The Upper West Side of Metro Phoenix has a New Restaurant Opening with Greek Palace…..OPA!……This is a full service Mediterranean Restaurant. The atmosphere is airy modern with some Greek accents.
We ordered and the first thing that comes out are freshly made Greek Salads that are part of our lunch platters.
Next comes out our Combo Appetizer.
We received creamy Hummus, smoky Baba Ghanouj, lemon-ee Domas, Falafels, Tzatziki Sauce, (ultra garlic) Tahini Sauce and Lots of Warm Pita Bread.
The falafels are on the dense side and not so herby……but they taste fresh made and have a nice chick pea flavor.
Then our lunch platters arrive. I got the Chicken Kabob Platter.
I received juicy slightly charred marinated chunks of chicken breast, yellow basmati rice, grilled tomato, pepper and onion, tzatziki and more pita bread. All is A-OK here! I should note that the menu description differed slightly for the platters and reads Greek Pickles and Turnips instead of the Grilled Vegetables…..Our waiter explained that is due to the soft opening and they weren’t able to get them in………
My husband tried what is named the Fire Fighter Platter.
He received a plate of thin seasoned beef and lamb that was charbroiled on a vertical skewer, grilled onions, tomato, pepper, hot peppers (that might be giardiniera), yellow basmati rice, tzatziki and warm pita bread. The meat is moist and flavorful all is good here too!
Portions were large and we had leftovers to pack up…..
OPA! Muchas Gracias! LOL
If in the area you might consider giving Greek Place in Peoria a try!
OPA! Greek Palace recently opened in Peoria!
Opa!
www.GreekPalace.net
Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.
********UPDATE was CLOSED FOR BUSINESS during pandemic and is NOW OPEN AGAIN*****The HOT Chick Restaurant recently opened in Scottsdale by Old Town. This is a FUN casual chicken restaurant that offers a bar, games, videos to watch and of course food with a retro 70s vibe.
The bar
They also offer all kinds of seating. You can be by the video games.
One of the patios
You get full service only if you sit at the bar.
For all other seating you order yourself at the trailer that is located behind the bar.
The trailer is the counter where you order and pay if you are not sitting at the bar.
Here’s the menu. All the chicken is organic, free range, antibiotic and hormone free.
They offer Fried Chicken in half or whole in original or Hot Chick, 2 kinds of wings, chicken nubs, snacks and sides, salads, seven varieties of chicken sandwiches but ONLY ONE is HOT Chick. They also offer a brunch menu limited to the weekend and two desserts.
We walked up to the trailer and ordered and paid. Took a pager with us and sat at a booth. We checked out the cocktail menu while waiting. In reasonable time our pager was blinking and buzzing.
I got the HOT Chick sandwich.
It’s a crispy hot chicken breast with house slaw and house pickle on a rich eggy bun. (they also had a condiment area and we picked up deviled egg sauce and some sort of Thai sauce)
First I taste a small amount of chicken by it’s self……WOW is THAT FORKING CRISPY and MIGHTY Flavorful……it’s also moist! It is HOT but VERY Flavorful. I think around a number 4 Thai Hot out of 5. I can taste a lot of flavors like cayenne, but there is something in there that makes the cayenne taste very delicious, there’s something very sweet but it’s balanced, not too sweet…..not sure but I think a taste some secret crushed potato chips…? Well whatever all this is …….This is Forking AWESOME with well made slaw and well crafted pickles. It’s getting very messy with sauce or and juices squirting out everywhere…….It’s a DELICIOUS HOT MESS! It’s also a Forking hum YUM Dinger! (only $9.00…..WHAT THE CLUCK!…..is that a misprint?………..only $9.00…… ((price is subject to change..))
Mu husband ordered the 1/2 hot chicken…..but it was cut into 6 pieces. It came with house made biscuit and house made pickles. I think it was suppose to come with maple butter?
