbed in the knees
NOT WORTH A FORK!

The FORKING TRUTH is that every thing is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Best Food I ate out in Metro Phoenix Arizona 2018

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I haven’t been everywhere in Metro Phoenix but I’ve been to many restaurants in Metro Phoenix. The foods pictured are in no particular order. These just are the dishes that stood out from the rest of what I tried in Metro Phoenix.

From Multi Award Winning and James Beard Award Winning Chef Christopher Gross- who was at Christopher’s and Crush Lounge I had the incredible House Smoked Salmon. It MUST BE NOTED that this restaurant is now closed for business but Chef Christopher is the executive Chef at Geordie’s Steak at Wrigley Mansion in the Biltmore area of Phoenix. This smoked salmon plate was epic. It’s so painstakingly detailed…..the thin crepe, the crisp greens, hand made squid ink spoon with creme fraiche, crisp potatoes. The salmon was sliced with expert perfection and was so buttery it just melted in the mouth. If you tried this plate you’d know how lousy most other smoked salmon you can try is…….It’s very rare that you get smoked salmon like this.

I have to give another one to Christopher’s and Crush Lounge for dessert. The Lemon Pie with Sorbet (in a shell) might have been the very best dessert I ate all year.

The pie was just AMAZING with the PERFECT tart/sweet.  The sorbet was natural tasting and perfect. I also loved the detailed plate.

The BEST beef burger that I tried (maybe in my life) was the Prime in house ground Filet Burger on an Apple Cider Bun with Bourbon Pickles and was topped with a Wasabi Deviled Egg and a Bourbon Cherry from the The Bourbon Cellar in North Scottsdale. They went too heavy on the mixed greens but who cares about that? This burger was the most flavorful and juicy burger I’ve ever eaten. This burger was delicious without any sauce. How often does that happen?

Luna Gelateria (Pomo Ownership) serves the most incredible Luna Flavored Gelato. There are some other outstanding Gelato Shops in Metro Phoenix but this Luna Flavor gotta be among the best! It has a different creaminess that comes from local dairy and state of the art Italian machinery.

The placement of the spoon makes it looks like we are checking for breathing

One of the best Fish Dishes I had came from a place you wouldn’t expect………It was the fresh killed Tilapia in a scallion Ginger Broth from D&Y Chinese in Glendale. Tilapia usually isn’t among my favorite fish to eat but fresh killed and prepared well it’s great!

I can add maybe a 1/2 dozen pizzas that are incredible and memorable. This Bufalina Pizza from Fabio on Fire in Peoria was up there among the BEST! The combination of Bufala Cheese, Balsamic Vinegar, Arugula and San Marzano Tomato Sauce are the things that make angels sing. I also have to add that the Spinach Raviolis and the House Made Gelato in Strawberry and Passion Fruit are just as great!

The other most delicious pizza I ate this year came from La Piazza Al Forno in Glendale. The Certified Neapolitan Pizzas do taste different than from other Neapolitan style or certified Pizzas from other restaurants. The Mozzarella Cheese is made in house and is very flavorful. The crust also is more delicate and usually more wet in the middle. I don’t usually order the Bianca variety but I have to say it was more delicious than my photo shows. The combination of House made mozzarella, (tasted like house made but not sure) ricotta, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, Sicilian Oregano and Calabrian Chili Peppers was also one of the most delicious pizzas ever! It’s a possibility that La Piazza also offers the very best Cheese Cake in the Valley…..I know that I don’t care for any other I tried…..La Piazza Al Forno’s Cheese Cake is the best!

April – 22 – 2018

Here’s another one that you can’t get anymore. Zabari Mediterranean Grill is now closed for business. I have to say that pita sandwich was the best I’ve had anywhere. What made it much better than the others were several things. One the fresh baked pita was very above average….it was perfect and molded around all the filling and didn’t fall apart or get soggy. Their Chicken Shawarma was KILLER……KILLER>>>>>>I MEAN KILLER……most flavorful and moist I’ve had anywhere. But the one thing they offered that none of the other Mediterranean Restaurants offer was that unbelievably delicious DELICIOUS Matbucha (spicy tomato and roasted pepper salad or salsa). That Matbucha was so delicious that stores should sell it. All those other sauces they made were delicious too….I should be happy that I got to eat here twice but I get upset when I have so many mediocre Mediterranean Restaurants near me that are in business and a really good one isn’t anymore. My other favorite for Mediterranean is also closed for business this past November The Shawarma King…BAHHHHH!

