Tag Archives: #pets

Cooking with Dogs

You wouldn’t understand unless you have or had dogs. Today is just a “FLUFF” story. This is what it’s like in my house when I’m cooking with dogs,

Up above is my big dog with my smaller dog in the kitchen. They were very interested in what I was making……I think they both are smiling at me trying to butter me up so I’d give them a taste of something.

There is cheese on the counter. The smaller dog thinks all the cheese in the house is his.

I am making polenta cakes. This dog is waiting for it.

Real polenta takes around 40 minutes to cook. This dog has been waiting 40 minutes.

I’m putting chicken in the sous vide. My bigger dog is very interested in that and stretches out to occupy almost the whole kitchen.

My smaller dog is eyeing up the eye roast I just made.

I just made Jodhpuri Tawa chicken and I’m also portioning pastrami. Looks like someone is hoping that I drop some his way.

He’s checking out a New York Strip that I sous vide and then seared. He’s hoping that it jumps off the plate.

He’s supervising me removing the silver skin from an eye roast.

Both of them are waiting for something.

He’s waiting for something cooking in the oven.

He’s waiting for some brisket.

He’s eyeing up another eye roast.

The big dog doesn’t usually get in my way. She admires from a far and is already licking her lips.

Interested in another steak I made.

Always interested in perfect chicken from the sous vide getting portioned out for lunches.

Both dogs are always interested in the food but the large dog has better manors and doesn’t get up in my way.

Smoking a pastrami

Large dog feels the need to guard oven with the precious pastrami.

They are delighted with the results.

Interested in oven fries. Well they were a really great batch.

I don’t know why but he is there for the vegetarian andouille squash sausage that I made.

I think I like this picture of both dogs in the kitchen best so I played with it on www.LunaPic.com and came up with this.

That was cooking with dogs. You wouldn’t understand unless you have or had dogs.

The Forking Truth

Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix – May 2021 – Twisted Italian, Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, Culver’s

Dining out with dogs is just a “Fluff Story” about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and was only expected to make it another three months or up to six months if we were lucky. Louie was already old and couldn’t do a lot but he always enjoyed eating and still loved going out to eat so I took him out to eat as much as I could. Instead of the 3-6 month diagnosis Louie made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat as much as I can.

If you are dining out with dogs there is a lot that you need to know. Not all restaurant patios are dog friendly. It is always BEST to call a restaurant first before attempting to dine there with your dog. You don’t know if the patio could already be booked for a party. It is also ALWAYS BEST to dine with your dog at off times. It is always BEST to avoid as many people and other dogs as possible. Not all people love dogs and some complain. Other people are allergic to dogs. It is also best to avoid other dogs because dog tend to bark at each other and this could be considered to be a disturbance and you might be asked to leave. It’s BEST to dine with dogs at off times.

Do you know that most of the food and drink that you consume can be harmful or even toxic to dogs? You need to get a list of what foods are safe and what foods to avoid to give to dogs. Usually a sauce free lean piece of meat is usually a good choice. You should also bring a water bowl for your dog.

You have to consider the temperature in Phoenix when dining out with dogs. All dogs like people do have different heat tolerances. Usually 90 degrees F and up is too hot and very dangerous to dine out with dogs. Your dog is not as heat tolerant as you. They wear fur coats. They absorb heat cup their paws and they can’t sweat. Ninety degrees F and up it is always best to leave your dog safe at home.

You also need to be aware that there are some rules to dine out with dogs. Your dog must close and by your side at all times. Dogs are NOT permitted to sit on restaurant furniture. Dogs are also not permitted to eat off of restaurant plates.

Got all that?

I think we are ready to dine out with dogs.

Our first trip is to the Twisted Italian in Peoria.

They only have two sets of tables out front but this restaurant is officially dog friendly and is listed on www.BringRover.com

They start us out with bread, oil and vinegar.

Then we share the southwest hand made pierogi.

The pierogi are tasty but are not dog friendly. I break off just a tiny end for the dogs to taste.

