Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Random Forking Items of Interest

Foodstock Food Truck Event at P83 Peoria AZ Sports Complex 2018

2 Replies

 

Saturday April 28th from 12:00 – 9pm was the 2018 FOODstock Food Truck event at P83 Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria. 87 food trucks participated in this event this year. Admission was $5.00 a person, kids 12 and under were free and the proceeds went to charity.

I wasn’t going to attend after the food I tried last year….

Close up of Corned Beef Wild Buckeye Roll

I did some homework this time. I researched some of the participating food trucks and made a small list of the food trucks that are well known for serving good food. (instead of picking trucks on a whim like I did last year)…….

One of the food trucks I wanted to hit was The Main Lobster Lady.

I don’t eat lobster…..I know they are a delicacy but lobsters sort of gross me out……I see them as something like really BIG cockroaches…….and I don’t have an appetite for big insects….. I figure with the rave reviews everything must be good so we split a Haddock Sandwich.

We receive a very generously sized sandwich. it’s on a soft buttery roll. The fish is REALLY SUPER FRESH tasting and fried to PER-FEC-TION! This sure ain’t no fish from Safeway…..WOW it’s really good fish. You rarely will find fish this good around Phoenix. I gave my half a little squeeze of fresh lemon….I used a small amount of the tarter sauce…The tarter sauce is extra thick…..it’s mostly mayonnaise. This sandwich…as great as it is …..is super difficult to eat standing up…(at food stock there are only a few tables…you mostly walk and stand here)………..This fish is so delicate and the fish is so flaky. You really need three hands to handle this sandwich….everything is bursting out and I  look like a mess…..Good thing you can’t see me. As messy as it was this was a much better start than last year.

The next Food Truck down happened to be on my list. It was the Puffy Taco Truck.

We shared a chicken taco plate with added green chilies. I think we waited about 15minutes in the high heat for this plate. It was about 90 degrees F but in the hot strong sun it felt like a little over 100 degrees.

The best part of this plate are the Puffy Taco Shells…..They do have a nice fresh really good corn taste……The Taco shells are very good. The chicken was fresh moist and tender pulled rags of plain breast meat. topped with lots of iceberg lettuce, a little cheese, our added chilies and  chopped tomato. I use the salsa…..the salsa is very plain and lacks herbs, tang, seasoning and flavor.  The chilies are mild. The chicken and salsa are delicate and were barely touched with flavor so you can taste the taco shell more……….

We walk around the whole place and I have three more stops on my list – Mingo’s Louisiana Kitchen, Jamburrito’s Cajun Grill and Mighty Moo.

Mingo’s and Jamburritos are not here.

Bummer ……….. 🙁     🙁    🙁

I just read this morning on www.phoenix.carpediem.cd that they were suppose to be here.

Decide it’s best to end this thing here on a sweet note.

Very good small batch hand crafted Ice Cream from Mighty Moo. For me it was a small cup of Chocolate covered cherry and my husband had salted butterscotch.

With a small amount of research with food trucks I did much better than last year. It’s too bad the Food Truck List is subject to change. If I go next year I now know to create a longer food truck list to do better.

That was my visit to the 2018 FOODstock.

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

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Jelly Belly Krispy Kreme Doughnut Flavored Jelly Beans

Leave a reply

 

Jelly Belly is known for making some sopistacated flavors of Jelly Beans. Most people I know either LOVE or HATE Jelly Belly Jelly Beans because of some of the realistic flavors. These are not the type of jelly beans where you can eat handfuls of…..Jelly Belly Jelly beans you need to savor either one or a couple at a time. Some flavors are surprisingly realistic like the pear flavor, peach flavor and the cantaloupe flavor. Another very realistic flavor is the popcorn flavor. It taste just like popcorn but it is very strange to taste salty buttery popcorn in a sweet jelly bean….Many people can’t get over the strangeness of the popcorn flavor and some people I know just can’t enjoy jelly beans one or two at a time. So you either love or hate Jelly Belly Jelly Beans….

I came across these Krispy Kreme Doughnut Flavored Jelly Belly Jelly Beans so I thought I’d give them a try,

The whole bag is only 100 calories!