He got a wing (cut in two), thigh, breast (cut in two) and a leg. I took a small bite out of the thigh. NO FOWL PLAY HERE! The Thigh is Forking awesome……Crunchy succulent flavorful…….really Really Great…..Not sure but seemed hotter than the HOT Chick sandwich…maybe because it didn’t have the slaw, bun and pickles to cool things down…? . (only $12.00) subject to change
We shared two of the sides The pimento macaroni and cheese and the green goddess green beans. ($5.00 each and subject to change)
pimento macaroni and cheese and the green goddess green beans
The pimento macaroni and cheese was topped with crunchy chicken skin. I taste the macaroni……..This is smoky……to me it doesn’t taste like pimento because the smoke taste over powers everything else. My husband taste it and agrees that it is smoky. The green goddess green beans are more of a cold salad with a lot of arugula and smoked almonds.
I’ll say find that HOT Chick and buy a sandwich and all the day you will have good Cluck!
Hot Chick is Worth a Fork!
Worth a Fork!
www.TheHotChick.com
Every FORKING THING is subject to change and YOUR experience may or may NOT differ.
My favorite thing to cook lately are these EZ one pot chicken recipes. They are easy and delicious. You start by seasoning the chicken, then you brown up the chicken, use the drippings to infuse flavor to the vegetables. Add the chicken back to the pot (or pan) and finish in the oven all together this comes out FORKING SCRUMPTIOUS!…..Chicken quarters are also very cheap depending on where you shop….You should never pay more than .99cents a pound for chicken quarters. But I really like this way of cooking because the chicken always comes out moist and flavorful and delicious. With these dishes we don’t have to mess with sides of vegetables or other sides because everything is in the pot (or pan). The only bad issue is that the skin will never come out crisp enough to eat. The other thing that I should note is that oven timing will differ…….You will have to check the dish with a thermometer. You must get the rice cooked and the chicken must get to at least 165 degrees F. (but I prefer my dark meat chicken cooked more and I get it up to at least 180 – 200 degrees F. Unfortunately these are the most difficult dishes to photo. I waited till the dish was cold and the rice set up……really the rice comes out more soupy. This will be Forking Delicious and you and yours will love it.
Ingredients for about 6 servings
4 lbs chicken quarters (about 3 large quarters (seasoned with salt, pepper and granulated garlic)
kosher salt to taste – to season chicken on both sides
fresh ground black pepper to taste – to season on both sides
granulated garlic to taste – about twice the amount of the salt you used on both sides
1 large sweet onion chopped
2 stalks celery – chopped
2 carrots – peeled and chopped
4 oz mushrooms – sliced
1 red bell or a few red Fresnos -chopped
1 green bell or a green pepper with a little zip – chopped
13 garlic cloves – chopped well
1 Tablespoon soup base (instead of salt for less sodium and more flavor) use reduced sodium chicken or vegetable
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 oz fresh poultry herbs sage, thyme, rosemary (Smart and Final was selling them mixed together for $1.00 for 1 1/2 ounces) (leave them whole so you can pull them out when dish is ready to serve)
optional fennel fronds (I happened to have some leftover in my refrigerator so I threw them in)
2 cups water
1 cup arborio rice or regular long grain rice is fine here too!
Directions
Start by browning the seasoned chicken on both sides either in a fry pan or broil in the oven about 10 minutes on both sides. ( either way skin isn’t crisp enough and more chicken fits under broiler than in fry pan)
Next use the drippings for the sauce pot (put chicken to the side).
Set oven to 350 degrees F.
Get the sauce pot (if you have a very large oven proof pot use it here) on medium high heat and add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, soup base, black pepper, bell peppers and mushrooms. Stir occasionally and cook till onions are soft. Then add water and bring to boil add rice mix and shut off heat.
If this is a large oven proof pot leave it…if not carefully transfer to a large pan (I used a half pan) Top with the fresh herbs. Top herbs with the browned chicken quarters and cover tightly with foil.
Leave in oven till rice is soft and chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. (I like my dark chicken more done and I leave till at least 180 – 200 F) Ovens do differ….pans make the timing differ and the size of your leg quarter will differ……….and they differ even more if you have another pan in the oven… (be careful not to get yourself burnt from steam when you check your pan). Mine took around 105 minutes today.