For my main I had the citrus salad with added salmon.

My dogs liked the salmon.

My husband had the antipasto salad.

The dogs got some cheese off of that salad.

www.EatTwisted.com

We were lucky because it is starting to heat up in Phoenix but today around 11am the weather was still pretty cool so we made it out to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix. They specialize in serving Banh Mi Baguette sandwiches and offer most of your Vietnamese favorites except for Pho.

Today I got the salmon firecracker rolls and the chicken cabbage salad.

This cabbage salad is delicious. It’s made with tender marinated chicken breast. It’s herby with cilantro and mint and has a light vinaigrette dressing. The salmon roll is really different with nicely prepared salmon that is moist…It’s wrapped in seaweed with a nice crisp wrapper and Asian seasonings. It rest over more cabbage and comes with an Asian dressing. I can’t believe that these are only priced at $4 & $5 each.

My husband got the beef Banh Mi.

The beef in it is so delicious and tender…..It seems like a very flavorful filet to me but I know that it is ribeye. It’s really great! We always love coming here.

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

Now it is getting too hot to dine out with dogs. It is suppose to be close to 100 degrees here today. At 10am it is only 83 degrees F so we took the dogs to Culver’s so they could eat something out. (Culver’s is a national fast food chain but the butter burgers are never from frozen and the cod is always hand battered to order. They also serve daily made frozen custard) We ate someplace else.

Here we are at the drive threw…(the dogs know what they are getting).

Then my big dog pushes my small dog out of the way so she can see the burger coming.

Nobody is on the patio so we feed the dogs half of the burger.

I remove the bun for the dogs. They only need some meat and cheese.

This is some of the burger. It feels very moist and looks caramelized.

The dogs always enjoy food from Culver’s.

www.Culvers.com

We hope that you enjoyed Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix AZ May 2021. It’s heating up in Phoenix so the dogs might be mostly dining in. We will see you when we can!

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

Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix AZ April 2021 – Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante, Phila-Deli, Cucina Tagliani

Dining out with dogs is just a “FLUFF” story about dining out with my dogs. It all sort of started when my dog Louie was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. We were told that he only had 3 or maybe up to 6 months to live. Louie was already elderly and couldn’t do a lot but he always loved to eat and also loved going out to eat so I took him out to eat as often as possible. Instead of the diagnosed 3-6 months Louie made it another 17 months. Today I took my current dogs out to eat.

There are things that you need to know about dining out with dogs. Not all restaurants with patios are dog friendly. It is always best to call a restaurant first and ask if it is ok to dine there with your dog. You never know if the patio is booked already. It is also always BEST to avoid as many other people and other dogs as possible so it is best to dine with your dog at off times. Some people hate dogs and other people can be allergic to dogs. It is also best to avoid other dogs because dogs enjoy barking at each other and this can be considered a disturbance and you might be asked to leave. Avoid as many potential problems as you can and dine out with dogs at off times.

You need to get a list from your veterinarian of food and drink to avoid giving dogs. Much of the food and drink that is yummy for you can be harmful or toxic to your furry best friend. Usually a small lean piece of meat without sauce might be a safe choice. You should also bring a water bowl so you best friend has a drink. Here in Phoenix the temperature is an issue. All dogs do have a different heat tolerance but also all dogs are less heat tolerant than people. They wear fur coats. They absorb heat up the paws and they can’t sweat. 90 F degrees and above is too hot to safely dine out with dogs. Maybe up to 90 F but only in full shade might be ok for younger healthy dogs? Hopefully you can judge your dogs needs. When there is any doubt leave your dog at home.

When you are ready to dine out with dogs you need to know that your dog (s) needs to be by your side at all times. Dogs are also not to sit on restaurant furniture. Dogs are not to eat off restaurant plates.

Our first dining out was to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix. They specialize in serving Banh Mi baguette sandwiches and offer around a dozen different varieties. They also offer many Vietnamese favorite dishes EXCEPT FOR PHO. Today I got a chicken rice plate.