Five flavors are packed in the bag – Cinnamon Apple Filled, Strawberry Iced, Glazed Blueberry Cake, Original Glazed Doughnut and Chocolate Iced with Sprinkles.

I open up the package. The package does smell like a box of doughnuts!

I got around 26 jelly beans. I received many Cinnamon Apple Filled and only two with Chocolate Iced Sprinkles.

I start by tasting them one at a time.

My least favorite is the Glazed Blueberry Cake. It’s not horrible or anything like that. It doesn’t really taste like Blueberry to me and has a slight tartness to it.

The Cinnamon Apple Filled is leans heavy on the cinnamon side. This Jelly Bean had better flavor and when I ate two at a time the apple flavor squeezed out some.

One of the better flavors was the Original Glazed. It taste just like fried Glazed Doughnuts but with the Jelly Bean Texture. I don’t thing I’d eat handfuls of this flavor but in a small dose it’s interesting.

Chocolate Iced was Pretty Good! I got Chocolate Iced Doughnut Taste but the flavor leaned towards Chocolate Sprinkles.

I like the Strawberry Iced the best. It taste just like a realistic strawberry iced doughnut.

Those were My Forking Thoughts on Jelly Belly Krispy Kreme Flavored Jelly Beans.

Your Forking Thoughts may or may NOT Differ……

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on NEW Crunchy Mint & Raspberry M&M’s Candy

Leave a reply

 

M&M’s have put out for a limited time three new flavors of M&M’s Candy – Crunchy Raspberry, Crunchy Mint and Crunchy Espresso. I’m only trying the Raspberry and Mint flavored M&M’s. On the back of the package they suggest that you text them your favorite of the three flavors. They also note that no prize will be awarded and there is little other information.

I start by opening the Raspberry Bag.

I take a whiff.

It smells just like those dark chocolate raspberry jelly rings that my sister loves.

Next I pour some out.

Odd colors for raspberry – white, red and brown….I was expecting purple like the bag…..and smaller irregular shapes and different sizes.

I go to taste one and let it melt in my mouth.

Hard shell that sort of taste like Raspberry Bubble Yum. Followed by a burst of a dark chocolate taste that is slightly bitter mixed with that candy jelly ring like raspberry taste…then I’m left with a crunchy center that taste like Rice Chex cereal.

I get more flavor when I eat about three of them normal……..I really like the texture…..this is what the crispy M&M’s should be like……..very crisp and light……but…I get…Ick!…a chemical after taste…ick!

Now I bravely go for the Crunchy Mint.

I open the bag and take a whiff.

It smells appetizing…..very chocolate and very mint…….reminds me of an Andie’s Candy.

I pour some out.

These M&M’s are also of different sizes and shapes but are larger than the Crunchy Raspberry M&M’s. They are a light green a medium green and brown.

I let one dissolve in my mouth.

Normal candy shell.

Taste like deep chocolate with lots of mint…….lots of mint…..clears my head….I like the very strong mint. Almost gives me a brain freeze. There is a cereal center…..when all the chocolate is gone the cereal taste like a Rice Chex.

I go to eat some normal.

Ummm I think these are pretty good.

A nice light crunchy texture with very strong mint and deep chocolate. Sort of like an Andie’s Chocolate Mint but with lots of textures.

I think these would also be really yummy with ice cream.

Opps!………… I ate a few handfuls….. they were yummy…..Now I get an artificial tic tac breath mint kind of mint build up and aftertaste…..wow it’s like sex that ends with a fart.

I guess the new Crunchy Mint is only good if you only eat a few.

I’m not big on the Crunchy Raspberry but it does have a nice texture. The Crunchy Mint also has a great texture and is great until you get that Tic Tac breath mint kind of build up.

Those were my Forking Thoughts on Crunchy Raspberry and Mint M&M’s…I note that YOUR FORKING OPINION may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

Fried Fish in Metro Phoenix

Leave a reply

 

www.ckclipart.com

Maybe you didn’t get your fix of fried fish yet? You might not be aware that there is a lot of fish frying in Metro Phoenix. Here’s a collection of some of the fried fish I tried in Metro Phoenix in no particular order.

