The SW Veg Fest took place November 19th at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix AZ. This was a FREE family friendly event. Besides FOOD Vendors they also had merchandise venders, think tank discussions and live music. I found that the festival was vegan from what I saw….

The discussion panels were all ran by Vegans and it seemed almost religious to me. Some of the discussion topics were-

How to raise a Vegan child in a non Vegan world.

How to transfer to a Vegan lifestyle.

Vegans of Color Group.

Veganisim in politics.

Well now to the FOOD! Here’s not everything but a lot of what I saw and I did a little tasting.

Vegan Jerkee Vendor was offering all kinds of Vegan Jerky to try.

La Pupusarita offered some sort of Jack Fruit filling and a Chorizo-Like filling on Columbian Corn Meal Cakes.

Simons Hot Dogs were offering a small menu of a couple of Vegan Hot Dogs and sides. I actually had them on my long list of places to visit so I wanted to give them a try because I wondered what a Columbian Style Hot Dog was.

We decided to try a Columbian Vegan Calafornian Plant Based Hot Dog and Potato Salad.

The Columbian Hot Dog is topped with Pineapple, Vegan Mozzarella, Ketchup mixed with homemade Veganaise and crushed potato chips.

We both really liked the Potato Salad. It really was better than most Potato salad you get at places.

The Vegan Hot Dog really wasn’t bad. It had a nice texture similar to a real hotdog. It was somewhat on the mild side and could have used a little char for my taste. The rest I wasn’t too found of but the long line of fans there would disagree.

I went on to a Vendor where I have been a customer many times before…..but at their Brick and Mortar Store in Tempe. Hummus Xpress.

I found that the Food Truck version of Humus Xpress differs some from their Brick and Mortar store.

We shared a Spicy Falafel Pita Plate. The Falafel was very good and was just like from their restaurant. Tahini was good….Jalapeño Hummus was unusually thin and watery. It tasted similar but MORE spicy than the way it normally does but the hummus isn’t normally watery from the restaurant. The loose texture grossed out my husband and he wouldn’t eat it. I think they thinned it down because they accidentally made it too spicy. They garnished the pita chips with some chopped vegetables and used a hot chili sauce instead of the spicy green herby Shrug sauce they normally offer in their restaurant.

Then we walked around a bit and considered trying more food. This is some of what I came across.

Freak Brother Pizza had a sign that they will be opening a brick and mortar restaurant soon.

This was the first year of the SW Veg Fest.

Parking was somewhat difficult. Signs were not posted for the event and I feared I was in the wrong place. We were very early and got the last available parking space. If you plan to attend next year your best bet is to arrive extra early. Also free water was available but you needed to bring your own sipping container.

www.SWVegFest.com

 

 

 

 

The azcentral Food & Wine experience is a two day event. This year it took place November 4th & 5th at Salt River Fields. It was a showcase of mostly local restaurants, libations and demos. The featured special guest was Martha Steward who was there on Saturday.

Overall I DID ENJOY MYSELF but I feel this festival has taken a few steps back from the last two years as I do have a few legitimate gripes.

Several restaurants promised were not there. These are the restaurants I don’t recall coming across either day….

Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlor, Tapatio Cliffs, Little Miss BBQ, Nico Heirloom Kitchen, Orange Sky at Talking Stick, The Larder + The Delta, The Second Story Liquor Bar, Virtu Honest Craft, Zuzu at Valley Ho. I was expecting to come across these restaurants and since I didn’t I am disappointed. (Sadly El Panzon y Frida suddenly closed for business so I understand why they weren’t there)

I am also upset because I paid for VIP so I could drink better wine and use the VIP restrooms.

The wines offered this year seemed like much lower quality to the VIPS. I tried three wines Saturday that made me gag that I had to dump. I know last year they offered good well made wines like Hartford and Freemark Abby.

Yesterday the VIP restrooms were crowded to they sent me off to the regular restrooms even though I was a VIP. TODAY ON SUNDAY the VIP restrooms were locked at least till 1:30.

So I felt cheated between the inferior wine selection and the VIP restrooms I didn’t get to use.

My last gripe is that the discussion panels didn’t seem as star studded as they have been the last two years….I really enjoyed last year discussion panel and the first years discussion panel.

Maybe 2017 was just an off year….I don’t know…..

All my complaints are out now so off we go to the food.

Mostly everything I tried was either good or great! The food on Sunday in comparison to Saturday seemed to offer more upscale choices. Here are not all but some of the offerings I came across.

Among my favorite plates at the festival were the Halibut Ceviche and the Cornish Hen Mousse from Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain. I didn’t think I’d like Cornish Hen Mousse because it seems weird to me….but the flavors were outstanding. I have to give it a big thumbs up.

J&G Steakhouse also was among my favorites. They lightened up a steak in a different and delicious way. They used butternut squash and flavors and textures of orange. It was amazing. I wonder if this is ever on the menu?

From Gallo Blanco and Otro Cafe Pozole

Gnocchi in Lamb Sauce from Rancho Pinot

We both thought the the vegetarian Potatoes Bravas and Shrooms and Grits from Artisan at the Camby Hotel were very tasty.

My husband said this Pork Belly Taco from Crujiente Tacos was good!

From one of the most UNUSUAL CASUAL restaurants in Phoenix……Chino Bandito offered Red Jade Chicken, Jerk Fried Rice and Vegan Cuban Black Beans and Snickerdoodle Cookies. It was pretty tasty….

We tried several different treats from Sweet Republic. The macaron filled with orange basil sorbet was my FAVORITE!

Mariposa Latin Restaurant served a tasty quinoa salad and a very tasty chicken laced soup.