I haven’t gotten this one in a while because it is usually 2 dinners for me. But gosh that chicken is really FORKING DELICIOUS.

It’s around 8 ounces of JUICY DELICIOUS FLAVORFUL slightly charred DELICIOUS chicken. The plate comes with some pickled vegetables, lettuce, seasoned rice, egg roll, fish sauce (for dipping the chicken) and some chile sauce. This plate makes anyone with a mouth happy.

My husband got the pork rice plate. He also enjoyed it. The dogs AND MY HUSBAND helped finished off my plate because that chicken is really great. (I honestly think it’s one of the best chicken dishes around this part of town)

We always enjoy Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix.

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

We enjoy going to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in North Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. They serve Neapolitan Pizzas, house made pastas, Italian dishes, seasonal specials and more! They offer a nice patio with heaters, shades and misters for our comfort.

Today I got the strawberry chicken salad.

My husband got the piccante panino (imported prosciutto crudo, spicy soppressata, flor di latte, lettuce, house made spice sauce).

Dogs got to eat some of my chicken and cheese from the side salad. They were pretty excited about that.

www.BottegaRistorante.com

Next trip out was Phila-Deli in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. They are a small hoagie and cheesesteak place but I like the build your own salads. (at the moment subject to change they serve these salads for $8.99. Avocado is 75cents extra).

There is plenty of chicken to share with the dogs.

They also got some beef from my husband’s cheesesteak.

We always get a filled belly from Phila-Deli.

www.PhilaDeliAZ.com

We also got to take the dogs to Cucina Tagliani in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. This restaurant is an American Restaurant that offers American-Italian style food, some healthy choices, and a menu of pork ribs and New York Strips, plus more. They offer a large spacious officially licensed dog friendly patio and it usually isn’t crowded during the day.

Today I got the strawberry chicken salad and my husband got a lasagna with extra hot sausage.

This salad is refreshing on a hot day.

The dogs always enjoy eating at Cucina Tagliani’s.

www.CucinaTagliani.com

That was dining out with dogs in Metro Phoenix for April 2021. The weather is turning hot so we will have to get out early before the temperatures rise too much for Dining Out With DOGS if we can……we hope to see you next month!

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

Dining Out With DOGS In Metro Phoenix AZ – March 2021- Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, Phila-Deli, Culvers, Bruster’s Ice Cream

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

Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix AZ February 2021- Phila-Deli, Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, The Bourbon Cellar, Cucina Tagliani

Dining out with dogs in metro Phoenix is just a “FLUFF” story about taking my dogs out to eat. It sort of started when my dog Louie was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. We were told that he probably only had 3 months or up to 6 month to live. He already was elderly and couldn’t do a lot but he always enjoyed eating and also going out to eat. I took Louie out to eat as often as I could and Louie made it another SEVENTEEN months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat when I can.

There are many things you need to know about taking dogs out to eat.

Not all restaurants with patios are dog friendly. They are either certified dog friendly or they are not. Regardless it is always best to call a restaurant and ask if it is ok to bring your furry friend. You never know if the patio is booked for a party.

It is always BEST to dine out with dogs at off times to avoid other people and other dogs. Not all people like dogs and some are allergic to dogs. Other dogs enjoy barking at each other and you could be asked to leave. Avoid problems and dine at off times.

Do you know that most food and drink that you consume could be harmful and even toxic to your dog? Educate yourself and get a list of foods to avoid from your veterinarian. Usually a small piece of lean sauce free meat can be a safe bet. Bring a water bowl for your furry friend.

Here in Arizona we have to be aware that our dogs are not as heat tolerant as us. They can’t sweat and are always wearing a fur coat. They also absorb heat up their paws…. Just like people all dogs do have different levels of tolerance for heat. Not always but usually 90 degrees F and up is too hot to dine out with dogs. Keep it 90 or below in shade. When there is any doubt leave your best friend home.

There are some rules for dining out with dogs. Dogs must be by your side at all times. Dogs are NOT to sit on restaurant furniture. Dog are not to eat off restaurant plates.

