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Take Out During The CoronaVirus Pandemic in Metro Phoenix AZ – Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, Skewers Mediterranean Grill, Alzohour Market, Doda’s Pizza, Cafe Chenar

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We are trying to support as many local restaurants as we can during the pandemic. I don’t know if the news is factual? They said that you won’t catch coronavirus from food. They said even if someone with coronavirus makes your food you won’t catch it that way. The virus passes from someone breathing, talking, coughing or sneezing 6 feet or less from you. During the pandemic you should shield your eyes, nose and mouth. You need to wash your hands every time you touch anything outside of your house. As far as we know Take Out Food should be safe.

First stop this week was our Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery. This restaurant is located in North Phoenix and serves all your Vietnamese favorites except for pho.

Today I had the noodle salad with grilled chicken and a tasty vegetarian egg roll.

My husband had the grilled pork rice plate.

The food is always fresh and tasty. Portions are always LARGE and prices are always LOW!

We always enjoy Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery.

A few days latter we packed up the dogs and did pick up from Skewers Mediterranean Grill.

We tried a very delicious eggplant salad and their creamy hummus.

For my main I had the chicken kabob salad bowl again.

My husband tried the chicken shawarma salad bowl.

Everything was fresh and tasty. Portions on take out were much larger than dine in.

Next stop was Alzohour Market in Glendale for Moroccan/Middle Eastern Cuisine.

I’ve tried much of the menu but never had the chicken kabob until today.

WOW! It’s delicious and very moist!

My husband got the lamb couscous.

I think the couscous dishes are one of her masterpiece dishes. There’s a lot going on here.

Both entrees came with side salads that had this insanely delicious lemony dressing.

Portions were extra large but we had some help with that.

Next we packed up the dogs and did take out from Doda’s Pizza in Glendale.

They do what I call east coast flavored neighborhood pizza…..not artisan….not Neapolitan but superior to chain take out pizza. They make a flavorful dough, a good tasting rich sauce and better cheese than from other similar restaurants in the area.

We took out two slices of their regular cheese pizza.

We also tried a Margherita.

Last stop this week was take out from Cafe Chenar in North Phoenix for Bukharian Cuisine.

You might be wondering WTFork is Bukharian Cuisine? It’s a kosher offshoot of Pan Asian with influences from Russian, Muslim, Uzbek and Korean. We had tasty chicken and beef lulyas (ground seasoned meat cooked on a skewer), chuchuara (stuffed pasta), achichuk (salad) and a salmon skewer. Everything was delicious and there was precautionary distancing there and a bottle of hand sanitizer.

“Don’t worry we are in this thing together”

We were able to support 5 local small businesses this week.

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery

Skewers Mediterranean Grill

Alzohour Market

Doda’s Pizza

Cafe Chenar

Everything is subject to change and we hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Grocery Shopping during the CoronaVirus Pandemic in Metro Phoenix AZ – Week Three – Still no paper products but I’ve found eggs

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This week we’ve been to Fry’s. Safeway, Walmart Grocery and Bashas supermarkets. Fry’s was reasonably well stocked except for paper products. Walmart Grocery was also reasonably stocked and out of paper products but I was lucky to find eggs this week. They were almost out of eggs but had around 6 flats in the refrigerator and I was lucky to get one with a limit on one. Last week Walmart Grocery was the only supermarket near me that had fresh raw chicken. Safeway was the least stocked of all the supermarkets with very little produce and no paper products. They didn’t have their usual brands of chicken and offered frozen raw whole chickens of a brand I never heard of. I bought one and it made Walmart Chicken seem like the best chicken in the whole wide world. This Sun something brand of Safeway Chicken had an abnormally large breast and tiny legs that were like white meat wings. It was one of the worst chickens I’ve ever tried with a weird texture and not the best taste. I don’t normally shop at Bashas because there isn’t one near me. I stopped into a Bashas because I was in the area of one and needed fresh herbs I couldn’t find near me this week. They had the herbs but this was the only supermarket that didn’t offer hand sanitizer and also didn’t offer sanitizing wipes. They still used the moving belt by the cashier without sanitizing it. I felt unsafe shopping there during this pandemic.