Braised Lamb and Lentils from Talavera

Another among the favorites was this short rib stuffed ravioli with horse radish cream. It was from Hearth 61 at Mountain Shadows

Mamma Toledo’s The Pie Hole served Blueberry Hand Pies

Pigs Ears from Citizen Public House and a very unique unusual Ceviche from the Gladly.

Gnocchi in Veal Sauce from an Italian Restaurant I think from Bella Gusto……

Gadzooks award wining Chicken Taco! Spicier today than last time. Still delicious!

Different Point of View did these very detailed Pork and Cheese Ravioli.

Our Own Iron Chef Tarbel’s served Octopus Tostadas.

Buffalo Brisket, a tiny Detailed Cheesecake and a Fruit Beverage came from Kai at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass

Beef Carpaccio from Cartwright’s

Kobe Burger from Aj’s Fine Foods

Well that was day 2 of the azcentral Food & Wine experience of 2017.

 

The Forking Truth is not every dining experience will be a great one. I am pleased to say most experiences are ok and many exceeded expectations. But some are downright Frightful! Here is THE FORKING TRUTH…… a collection of the most terrible food that was served to me in Metro Phoenix in the past few years.

I do note that it’s not my intention to bring  negative attention about restaurants that are still open for business. I can only reveal the names of the businesses that are closed. The restaurant business is a very difficult business to be in. For that reason there will be no name mention of restaurants that are still open for business because everything is subject to change. At least I hope so….

This polenta tower came from a well known restaurant in the Biltmore Area of Phoenix. It looks absurd and was the worst polenta I ever had in my life. I do know the Chef has been replaced since.

The worst taco I ever had in my life came from Taco Haus (long closed for business) The tortilla fell apart and the chicken was the most driest most flavorless chicken I ever tasted anywhere. I’m still choking when I think about it.

This didn’t’ taste awful….This plate came from The Local (closed for business) The food was very good but overly sparse…………

$16.00 for a lunch platter that doesn’t even meet HALF of Weight Watcher Standards. I was FORKING STAVING after this lunch. WTFork was I suppose to buy two lunches? WTFork was that chef thinking ……..It’s not even enough food to feed a gerbil…. and where the Fork was the other half of egg?……I could have used it.

Sushi that isn’t fresh is always horrifying…….Still open today in Glendale.

I went to an interesting restaurant that is now closed for business called Indy Fusion. It really wasn’t a bad restaurant at all but whoever the chef was didn’t write the menu I’m sure. He had zero understanding of what a Fondant is. Indy Fusion had a Fondant on the menu for dessert. Instead of a molten chocolate cake that’s known as a Fondant I received a lump of Fondant frosting on a plate. Instead of Indy Fusion I received Indy confusion.

I went to a certain Asian Restaurant with a Bakery in either Glendale or Phoenix. My meal was good but the dessert was inedible. It was hard like a rock. We couldn’t cut threw it. It could not be penetrated by a Fork. My husband felt the need to bust it apart with his hands.

This restaurant is located in the far west valley. I came across a few problems with the food and I tried a dessert here hoping for redemption. Instead of redemption it turned out to be a nail in the coffin as I pulled out a silicone-like object from my mouth. The waiter acted like nothing was wrong with that and he told me that it was part of the gelatin in the dessert.

Everything I tried at this restaurant in Surprise Az had problems. I actually informed the waiter and management about the multiple short comings I experienced at this restaurant. They didn’t say they were sorry or anything like that….They said they were newly opened and that is just how it was….SURPRISE!

These falafels did have a nice crunchy texture but were dry and lacked typical falafel flavors. But  a few food critics have raved about this place. Maybe this place in Glendale improved since my visit?

Old re-heated over cooked fish is never good. This came from a beautiful resort in Scottsdale. The fish came to me slightly warmed up and sat on top of a salad that was missing most of the ingredients the menu listed.

Over Cooked and over salted fish was served to me from one of the finest restaurants in Phoenix.

Tried a personal size Chicago Style Pizza from some place on the west side and it was re-heated and not fresh made and came with a burnt crust and so much cheese I felt sick.

The fish wasn’t so great and the Couscous tasted like salt….Just another bad dinner out! Somewhere in Peoria.

Had a chicken sandwich somewhere in Scottsdale. The bun was hard like a rock. The chicken slightly burnt with a weird snappy texture. The sandwich also had a canned green chile pepper that tasted like the tin can it came from….not to mention the horrible potato salad it came with….All the potatoes were over cooked and I basically got a dish with mashed potatoes, some chopped egg and mayonnaise.

Went to a Mexican Restaurant in North Phoenix. Got served the most tasteless, uninspired taco salad I ever had anywhere on warm iceberg lettuce. The chips and salsas were also the worst I ever tasted anywhere.

Went to a place in Scottsdale and was served Old Tasting Fish topped with Salty Sour Tomato paste, Lousy sides of corn that looks like vomit and gooey pierogis.

We were driving back from Vegas a while back and stopped in Sun City for a bite. Should have kept going…..Mediocre fish, less than mediocre warmed up frozen vegetables and the most disgusting mashed potatoes I’ve ever seen in my Forking life. “I asked the waiter why are the potatoes were greenish?” He said, “The Chef said that black pepper makes the potatoes green.”

I seriously think food this bad is a violation and they should have their food license pulled.

Well that was a little stroll by not all but some of the most Frightful Food served to me in Metro Phoenix. I hope I didn’t frighten you too much!

And this is my rating to these places.

Most food experiences in Metro Phoenix are better.

This was a Halloween Special Edition of The Most Frightening Horrifying Foods that were Served to Me in Metro Phoenix in the past few years.

Remember that everything is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT Differ.

Good Luck and Happy Halloween!