It came out delicious!
Forking EZ One Pot Chicken Mushrooms and Rice
This was cold when I photoed and the rice really comes out more soupy…..BUT this does come out Forking Delicious!
Can any salad be a Caesar salad if you stab it enough? (incase you didn’t know Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times by his assassins)
I recently went to Pappadeaux Fresh Seafood Restaurant located in Phoenix.
I ordered the Creole Caesar Salad with blackened Salmon with house made Caesar dressing. ($24.95)
My plate arrives and the first thing I notice is that the fish isn’t very blackened….(for $24.95)
It should look more like this Blackened Salmon from Ocean Prime below.
The Blackened Salmon Salad from Ocean Prime
.(blackened is the technique of darkening the protein in the pan or on the grill) The second thing I notice is that the dressing doesn’t look like Caesar Dressing?
It doesn’t taste like Caesar Dressing either…..
Trust me I was a Caesar Expert….I was a professional…and preformed Caesar salads Table-side when I worked in fine dining. Maybe you are wondering WTFork is Caesar dressing anyway?
I was taught that Caesar Dressing should only be made in a large wooden bowl. You start by breaking down a garlic clove with a fork. Then you mash in the anchovies, add an egg yolk and slowly drizzle in olive oil while you are stirring real fast and you get the mixture to emulsify. Then you dance around with other ingredients and go back and forth as much as you can to make a show with red wine vinegar, you squeeze a fresh lemon, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, back and forth with the olive oil bunches of times, stir stir stir, toss in a big bowl of hand torn romaine, add lots of shredded parmesan, add croutons and finish with fresh ground black pepper. That is what Caesar should be. The dressing should be somewhat thick, deeply flavorful and is a sort of grout color.
What The FORK is this?
It’s a loose white dressing that is almost tasteless except for the chunks of cheese that taste like a weak parmesan.
I get my husband to taste some salad….He gets mad because this salad cost $24.95 and this house made Caesar Dressing isn’t Caesar Dressing.
He flags down our waiter and questions him. We were told that the dressing is made without anchovies and egg……I didn’t ask but I think it was made without garlic and also lacks black pepper and maybe everything else…..
Maybe these days any salad can be a Caesar salad if you stab it enough?
Fun Photos were used from www.Pinterest
Can any FORKING Salad be a Caesar salad if you stab it enough?
Cha Ca La Vong is the National Dish of Hanoi. It’s a popular turmeric and dill seasoned fish dish in Vietnam. Although Cha Ca La Vong is popular in Vietnam it’s hard to find and seldom offered in Metro Phoenix Vietnamese Restaurants. I didn’t think my husband would eat this dish in fish so I tried to make it in cauliflower since it’s a vegetable that transforms into anything. Ummmmm it’s very aromatic…your house will smell amazing if you make this dish. Hanoi fish is usually served with rice noodles but I think this cauliflower would also be great with any kind of plain rice. The last time I ate this dish I was taught how to eat it by the Vietnamese restaurant owner……….You use leaves and gather up the fish with rice noodles and minty herbs and dip your little bundle in fish sauce and add peanuts…..It was delicious…..and such a great dish. I know most people don’t know about it. I had this as a side dish a few nights and the rest I tossed with noodles and pulled chicken and it was also delicious that way. It came out so delicious my husband said he would eat it in a fish version.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
1 very large cauliflower or two small – break down into florets ….(if your cauliflower isn’t big enough this will turn out slightly over seasoned) (I used two very small cauliflowers a white and a green)
1/2 medium sweet onion – rough chopped
1 red bell pepper – rough chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
3 garlic cloves – ground to paste
1 shallot – ground to paste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon fish sauce (I used Red Boat..other brands are much stronger)
2 Tablespoons grated ginger
4 Tablesppons extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 Thai Chili Peppers – fine chopped (came out a bit spicy maybe you only want one?)
1/4 cup fresh dill – chopped
1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
2 Tablespoons Thai Basil – torn
2 Tablespoons cilantro (leaves and tender stems ) – torn
1 radish – sliced paper thin
Directions
Set oven to 375 degrees f.
Add to a large mixing bowl the cauliflower, onions and bell pepper and set to the side.
In a small mixing bowl add the turmeric, garlic, shallot, sugar, salt, fish sauce, ginger, olive oil, lemon juice and Thai Chili. Mix well and then add to the large bowl of vegetables and mix well.
Once the vegetables are well coated pour them onto baking sheet(s) in a single layer with a little space around the vegetables. They go in the preheated 375 degree F oven until cooked and a little brown. (it took 30 minutes in my oven…but ovens do differ and my vegetables could be cut smaller or bigger than yours so it might differ)
About 5 minutes before done add the peanuts.
When done and ready to serve add the dill, scallions, Thai basil, cilantro and radish.
Suggested to serve with rice noodles or rice and grilled meat or no meat.
Cha Ca La Vong Inspired CauliflowerCha Ca La Vong Inspired Cauliflower
Salads can be special and notable. I don’t always eat a sandwich every day but I usually will eat at least one salad a day. Here are the most notable salads I had over the past year or so in no particular order.
Up above is the Langos Salad from FnB in Scottsdale. It was described to me as a Hungarian Potato Bread Salad. It’s made with radishes, fennel, greens, crisp chip like potatoes and tied together with a garlic-ee aioli.
FnBRestaurant.com
This salad was from Christopher’s (now closed but soon to reopen at Wriggly Mansion) was really special and wonderfully detailed. The mixed greens seemed like they were marinated and were so crisp….They were wrapped in a blanket with a thin crepe that was covered with a thin slice of buttery smoked salad that was sliced masterfully thin. A small edible squid ink spoon embellishes the plate holding a small amount of creme fraiche and some toast to the side……WOW its stunning.
www.WrigglyMansion.com
The Fregula Salad with Chicken from Pomo Pizzeria in Scottsdale is worth mentioning. It was made with grilled, zucchini, grilled eggplant, roasted bell pepper, avocado, arugula, sweet grape tomatoes, cured olives, pecorino and of course fregula. It had a great balance of flavors.
www.PomoPizzeria.com
From The Collins in Phoenix AZ
The Twisted Noodle Salad from the Collins is a HUM YUM Dinger! It got it all going on! It’s bright, sour, sweet, spicy, flavorful, crunchy, chewy and delicious with a kick that doesn’t hurt. It’s made with soba noodles, kale, avocado, pickled cucumbers, arugula, scallions, herbs, toasted coconut, peanuts, carrots in a chile-lime vinaigrette. Scrumptious!
www.TheCollinsAZ.com
This one isn’t a conventual beauty but it taste conventual. From The Angel Trumpet Ale House I got the Avocado Salad with Added Chicken. It’s an unusual combination of smoked beets, grapefruit, goat cheese, avocados and almonds are flavors that POP! This was an unusually delicious salad.
www.AngelTrumpetAleHouse.com
The sashimi rice bowl is basically a raw tuna salad. This one is served with sesame oil and hot chili sauce. I’ve had this sort of salad before at a few other places but this one is the tastiest I’ve tried. From Haru Sushi and Grill in Glendale.
I haven’t found a website for Haru Sushi and Grill but you can find them on Facebook.
From FiGaMi Asian Fresh in Phoenix I got this Burmese Style fermented tea leaf salad made with crispy fried beans and vegetables…….I never had a salad like this before…..It was unusually delicious and also sort of refreshing……It was only priced at $3.50 at the time I had it…price should go up I would think.
www.FiGaMiAsianFresh.com
Another unusually good salad came from FnB again in Scottsdale.
Here is another winning salad of sliced radishes, dates, pumpkin seeds, with a caper anchovy dressing. It was just light and delicious…just wonderful.
www.FnBRestaurant.com
This plate can pass as almost anything….and you have to admit it looks amazing. It’s a plate of stunning beets that are made into cream cheese, there’s pickled beets, roasted beets and also raw beets, fancy greens, almonds, avocado and what I’m guessing to be urfa pepper. This delicious beauty came from Singh Meadows in Tempe.
www.SinghMeadowsTempe.com
These were the most memorable and delicious salads I’ve tried in Metro Phoenix 2018-2019 so far!
Tap and Bowl is a unique little restaurant located in Old Town Scottsdale on the end by the waterfront. They offer about a dozen different varieties of fresh made to order artisan bowls that are seasonal and some that are globally inspired. They also offer craft beers, cider, hand crafted artisan sodas, appetizers and more!
They offer lush patio seating.
Seating at the bar, traditional tables, a sofa and high tops.
We were given water and at the time it seemed like the best water I’ve had in a long time. The waitress said that it was filtered with their Italian soda machine. So we tried a hand crafted cucumber/watermelon soda made with real cane sugar.
WOW! It was so light and refreshing! I never had a soda like this before. It was delicious and not too sweet either. It was perfect.
I went with the Atlantic Salmon and Cali Rice Bowl.
My bowl was packed full of delicious vegetables and perfectly prepared salmon that was enhanced with a delicious slightly Asian sauce. The salmon had crisp tasty edges and was towards medium rare in the center…it was really great! The bowl included cauliflower rice, edamame, carrots, avocado, onions, peppers, mushrooms, snap peas, cilantro, sesame and ponzu sauce. I’d love to eat this every week! It had so many great textures and flavors!
My husband tried the Fried Chicken Mac and Cheese Bowl.
The Chicken seemed free of oil and had a very crispy tasty exterior and was juicy inside. The pasta was prepared well and was in a tasty cheddar sauce. The bowl also included broccoli, corn, tomatoes, cotija cheese, scallions and pickled onions added some interest.
We both enjoyed our meals very much at Tap and Bowl in Scottsdale.
I have to say Tap and Bowl is Worth a Fork!
Worth a Fork!
www.TapandBowl.com
Every THING is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.
This is another spin off recipe that was sort of inspired by watching multi award wining Master Chef Rick Bayless on TV. He mixed masa flour with water and rolled it out added a Santa Hoya leaf (that I can’t find) and spread the top with a layer of refried beans. He then rolled the mixture into rectangular logs and sliced them into interesting food. Today I made sort of a bean and corn and pepper tamale lasagna. I served it with chunks of avocado and a fat free cilantro/scallion sour cream. It’s delicious and I think everyone would love it! It’s easy to make if you are ok roasting and cleaning up lots of peppers.
Ingredients for around 12 servings
2 cups masa flour (no substitutions or it will not come out or taste right)
1 1/2 cups water (maybe up to one more tablespoon if dough is too tight)
2 lbs anaheim peppers – roasted, seeds and stem removed and peeled (don’t substitute or you won’t have all the flavor you should have)
4 bell peppers – preferably mixed – roasted, seeds and stem removed and peeled
1 16 oz can refried beans (might not need whole can but will use at least 3/4s of can)
1/2 cup salsa (maybe a little more)
1 cup corn kernels (not raw corn – preferably fresh cooked)
5 oz cojita cheese – crumbled
1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro – leaves and tender stems torn
non stick spray or a little neutral oil
Directions
Set the oven to 375 F degrees.
Spray large baking dish or 1/2 pan with non stick spray or oil it and set it to the side.
Make the tamale dough by mixing the masa with the water. Knead dough till it’s all mixed together and smooth and set to the side.
Now gather up all the roasted peppers. You need to line the pan with pepper and hang off edges of the pan like you are making a lasagna.
Then you roll out 1/2 of the masa dough. It doesn’t roll very easily. You need to pound it out with your hands, them pound it out will a rolling pin and roll it over plastic wrap so you can lift it up onto the peppers.
Lift up and place on peppers. (don’t worry if dough cracks)
Spread with beans.
On top of beans add around a quarter cup of salsa.
