Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Random Forking Items of Interest

Where the Fork I Went…… Fall Arizona Restaurant Week 2017 #EATARW

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The Forking Truth

Fall Restaurant Week ran from September 15th-24th in 2017. There were over 160 restaurants participating. Most were offering three course meals at either $33.00 or $44.00. Some were offering couple packages for either the $33.00 or $44.00 and a few other special deals going on. This really is a time to discover a new restaurant that you haven’t been to. I’ve been to Match Cuisine and Cocktails at the Boutique Found:re Hotel before but yet again they have a new chef and new menu. So I felt the restaurant was new again. The Executive Chef is the FAMOUS Alex Stratta…….AKA Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef, James Beard Award Winning Chef, Personal Chef to Jesus Chef ( I made that one up). He’s very well known and has impressive Chef History and training. For restaurant week The menu sounds amazing so here I am again at Match Cuisine and Cocktails at the Found:re.

You step into the lobby and this some of what you will see.

It is so cool looking here.

Our First Courses were Tabbouleh with Citrus Marinated Ahi and Lobster with Spinach Agnolotti.

The Tabbouleh was Non-Traditional and was served over a passionfruit vinaigrette. It not their fault but the strongest onions I ever tasted in my life were used here. My husband said the lobster was cooked nicely and the Agnolotti were good.

Dinner was Halibut with Vegetables in a Parsley Sauce and Short Rib with Shallot and Potato Gnocchi.

Halibut was Textbook Perfect with a perfect sear and the flesh was moist and flaky. The Parsley sauce was a little flat…maybe the container needed a stir? The Short Rib was tender and flavorful. Gnocchi were tender but not gummy.

There weren’t any strong flavors in any of the above dishes (expect for the onions) For the most part everything was pretty mellow.

Dessert was a little bit of Tapioca Pudding with a little chopped fruit, topped with toasted coconut. Restaurant Week Priced at $33.00 (2017)

That was Match Cuisine and Cocktails at Found:re  www.MatchPHX.com

Another Night I re-Visited Christopher’s and Crush Lounge in Phoenix. I know I’m suppose to go to a new place but Christopher’s knocked it out of the park last year and I enjoyed a few dinners there since so we couldn’t resist. This restaurant is a little different than most. The Chef Christopher is an actual James Beard Award Wining Chef that owns and actually works in his restaurant. He personally greats everyone and ask how things were while he is working on the line.

Christopher’s and Crush Lounge Phoenix AZ

They started us off with the amazing in-house made French Baguette and French Butter…Ummmmmm

First Courses were Herb Ravioli and Scallops and Tart of House Smoked Salmon. Words aren’t needed for any of the dishes…Here you just eat because everything (so far…every time I’ve been here) has been absolutely perfect and delicious.

Dinners were Buttery Sole Meuniere and Duck Confit Cassoulet.

Then we shared a delightful an Artisan Cheese Course. (Husband’s dessert pick)

Lastly we shared Chef Christopher’s REALLY Incredible dessert!

Parnassienne of Chocolate. It’s the most beautiful Mousse Tower I’ve ever seen and an amazing treat!

Then they sent us home with a whole baguette.

We always have a splendid dinner at Christopher’s and Crush Lounge. Restaurant Week Priced was $44.00 with optional wine pairing.

www.ChristophersAZ.com

That was Fall Arizona Restaurant Week for me 2017.

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

The Forking Truth

 

 

Where the Fork I Ate in Las Vegas

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Vegas is a place like no other. It’s sort of like Disney Land but Micky had some botox and Dumbo ain’t so dumb and sells souvenirs for more than peanuts.

You can land the finest in clothes and jewelry.

You can stay in the highest end hotels.

Everywhere you go it’s a show.

You can find and see all kinds of things that’s only in Vegas. HONEST to GOD…We were in an elevator with an Elvis impersonator who was disabled and on a scooter. (dressed as an older Elvis in the white jeweled jump suit) He was drunk with a large can of beer that he accidentally spilled in the elevator.