I don’t know if my experience is typical from other similar super markets.

That was Week 3 of Grocery Shopping during the CoronaVirus Pandemic in Metro Phoenix AZ.

Everything is subject to change and I hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Take Out During The CoronaVirus Pandemic in Metro Phoenix AZ – Taco Fusion , Pita Kitchen , Confluence, Sala Thai & Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol

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We are supporting local restaurants as much as we can during the pandemic.

We did take out from a newly opened casual Taco Fusion. I’ve been there a couple weeks ago and was blown away with how great the food was….(particularly the mild habanero chicken taco with pineapple salsa…)…. I also was so happy that it wasn’t too far from where I lived so I thought it was extra important to stop here and give them some business. When we made our take out order we were told that they were offering 4 of their 8 salsas today and didn’t have pineapple salsa today.

All the tacos and quesadilla was delicious. The tortillas are hand made. The flour tortilla is thinner and bigger with less flavor than the hand made corn tortilla. The asada is more flavorful and more tender than from another popular taco place in the area. The fish taco is different and is topped with sweet carrots. They are all very good tacos but I still like the mild habanero chicken taco best. It’s full of really good flavors. It’s the one taco that is even better than a chicken taco from Mexico. (I’ve actually tasted many tacos on the streets of Mexico a few times) The sauces are good..we got one I’ve never tried before anywhere. It’s a dark ultra spicy sauce that is borderline too hot for me but if I only use a drop or two is wildly delicious. Very GOOD Tacos from Taco Fusion in Glendale.

Our next take out was from Pita Kitchen in Glendale. This is small Greek Casual Mediterranean restaurant.

We packed up our dogs and did a pick up.

I got my usual chicken kabob salad. I have to say that this chicken is abundant, moist, developed with flavors, delicious with a really tasty char on it. I really think their chicken kabob is the best in town.

My husband got the gyro Greek salad with added pickles.

We also got delicious fresh pita bread that they make there.

Our friends also helped us enjoy the food on our patio.

We did get take out from the AMAZING Confluence Restaurant in Carefree.

We picked up a fresh baked fontina roll that is to die for.

Tried some delicious vegetable soup that was so light and different. It was made with the fancy cauliflower and lots of parsnips.

For dinner had that incredible FORKING DELICIOUS Fried Chicken with broccolini and buttery cooked potato.

The sweet ending was a dark chocolate brownie for dessert.

We enjoyed delicious Thai Food from Sala Thai in Peoria.

I had the spicy pumpkin basil with chicken and brown rice.

They gave us a CRAZY amount of brown rice. After we took what we wanted there was THREE EXTRA whole cups of rice that I portioned out and froze.

My husband had the spicy egg bomb with chicken and brown rice.

Then we went to Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol in Glendale.

I got my usual chicken fajita salad.

My husband got some sort of Mexican Beef Plate with rice, beans and tortillas.

We got margaritas to go. They were packed nicely and were very strong.

This week we were able to support five restaurants.

Taco Fusion in Glendale

Pita Kitchen in Glendale

Confluence in Carefree

Sala Thai in Peoria

Popo’s Fiesta Del Soll in Glendale

We are doing our best to help support small business restaurants. If you care about a small business you should give your support.

The Forking Truth

The CoronaVirus Apocalypse in Metro Phoenix AZ – Week Two – Annoying but no Famine this week

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Last week was brutal. My local Safeway super market was only filled with 20%-30% groceries. There was very little that could be purchased.

This week I went to Walmart Grocery.

I almost cried when I saw all the produce. It’s so much closer to normal.

They were also out of a lot of things like onions, potatoes, hot dogs, eggs, all paper products. A lot of things were very low or missing but at least they had fresh looking chicken so I was happy.

packaged cheeses

No eggs today.

Since I’m down to my last paper towel I stopped at CVS. They had a few paper towels left with a sign that says limit one. I grabbed a two pack of bounty paper towels. I don’t know if they priced gouged me because with tax the two rolls cost over TEN DOLlARS…dang I normally pay a little over a dollar a roll in a big multi roll pack from Costco….