Our first stop was Phila-Deli in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. They are a casual sandwich shop that offers cheesesteaks, hoagies, salads and more. The nice people there offered my dogs water and some meat scraps. I said we didn’t need them today but they were extra nice and set a BIG bowl of water down for my dogs.

My husband got a large cheesesteak today with extra cheese and tomato sauce on the side.

I got a salad and already removed a lot of chicken for my dogs.

Chicken makes dogs happy. I think it’s a pretty nice salad for only $7.50 (+.75cents for avocado)

www.PhilaDeliAZ.com

We regularly go to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix. They are a Pho -Free Vietnamese Restaurant that offers most of your Vietnamese favorites except for pho. They are called Banh Mi Bistro V. E. because they offer around a dozen different Banh Mi baguette sandwiches. All the food is always delicious. They also give out very large portions and everything is $10 and mostly LESS! They used to offer out door tables but were told to remove the tables because they are not zoned for outdoor dining. We use a folding table here.

Today my husband got the grilled pork rice plate.

You can also see how it taste.

I got the curry chicken with rice today.

We always enjoy going to Banh Mi Bistro in North Phoenix.

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

The Bourbon Cellar is located in North Scottsdale. They are a small steak and seafood house but also offer some of the most amazing ground in house burgers ever! They offer seating indoors but have a unique lush water feature lined dog friendly patio.

Our server was very nice to our dogs and brought each dog a bowl of water.

We decided to start out by sharing the macaroni and cheese appetizer.

It’s very cheesy with lots of sauce. It took a little while but it was worth waiting for. My dogs also enjoyed some.

We took most of it home so we’d have room for the amazing burgers.

Here’s my husband’s fresh ground filet mignon burger with bacon, cheese and onions and a side of onion rings.

I got mine with a side of fresh made to order crunchy cole slaw and my burger was topped with onion rings and bourbon pickles.

It’s a really delicious burger. I think it’s the best one that I have tasted anywhere. It’s also very large so I cut mine in half and my dogs ate the other half.

The Bourbon Cellar was a really great choice today.

www.TheBourbonCellar.com

Next we were off to Cucina Tagliani in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide.

Cucina Tagliani is an American-Italian Restaurant that is also offering some steak and rib specials lately.

Today I got my usual strawberry chicken salad. The strawberries are always extra good and the dressing is delicious.

My husband got a Stromboli.

My dogs always enjoy all the visits to Cucina Tagliani.

www.CucinaTagliani.com

That was dining out with dogs in metro Phoenix. We hope that you’ve enjoyed and we hope to see you next month.

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

Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix AZ – November 2020

Dining out with dogs in metro Phoenix is just a “FLUFF” story about taking my dogs out to eat. It sort of started with my dog Louie. He was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and was given 3-6 month life expectancy. Louie was elderly and couldn’t do a lot but he enjoyed eating and going out to eat so I took him out to eat as often as possible. Louie made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat.

There are a few things that you need to know before you dine out with dogs. One is that not all outdoor patios are dog friendly. Certified dog friendly patios have signs. If you don’t see a sign then you have to call the manager and ask if it’s ok to bring your dog. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to dine with your dog at off times to avoid other people (potential problems) and other dogs (more potential problems). Other people and other dogs are potential problems for many reasons. Some people just don’t like dogs and other people are allergic. Other dogs can be a problem too because dogs enjoy barking at each other and this can be a disturbance and you might be asked to leave.

There are some rules for dining out with dogs. Your dog(s) must be by your side at all times. Dogs are NOT to eat off restaurant plates or sit on restaurant chairs.

Most people food and drink can be hazardous or even toxic to your dog. You MUST get a list of foods to avoid from your veterinarian so you can make good decisions. Here in Phoenix you also need to be aware of the temperature. dogs are just like people and have different heat tolerances. HOWEVER DOGS ARE LESS HEAT TOLERANT THAN PEOPLE>>>>>Heat travels up though their paws and your friend wears a fur coat. For the most part 90 degrees and above is too hot to dine out with dogs. Leave your pet at home if there is any doubt.

Our first Dining out with dogs was at Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix. (They are a pho-free Vietnamese restaurant that offers around a dozen different Banh Mi baguette sandwiches and most Vietnamese favorites.

Today I had a grilled chicken noodle bowl with an egg roll.

It’s delicious! It’s part minty refreshing salad and pickled vegetables. There are rice noodles. Lots of nicely seasoned chicken with crushed peanuts, scallions and fish sauce (to dip the chicken). Also and egg roll.

Both my dogs see I have a lot of chicken to share with them.

My husband got a delicious shaken beef banh mi. The beef inside it is always very good. It’s topped with pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro and a jalapeño. They also make house made aioli that I get when I get a Banh Mi but my husband is very anti mayo and anti aioli so he goes without. I’ve mistaken the beef for filet mignon but it is super tender ribeye.

He also shared some beef with the dogs.

That was dining out with dogs at Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix.

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

We regularly go to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide for delicious Italian Food, Pizza and their beautiful, comfortable dog friendly patio.

The patio is modern, clean and neat with an indoor/outdoor bar, shades, misters for cooling and heaters for warming things up. They might be the only restaurant in this part of town that offers a park-like patio atmosphere.

They start us off with complimentary fresh baked breads.

Someone is already excited.

Today I went with the strawberry chicken salad.

Someone was eyeing up my chicken.

My husband got an Italian meat panino sandwich that came with a side salad.

Someone’s mouth was watering.

We all enjoyed our lunch at Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante.

www.BottegaRistorante.com

Last stop of the month was from Phila-Deli in Glendale/Arrowhead/#upperWestSide.

Phila-Deli is a casual sandwich and cheesesteak place. They also offer these really great build your own $7.50 salads.

This salad is only fast food priced and way better than fast food.

My husband enjoys the cheesesteaks here. They offer steak, chicken and meat-free crumbles for cheesesteak options.

My large dog was here but somehow I couldn’t get a good photo of her so here she is from home.

My dogs always get very excited to dine here and usually the people working here run out with bowls of water for the dogs and some surprises.

www.PhilaDeliAZ.com

Well that was Dining Out With Dogs in Metro Phoenix for November 2020. We hope to see you next month!

“Don’t worry we are in this thing together and are here to help you eat all this delicious food”
The Forking Truth
In Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017

Dining Out With DOGS at Cucina Tagliani in Glendale Arrowhead #UpperWestSide Metro Phoenix AZ

The weather is finally nice and comfortable in Phoenix Arizona for outdoor dining. I wanted to dine out at a restaurant with a big open patio where I thought I could dine safely and not worry about being too close to people. I guessed that Cucina Tagliani (an American Italian Restaurant……similar to Olive Garden….(but better and with more vegetable choices) would be the perfect choice today and it was. Cucina Tagliani is an American Italian restaurant that has been in business for close to thirty years in North Glendale. They are a little different than other American Italian Restaurants because besides the typical American Italian favorites they also offer healthier choices like grilled chicken parmesan (instead of breaded and fried), spaghetti squash lasagna, spiral cut squash and spaghetti squash as pasta substitutes and around a DOZEN different vegetable choices. I was even able to take my dogs with me on their officially certified nice dog friendly patio.

As soon as we pulled up I could see from a distance that they were sanitizing the tables and they were even wearing masks outside.

We picked a comfortable table on the patio. It was a nice comfortable temperature so we didn’t need the misters for cooling or the portable heaters.

The nice friendly staff treated my dogs like royalty and brought my dogs water right away.

They started us out with a basket of fresh toasted seasoned bread.

They changed the bread again. This bread is soft chewy and sort of Italian seasoned. I give just a little to my dogs.

“I always love to dine at Cucina Tagliani” “I have had many good memories here”
“Ummmm food” “I love most food”

Our meals arrive. I got the strawberry goat cheese salad. It’s topped with grilled chicken and is dressed with house made white wine dressing.

This is how things actually looked.

My husband got the chicken parmesan.

The dogs just live for some hand outs!

“All was good and we all were happy!

That was Dining Out With Dogs at Cucina Tagliani in Glendale AZ.

Everything is subject to change and your experience there could indeed differ.

www.CucinaTagliani.com

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

Cucina Tagliani was Louie’s favorite restaurant to dine at. We had many good memories there.

Forking Dining Out and DINING IN with DOGS in Metro Phoenix March 2020

Dining out with dogs is just a “Fluff” story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. He was given 3-6 months. He already was old and couldn’t do a lot but he enjoyed going out to eat so I took him out as often as I could. Instead of the 3-6 months Louie made it another 17 months. Today my current dogs enjoy going out to eat.

Before you dine out with dogs there are some things to know. Most restaurants in Phoenix have patios but not all patios are dog friendly. It is always BEST to call any restaurant on the day of your visit and ask if it’s ok to dine there with your dog. That way you find out if it’s ok to bring your dog and you also find out if the patio is available that day. It’s also AWAYS BEST to dine at off times to avoid as many people and other dogs as possible. Not all people share your love for dogs and some people are allergic to dogs. It’s best to avoid other dogs because dogs like to bark at each other and you might get asked to leave.

You need to beware that when dining out with dogs that your dog must be by your side at all times. Dogs are NOT permitted to sit on restaurant furniture or to eat off of restaurant plates. You should bring a bowl from home for water for your dog. You need to be aware that most food and drink that you consume can be harmful or even TOXIC to your dog. You must get a list of safe and a list of foods to avoid from your veterinarian. Usually a small piece of lean meat that is without sauce is usually a safe bet. Here in Phoenix you also need to know that your dog is not as heat tolerant as you are. All people and all dogs do have different tolerances for heat. In general but not for all dogs I’d say over 90 degrees F is too hot to dine out with dogs. Maybe 90 degrees is tolerable but only in FULL SHADE. All dogs do differ. Hopefully you know your dog well enough to decide. When there is any doubt PLEASE LEAVE YOUR DOG AT HOME.

Now I will let The Forking Truth go to my dogs. They will tell you about their dining experiences.

“We were on our way to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante but my folks didn’t make it early enough and the patio was full of people so we left.” “BAH!” “But we did great at Phila-Deli.”

“The nice owner runs us out some turkey before my folks got their meals.”

“Our female human companion got a turkey wrap again.”

“It’s a different brand of turkey today.” “I think I like this one better because it’s more moist without that smoke taste and I really like the pepper jack cheese that gets pulled out for us.”

“We also really Forking love cheese steaks (without the onions for us dogs!’

“We always get a “Phila-Belly from Phila Deli…….(we enjoy that!)”

www.PhilaDeliAZ.com

“We are on our way to Culver’s in the Deer Valley part of Phoenix.” “Culver’s is a national group oof quick casual restaurants.” “Culver’s is famous for their signature never from frozen butter burgers, hand battered Icelandic cod and their daily made fresh frozen custard.”

“That butter burger is nicely caramelized and smells delicious.”

“We get the eat some yummy butter burger!”

“Our folks like the limited walleye special.” “It’s a very large platter.” “We helped eat that one too!”

“We always do great at Culver’s.”

www.Culvers.com

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

“Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery serves up most of your usual favorite Vietnamese foods except for pho.” “They are a pho-free eatery and post signs that say,”Eat a banh mi instead.”

“Today our folks got a lotus root salad ($5.00), chicken potstickers ($4.00) and a pork rice plate ($10.00).”

“We are doing so good today!”

“We loved everything we tried from Banh Mi Vietnamese Bistro!”

“Yep that was delicious!”

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

“Holy FORK!” “Now we are having a coronavirus crisis!” “Our folks did take out from Fabio On Fire today!” “We got to enjoy a small amount of sausage pizza.”