I never went to a Long John Silver’s before….I thought maybe it might be similar to the old time Arthur Treacher’s from before they got sold and went down hill several decades back. WOW this was awful. It had an old oil taste to it. The fish actually tasted frozen….I offered a piece to my dog Louie and poor old Louie spit it out…..he really was a foodie.  I felt I committed doggie abuse by offering him this fish. My other dog isn’t as picky and ate the spit out fish.

Tim Finnegan’s Irish Restaurant and Pub makes one of the best Fish and Chips I’ve tried here. The batter was shattering crisp and the mild tasting fish was meaty.

Here’s a Fried Cod and Salmon Combo from Oscar’s Pier 83 in Glendale AZ. Fried Salmon is maybe too rich for me to be fried….Somehow Fried Salmon is so buttery it’s almost like eating fried avocado. The Cod was better…..I usually get the broiled fish here but their speciality is the fried fish and they do Fried Fish better.

Here’s Fried Walleye from Jim Michael’s in Sun City.

You can also get Fried Walleye from Q Bar and Grill in Peoria AZ.

I got this Fried Walleye from Scottsdale Beer Company in Scottsdale AZ. I liked the flavor of the batter but coating was soft and bread-ee……I have a preference for shattering crisp batter. But I have to add that they gave me a big meaty Walleye.

This Fried Walleye came from TapHouse Kitchen. I hit them when a new cook must have been on because all the batter on the fish went soggy. I think maybe the fries steamed the batter on the fish here and made it soggy.

The Mexican Fish Sandwich from Rocket Burger is very tasty…..They don’t use high quality fish but all the the zesty slaw and Rocket sauce are so delicious. It just turns into a yummy sandwich.

It’s really sad that they can teach a dumb teenager at a fast food restaurant such as Culver’s to make shattering crisp battered fish better than at from some restaurants.

I had a whole Fried Perch at La Barquita in Phoenix AZ. The fish looks very big but I think I only got maybe two ounces of fish to eat……

The most surprising really great Fried Fish came from Original Cuisine in Mesa AZ.

I always thought I didn’t like the texture and taste of Catfish. It more slimy than other fish and usually muddy tasting. But in the right hands of someone from Original Cuisine they turned a Catfish into a feast for two!. It was almost like eating incredibly spicy mouth numbing fried chicken. The fish was very meaty and had a very crisp crunchy skin.

Another one of the best Fried Fish I tried came from Ocotillo in Phoenix.

This one is a little different. Here is Meaty Sweet Cod that’s Panko Coated. The fries were also delicious and were seasoned with seaweed and sea salt.

That was some of the Fried Fish I tried in Metro Phoenix.

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

The Forking Truth

Every FORKING THING is subject to change

Leave a reply

 

WhyyyyyyyWhyyyyyWhy…..

It’s not my intention to bring negative attention towards this particular restaurant in Metro Phoenix. But on the other hand I do tell The FORKING Truth so here it is. If you read my reviews you will be able to figure out what restaurant this happened at. I can only hope that I hit them on a bad day………..because last time the food and service was wonderful.

Tonight we were seated on the patio. I noticed the meatballs I had last time were discontinued and I went with another variety that I also wanted to try – The Eggplant Parmesan Balls. Doesn’t that sound yummy? It sounds delicious to me….I wondered how’d they would make them. I wondered if they’d have a cheesy molten center…..Or maybe they’d be wrapped in a blanket of melted cheese………I ordered the Eggplant Balls in the spicy arrabiatta sauce I enjoyed last time and tried the stuffed gnocchi that also sounded really interesting to me……

Our meals arrived by a food jockey or runner. (Not Our Server) We wait and wait and nobody offers us cheese for our meals….My husband gets up and walks to the other end of the patio to someone who is carrying around cheese to come to our table and we get some.

I notice my gnocchi are sitting in a lot of oil…… At home I make gnocchi too and I also coat them in oil because it adds a nice flavor (if your using quality oil) and also keeps the gnocchi from sticking together…but this is too much oil. I don’t want to eat all this oil….It’s too much oil for a person to eat…so I try to blot off each gnocchi.