A few days latter I went back to Walmart Grocery. I also had trouble buying my dog’s Blue Buffalo Food. The Dog Food Stores were out of the big bags and I was almost out but got lucky and found a couple small bags at Walmart. They still lacked paper products but there was maybe a half dozen containers of eggs with a limit of one per customer. I was lucky to get eggs this time. They only had 6 cartons and one was an extra large box of eggs so I snagged it up.

I also went to Costco. They now make you wait in a line and so many people are allowed in at a time. Many were waring masks. I’m not a fan of Costco raw chicken since they switched to Foster Farms Brand but they were still out of raw chicken and most paper products. I did notice that the empty shelves from last week now are filled with water bottles. They also had eggs this week. Now they block off the aisles and funnel you to one area with six foot spaces to check out. All cart contents stay in the cart and sneeze guards have been installed by the cashiers.

That’s how things were this week.

The CoronaVirus Apocalypse in Metro Phoenix Week Two – Annoying but no Famine this week.

Everything is subject to change and I hope it does for the better.

The Forking Truth

Take Out During The Coronavirus in Metro Phoenix AZ – Fabio On Fire, Banh Mi Bistro & Cucina Tagliani

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We are supporting local restaurants during the coronavirus crisis. We did Fabio On Fire in Peoria and took out two pizzas.

They converted the restaurant to “CURB SIDE ONLY” and ordering and payment is online. They communicate with you by text messaging. Then you order is placed on an outside table. After you pick up your order the table is sanitized.

My husband enjoyed a sacciccia e funghi pizza $14.95. (sausage and mushrooms)

“Good Stuff!”

I enjoyed a bufalina pizza $15.95. (arugula, imported buffalo mozzarella, balsamic and extra virgin olive oil.

Another take out was Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix.

Everyone was doing take out from here because they ran out of rice, noodles and pork.

They are a PHO-FREE Vietnamese Eatery…Most of your usual Vietnamese favorites but no pho.

Eat a banh mi instead!

Today I took out a chicken banh mi ($7.00. I ate half today and will eat the other half tomorrow.

half the sandwich is pictured

I had some help from my furry friends.

My husband had a shaken beef banh mi ($8.00).

This is half

We always enjoy everything from Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery.

We also did take out from Cucina Tagliani in Glendale.

The dinners came with lots of garlic toast.

I had grilled salmon with asparagus and spaghetti squash in a lemon caper sauce ($23.99). My husband had shrimp diabolo ($21.99).

My husband surprised me with an added on mascarpone chocolate cake.

It’s a very big slice and feeds at least four people but it really is delicious!

That was my take out in Metro Phoenix during the coronavirus.

Fabio On Fire

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery

Cucina Tagliani

It’s important during these times to support your local eateries!

The Forking Truth

CoronaVirus Apocalypse and It seems like Famine in Metro Phoenix AZ – Week One

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I didn’t noticed much of a change shopping for food until this past weekend. I was at Costco a warehouse shopping type of store. I didn’t really need too many things so I didn’t look for too many things either. It seemed like they offered most of the foods they normally offer but they were out of paper products, eggs and bread. It’s possible that they were out of more things but I didn’t notice. To me it didn’t seem like a crisis but it sure did seem annoying.

First time I’ve seen empty shelve at Costco
Lots of empty shelving at Costco

Latter in the week I thought I’d go to Safeway for chicken because Costco sells a brand of chicken that I don’t like. I had no idea that Safeway’s shelves would be like this.

Not much here.

Tomatoes are usually here.

They have a few things. They have Japanese eggplants and it looks like yellow beans and green beans. On the other side is Savoy cabbage.

Here’s most of the rest of the produce.

No potatoes or onions.

The meat counter is out of meat. It’s not like I came in at an off time. I came Tuesday just after lunch.

They are out of all raw chicken and raw turkey today.

They have some meat but it’s vegetarian, some beef and some pork.

Not much here.

Not much here.

Not much here.

Not much here either.

This is a crisis. Nobody can live forever like this.

This is the FORKING CoronaVirus Apocalypses and this is what it’s Forking Like To Buy Food. It seems like Famine in Phoenix Week One. I can only hope that next week is better.

Everything is subject to change and I FORKING HOPE THAT IT DOES!

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

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

Dog Haus made the Forking BEST Impossible Burger of the FIVE I’ve Tried (so far)

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I’m not a vegan or vegetarian but I am selective about the ground beef that I eat. I like that there are no ground beef worries with the impossible burger. The impossible burger (at this time) is the only vegan burger that contains an ingredient called heme that comes from soy roots that makes the patty taste meat like. It is also suppose to make the patty bleed but I have never gotten an impossible burger that bleeds so far but when and IF I ever do I’ll be jumping for joy and you will hear about it.

The first Impossible Burger I tried came from The Cuff in Glendale AZ.

It’s wasn’t bad but it was a little dry and crumbly. It left a sort of butter like aftertaste that I didn’t like. My husband took a bite and said, “I’m never trying an Impossible Burger again.”

He didn’t try my next one from PNPK in Scottsdale (now closed for business).

This one was slightly better. Still dry but not crumbly. No weird buttery aftertaste.

My 3rd one came from Orlando Florida at Disney’s Food and Wine Expo at Epcot.

Impossible Burger is on the right

This Impossible Burger was also dry but was covered in delicious wasabi cream and Asian style slaw.

My fourth Impossible Burger came from Burger King.

This is the first Impossible Burger that wasn’t dry but it is odd. It has a soggy mushy center. The exterior is almost like a shell. This one doesn’t have much flavor. The ketchup and pickle are very over powering to this almost tasteless burger.

The FORKING BEST IMPOSSIBLE BURGER I’ve tasted so far (as of January 2020) was The Impossible Burger from Dog Haus in Scottsdale AZ.

They did have their regular Impossible Burger on the menu and an Impossible slider but I went for the special of the month Impossible Burger. I’m not taking about the toppings here (But the did happen to be delicious). I’m really just talking about the burger. It was nicely caramelized but thin burger. It was the only Impossible burger that was actually juicy like a real burger. This one my husband tried and he also said that it was very good. This Impossible burger actually stood up to the very flavorful SPICY HOT toppings. This one was the December/January Special by Chef Ilan Hall. It was all Vegan and was adorned with chili oil, pickled vegetables, fresh jalapeño and cilantro, hoisin sauce, spicy vegan mayo on a ciabatta bun. It was FORKING HOT and FORKING SPICY but delicious and even with all that heat and spice the Impossible burger still did taste good.

Dog Haus made the FORKING BEST Impossible Burger that I tried so far. (as of January 2020…subject to change)

I just got this in an email that on February the 2nd is potato tot day and Dog Haus is dining away FREE potato tots when you order a sandwich. Thought you might want to know if you are thinking about trying the Impossible burger from Dog Haus.

Every Forking thing is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth

BREAKING NEWS – Mr Peanut involved in Tragic Accident – He might be Peanut Butter Now ****UPDATE***SUSPENDED out of respect for Kobe Bryant

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******UPDATE ******SUSPENDED out of respect for Kobe Bryant.

The Planter’s Peanut Company just released that Mr Peanut was involved in a tragic accident. The 104 year old Mr Peanut lost control of the Nut mobile to avoid hitting an armadillo.

According to someone from Planter’s, Mr Peanut had Wesley Snipes and Matt Walsh as passengers in the nut mobile. It’s not confirmed but someone was heard screaming that Mr Peanut was driving like an “OLD NUT.”

The tragic accident has been filmed and leaked on the internet. It’s been written that Mr Peanut died in an explosion and the funeral will be shown at during the 3rd quarter of the Super Bowl.

The Planters Peanut Company was founded by Amedeo Obici. He was an Italian born American from Wilkes Burro PA.

The Planters Company some time back merged with Nabisco foods and is currently owned by Kraft Heinz.

Many decades back there was a Mr Peanut Store on the Atlantic City NJ boardwalk.

Photo from Pinterest

Planters Peanuts was once a fixture in Atlantic City.

Things like this were sold in this store along with peanuts that smelled delicious.

Photo found on Pinterest

Mr Peanut Born 1916 – 2020 ?????

The Forking Truth

www.Wikipedia.com

www.Planters.com

www.Yahoo.com