We didn’t get any of the bufalina pizza because it isn’t dog friendly with the balsamic vinegar.”

“So we were fed some eye roast she made.”

“We also did Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery this week because it’s very important to keep our local restaurants in business.”

1/2 of chicken banh mi

“Helped with two lunches out of one chicken banh mi.”

“We also helped with a delicious shaken beef banh mi ($8.00).

“We also got to eat food from Cucina Tagliani.”

www.CucinaTagliani.com

“Well that was Dining Out and DINING IN with Dogs in Metro Phoenix for March 2020.” “We hope for the best during this pandemic.” “We also hope that you’ve enjoyed and we hope to see you next month!”

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

Dining out with DOGS in Metro Phoenix February 2020

Dining out with dogs is just a “Fluff” story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie came down with aggressive cancer. He was also old and couldn’t enjoy a lot of things but he always enjoyed going out to eat so I took him out to eat as often as possible. Instead of his 3-6 month diagnosis Louie made it another 17 months. Today my current dogs enjoy going out to eat.

There are several things that you need to know before you dine out with dogs. Many restaurants here in Phoenix have patios but not all patios are dog friendly. It’s ALWAYS BEST to call any restaurant and ask if it’s ok to dine there on the patio with your dog. It is also ALWAYS BEST to dine at off times to avoid other diners and other dogs. Many people don’t share your love for dogs and some people are allergic. It is also best to avoid other dogs because dogs enjoy barking at each other and if your dog barks you might be asked to leave.

There are a few rules for dining out with dogs. One is your dog must be close to you and be by your side at all times. Also dogs are not to sit on restaurant furniture or eat off restaurant plates. It is also a good idea to bring your own water bowl for your dog.

You need to be educated on safe and non-safe foods for your dog to eat. Most food and drink that you consume can be harmful or even toxic to your dog. You must get these dog safe and non safe food lists from your veterinarian. Usually a small piece of lean meat without sauce is a safe bet. You also need to be aware that your dog is not as heat tolerant as you. All people and all dogs have different tolerances for heat. For not all but for many younger healthier maybe only up to 90 degrees F BUT WITH FULL SHADE. Hopefully you are able to judge what your dog can tolerate but its always best to leave your furry friend home when there is any doubt.

It looks like we are ready to dine out with dogs so I’m turning over The Forking Truth to my dogs to tell their story about dining out.

“We are on our way to Pita Kitchen in Glendale for casual Greek Food.”

“This is what our folks got.” “Up top is a Greek salad with gyro meat and fresh baked pita bread and under it is a Greek salad with chicken kabab and fresh baked pita bread.”

“They are both very good but we get to eat mostly the juicy flavorful chicken.” “This is the best chicken kabob around!”

“We enjoyed everything we had at Pita Kitchen.”

www.PitaKitchen.net

“We are on our way to Cucina Tagliani in north Glendale.” “They are an American Italian Restaurant that offers American Italian favorites and also offers many vegetables and also healthy eating options like spaghetti squash and noodle cut zucchini.”

“They served us water and a basket of hot garlic bread to start with.”

“Our female companion had the strawberry goat cheese salad.” “It comes with grilled chicken and toasted almonds.” “We just ate most of the chicken and it was moist and good today!”

“Our male human companion is having the steak gorgonzola.” “That’s a really great choice for us!”

“We FORKING LOVE steak and gorgonzola!”

“We were LUCKY DOGS TODAY at Cucina Tagliani!” “We enjoyed everything!”

www.CucinaTagliani.com

“We are on our way to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix today!” They serve most of your Vietnamese favorites except for pho because they are a Pho Free Eatery.” “They even have a sign there that says,”Eat a banh mi instead.”

“Look at all this amazing delicious food we get to eat!”

“We get to eat shaken beef from a shaken beef banh mi and curry chicken with the sauce sucked off for us.”

“We always Forking enjoy everything we eat from Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix.

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

“WTFork!” “We’re at Burger King”

“Our folks went to a food festival today so they are stuffed and purchased us a burger from Burger King just to take us out.” The Burger King doesn’t have outdoor seating so we are seated at Safeway.”

“It’s sure not the best burger but we are dogs so we enjoy all burgers.” “But Louie was different from us.” “He was picky about everything.” “He even refused to eat ground beef burgers made from Costco ground beef but he would eat a Burger King Burger.”

“That was Dining out with DOGS in Metro Phoenix for February 2020.”

“We hope you enjoyed and we hope to see you next month!”

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

Dining out with DOGS in Metro Phoenix January 2020

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 was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. He was already old and couldn’t do much but enjoyed going out to eat. I took him out as often as I could and instead of the 3-6 months the vet gave him he made it another 17 months. Today my current dogs enjoy going out to eat.

There are many things to know before dining out with dogs. Many restaurants in Phoenix do have patios but not all patios are dog friendly. It’s ALWAYS BEST to call the restaurant the day of your visit and ask if it’s ok to dine there with your dog. It is also ALWAYS BEST to dine at off times. It’s best to avoid people with allergies. It’s best to avoid people that don’t share your love of dogs. It is also BEST to avoid other people with dogs because dogs tend to bark at each other and you might get asked to leave. Call restaurant first and dine at off times

There are some rules for dining out with dogs. Your dog(s) must be close and by your side at all times. Dogs are NOT permitted to sit on restaurant furniture or EAT off of restaurant plates. You also must get a list of what foods to avoid from your veterinarian. Most food and drink that you consume can be harmful or TOXIC to your dog. Usually a small lean piece of sauce free meat is usually a safe bet. It’s VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW that your dog is not as heat tolerant as you. All dogs like people have a different tolerance for heat. Not all but most younger healthy dogs can tolerate up to 90 degrees BUT ONLY IN SHADE. OVER 90 DEGREES F IS TOO HOT TO DINE OUT WITH DOGS.

Now I will turn The Forking Truth over to my dogs to tell about their dining experience.

“We are on our way to The Twisted Italian in Peoria.” “They are an Italian Restaurant that actually does offer some twisted different things like an Italian Chili Relleno and Pierogis.”

“Ummm I’m going to do well today!” “She got a strawberry and goat cheese salad with added chicken.” “There’s a Forking lot of chicken and it’s juicy and warm!” “SCORE!”

“We did alright with the chicken parmigiana”……….”but we did even better with the strawberry goat cheese salad because we got to eat more chicken and more chicken is always better than less chicken.”

“We enjoyed everything we ate at The Twisted Italian!”

www.EatTwisted.com

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

“Today we got to try a little bit of speck and cheese from a brie and speck pizza made with imported speck, brie and mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and extra virgin olive oil .”

“OMG that was delicious!”

“We also ate mostly grilled chicken from panarea panino that was a half sandwich and small soup.

“I enjoyed the chicken very much!” “The NICE waiter also brought us a beverage of water today!”

“We always enjoy everything we try from Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante.”

www.BoteggaRistorante.com

“Fill my belly Phila Deli!” “We are on our way to Phila Deli in Glendale.”

“Phila Deli might be the most dog friendly restaurant in all of metro Phoenix.” “As soon as they saw us coming one person runs out with a BIG bowl of fresh water for us.” “Then another person runs out and ask if we would like some ham or turkey scraps (we went for turkey).”

“WOW!” “Look at all that delicious turkey!” “I FORKING LOVE Phila Deli!” “They are the best!”

“Our male human likes the cheese steaks here.” “We love the meat and cheese too!” “Sorry for the blurry picture.”

“Our female companion is trying a turkey wrap today.”

“Ummmmm it’s all delicious!” “I can’t wait for my next bite.”

“We enjoyed everything we had at Phila Deli.”

www.PhilaDeliAZ.com

“We missed one week of Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix because one dog (guess who) had something growing on her leg that got cut off.” “We’ve been told that it wasn’t cancer so we are all so happy now!”

“We hope that you’ve enjoyed Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix.” “We hope to see you next month!”

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