They are indeed stuffed with spinach and cheese but they have a strange texture. It’s hard to explain but better gnocchi are suppose to be soft and light and when made correctly melt in your mouth. These are soft in a different way…….I’m not sure what happened here…I’m thinking the potatoes used were too wet or maybe the gnocchi are just over cooked.

The sauce doesn’t taste like the DELICIOUS Spicy Arrabiatta sauce I had last time. The sauce is still good but I’m thinking it might be regular marinara sauce….It isn’t spicy at all.

Now I go for an Eggplant Parmesan Ball….to me it sounds like it should be breaded eggplant with melted cheese.

It’s very mushy…… 🙁 with tough eggplant skin…..:( and it FORKING COLD in the center! Maybe it isn’t even cooked all the way??? …I know when I cook eggplant at home the skin (if I use it) is always soft……

WTFORK this sucks…….

www.pinterest

I got mushy pasta and mushy balls in a very oily sauce and tough chewy eggplant skin.

I’m very hungry because I only had a salad at lunch……so I manage to eat one of the three mushy not good balls……My husband asks me to try a second ball because last time one of the meatballs differed from the other two….No such luck this time number two is also mushy with tough eggplant skin and COLD in the center. ………..

Our waitress didn’t bother to check on us…….after we were done someone acting as a manager does ask us how things were and if I’d like my leftovers wrapped up

www.pinterest

……I told her that I didn’t want my leftovers wrapped up and then we tell her why ………

Sauce is not the same as last time and isn’t spicy.

Nobody offered us cheese.

Eggplant balls were mushy and were served with cold centers. They didn’t even taste good.

I didn’t say anything about the pasta…..I think maybe it was just over cooked.

We were offered a complimentary dessert that we turned down so we paid and left.

That’s how it went this time.

Every FORKING THING EVERYWHERE is subject to change and your experience or MY EXPERIENCE may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

My Forking Thoughts on Neapolitan M&M’s a Target Exclusive

Leave a reply

 

I noticed that Neapolitan Flavored M&M’s are being sold exclusively at Target Stores. Neapolitan  flavored means that each candy contains Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry flavors. I remember when I was a kid that we usually had these Neapolitan Slices of ice-cream in our home freezer most of the time. I thought this seems like a good combination. I’ll give it a try.

I start by opening the bag and take a whiff.

It smells like Neapolitan Ice-Cream. I get the Chocolate and Strawberry aroma.

I pour some M&M’s out. They are assorted sizes. Some are small like regular M&M’s and some are bigger like peanut M&M’s. They come in Brown, White and Pink. The same colors as Neapolitan Ice-Cream. I cut a big one in half and a small one in half to look inside. It’s a white center surrounded by a chocolate coating with a hard candy shell.

These are different.

The Strawberry flavor almost goes threw the candy….At first I thought the shell was strawberry flavored because I did indeed taste  strawberry……but after a few more I’m thinking the strawberry is just under the candy shell because I am getting MORE strawberry flavor under the shell.  Maybe the flavor bleeds?    The chocolate flavor isn’t the normal M&M’s Chocolate….ah ha…………I recognize it! ………..It’s the sandwich cookie M&M…….The one that looks like an Oreo on the M&M package. Can’t fool me….ha.   A very similar flavor to any budget brownies’ fudge topping.

It’s Sandwich Cookie Chocolate with a normal creamy white M&M center. I think the fake strawberry flavor (from Strawberry nut and Chocolate covered Strawberry) was applied to the sandwich cookie chocolate and then the hard sugar coat was applied.

Somehow it’s not terrible together…….Not a favorite but it’s ok in small amounts and doesn’t leave a chemical taste like some of the others.

1/2 a Fork…I can take it or leave it.

Your experience may or may not differ…….

