I was gifted with several bunches of parsley and Tabbouleh is a parsley salad so here it is but a little different. I added a cucumber because I was gifted with a bunch of them but the most different thing is the rice. Tabbouleh is traditionally made with soaked bulgar. I used rice because I had leftover take out rice taking up room in my refrigerator. It made sense to use the rice. Tabbouleh uses an incredible amount of parsley that you hand chop as small as possible. I have no idea how Mediterranean restaurants serve so much of this. This recipe makes around 4 salads.
Ingredients for around 4 salads
2 cups parley leaves (packed very tight) – chopped fine
1 cup cooked rice (or substitute any grain you want or have)
1 large tomato – chopped into small pieces (mine was small but that was all I had)
1 hot house cucumber – remove seeds – chop into very small pieces
1 small red onion – small dice
1/2 cup mint leaves – chopped
1/2 cup scallions – sliced thin
1 large Meyer lemon – the zest and fresh juice
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon course sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
All the ingredients go in a large mixing bowl. Mix, chill a few hours or a day and serve.
According to Yelp a small casual Mediterranean Restaurant located in a gas station called Casa De Falafel is the #5 TOP restaurant in greater Phoenix Arizona. *****UPDATE no longer located in gas station moved to own spot in Glendale AZ.
Also according to Yelp Casa De Falafel is the number 2 falafel restaurant in the United States.
Lets see what Casa De Falafel is like.
We order at a counter and pay here.
The menu is limited.
I noticed that they sell their very own packaged lentil soup.
We ordered 2 falafels and a beef and chicken shawarma plates. While we wait we look around a little.
Here is the dining room. It’s currently not in use during the pandemic.
Here is the view if you were seated.
We start with falafels.
They look like small donuts. One is with a little hummus and the other is with a little tahini sauce that are very similar today and are very delicate tasting.
They are fried nicely and do have a crisp exterior and a moist fluffy interior and are lightly herbed and seasoned. It’s good……to some this falafel might be under seasoned.
Now we are digging into the shawarma plates with garlic sauce, tahini and extra HOT green sauce.
There is a lot packed into this plate. I got a serving of lentil soup, chicken shawarma that is moist, flavorful and nicely caramelized. there’s Mediterranean pickle slices, olives, chickpeas, salad, red onions dusted with sumac and what might? be?
Mexican style rice? Perhaps a nod to part of the name of the restaurant?
The beef shawarma plate is the same but made with beef.
I preferred the chicken over the beef shawarma because the chicken was moist and I think flavored better. For me the beef wasn’t tender enough but my husband said it was good to him. He doesn’t mind a little chew. I also thought the food was tasty and a good value. My chicken shawarma plate was only $9.50 before tax and tip.
That was my trip to Casa De Falafel in Peoria AZ. According to Yelp they are the #5 TOP Restaurant in Greater Phoenix and the #2 Falafel Restaurant in the country.
Casa De Falafel does not have a website but you can find them on Facebook.
Address and phone number is below.
Everything IS subject to change.******UPDATE They’ve moved. to Glendale.
The Fantabulous Dish means……top of the line, marvelously good, peachy keen and dynamite.
There are many fantabulous pizza restaurants out there in metro Phoenix. But each one is unique and many of them do a particular pizza better than from other restaurants.
Burrata or bufala cheese is the most exquisite mozzarella cheese that you can imagine. It’s the top of the line of mozzarella.
Most bufalina pizzas (margherita pizzas but made with Italian Buffalo milk cheese) look something like this……and this is GOOD but …….
Fabio On Fire elevates the bufalina pizza. His Bufalina Pizza is special.
Fabio On Fire in Peoria AZ makes his Bufalina Pizzas like this one below.
This Bufalina Pizza starts with San Marzano Tomato sauce, Imported bufalina cheese, oregano, garlic, arugula, reduced balsamic vinegar, farm fresh sweet tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil.