There’s booze, gambling, prostitution, weed, a mob museum.

For about a week every year Las Vegas gets spaced out with the Star Trek Convention.

Vegas is a busy crowed place filled with people from all over the world.

Vegas can be insincere and is artificial.

BUT The FOOD is mostly so GOOD! Not just good. If you hit the right spots FORKING GREAT!

Over the next week or so I will be writing about the places I ate at while in Las Vegas.

Here is a sneak peak of what’s to come.

Just a taste!

Table Ten Las Vegas

In The Venetian

In the Venetian

Don’t worry about the calories. Everything stays in Vegas.

The Forking Truth

 

 

My Forking Thoughts on Hershey’s NY Cherry Cheesecake Bar

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Hershey’s is one of the largest manufacturers of chocolate in North America. They’ve been manufacturing affordable chocolate since 1894. People of a certain age might remember the jingle from TV commercials that went……”Hershey’s the Great American Chocolate Bar”……..Until now I haven’t come across much in the way of unusual or weird flavored food in the Hershey’s Brand until now. Here is Flavor of New York Cherry Cheesecake bar embedded with crispy cookies. New York is famous for many foods but one of the New York Specialties is considered to be Cheesecake.

I open up the bar.

It doesn’t smell appetizing.

It smells like a combination of cough syrup laced with something I remember from my childhood……..my Mom’s cedar Closet with moth balls. (I don’t think people have cedar closets or use moth balls anymore)

It also doesn’t look appetizing.

Looks like a skin disease …….. maybe… chicken pox.

I bravely taste a pip.

It’s very sweet like canned frosting.

It doesn’t taste natural at all… It really doesn’t taste like any kind of food.

It taste like how it smells……Very Sweet…..main flavor is cough syrup…..laced with cedar closet moth balls.

feeling something gritty…..

Yuk…the lumps taste like crumbs of cough syrup.

My mouth feels very greasy now.

YUK! THIS IS FORKING AWFUL!

I don’t think any person in the whole wide world can enjoy this…….

Poor Milton Hershey would be turning in his grave if he could taste this bar with his name on it.

I have no understanding of how such an awful tasting product could have been manufactured.

NOT WORTH A FORK!

NOT WORTH A FORK!

My Forking Thoughts on the Hershey’s NY Cherry Cheesecake Bar.

Your taste and experience may or may not differ……(but I FORKING doubt it)

The Forking Truth

The Chicken Fajita Salad Battle Glendale AZ Popo’s VS Phoenix AZ Carlos O’Brien’s Mexican Food

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This is a well matched battle. The competitors are two established local Sonoran Style Mexican Restaurants that have two or more locations. For the most part they offer a similar menu. I do note the Carlos O’Brien’s is a new location for the Local small chain but this company has been in business for over 20 years so I feel they are free game to battle. Both competitors are located in North Phoenix or what locals call the Way North.

Ladies and Gentlemen……. In the Phoenix corner is Carlo’s O’Brien’s Mexican Restaurant.

The Set up is-The Fajita Style Chicken Salad- Fajita Style Chicken, salad, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole and sour cream $13.95

The chicken is moist, a little greasy and nicely caramelized. The tomatoes are unripe and the iceberg lettuce is very plain. This is a very plain salad…..very very plain. My guacamole was forgotten but latter arrived. It was a small side of mashed avocados with non-detectible seasoning.

Pros-

nothing is burnt.

nothing is spoiled.

I didn’t get sick after eating here.

Cons – This salad is very uninspired.

Suggestions –

Alert the public that this salad lacks any seasoning or flavor.

Consider changing the recipe or your order if you are a customer.

and now Ladies and Gentlemen!

In the Glendale corner is Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol.

