Monthly Archives: March 2020

Tributes Music Venue Restaurant & Bar – Newly Opened Glendale AZ – #UpperWestSide – Something FUN and Different****UPDATE NOW CLOSED For Business

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*******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS Tributes Music Venue Restaurant and Bar Newly opened in North Glendale Arizona. This area is also known as The Upper West Side of Metro Phoenix. Tributes offers appetizers, burgers (beef and Impossible) New York Style pastas, a small Sunday brunch omelet buffet, taco Tuesdays and dinner specials. I don’t know next weeks band schedule but they’ve had a no cover Beatles Tribute band playing on Sundays for brunch. They’ve had Friday Night disco/funk rhythm and blues nights and for the past few Saturday nights an Elton John Tribute Band ( a ticket event). For upcoming events you have to look up their Facebook page.

When I walked in it looked like this.

Then I saw the Beatles Tribute band playing.

It’s loud but not too loud. They sound very good!

I notice behind me is a small bar area and a small brunch buffet with an omelet station.

Eventually someone waits on us and we order.

In reasonable time our burgers arrive.

I got an Impossible (meatless) Burger called the Naterater with fries. The burger came with provolone cheese, pickled and fried jalapeños, red onion tomato jam and field greens. I’m not sure what kind of bread it’s on but it’s very soft and fluffy flat bread. I have to say that this Impossible Burger is the first one I’ve tried that came out Medium Rare (on one side past the middle). The Impossible patty got nicely caramelized, it was juicy and very meat’ like.

I thought the tomato jam with the pickled jalapeños tasted similar to salsa.

The fries were hot and fresh. They were fluffy inside and seemed free of oil and were nicely seasoned. They also gave me a very large portion. $9.95 + $2.95(Impossible un-charge) + $2.00 fries.

My husband tried the Freebird burger with Chef Adam’s Italian tots $9.95 + $8.95.

This was a beef burger with provolone cheese, pickled and fried jalapeños, red onions, Dr Pepper BBQ sauce and bacon on a brioche bun. They serve the burgers either pink or done. My husband asked for medium rare but he got done….

Here are the tots. They are very large and are made with house pulled mozzarella. They were made with lots of oregano.

I had a very good Impossible Burger and enjoyed the company and the music! Something fun and different on the UpperWestSide!

That was my trip to Tributes.

******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS

www.TributesLLive.net (I saw more information on their Facebook page)

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

The Forking Truth

Taco Fusion – Glendale AZ – Newly Opened and Forking Awesome Tacos – Worth a Fork!***NOW CLOSED For BUSINESS*****

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******UPDATE NOW CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*******Taco Fusion is a small taco shop located in-between north and middle Glendale Arizona. They serve a limited menu of mesquite style tacos on handmade tortillas and quesadillas.

It’s very casual. you order at the counter, pay, grab a number and seat yourself.

DO NOT MISS THE SALSA BAR!

There are 8 salsas cucumbers and something else…..I didn’t try everything but I tried 4 of the salsas and they were at least excellent. The PINEAPPLE WAS FORKING BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s marked mild but is on the spicy but insanely delicious side.

Food comes rolling out.

Here’s the veggies quesadilla (mushrooms, corn, bell peppers and zucchini $6.15. Delicious tasty even better with salsas and pico. Bigger than expected too!

He is Jaas taco. It’s asada (beef) green chili and cheese ($2.95). I taste one small piece. I usually don’t like asada but this is tender…not chewy and developed with good flavors.

Here are two more tacos my husband had. (al pastor $2.45 and a barbacoa $2.50) He also tried the refried beans $3.49.

Here’s my plate.

On the left is habanero chicken that is moist and delicious but oddly mild. In the middle is barbacoa (shredded beef) it’s very flavorful and tender. On the right is a fish taco…It’s good but different with a sweet carrot topping on it.

Now you have to guess what salsa to add to each taco.

But then I add some pineapple salsa to the chicken taco…..FORKING WOW! that taco is delicious as It is but then it POPS and EXPLODES! It’s one of the best things I’ve tasted this year! That could be a winning taco at a taco festival.THIS CHICKEN HABANERO TACO WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA IS OF LEGEND STATUS! OMG YUM! FORKING DELICIOUS!

When we left the owner did tell us his favorite sauce was the pineapple too. He said that the pineapple salsa is just as delicious on the pork taco as it is on the chicken taco.

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

Taco Fusion is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.TacoFusion.com

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

The Forking Truth

Spaghetti Squash with Harissa Vinaigrette Recipe

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This dish is inspired by a dish I enjoyed at FnB Restaurant in Scottsdale AZ. The chef is a James Beard Award Winner so you everything that chef Charlene Badman makes is amazing. I thought this dish didn’t have too many ingredients so I thought I’d be able to prepare something similar. Anyway it came out FORKING DELICIOUS. All you need to do is to cook a spaghetti squash (or two) and roast red peppers. You blend a few things into the red peppers and then you have an amazing delicious sauce that transforms spaghetti squash into something special. I used two very small spaghetti squash that might be around 5 servings. This recipe might make more sauce than you need depending on the size of your squash. I’d rather you have extra sauce than not enough. Extra sauce can be frozen or you can use it for an egg breakfast or on a grilled meat. My idea of a serving size might differ from your idea of a serving size. I used two very small spaghetti squash. I note that I had almost twice as much sauce as I needed.

Ingredients for around 5 servings

2 very small spaghetti squash

4 Tablespoons water

4 red bell peppers

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves – microplane or ground to paste

2 hot peppers – (preferably red) (or to taste)

2 lemons – (just the fresh squeezed juice)

4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 Tablespoons tomato paste

sea salt to taste (you won’t need much)

ground pepper to taste (you won’t need much)

Directions

Roast the red peppers – anyway you like. Mine went under the broiler till blackened on all sides. Then I cover the pan with foil till they cool off. After they are cool remove skin, stem and seeds. Chop them up and put to the side. Keep any pepper juice that spills out and add it to the peppers.

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook off the spaghetti squash. Cut squash short ways though the middle and not long ways. Scoop out the seeds and membranes with a spoon.

Sprinkle baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of water for each squash. Place squash cut side down on baking sheet(s). Leave in oven till fork tender. Timing will differ but the average squash usually takes an hour.

While the squash is cooking you can make the Harrisa Vinaigrette. The red peppers, cumin, caraway, olive oil, garlic, hot peppers, lemon juice, vinegar, tomato paste all get blended. Taste it and decide if you want to add a little salt and or pepper.

When the squash is cool enough to handle scoop and fluff out the spaghetti strings.

Mix well with harissa. Top with a little more harissa. You can dress it up with a little peppered feta, cilantro or parsley if you like.

Spaghetti Squash with Harissa Vinaigrette

This really is FORKING DELICIOUS!

The Forking Truth

FORKING Cheese Wrapped Cheese Steak – YES WHEY!

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I saw these Folios cheese wraps at Costco. This sounds like a commercial but I read on the package that they are 100% parmesan cheese so I thought they would be fun to play around with.

I made a cheese wrapped cheese steak with the partially cooked cheese slices.

I think it was pretty easy to prepare. The cheese slices are wrapped in parchment and then you bake them at 375 degrees F for 6 minutes. Let them cool and bend them in the shape you want and then fill them up.

Here’s the back of the package.

My husband wrapped eggs in cheese. (sorry I didn’t photo them)

He really liked the cheese steak!

I had fun cooking with the cheese wrap. Maybe you can too!