Sometimes they spread out the cheese.
The heat of the pizza warms the creamy imported bufala cheese without cooking it. You get the most exquisite mozzarella the way it was meant to be.
It’s FORKING DELICIOUS! It got all kinds of flavors going on. The BEST bufala cheese, San Marzano tomato sauce (the BEST), farm fresh sweet tomatoes (the BEST), peppery arugula, sweet but tang from the balsamic, flavors from the garlic and oregano….It’s going on here.
The Bufalina Pizza from Fabio On Fire is an official Fantabulous Dish!
I had some beets and I saw a chef make beet chutney on Food Network TV. I usually don’t do Food Network TV recipes so I looked up other vegetable chutney recipes and got ideas on how to make the dip a little more complex. I have to say this came out amazing. You will want to try this. It came out so good that I will in the future use this as a filling in pastry or another creation. This is NOT an authentic Indian chutney recipe but is Indian Inspired. Serving size may differ. This make around 8 small servings.
Ingredients for around 8 small servings
1 lb beets – peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium sized red onion – diced
2 red hot peppers – minced
2 bay leaves
2 branch curry leaves
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon nigella (also called black cumin seeds)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
5 garlic cloves – ground to paste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 Tablespoons tamarind paste
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar – (or to taste)
sea salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro – torn or chopped
optional – pomegranate seeds
Directions
Set oven to 400 degrees f.
In a pan that you can cover add the beets, onion, hot peppers, bay leaves, curry leaves, sugar, ginger, fenugreek, nigella, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, garlic, turmeric, & tamarind. Cover and put on middle rack of pre-heated 400 degree f oven until beets are fry tender. ( I left mine in for one hour)
Next when done – remove the bay leaves and curry leaves and add a splash of apple cider vinegar and blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finish with some fresh cilantro. Add pomegranate (if using) Serve with something to dip.
There is ALWAYS something that is NEW! – WEIRD! – Different, limited or special edition out there in the wonderful world of food. You just never know WTFork you might come across. Here are a few of the New, Weird, Different, Limited and Special Edition Foods that I came across recently.
Up above is……
NEW – Mini Kit Kat Ice Cream Bars…….They sound yummy….But they don’t look so yummy…….The wafer is all little Broken pieces in the chocolate………….but I might give them a try sometime??????
NEW – Nestle Toll House MINI vanilla chocolate chip ice cream sandwich cookies….IDK 310 calories is pretty steep for a mini ice cream sandwich??????? I wonder how fattening the Kit Kat Ice creams are?
NEW – Jeni’s Everything Bagel Ice Cream …..????? It reads cream cheese ice cream with everything bagel seasoning. ?????….Just go all the way and add some lox, red onions and capers to the mix. Let’s see how the FORK that taste!
DIFFERENT – Maybe NEW? – Cerreta’s Picosas Hot Peanut Jalapeño Brittle. Sounds tasty….Was looking for a single piece to buy from the display in my super market but they weren’t marked so I didn’t try any today…Maybe next time.
NEW – Snickers in Peanut Brownie Squares……These I tried (unfortunately) Not Good…Doesn’t taste like a brownie either…..It’s just brown paste……with a little goo covered with waxy coating…YUCK! AWFUL and WTFork They lack the FORKING Peanuts. DISAPPOINTING! and GROSS! ICK!
NEW Mrs. Freshley’s Reese’s peanut flavored cup cakes and Hershey’s triple chocolate cakes. Could go either way?
NEW – Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Veggie Crackers in Sweet Carrot Flavor………Ok so they might be a little healthier than regular Goldfish crackers….I would call them NEW and IMPROVED.
DIFFERENT and maybe NEW – Rhythm organic cauliflower bites. I bought this. It’s fried in a special way with little oil. They don’t taste fried…..but they have this really light nice crisp texture. They seem almost like freeze dried but sort of tasty…..but a little too salty…..I think I’ll try them in a salad.