That was my Forking Thoughts on the new Neapolitan M&M’s

The Forking Truth

Jean Philippe has left Las Vegas NV

9 Replies

Jean Philippe Aria Las Vegas

I was suddenly saddened to find out that  Jean Philippe is no longer in Las Vegas. His Patisserie Shops in the Bellagio and the Aria offered some of the finest pastries in the country.  After twenty years he has left the Las Vegas Strip. In 1997 Jean Philippe won the Meilleur Ourier de France Award (Best Pastry Chef in France). Soon after he became executive pastry chef of the Bellagio Hotel/Casino in Las Vegas. He was the brainchild to adding to the Bellagio the BIGGEST CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN in the world (it’s still there). He also competed and helped win several World Pastry Championship Competitions for the United States. He was later to becoming the executive pastry chef to the Aria Hotel/Casino as well. (but later left to pursue his own business idessert in San Diego). For years and years I’ve been visiting Vegas and the Jean Philippe Pastries have always been an indulgent special must do treat to look forward too on every visit here……..Best and prettiest pastries I’ve tried in the country….like no other……If Jean Philippe’s Desserts were a stone they’d be a diamond. If they were a car they’d be a Bugatti.

On my recent visit I saw this in the Bellagio. These pasties look nice but ain’t no Bugatti.

Bellagio Patisserie Las Vegas NV

As soon as I saw the Pastries I knew instantly it wasn’t Jean Philippe. My heart sank. While these pastries look lovely they just aren’t on the level that Jean Philippe are……..They are not a Bugatti…….they are more like a shiny new Ford Fusion.  I was hoping that maybe someone that worked for Jean Philippe maybe was making the pastries with his recipes so I did purchase two to sample……a key lime and a hazelnut……..wow….worse than I thought……Tasted not as good as a Ford Fusion…….(in fairness the key lime was better than the hazelnut)…….The hazelnut tasted more like a Pinto and I don’t mean Pinto Bean…I mean Ford Pinto……

Got very sad…….. It was like someone clubbed me in the knees with a BIG Forking Bat.

WhyyyyyyyWhyyyyyWhy…..

No longer is the casino graced with Masterful Edible Sculptures Grace the Aria or the Bellagio. Here are a few of the past Creations I enjoyed. They were so classy…the best…award worthy. ……..fine art.   Something special to enjoy. A reason to enjoy  Las Vegas more. To me this is what Las Vegas is suppose to be……

Jean Philippe Aria Las Vegas

This is hand worked Chocolate Art.

Jean Philippe Aria Las Vegas

Hand Worked Chocolate Art.

Hand Worked Chocolate Art.

Hand Worked Chocolate Art.

Hand worked chocolate art.

Hand worked chocolate art.

I’m sorry now I didn’t photo what I saw in the display case so you all out there can see the difference. Instead of these masterful creations what they put out in the display case was just cardboard cut outs in March 2018. I didn’t think it was worth a photo at the time.

Here are only a few of what used to be.

Jean Philippe in the Aria Las Vegas NV A very detailed and deletable Lemon Meringue individual pie …the best!

Jean Philippe Bellagio Hotel/Casino Las Vegas – the most amazing Blueberry Cupcake anyone could imagine.

I remember trying other varieties over the years I know I tried the Key Lime, Something Chocolate and Chocolate Cupcake, something Hazelnut, a Fruit Tart. The desserts were very memorable that’s why I can remember them years later. But I’d go back and usually have the Lemon Meringue. I only had the Blueberry Cupcake once and it was a new favorite. It was the most layered and detailed cupcake in the whole world and it really did taste like a blueberry (one of the most difficult of flavors). I don’t remember everything but the cake was hallowed out and brushed with something delicious and then filled with a delicious I think blueberry cream and then had another layer of something like blueberry chocolate and then a thin layer of maybe blueberry filling and then stuffed with perfect cake the was topped with another 3 or 4 things……topped off with a chocolate blueberry….that all taste amazing!!!!!   I never had anything thing like this anywhere before. That’s just the blueberry……everything else was detailed just the same……..I never had any other dessert anywhere with such flavors and layers anywhere.

Another thing that’s gone now and that is only a sweet memory. I am hoping that the Bellagio and Aria are just between Executive Pastry Chefs and hope that a new Pastry Chef will be hired.