Lay down a second sheet of masa dough and use the remaining 1/4 cup of salsa.
Add the corn.
Add the cheese.
Add the scallions and the cilantro.
Lay the peppers over the lasagna and press gently.
Cover pan with foil and put in pre-heated 375 F degree oven for 50 minutes. Then remove pan from the oven.
Turn up oven to 425 degrees F
Remove the foil cover and place in the oven for about ten minutes to brown up some.
Chill to set up like the way you make lasagna and slice up into about 12 portions.
Bean Corn Roasted Peppers Tamale Lasagna
It’s pretty and it taste delicious! The Anaheim peppers give off a really good flavor for this dish. I served it with some avocado and a fat free sour cream sauce (one cup ff sour cream, one oz scallions, 1/2 oz cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and a 1/4 teaspoon salt)
*****UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*******Mijana is a Lebanese Restaurant with two locations one in Tempe and a brand new one in Glendale Arizona that they call Mijana West. I didn’t notice this restaurant mentioned in our local paper but it recently opened the past May (2019). The building is very large and can seat a small town inside and out as a brand new large patio with outdoor hookah has been added.
As you enter it looks like this.
Then you turn the corner.
Besides serving Mediterranean Cuisine Mijana offers entertainment. On certain nights there are singers preforming, belly dancing and even salsa dancing.
We were waiting a while for our order so they gave us pita breads with za’tar seasoned oil. Our server insisted that za’tar is very good for you and helps to improve your memory. I remember that it taste good. Our server also pointed to the wall to the right of the bar is a machine that they will use for making fresh pita in the dining room but it wasn’t ready yet.
We started with what they call the Beirut Special.
It was hummus, babaghanouj, four falafels, two kibbe and three cheese borek.
Before we started to eat our dinners arrive.
WOW portions are very very large……
Here’s the Chicken Biryani.
It’s a large mound of basmati rice studded with corn, peas, chicken, almonds, seasoning and more. There are multiple salads garnishing the plate. I really like all the salads..they are all fresh and bright.
My husband ordered the Mijana Grill for One.
There’s grilled chicken, grilled filet mignon, a kofta kabob, basmati rice, pickled vegetables, garlic sauce and tzatziki. The Kofta is very moist and good, salads are fresh and tasty, sauces are good but the two grilled meats are dry today. We did let them know about the dry meats and they thanked us for our honesty. At this time they are newly opened.
That was my trip to Mijana-West.
*****UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*******
www.MijanaOnLine.com
Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.
This is delicious and light and easy to prepare. It’s perfect for the warmer days we have here in Phoenix. All the supermarkets have practically been giving aways watermelons so chances are this won’t cost much to make either. This cold fruit soup is made mostly from watermelon but also has an apple, an orange, spices and a few other ingredients. It’s very light and refreshing and fat free too!
Ingredients for around 6 servings
1 individual small personal sized watermelon – rind removed and cut into small cubes (like eraser sized – remove seeds if you come across any)
1 orange – peel with knife so you remove most of the segment skin – slice thin and cut into cubes – remove seeds if you see any
1 apple – cut into slices – remove core – cut into cubes
1/2 medium sweet onion – cut in small cubes
1 pickled jalapeño (preferably recipe on The Forking Truth or your purchase from a farmers market) – fine chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 garlic clove – ground to paste or grated
1 lime – the fresh juice and zest
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon mild chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro – mostly just leaves a few tender stems – chopped
small pinch cinnamon (make sure you do a small pinch or it will be too much)
optional but recommended 3 chitepin peppers crushed with fingers (this pepper is hard to find and is usually expensive. You might be able to find them at a Mexican grocery store or online. But these tiny peppers will make this dish more delicious and three won’t add too much heat for most people.
Directions
All of the above ingredients go in a large bowl. Mix and I suggest to blend about 1/2 with a stick mixer lightly for a better texture. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Chill and serve.
Fat Free Cold Fruit Salsa
It’s delicious and not too spicy! I think most people would enjoy this!