The Forking Truth

Baby Eggplants with Bell Peppers Shallots Anchovy and Basil Dijon Aioli Recipe

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This is an easy light appetizer or side dish. All the vegetables get a squirt of oil and you roast them off till they are done. The sauce whips up in a jiffy and if you want to be fancy it’s a snap to crisp up a few basil leaves in the oven. Just squirt some basil leaves soon both sides and in around 6 minutes they will turn crisp. I do note that my recipe makes too much dressing. You can use the extra dressing for a salad, vegetable dip or a sandwich spread. Also my idea of portion size may differ from your idea of portion size. I used 6 baby eggplants. It made 12 small pieces. I think as a side dish it is around 4 portions but as an appetizer most people would only eat 1- 2 pieces so I’m guessing maybe 8 servings as an appetizer.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

6 baby eggplants (or a few more) – cut in 1/2 and score the cut surface

12 mini bell peppers (mine were extra tiny…you might need less) – remove stem, core and seeds – cut in slices

2 shallots sliced thin – (mine were very small shallots)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil – this is a guess on how much olive oil got squirted on the vegetables

1/2 lemon – just the juice (this is to squirt over the eggplants

12 anchovy’s (or one for each eggplant half)

1/4 cup basil leaves (optional a few extra leaves to crisp up in the oven)

2 small garlic cloves – ground to paste or microplane

1 egg yolk

1/4 lemon – just the fresh squeezed juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard (I used Amora Brand)

fresh crushed sea salt to taste

fresh crushed black pepper to taste

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F

Scored halved eggplants go on a baking sheet. They get squirted with lemon juice and olive oil and go on a middle rack in the oven till done (you want them to look charred) Timing will differ….they should be done in 45 minutes or up to 60 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

The bell pepper strips and the sliced shallots go on baking sheets too. They also get squirted with olive oil and go in the oven till done. You want them slightly charred. Timing may differ. Mine were done in around 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

While everything is cooking whip up the aioli. Put the olive oil, garlic, dijon and egg yolk in a cup and use your stick blender and blend till emulsified. Add basil leaves and lemon juice and blend again. I didn’t think the dressing needed any salt and pepper but I used Amora Brand dijon that taste different from other brands. Add pepper if you think it needs it…remember the anchovy that you are adding is salty.

Assemble eggplants. Each one gets a pinch of pepper strips, a pinch of shallots. Then they get an anchovy and a squirt of aioli and the optional basil leaf.

Baby Eggplants with Baby Bell Peppers Shallots and topped with Anchovy and Basil Dijon Aioli and Fried Basil Leaf
Baby Eggplants topped with Baby Bell Peppers Shallots and topped with Anchovy and Basil Dijon Aioli with Crisp Basil Leaf

Tasty and light

The Forking Truth

Skewers Mediterranean Grill – Newly Opened – Glendale AZ – #UpperWestSide – Worth a Fork if you are in the area

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Skewers Mediterranean Grill recently opened in North Glendale in the area that is considered the upper west side of metro Phoenix Arizona. This is a fast casual Mediterranean restaurant. You order at the counter, pay and seat yourself.

They offer gyros and shawarmas cooked on vertical rotisseries. They also offer beef, chicken and kefta (seasoned ground beef) kabobs and falafels. You can have these items served to you in a pita, fry bowl, tortilla wrap or a salad. They also offer extra toppings, sauces and various salads.

Natural light comes in threw the glass front windows and door.

Hand painted figures of folklore and mythology accent the wall.

Today I went with the chicken kabob salad bowl with pomegranate vinaigrette ($7.50).

The chicken is moist developed with flavors and is nicely seasoned. It rest over a bed of fresh salad with feta cheese. it also came with pickled turnips, pickles and garlic sauce. No complaints here! It’s good!

My husband ordered the gyro salad with added garbanzo beans and lemon vinaigrette ($7.50).

The gyro meat (beef & lamb) was moist and nicely seasoned. This platter comes with tzatziki sauce.

We ordered a few extras that were good!

Four falafels that come with tahini sauce ($3.00).

The falafels were herby and seemed like they were free of oil.

Beet salad ($3.00).

It’s mixed with cucumber, garbanzo beans and fresh herbs. It’s light and refreshing.

Worth a Fork if you are in the area.

I haven’t found a website for Skewers Mediterranean Grill but you can find them on Facebook.