It will never be the same but I do know other great pastry chefs are out there.

Although it’s a good-bye to Jean Philippe in Las Vegas it’s also can be a Hello to Jean Philippe in San Diego with a more casual concept. Say Hi to www.idessert.com some sort of customized dessert concept.

At the time of this publication (March 2018) Jean Philippe has left Las Vegas.

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

The Forking Truth

 

 

Where The Fork I’ve Been and some Restaurants in LAS VEGAS

2 Replies

 

For a little while we are leaving Metro Phoenix and will visit the Las Vegas Strip. I visited quite a few places. The most booked restaurant in Las Vegas now is Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kichen and I was there…..

Had to go to an old favorite Milos a Greek Seafood Restaurant and have the amazing Three Course $29. Lunch Special.

Finally made it to Eggslut. Limited Cage Free egg menu.

Had to go to a newer favorite Lago for the really great 3-Course $28.00 Lunch Special.

Strolled by Giada’s Pronto. They are very new. Sandwiches looked old so I didn’t eat there. To be fair they are newly opened and a great BIG 45,000 person convention was in town so maybe they expected more business so maybe they just made more sandwiches than they needed. Maybe they are better now.

I also didn’t eat at this restaurant across from Pronto but it looked cool.

I tried Mercato della Pescheria an Italian Seafood Restaurant in the Venetian.

 

I tried a new Favorite….Momofuku

The Bellagio and Aria Patisseries (same desserts made in the same kitchen….sadly no longer Jean Philippe.  Looks mostly the same but the masterful chocolate work is gone. The pastries were indeed different.

Another old favorite is gone. Emeril’s Table Ten. It’s been a favorite of mine for many years. This restaurant offered the most variety of the Emeril Restaurants. It was a little New American a little New Orleans, Steaks, Fish and more. The food was terrific and it also was a great value for Vegas Standards. I knew something was weird and not right on my last visit there…..I guess they knew they were closing. It’s no good bye to Emeril. He has three other restaurants on the Las Vegas Strip.

For me no trip would be complete without the splurge dinner at L’ATELIER by Joel Robuchon.

That was the sneak peek!

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Popbar in Peoria AZ

Leave a reply

 

Popbar is located in Westgate in Peoria AZ. This is a small casual dessert eatery. They specialize in frozen confections in several mixtures that you can customize. They offer Pops in Gelato, Sorbetto, Sandwich Style, Yogurt Pops, Treats and More!

So many bars…..What to pick? I know I don’t want a Yogurt Bar………Not that it’s bad or anything like that ……….but to me Yogurt isn’t fun as Gelato or Sorbetto. Gelato bars in many flavors….some are pistachio, hazelnut, peanut butter, green tea, coconut and many more. Some of the gelato flavors are pineapple, peach, mango, lemon, blood orange, apricot…….I decide to go with Passionfruit Sorbetto.

I think they offered 5 or 6 dips and mostly different nut toppings. Now I pick white chocolate dip and milk chocolate.

My husband got Pistachio Gelato coated in milk chocolate and pistachios.

WOW!  The Passionfruit is FORKING AMAZING! The Flavor is very strong and very true to the way a passionfruit taste. The chocolate coating are on the thick side but seem ok. The Pop melts in my mouth pretty well.  The Pistachio is ok……not as true as the passionfruit but ok. The Pistachio Gelato is slightly harder than I want it to be……It doesn’t melt as well…you have to eat it. The Passionfruit just melts in your mouth and it as delicious as a fresh passionfruit.

The Passionfruit Pop was so Forking Good I doubt that I’ll ever get to try any of the other flavors.

www.pop-bar.com

That was my trip to Popbar in Peoria AZ.

You aren’t going to travel across town for this but if you find yourself at Westgate or in the Outlets then you might want to give Popbar a try.

Every FORKING thing is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth is that All Restaurants have Potential

2 Replies

 

The Forking Truth is that All Restaurants have potential. They have potential to do well or not to do well. I am purposely  not mentioning the name of this restaurant because they are newly opened. It is NOT my intention to bring negative attention to them. It is my hope that they work things out because this restaurant certainly has potential that can go either way. I am not a professional reviewer by any means and  I pay my own way just like you when I go out to a restaurant. I am not treated special and I walk in like anyone else. I can’t cherry pick my stories and only tell the good ones. I can only tell The Forking Truth.