DIFFERENT and maybe WEIRD? Nature’sintent Caulicups made with cauliflower, zucchini and carrot…..?????? It looks like a very small portion of food…Just Forking go out and buy a few vegetables, shred them up and FORKING microwave it yourself.
NEW – Kellogg’s Tiger Paw snacks…..No mention of flavor…I don’t know what these are?
NEW – Post Fruity Pebbles Ice Cream and Cocoa Pebbles Ice Cream. Yabba Dabba Don’t (unless you want soggy pebbles) This is for people who are too lazy to pour a box of cereal into their ice cream.
DIFFERENT and NEW – NEW Kettle Farmstand Ranch potato chips and Korean BBQ potato chips……Think I tried the Korean BBQ ones a while back and they just didn’t do it for me….Don’t know how the Farmstand ranch are?
WEIRD – WILDE Chicken Breast Chips in Nashville Hot Chicken and Chicken and Waffles Flavors…..Chicken chips seem weird to me………They MIGHT be good? I was going to try a bag but put it back when I saw how few chips were in the bag…They look big in my photo but they are very few chips in each bag for $5.99.
NEW – Pesi-Cola in COCOA Cola flavor…that is confusing….Pesi-Cola that is COCOA Cola flavored……A chocolatey Pepsi might make a good soda float.
LIMITED EDITION – Frankford Oreo Cookies and Cream White Easter Bunny Candy…..some people might like this….if you like a lot of fatty wax with artificially flavored crumbs in it…but shaped like a cute bunny.
There is usually a new Forking Oreo Cookie.
NEW – Java Chip flavor creme. They are naturally and artificially flavored WITH chocolate chips! (Oh boy what a treat…(gag) )
NEW Artificially Flavored Chocolate Hazelnut Oreo Cookies…..But at least they always use real cocoa.
Oh my and what did we do?????? To deserve this?
LIMITED EDITION Strawberry Frosted Donut Oreo Cookies with ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR and edible glitter…..so your farts dazzle from glitter.
Well that was the NEW, WEIRD, DIFFERENT, Limited and Special Edition Foods out there for March 2021. Who knows WTFork I’ll come across next month.
Dining out with dogs in metro Phoenix is just a “FLUFF” story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie came down with aggressive cancer. We were told that he only had three months or maybe up to six months to live. Louie was already elderly and couldn’t do a lot but he always enjoyed eating and also always enjoyed going out to eat. I took Louie out to eat as much as possible and Louie made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat.
There are some things that you need to know about dining out with dogs. One thing is that not all patios are dog friendly. It’s always best to call a restaurant and ask if it is ok to bring your dog (even if it is dog friendly because the patio could be booked). It is also best to dine out with dogs at off times. It’s always best to avoid as many people and other dogs as possible. Many people don’t share your love for dogs and other people might be allergic. It is also best to avoid other dogs because dogs enjoy barking at each other and you could be asked to leave.
You also need to be aware of safe and non-safe food for dogs. Most people food can be dangerous or even toxic to dogs. You need to get a food safe list and foods to avoid list from your veterinarian. Usually a small lean sauce free piece of meat is safe for your dog. Here in Arizona weather is an issue for dining out with dogs. All dogs are less heat tolerant than people. Dogs wear fur coats and absorb heat up their paws. They also can’t sweat. Usually 90 degrees and over is too hot to dine out with dogs. Leave your dog home if unsure.
There also are some rules to dining out with dogs. Dogs must be by your side at all times. Dogs are not to sit on restaurant furniture or to eat off restaurant plates.
Our first dining trip out was Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix. They offer around a dozen different Banh Mi Baguette sandwiches and many of your usual Vietnamese favorites EXCEPT FOR PHO.
Today I had the lotus root salad (It’s only $5.00) and potstickers ($4.00).
I don’t eat shrimp so I give it all to my dogs and small parts of the tasty potstickers.
My husband got a grilled pork Banh Mi today.
We all always enjoy Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery.
www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com
Next trip out with the digs was at Phila-Deli in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. Phila-Deli is a small sandwich shop. They offer a variety of cheesesteaks, sandwiches, wraps and more. The salad they offer is one of the best deals in town. It’s only $7.49 (avocado is 75cents extra) I have no idea on how they can make money serving this great big salad. The owners are extra nice. They usually run out water to our dogs and make a big deal about them.
I have plenty of chicken to share with the dogs.
My husband always likes to get the cheesesteak with extra American cheese.
I think my dog is smiling from the food from Phila-Deli.
www.PhilaDeliAZ.com
During lent Culver’s (a national fast food chain with a nice patio) offers hand battered walleye that I enjoy. We came just for that the first week walleye was on the menu and already missed the walley special.
The patio is usually empty
Since they were out of walleye already early I got the hand battered cod that they always offer with steamed broccoli and cheese sauce. I thought one side would be broccoli and I thought my other side would be cheese sauce?????
The cod is actually pretty good. Even my dogs love the cod. They also liked steamed broccoli with cheese sauce.
They also got to eat some of my husbands butter cheese burger. He surprised me by getting a spicy chicken sandwich….I tried a few bites. It contains spices that are not dog friendly. I wouldn’t come back for this particular hot chicken sandwich but I would come back for the cod.
The dogs enjoyed everything they tried.
www.Culvers.com
Bruster’s Ice Cream was nice enough to treat our dogs to free Pup Cups.
Look how happy the dogs are anticipating the pup cups.
I got a blueberry cobbler for myself. My husband got something I think was called coffee cake.
www.Brusters.com
“Don’t worry we are in this thing together and are here to help you eat all this delicious food”
That was Dining Out With Dogs in Metro Phoenix for March 2021. We hope that you’ve enjoyed and we hope to see you next month.
The Forking TruthIn Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017
I was gifted with many bunches of parley. So far I made tabbouleh, parsley pesto, chipotle lime chimichurri, Jamaican jerk inspired parsley salad (like tabbouleh but jerk flavored). Now here is sun-dried tomato and walnut parsley pesto. Everything I made with parsley is delicious so far. Had no idea that parsley can be so great! Portions are difficult to judge because you will use a lot if you are using this pesto to dress pasta. But you will only use a little if you are spreading this on bread. I think it will be at least 4 pasta servings and 8 or more servings for bread.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
4 cups parsley leaves – packed tight hand chopped fine
3/4 cup crushed walnuts
1 teaspoon garlic confit – fresh garlic might turn too strong (roast garlic cloves in olive oil covered for about an hour at 350 and blend…..I make a big bath every time I buy a bag of garlic)
3 oz sun dried tomatoes – chopped
1 cup parmigiano reggiano – shedded
1 Meyer lemon – zest and fresh squeezed juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon course sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
optional – a splash of Calabrian chili oil (or Calabrian peppers)
some water or oil to thin to desired consistency
Directions
All above ingredients get blended together. Thin with water or oil to desired consistency. Adjust salt and pepper.
The Golden Pineapple is a bar and restaurant located in Tempe Arizona. They offer craft beers, cocktails and a limited chef crafted menu that includes a few children’s dishes. The foods offered are casual like tacos, burgers and hot dogs but are high quality that have ingredients like Chula Seafood and Noble Bread in them. Much of the foods offered have a southwest accent. You can sit inside at a table or the bar.
There is also another big area inside for seating but the lights were out so I didn’t photo it. It was a nice day today so almost everyone was seated outdoors. There is also a patio with a veery old very large tree. Something that you don’t see very often in metro Phoenix.
Parking is easy because they have their own parking lot with plenty of bike racks.
They offered an interesting brunch special today but I went with the AZ hot fried chicken sandwich with seasonal greens.
I go and take a bite. WOW the exterior of the chicken is shattering crisp with lots of paprika, a little sweetness and other spices and the white meat chicken is incredibly juicy. This is a very flavorful detailed sandwich that is also very delicious but it isn’t spicy (I wonder if they forgot the cayenne or other hot pepper that it should have?). The Noble Bread Bun is nicely toasted. It’s spread with avocado aioli and adorned with house made crisp pickles. The slaw is fresh made and crunchy. It’s really good but isn’t spicy….I am very picky….too picky……… for me this would be a perfect sandwich if the bun was a little smaller and the sandwich was made with some heat……….but…….Can’t be mad…It’s darn good and better than most chicken sandwiches so I am very happy with it. I think anyone would enjoy this sandwich. The greens are great too. Lightly dressed with pickled onions that just brighten it up.
My husband got the green chile burger with egg with hand cut fries as his side.
It’s a brisket patty with chilis, colby jack cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, pickled tomatillos, avocado aioli and hand cut fried that were nicely stacked. It was prepared to a perfect medium rare. He said it was one of the best burgers that he has had.
Both sandwiches were very good.
That was a little taste of the Golden Pineapple in Tempe AZ.
The FANTABULOUS Dish means top of the line, marvelously good, peachy keen and Dynamite!
For lunch and sometimes for dinner I enjoy ordering salads at restaurants even if I’m at a restaurant that is well known for making great pizzas. I do love pizzas too but sometimes I feel like I need a salad. I like to save a little stomach room for that dessert that I go for sometimes. We found ourselves at Pomo Pizzeria in Scottsdale and I ordered the Salmon Salad. I did not expect to receive something even better than fish house worthy but I did! I noticed that the salmon came from Chula Seafood so I knew that it would be better salmon and probably very fresh but I didn’t expect that I would be receiving perfection and a really great salad to boot.
This salmon is as perfect as perfect gets. It has a crisp skin and the flesh just melts in the mouth. It seemed like it was slow cooked because of how moist and succulent it was. It was also finished with tasty grill marks. My salad was adorned with this grilled juicy lemon. WOW the taste of the sweet lemon and pink peppercorns on the fish sort of popped. WOW! What a great combination. Under the fish was a bed of spring mix, gold beets, fennel and grape tomatoes. And did I mention how great the salmon really was?
It was a pleasure to eat.
P.S.
I was able to save some room for their amazing house made Luna Gelato.
Fish House Quality Fresh Salmon Salad and Delicious Gelato from Pomo Pizzeria in Scottsdale AZ.
I’m always looking for new ways to do cauliflower. So here is something new and different that is flavorful and easy to prepare. Serving size may differ.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
1 cauliflower – break down to florets
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
fresh crushed sea salt – to taste
Aleppo pepper – taste ( you can substitute black pepper or Urfa pepper)
1/4 cup black olive puree
1/4 cup poppy seeds – ground
1/4 cup black garlic – ground to paste
1 Tablespoon reduced balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey
4 oz feta cheese – crumbled or cubed
2 Tablespoons barberries (I bought mine at Asiana Market) (when barberries get old they turn sweeter. you might want to add a little lemon or sumac if your barberries turned sweet)
2 Tablespoons chives or scallions
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts – lightly crushed
Optional sumac or lemon to taste if too sweet
Directions
Set oven to 400 degrees F.
Get the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and drizzle or spray with the olive oil. Put them in the middle rack and cook until they get tender and a little brown. Timing will differ mine took 25 minutes.
While the cauliflower is roasting mix together in a small bowl the olives, black garlic, poppy seeds vinegar and honey. Spread this on bottom of cauliflower plate for serving.
When cauliflower is done sprinkle it with salt and pepper. then top the black garlic sauce with the cauliflower and top the cauliflower with feta, hazelnuts, barberries and chives or scallions.
Cauliflower Feta Barberries Hazelnuts and Black Garlic Olive Poppy Seed Sauce