Phone# 602-607-5286

18589 N 59th Ave Glendale AZ 85308 and hours are Monday-Saturday 11am-8pm

The Forking Truth

Las 15 Salsas Mexican Restaurant Phoenix AZ – Outstanding Mole – Oaxaca Food – Worth a Fork!

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Las 15 Salsas is a small Mexican Restaurant that specializes in serving Oaxaca Foods. They are located in the Sunny Slope area of Phoenix Arizona. English is the second language here so if you don’t know your memelnitas from your enmoladas then ordering might be challenging but not impossible. There is some English on the menu and the people working there speak some English. A few years back they’ve moved across the street to a slightly larger location and have expanded the menu. Some of the things they serve are Oaxcoa appetizers such as los peques (II haven’t found a translation for this) mini memelnitas (stuffed fried masa cakes) and chapulines (grasshoppers). They also offer sharing platters, tamales in banana leaves, tlayudas (large Oaxaca tortillas with lard and pork, plate sized hand made empanadas, combination plates, seafood, stews, several mole sauces and more. I didn’t notice a bar here but my husband said he noticed that they sell tequila shots. This isn’t a fancy place but looks very authentic.

Inside is very bright and colorful. There are Mexican relics on the walls with Mexican TV and music filling the air.

They also offer patio dining.

We asked a few questions about items on the menu. Our server today didn’t seem to understand and asked us if we wanted to order more food.

Anywho-

They started us off with three kinds of salsas and a basket of chips.

Today we have a creamy green sauce, a smoky salsa and a creamy very delicious but extremely hot scorching sauce.

We started out by sharing an appetizer off the Empanada Section made with quesillo (an Oaxaca cheese) and huitlacoche (Mexican Corn Truffle). ($10.)

I didn’t know that an empanada could look like this……

It’s made with a handmade corn tortilia that is absolutely delicious. The cheese is melty and flavorful. I like the mushroomy huitlacoche. If you like mushrooms then you probably would like this.

We shared a chicken enchilada trio ($14.) and a filete empanizado ($13.) (a fish dish).

WOW! What a great sampling. You can get this plate with just cheese filling and you also have the option to add on Mexican Tasajo (dried beef) and or Cesina (cured meat like ham) for $3.50.

On the left is coloradito mole, in the middle is green sauce and on the right is black mole with rice and beans on the plate. Everything is delicious. My favorite is the black mole. It’s more flavorful to me.

I was all excited when I saw fish (filete and pescado) on the menu. I accidentally thought I knew what I was reading but was slightly off………I accidentally ordered plain breaded fish….But it was still good!

The fish is nice and moist. It seems free of oil. It’s a very large portion even for dinner. It’s like it comes with a lunch for the next day. I add some sauces to it for a little interest. It also comes with hot steamy tortillas.

Here are some of the previous dishes we enjoyed from Las 15 Y Salsas.

Chicken quarter with black mole and rice

white meat chicken stuffed tortilias with black mole

memelnitas with with anise leaf black sauce and house made beef jerky

chicken stuffed chile relleno

Mimi Quesadillas Fritas

La 15 Y Salsas – Phoenix AZ – Combo De Chile Relleno $9.00 (price might have changed)

Chicken Emmolladas

I’d have to say Las 15 Salsas is Outstanding Oaxaca Food and is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

They used to have a website but it appears to have been taken down. but you can find them on Facebook in Spanish.

They are located at 722 W Hatcher Road in Phoenix 85021

602-870-2056 I believe their hours to be 9am-8pm every day but you should call incase the hours have changed.

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

The Forking Truth

Top Chef Michael Voltaggio’s Shishito Peppers with Bonito Sand and Tofu Mustard Recipe

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I was looking for something different to do with shishito peppers. I came across Food and Wine Magizine’s Ten Best Shishito Recipes and the Michael Voltaggio Recipe was the most different and caught my eye. I had almost everything I needed. I didn’t have mixed greens to mix in but I used a few sprouts instead. These peppers came out really interesting and good tasting. The tofu mustard is also surprisingly good. This recipe makes more bonito sand than you will use. I put my leftover sand in the freezer so I could use it again.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

1/4 cup flour

1/3 cup almond flour

5 grams bonito flakes

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

salt

6 oz extra-firm silken tofu (my tofu was just silken)

1 1/2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

1/4 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon grapeseed or canola oil (I never use grapeseed oil because any food that is cooked in it is harmful to dogs)

6 oz shishito peppers

2 cups baby mustard greens or mixed baby greens

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Blend the flour, almond flour, bonito flakes, sugar till fine. Add butter and blend till mixture resembles sand. Spread out mixture on parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes stirring it up 2 or 3 times. Let cool and break up any lumps. Season with salt to taste.

Make tofu mustard. Blend the tofu with the mustard till smooth. Add salt to taste and set to the side.

Fry up the peppers. Heat up a large skillet (preferably cast iron) till very high and add the 1/4 cup of oil. Add the peppers stir them some and cook till blistered around 2-3 minutes. Transfer peppers to paper towel lined pan and season with salt.

In a large bowl mix up the greens with the remaining oil and add salt to taste.

Plate up!

Spoon a tablespoon of tofu mustard on each plate. Top with peppers. Sprinkle on the bonito sand. Top with mixed greens and serve!

Shishito Peppers with Bonito Sand and Tofu Mustard

Delicious! Something really different!

A Special THANKS to Food and Wine Magazine and chef Micheal Voltaggio for this Awesome Recipe!

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Lay’s Wavy Fried Green Tomato Potato Chips – Worth a Fork!

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I haven’t seen new Lay’s Potato Chip flavors in a while and today I noticed three new flavors. One was taco, another was cheddar jalapeño and I also noticed Wavy Fried Green Tomato. The Wavy Fried Green Tomato sounded the most interesting so I picked it up. As soon as I got home with the bag my husband bust it open and started munching them down. He said they weren’t bad. I go and take a sniff.

To me they oddly smell like potato salad.

I eat one.

It has a true tomato taste……It taste like a slice of tomato that is topped with mayonnaise.

I eat a few more..they still seem good to me but I don’t know WTFork I like this? I’d never sit around eating tomatoes with mayonnaise on them. Maybe it’s because they are crunchy and salty and seem pretty true tasting?

Then I try to eat one chip more slowly.

It’s not as good this way because this way I get a mouth of powder and the chip seems greasier this way.

I take a look at the ingredients.

Ingredients don’t seem too unnatural.

These aren’t bad.

For a flavored Lay’s Potato Chip the Wavy Fried Green Tomato Chips are pretty good!

I guess…

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Everything is subject to change and your experience may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

Apple Gazpacho with Avocado Cream Recipe

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This one doesn’t look so special but it taste amazing. I wish I knew how to make it look as amazing as it taste. It might not be for everyone because the texture is like thin light apple sauce. It’s very light and delicious…The avocado cream here makes it FORKING amazing. My idea of serving size might differ from your idea of serving size.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

4 apples peeled, core removed, diced

1 large long cucumber (if seeds are big remove them with a spoon) peeled, diced

1 large sweet onion – diced

3 garlic cloves – ground to paste or microplane

1/2 cup sherry vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 hot pepper chopped fine (I used a guero chili also known as a Mexican Yellow Chili…..)

pinch ground cumin

fresh crushed sea salt to taste (you don’t need much)

fresh crushed pepper to taste (you don’t need much)

1 avocado – all the flesh scooped out and seed removed

1/2 cup water

1/2 lime – just the fresh squeezed juice

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Blend up the apples, cucumber, onion, garlic, vinegar, water, pepper and pinch of cumin to desired consistency. Taste and decide if you want to add a little salt and or pepper.

Next blend up the avocado with water, lime juice and olive oil. Serve the avocado cream over the apple gazpacho.

Apple Gazpacho with Avocado Cream

This taste FORKING AMAZING!

The Forking Truth