 

I was fortunate to dine at Cafe Monarch in Old Town Scottsdale. The Squash Blossom Relleno is what I remember most…….It was so layered with delicious flavors and so so textured. It packed a little heat so but was so dam scrumptious I wish I had a Forking Platter of them.

The Food is great and also painstakingly highest of quality from all the Bianco Restaurants….But This Nutmeg Italian Ice I had from Pane Bianco in Phoenix is still burning in my memory of one of the most delicious things I tried this year…..It really was THAT GOOD!

This Focaccia di Recco made with Stracchino Cheese from Pomo Pizzeria in Scottsdale is ULTRA SCRUMPTIOUS!!!! It’s so thin and cheesy……but not the normal cheesy…..it’s a cheesy flavor that just melts in the mouth and also taste better than most pizza cheese.

The Tea Brined Fried Chicken Thighs from Elements at Sanctuary was so darn delicious I tried it twice. It did differ the second time around but was still incredible. Both times the chicken had a developed flavor and was juicy with a tasty crust. It went really yummy with the pickled watermelon salad. The delicious sauces underneath kept each bite interesting.

How can I pick one favorite dish from Confluence in Carefree AZ…..It’s impossible. Every dish was way up there……like from another universe……..EVERY FORKING DISH WAS A FORKING MASTERPIECE…..So complex so interesting and so darn amazballz…..This Red Snapper from Confluence in Carefree AZ was really perfect and unusually delicious. The skin was seasoned just so and was extremely crispy. This dish contained fennel and I don’t know what they did to it but it was the best tasting fennel I ever tried. The plate also contained cucumber, grapes and Calabrian Chili Peppers….it was a hum-dinger! The Monk Fish….mindblowing…….The BBQ Chicken Sandwich…..OMG YUM!

From The Delta and The Larder in Phoenix came the MOST FORKING GLORIOUSLY DELICIOUS Spicy Chicken Sandwich I’ve eaten (so far). OMG this was scrumptious YUM! The chicken so flavorful and delicious. It had this slightly caramelized thin crisp coating, delicious slaw, extra great thick pickle chips (not chips more like blocks) and a bun that wasn’t too big….If Jesus wanted a DELICIOUS GREAT Hot Chicken Sandwich he’d fly to Phoenix and stop in to The Larder and The Delta in Phoenix.

Spicy Chicken Noodle from Szechuan Cuisine in Glendale AZ

The Spicy Chicken Noodle (Big Plate Chicken) from Szechuan Cuisine in Glendale was one of the best Chinese Dishes I’ve ever had…….It was a magical food adventure like Chinese Thanksgiving with fireworks. This dish was rich, full of flavors and spices and comforting, spicy and with all the chicken, potatoes and noodles.  The magic part were the Sichuan Peppercorns because they made the onions turn unusually sweet in your mouth. This was a very delicious dish.

Another one of the BEST MEALS I ate this year came from Atlas Bistro in Scottsdale. Just like Confluence it’s next to impossible to pick one dish…..Another restaurant that offers highly creative detailed plates that are beyond delicious!

It’s very hard to focus on just one plate but this plate of Carrot Gnocchi, Lentil Meatball, Artichoke Melted Leeks, Fried Broccoli and Sea Scape Cheese was a stunning gastronomic adventure of flavors, colors and textures.

The Sushi I tried from Haru Sushi and Grill in Glendale was incredible……This sushi is different than other sushi I’ve tried on the upper west side. The texture and taste is different. It just melts in my mouth. Toro, Blue Fin and Ocean Trout were my favorites but even the mackerel was sweet.

What just squeaked in was the Chilean Sea Bass Entree also from Haru Sushi and Grill. Wow super fresh fish that was prepared as well as from the finest restaurants and the vegetables were also delicious fresh and tender crisp. You might not be able to see but I also got a nice serving of black rice.This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is fullsizeoutput_7abc-1024x768.jpeg

Another one of the best things I’ve eaten this year was the Charred Sweet Potatoes with Avocado, Lime, Pickled Shallots, Radish Salad, Pasilla Pumpkin Salsa and Aleppo Pepper Plate from Ocotillo in Phoenix. OMG YUM! The flavors went together so well! Something about that char……and something about that pasilla pumpkin salsa….really made flavors pop! This plate was way more delicious than I can describe and truly was among the best of the year.

This was a sampling of the Best Foods I tried in Metro Phoenix 2018

The Forking Truth