Somewhere in metro Phoenix a New BBQ Restaurant opened and I had to try it for a few reasons. The chef is a known competition BBQ Master……so that means his BBQ should be great. The Chef was also skilled enough to make it on to the Food Network Grill Masters TV Show and the other reason I had to try this place was that pastrami was a regular item on the menu and no other BBQ restaurant that I know of in the area offers pastrami regularly on the menu. I’ve been working on my own pastrami recipe so this was of special interest to me. Pastrami is a lot of work and a very difficult thing to prepare correctly. Things do go wrong even if you do things correctly because each brisket is different. That is why (not all) but nearly every deli out there does NOT BRINE Corned Beef or Pastrami in house. The majority of places that serve corned beef and pastrami pay a professional company to brine by their own recipe. Pastrami sort of is an art. Speaking of art there’s artsy kind of decor in this tiny restaurant.

The dining room is very small with very limited seating and some stools on the other side.

When I arrived on the patio there was five outside tables but then they removed one for a DJ to set up.

Back to coming in……

As you enter your at the counter.

You see BBQ Awards to your left and a Pig Mural to your right. In front of you is the menu.

We made our orders and sat ourselves on the patio. In about fifteen minutes my husband goes to pick up our order…..

We orded a New York Style Hot Pastrami Sandwich that was suppose to contain a PTG Slaw (…..oh initials of Chef Guy) Russian Dressing and Toasted Marble Rye.

The White at bottom of sandwich is fat

My sandwich was missing the slaw….not a deal breaker but someone should have told me that they didn’t have slaw ready yet. The Pastrami is barely warm but is tender, a bit fatty with a few fat chunks I have to remove. It’s very different……..Mildly seasoned and mildly smoked…Not much of a crust but it’s a different unique style………It’s more like corned beef but with a very slight smoke……The dressing they used is sweet with chunks of pickles in it ………(technically more of a Thousand Island Dressing and not the savory, spicy Russian Dressing)  …..The bread was toasted nice but I would have enjoyed the sandwich more with thinner bread….. It’s a lot of bread….like a double portion….I make a big 1/2 sandwich out of it and it’s still a lot of bread to eat with the meat. Makes it hard to taste the meat with so much bread. Maybe the ratio would have been better if my sandwich contained the slaw it was suppose to have.

We also tried the Two Meat Plate with an added Hot Link. I have to be FORKING Honest here……The Brisket had really good flavor but was just barely warm with hard fat and the beef part was chewy like rubber. This meat wasn’t ready to be served to people.

After I tried a bite my husband asked me to try more and I said, “NO.” My husband said the pork was good and he said the Hot Link would have been good if it wasn’t dried out…Usually Hot Links are juicy.

The Forking Truth is that the Cheesy Jalapeño Grits were inedible.

Again another thing served next to being cold and the grits were still hard and crunchy in a drippy thin watery sauce. It was like trying to eat sand mixed with water.

We told someone about the grits and she ran away. (Wow, I found this baffling…no I’ll tell the chef or I’m sorry or I’ll take that off your bill or anything……we didn’t get to say anything else….she just ran away….who does that?)

I will say the Waffle Fries were Delicious…..Seasoned nicely, seemed oil free with a fluffy interior. Shame they were also almost cold too.

To sum things up – The only thing that was served at the correct temperature was the Hot Link. All the other hot items were served next to cold.  My Sandwich came out without slaw. The Brisket and Grits were served to us before they were ready to be served to people. That is NOT Professional or OK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES……..(that is something a child might do)…….and lastly……….We started to tell someone about the grits and as we were talking she ran away….

We cleaned up our stuff and left. No Thank you for coming or come back again or anything.

The Forking Truth is that all restaurants have potential….to do well or not.

Hopefully they will work things out……… but I’m not going back.

Every FORKING THING Everyday Anywhere is subject to change and YOUR Experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth