Monthly Archives: February 2023

Barrio Cafe Phoenix AZ – A Jewel for Mexican Cuisine in Arizona – Worth a Fork!

The Barrio Cafe is not just any Mexican Restaurant in Phoenix Arizona. It’s by James Beard Nominated Chef Silvana Esparza. This restaurant is considered by many to be the crown Jewel for Mexican cuisine in Arizona. The famous dishes here are the award wining twelve hour achiote and sour orange smoked pork called cochinita pibil, the chilies en nogada, and the table-side chunky guacamole that is topped with pomegranate.

Inside is bright, lively and colorful. I wasn’t able to photo walking in on my last visit. Most of my older photos look very different than how it looks now. It’s far more colorful and all painted up now. It’s mostly decorated like this all over the inside.

On my most recent visit the weather was nice and we sat on the back patio behind the restaurant.

back patio
back patio

When dining on the back patio you might get a visit from Felix.

Felix

They start you off with complimentary spiced nuts with chips.

The las tlayudas are Oaxacon style corn tacos but also can served in slices like pizza. They come in several varieties.

It’s a large hand made corn tortilla that was topped with huitacoche (known as Mexico’s truffle), corn, onion, pico de gallo, and avocado. It also was served with verde sauce, fingerling potatoes and house made spicy ketchup.

For my main I had the pollo en pipian mole.

It was an extra generous serving of chicken breast topped with pumpkin seed based mole sauce. The entree also came with slightly sweet baby carrots, smokey mashed sweet potatoes, and hand made grilled tortillas.

My husband had the famous award wining cochinita pibil.

It’s 12 hour achiote and sour orange smoked pork. It was topped with pickled onions and came with hand made grilled tortillas, fingerling potatoes, house made spicy ketchup, and squash on the side.

The service and food exceeded our expectations.

Previously we’ve done mostly take out from the Barrio Cafe but I have also dined in a few times. My last dine in visits were to the chef’s other restaurant Barrio Cafe Gran Reserva that could not survive the pandemic due to it’s vestibule sized space.

inside the Barrio Cafe Grand Reseva

Above was most of the dining area of the Barrio Cafe Grand Reserva.

Below are take out photos from The Barrio Cafe. (lower right corner below is the famous chiles en nogada)

Barrio Cafe is Worth a Fork! and is considered to be a Jewel for Mexican Cuisine in Arizona.

Worth a Fork!

Barrio Cafe 2814 N 16TH ST PHX AZ 602-636-0240

www.BarrioCafe.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Food Trucks – Good Eats Only Mexican Kitchen, Que Chevere, Detroit Coney Cruiser, Wow Que Rico at Food Truck Friday West Glendale AZ

A changing variety of food trucks from all over the valley gather at Food Truck Friday West in Glendale Arizona. (5pm-9pm 18551 83rd Ave Glendale AZ ((between the Sam’s Club and Walmart)) check www.GetLocalArizonaEvents.com for current food truck line up) Besides food truck they also offer a bounce house for children, and a children’s train ride.

train ride

On my most recent visit I notice that they offered some farm animals to pet.

I saw the Que Chevere Venezuelan Cuisine Food Truck.

They offer empanadas, arepas, plates, and more. I really enjoyed the arepa reina pepiada (chicken salad with avocado stuffed white corn arepa) that we shared last time and had one again. It also comes with plantain chips, a salsa, and a creamy ranch style dip.

I think it’s a really great chicken salad! The white corn arepa adds such a great taste here.

We did try a chicken and a beef empanada.

One was seasoned moist shredded beef the other moist shredded chicken with a salsa and a creamy ranch style sauce. They are both good with the added salsa. These aren’t dainty. They are very bread-ee to fill you up.

Next I thought I’d try the Columbian version of an arepa from Wow Que Rico Columbian Food Truck.

It taste so completely different that it is impossible to compare. The arepa taste like a corn tortilla and is crunchy but also soft. The chicken is shredded but slightly tough and covered with creamy sauces.
They do offer other foods like Columbian sausage, fried yucca, fried pork skin with potatoes, empanadas, and other combos.

Wow Que Rico – 602-513-6041 and can be found on Facebook

My husband liked the thought of sliders and went to Detroit Coney Cruiser.

They offer Detroit Coney Dogs, sliders, stuffed pitas, and fries. After he ordered his sliders they were ready in FOUR minutes.

They came on steamed buns with grilled onions, American cheese, pickles and mustard.

My husband gave them an A-OK.

Detroit Coney Cruiser 480- 692-8754

www.DetroitConeyCruiser.com

I didn’t eat everything you saw here so I had room to try one more thing.

We tried one chicken taco from Good Eats Only Mexican Food Truck.

Tonight they offered a limited menu of a few tacos, burritos, quesadillas, a chimichanga, and fries.

WOW! It might not look like much but this really is one of the best chicken tacos that I have tasted in Metro Phoenix. It’s unusually GREAT! The chicken is moist, a bit charred tasting, developed with flavors, and is delicious! It’s topped with a good chunky guacamole. The tortilla is also hand made and also is a much better tasting tortilla that what you usually get. It’s also enhanced with the lemon and hot sauce (looks house made?)

Good Eats Only Mexican Kitchen 623-521-8473 can be found on Facebook

That was Food Truck Friday West in Glendale AZ

Most Fridays 5-9pm 18551 83rd Ave Glendale AZ

See www.GetLocalArizonaEvents.com for current food truck line up.

The Forking Truth

Thai Style Green Curry Guacamole Recipe

I felt creative today and thought up another flavor for guacamole and it was THAI STYLE GREEN CURRY!!!! So if you are a fan of Thai Green Curry then you should be a fan of this Thai Style Green Curry Guacamole. It’s very easy to prepare but you do need some of the ingredients that you would use to make Thai Green Curry…….I used two large ripe avocados. I’m figuring 1/2 an avocado a person so that should be around 4 portions but it could run significantly less because you will probably want to eat half…..

Ingredients for around 3 portions.

2 large avocados

2 Tablespoons green curry paste

4 bigger pieces crystallized ginger – chopped fine

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/8 cup lime juice

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 Thai chili – fine copped

1/3 cup scallions – sliced thin

1 shallot – sliced thin and chopped

1/3 red bell pepper – sliced thin and chopped

1/4 cup basil – chopped or torn (you should use Thai Basil but regular basil is better than no basil)

1 1/2 teaspoons Golden Mountain Seasoning sauce Tuong Gia Vi – It’s sold in most Asian Grocery Stores.

2 teaspoons lemongrass powder

3 Tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut (to finish)

Directions

In a medium sized bowl add everything except the avocado and shredded coconut (green curry paste, crystalised ginger, garlic, coconut extract, lime juice, rice vinegar, Thai chili, scallions, shallot, red pepper, basil, lemongrass powder, Golden Mountain sauce). Mix well. Now add the avocado in chunks. Mix till incorporated. Try to leave it a little chunky. Top with shredded coconut.

I think it would be delicious dip with crispy chicken dumplings. It’s also great with regular chips.

ENJOY!!!!

Thai Style Green Curry Guacamole
The Forking Truth

My FORKING Thoughts on Reeses’s Snack Cakes

I came across these Reese’s Snack Cakes. I’m a fan of Reese’s peanut butter cups so I thought I’d give them a try. I open up the package.

It doesn’t have as much peanut butter as it looks like on the package.

I take a bite. It doesn’t really taste good. The chocolate cake taste very artificial and you don’t really get that Reese’s Peanut butter taste. GOSH how disappointing……….Even the chocolate coating doesn’t taste good and feels waxy gross in the mouth. This makes me feel sick.

It’s a throw away.

For me this is NOT Worth a FORK!

Not Worth a Fork

Why did they make them?

Those were my FORKING thoughts on Reese’s Snack Cakes. Your FORKING thoughts may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

Butter Roasted Carrots Recipe by Mark Huxsoll from Cook’s Country

All I had to cook with was carrots and I happened to come across Mark Huxsoll’s recipe modestly called Butter Roasted Carrots from Cook’s Country Magazine. It’s very similar to a lot of other recipes I did with carrots so I thought it would be good. due to what I have around the house I did change a few things. For the recipe I didn’t have goat cheese or parsley so I used a good quality feta cheese and cilantro instead. I also didn’t have fresh thyme so I used dried. I do think that it makes more crunch topping than is needed so add it to your liking. You can always use the extra in a salad or on chicken. I also didn’t think that this needed added oil with all the butter that was used so I left that out. Feel free to dress with olive if you care to. They say that this recipe makes 6-8 servings. I’m not sure that you will get that many servings. My carrots shrunk a lot when they caramelized. To me it’s looking like 4 servings…We’ll see and maybe I’ll update.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

1/4 cup skinned hazelnuts – crumble

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds – crumble

1 Tablespoon coriander seeds – crumble

1 teaspoon dried thyme – crumble

1 lemon – just the grated zest – crumble

1/4 teaspoon sea salt – crumble

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter – melted – split into 4 Tablespoons + 1 Tablespoon

3 lbs carrots – peeled – cut in half long ways and cut in half short ways

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper

4 oz Good Quality Feta Cheese – crumbled

3 Tablespoons pepperoncini – stemmed and sliced into thin rings

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, parsley, or scallions or a combination of all

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Get a sheet pan with a rim and spread out the hazelnuts, sesame seeds, coriander seeds in an even layer. This goes on lowest rack in the oven for 7-9 minutes or until hazelnuts have browned some and everything is fragrant. This needs to cool off before you can process it. Set it to the side.

Turn up the oven to 450 degrees F.

4 Tablespoons of melted butter go on a rimmed baking sheet. The carrots go in a big bowl and get tossed with the one remaining melted tablespoon of butter, salt, peppers, Roast this on the lowest rack until the carrots are fork tender and nicely caramelized (40-50 minutes).

Transfer carrots to a serving dish. Sprinkle with crumble (to your liking), cheese, pepperonchini, thyme, lemon zest, and cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Butter Roasted Carrots

A Special THANKS!!!! To Mark Huxsoll and Cook’s Country Magazine so I could come up with what I got here.

The Forking Truth

Anaya’s Fresh Mexican Restaurant Glendale AZ – Neighborhood Type Mexican Restaurant

Anaya’s Fresh Mexican Restaurant (according to www.AnayasRestaurant.online) has three locations in Arizona. One in Casa Grande, one in Tempe, and the one I went to in Glendale. This is a NEIGHBORHOOD type restaurant. You stop in if you happen to be in the neighborhood. This restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, bar dinks and most of your Mexican Favorites. They offer appetizers like ceviche, quesadillas, and queso dip. They also offer burritos, soups, fajitas, chimichangas, enchiladas, combo plates, a variety of beef, chicken, and shrimp plates, and MORE!

It’s one of the most festive looking restaurants to walk into. (on the other side is a bar not photoed)

Bright colors everywhere. Lots of hand painting all over and all over the tables and chairs.

We start off with margaritas. They come in small and grande size. You probably want a grande if you order a drink. I saw the small and it is only one sip. (people in photo ordered the grande)

No matter what you order they bring you chips and salsa.

Tonight the salsa ran so hot I couldn’t eat it (and I like hot but this was TOO hot).

I tried the chicken mole platter.

This is an extra large platter. For some people this could be two meals. This is a peanut-chocolate mole with expertly tender chicken breast, a little bit of vegetable garnish, Mexican style rice, refried beans and choice of tortilla. It’s not bad but not the most complex mole. But the chicken is really expertly tender. The rest gets an a-ok.

The chili Colorado (beef cubes in slightly spicy red sauce) is also made with expertly tender beef.

It’s also a very large platter. It has more of a chili taste that you enjoy when you go to Mexican Restaurants.

Worth a try if you are in the neighborhood.

Anaya’s Fresh Mexican Restaurant

5830 W Thunderbird Rd Glendale AZ

602-559-4377

www.AnayasRestaurant.online

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

FORKING BEST BURGERS in Metro Phoenix AZ****WITH UPDATE

This is a collection of the FORKING BEST BURGERS that I’ve tasted in Metro Phoenix Arizona. I do note that I haven’t been to every restaurant in Metro Phoenix but I have been to many restaurants so chances are that a few other great ones are out there…..The best burger meat is always fresh ground in house. So the one thing that all the burgers have in common is that they all are ground in house. The one below is ground in house at a sister-restaurant across the street so that still counts.

Ingo’s Tasty Food – (I go to the original Phoenix location) Grinds grass fed beef. They also bake their own just right rolls. My first beef burger here was a basic burger with lettuce, tomato, Russian dressing. They do offer a a few varieties of burgers. The menu also does change slightly at times.

Ingo’s Tasty Food – 4502 N 40TH St PHX AZ 602-795-2884

www.IngosTastyFood.com

Zinburger – Bruce Lee Burger

Zinburger fresh grinds TWICE a day certified Angus beef and serves them as six and a half ounce patties. The Bruce Lee Burger (Asian slaw, sriracha mayo, jalapeños, avocado and more) was a past winner of a burger battle held in Phoenix.

The ground in house Prime Beef burger from The Bourbon Cellar in Scottsdale

The Bourbon Cellar Sports Bar and Grill offers a variety of gourmet ground in house burgers. I can’t get past the ground in house PRIME Filet burger that is served on an eggy apple cider bun. It is usually topped with a wasabi deviled egg. (I think they forgot on my last visit?) But it really is an amazing burger.

The Bourbon Cellar – 23623 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale AZ 480-595-5868

www.TheBourbonCellar.com

A.G. Burger from Arrowhead Grill

The A.G. Burger from the Arrowhead Grill is an 8oz U.S.D.A. PRIME tenderloin tips ground in house patty topped with a slice of prime rib, crispy onions, creamy horseradish sauce and cheese. It’s the largest of all the burgers. It’s also FORKING AMAZING. I’m NOT a small eater but for me this was MORE than two meals.

The Kenji burger from Then Burger

The burgers from Then Burger are ground in house elevated style burgers. The beef burger patties are a blend of short rib, SIRLOIN, and chuck. This Kenji Burger was OFF THE CHARTS FORKING AMAZING. It was enhanced with teriyaki, OH SO Flavorful caramelized onions, arugula, yuzu aioli and red leicester cheese (on side to my request) It REALLY was so FORKING FANTABULOUS that I don’t know if I can ever go on to try their other burgers.*********UPDATE Then burgers are no longer a blend of short rib, sirloin, and chuck. They are all chuck and do cook up different and taste different. They also discontinued the Kenji Burger. I tried a marrow and mushroom burger.

The burger patty came out dry like a hockey puck. I had to send it back because it a $36. burger. Unfortunately the 2nd one also came out very dry and over cooked.

Then Burger – 9220 W Glendale Ave Glendale AZ – 623-328-9388

www.ThenBurger.com

This was a collection of the FORKING BEST Burgers that I’ve tried in Metro Phoenix Arizona.

The Forking Truth

Momofuku STYLE Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette & Shichimi Togarashi Popcorn Recipe

My local supermarket had Bussels Sprouts on sale so I wanted to make Brussels Sprouts. I did a search on the computer for best Brussels Sprouts Recipe. One that was on the top of someone’s list was Momofuku Brussels Sprouts. I looked it up and found three slightly different versions…..So I’m not entirely sure what is closest to the original recipe but I can say for sure that it is Brussels Sprouts maybe pan fried and finished in the oven with a “to Taste” fish sauce vinaigrette. I think? The original recipe might be topped with seasoned Rice Krispies. I did mine to taste with ingredients that I had around the house. I also don’t buy boxed cereal so I thought up seasoned pop corn would be closest to cereal of what I had around the house. I think one crucial part of the recipe that differs the most is the amount of fish sauce to use. I imagine that every brand has a different amount of salt in it. If I used as much as one of the recipes I read I wouldn’t be able to eat these Brussels Sprouts because they would have turned out too salty.I used Red Boat Fish Sauce….It’s suppose to be the best one and it’s only made from anchovies and sea salt. The other crucial part of the recipe also is the size of brussels sprouts that you are using because small ones require a different amount of cooking than large ones………..This recipe makes around 8 side servings. Anyway this is a very easy and fairly quick recipe to prepare. Oh and I forgot to mention that this really came out FORKING Great!

Ingredients for around 8 side servings

3 lbs brussels sprouts – cleaned, trimmed, cut in half

3 Tablespoons canola oil

4 Tablespoons fish sauce (or to taste – I used Red Boat Brand Fish Sauce)

4 Tablespoons water

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 lime – just the fresh squeezed juice

4 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 red chili (or to taste…you might want more or less) – minced

1/4 cup popcorn kernels

a couple squirts canola oil

2 pinches shichimi togarashi

1/4 cup cilantro – chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh mint or substitute two pinches of dried mint

Directions

Set oven to 400 degrees F and have a rack in the top third position.

Mix together the vinaigrette. In a small bowl add the fish sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice garlic, sugar, and red chile. Set to the side.

The Brussels Sprout need to be fried. You can do this in batches with a fry pan or with a fat side of a grill tray (this works much easier and faster than a fry pan). Squid the oil on your flat side of your grill tray on medium high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts cut side down. In a few minutes they will brown and turn them over. Remove Brussel sprouts when done on both sides. If you have bigger Brussels Sprouts they might still be slightly uncooked in the center. They go on a baking sheet. If you have small ones they might be done…..

Spoon a teaspoon of vinaigrette over each Brussels Sprout. This goes in the oven for no more than 15 minutes. (If your sprouts are small and done then you might want to cook the vinaigrette minus the lime juice and add latter and then apply the vinaigrette and possibly skip the oven time…..)

While the Brussel Sprouts are roasting in the oven put a quarter cup of popcorn kernels in a lunch bag and roll the top down a little. This gets microwaved for about one minute and fifty seconds. When this is done spray a couple squirts of oil on the popcorn a two small pinches of shichimi togarashi….(be careful this is strong). Shake bag.

Serve up your Brussels Sprouts. Top with seasoned popcorn and herbs.

Momofuku STYLE Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette and Shivhimi Togatashi Pop Corn

ENJOY!!! A Special Thanks!! To Momofuko so I could come up with what I got here.

The Forking Truth

Block 9 Thai Street Eats Summerlin NV – Mild Thai Food

Block 9 Thai Street Eats is a Thai Restaurant located in South Summerlin Nevada a short ride away from the Las Vegas Strip. This is a very casual Thai Restaurant.

You order and pay at the counter.

Then they give you a number to place on your table and they run beverages and food to you. They offer mostly soft beverages but canned adult cider is offered and maybe two canned beers.

My husband tried the side order of E-Saan sausages. The food is served on to go cardboard dishes.

They come garnished with lettuce wraps some peanuts, cilantro, and onions. These might be good but maybe are for an inquired taste………….

I ordered the basil eggplant “Hot” with chicken.

This is the first basil eggplant dish that I have tried that has zero heat. It also is very fish sauce forward….It taste like mostly fish sauce. It does have basil in it but for some reason the basil is tasteless and the basil flavor hasn’t been infused into the dish. The chicken is very tender but just taste mostly like fish sauce.

My husband tried the drunken noodles with chicken “Hot.”

Also zero heat and I tasted one bite. It tasted bitter to me me and also too heavy with fish sauce for my taste. My husband thought that the bitter taste was from the Chinese Broccoli in the dish because he said that the vegetable was very bitter.

That was a little taste of Block 9 Thai Street Eats. I do note that I have only been here once and I don’t know if my visit was typical or not. From what we tried the food runs as mild as mild gets.

10595 Discovery Dr Summerlin NV

702-331-1088

www.Block9Thai.com

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

A Little Taste of Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant DT Summerlin Las Vegas NV – I doubt anyone ever leaves hungry from here.

Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant is located in the Downtown Summerlin part of Las Vegas Nevada. They also have a California location. They offer most of your usual Mexican Favorites like quesadillas, tacos, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas, combo plates, beef and chicken entrees, margaritas, desserts and more.

Inside is very rich with decorations and live plants.

This is also a very large two story restaurant with several dining rooms.

Whatever you order they start you out with a big basket of hot corn chips and a spicy herbed salsa.

The entrees come with your choice of a salad……

Or soup of the day (this evening it was albondigas soup ((Mexican Meatball soup)))

I thought the mole en pipian sounded like an interesting dish that I don’t see very often on menus.

It’s an enormous serving of tender white meat chicken chunks in a pumpkin seed, peanut spiced sauce. It’s served with cilantro rice and vegetarian black beans topped with cotija cheese. Oh and your choice of tortillas too! It’s tasty and not too spicy but is also very flavorful. Taste like maybe guadijillo chilies in it?

My husband tried the steak picado.

It’s tender flat iron steak with grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes and melted cheese with Mexican style rice and vegetarian re-fried beans. (They don’t cook with lard and use healthier soybean oil instead) It’s a BIG tasty plate.

The desserts offered did sound delicious but I find that I am never able to fit in dessert at Mexican restaurants.

I doubt anyone ever leaves hungry from Pancho’s in DT Summerlin Las Vegas.

11020 Lavender Hill DR DT Summerlin Las Vegas NV

702-982-0111

www.PanchosRestaurant.com

Every THING is subject to change.

The Forking Truth