The set up is – The Chicken Fajita Salad – Fajita Chicken, Garden Salad with the grilled onions, bell peppers, avocado, scallions, tomatoes, cheese, olives served in a flour tortilla bowl. $10.99

Chicken Fajita Salad with Cheese on Side ( and a s/o of guacamole given to me off my husband’s plate.)

The chicken is moist and nicely seasoned. I received lots of fresh avocado, tomatoes, olives, grilled peppers and onions over mixed greens. The salad is flavorful and very hardy.

Pros- The salad taste good.

It’s a salad that I most likely won’t make at home so it’s a treat.

I don’t feel the least bit deprived ordering a salad.

The salad cost about $3.00 less than from the Phoenix competitor.

Con’s- This salad is a gut buster.

It’s impossible to eat the whole thing and leftovers turn to a soggy mess.

The Verdict

Chicken Fajita Salad with Cheese on Side ( and a s/o of guacamole given to me off my husband’s plate.)

Glendale’s Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol Mexican Restaurant – It’s a much better tasting flavorful salad bursting with thoughtful ingredients and priced at about $3.00 less.

I do note that EVERY FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

My Forking Thoughts on Lay’s Everything Bagel Potato Chips

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The Lay’s Million Dollar finalist winning flavors for the  “Do Us a Flavor” Contest varieties are now out in stores for us to try!  I was pretty excited to try out the Everything Bagel and Cream Cheese Kettle Cooked Potato Chips from Lay’s. Everything Bagels are so bold with flavors. Those bagels are crusted with onions, garlic, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. All them flavors really wake you up and I thought that this would be a very easy flavor to pull off.

I start by opening the bag and take a whiff.

It smells like something fried.

It smells a little bit like fried onion rings.

I smell a slight sourness……

I pour some chips on to a paper towel.

I notice that the chips are very small and came from tiny potatoes. Many of the chips are folded and some are sprinkled with poppy seeds.

These chips are greasy. My paper towel is getting oily.

They are very crunchy with some potato flavor.

They do have some sort of flavor that’s similar to buttermilk with a hint of onion.

Almost ranch………..Almost Onion Dip……….some sort of cheese flavor?

Some chips are almost flavorless and some have stronger flavors.

I don’t get any sesame seeds….I don’t get that burnt onion taste…I don’t get the pops of garlic either.

Some of the chips taste almost a weird buttery flavor with poppy seeds…like a poppy seed crunch with a slightly tangy buttery dip-like like product.

Not so good………Not horrible…….disappointing!

1/2 a Fork…………

Crispy Taco and Fried Green Tomato are also out for a limited time.

Give them a try if your up for it!

Your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Guy Fieri Original Salsa

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Salsa is a tasty dip made from fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, spices, cilantro and vinegar and or lime juice. I usually prepare my own but I can’t all the time so I need to pick up a jar every now and then. I do find that most jarred salsa is awful and doesn’t taste like salsa. So I am on the hunt for jarred salsa that taste ok.

I decided to try a jar of Guy Fieri Original Salsa. Guy Fieri is a Restauranteur, Cook Book Author, Food Network TV Host and Television Personality. He gives the impression on TV that he knows something about food…especially bar grub so I thought I’d give his salsa a try after being on the hunt for a long time.

I open the jar and it doesn’t look like salsa. It looks like jarred spaghetti sauce.

Salsa from a Mexican Restaurant near me looks like this. The salsa pictured below is bright and fresh tasting with chunks of real tomatoes, hot peppers, fresh cilantro and garlic.

So I go and take in the aroma of Guy Fieri’s Salsa before I taste it.

WOW it smells like cumin……….. we are talking Donkey Boats of Cumin.

Then I go to taste it.

It taste kind of GOOD but in a spaghetti sauce laced with lots of cumin kind of way and not like salsa……. This salsa lacks that fresh salsa taste and texture….it’s more like cooked down tomatoes  with lots of cumin and some cooked vegetables.

It does have a little heat and some other flavors but it’s very heavy with and mostly CUMIN.

I guess “Flavor Town” is mostly flavored with cumin.

Lets see what the bottle says.

Lets take a better look at the ingredients.

Oddly it does taste better than most of the other jarred salsas I tried….It’s good but in a weird way…….because……………. it doesn’t taste like salsa to me………. (to me) It’s  salsa that taste like spaghetti sauce flavored with cumin.

Your opinion may or may not differ from mine.

Go and try it and see what you think.

The Forking Truth

You aren’t always going to agree with Food Critics……………. Falafels

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Falafels are deep fried patties or balls made from chickpeas, fava beans or both. They usually are flavored with fresh parsley, scallions, garlic, cumin and coriander. The best falafels are said to have a crispy exterior and a moist flavorful interior.

Recently a professional food critic from a local magazine wrote that the above falafel was the best falafel in all of Metro Phoenix. I kept reading this over and over because I thought I was seeing things….because………My experience did differ to say it mildly as possible…..While I found that the falafel pictured above had a desirable crispy exterior the interior although fluffy and slightly dry was mostly tasteless and totally lacked fresh herbs and any flavors a falafel traditionally has. The falafels I tried only tasted like  sesame seeds. Honestly I thought these Falafels were among the worst I ever tried anywhere.

I’ve had not all the Metro Valley has to offer in falafels but I tried more than a few so it’s not like I’m a falafel virgin.

The above fresh herb falafel is green inside and is fresh with flavor. This one didn’t have the crispy exterior but it had great flavors and didn’t leave any grease in my mouth. A few I tried not pictured here were greasy. This came from a place no longer open for business in Scottsdale.

The Falafel pictured above rates very high on a popular review site. I don’t remember if this one had any crunch but I remembered that it lacked flavors. You can see this one lacks herbs. I remembered I never wanted to go back. This one came from the Arrowhead area…not sure if this place is in Peoria or Glendale.

The above Falafels were seasoned well and were herby with a great crisp exterior. These were among the best that I tried in Metro Phoenix because of the flavorful interior and the crispy exterior.

Solid good crunchy Falafels from my favorite falafel fast food kind of place in Tempe.

This Falafel hasn’t won over any love from Professional Food Critics yet but it is among the better with a crisp exterior, and a moist fresh herb flavorful interior. Also the Eggplant dip from here was delicious with lemon and smoke. Got this one in Scottsdale.

Here’s another Falafel from a newer restaurant in Phoenix. It’s an decent Falafel….Not my favorite but not bad and OK.

Here are falafels from a newly opened place in Scottsdale. They have the correct flavors but have like a really weird soft wet meatball texture.

Back to the professional Food Critic’s pick…”Best in Metro Phoenix”….(????????????)

It’s a fact that I don’t know if the Food Critic got the same thing I tried pictured above from this same place. (As you know experiences may differ…..) The Professional Food Critic wrote for all of Metro Phoenix to see that the above Falafels are the BEST that Metro Phoenix has to offer…….

Is it possible that the recipe has changed????? ……..Is it possible that almost tasteless dry falafels are the best?????

I don’t FORKING know!

The Forking Truth is……..You aren’t always going to agree with food critics.

REMEMBER EVERY FORKING THING IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE and your experience (or my Forking experience) may or MAY NOT differ.

The Forking Truth

Bonus Edition * Forking Weird FOOD Related News

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Photo via www.MSN.com

Over the past few weeks we had a bunch of Forking Weird Food Related News Stories.

In the beginning of the month we had the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest where 70 Hot Dogs and buns were inhaled by Hot Dog Eating Champion Joey Chestnut.

A $10,000. Edible Pizza Bikini can be made for you from the Villa Italian Kitchen. (I don’t know if any where sold?)..

The Phoenix New Times reported a story about Cream Cheese Topped Tea and Fruit Drinks that are a thing in parts of Asia and are found here in Mesa AZ.

I saw on TV Watermelon Selfies…you balance a wedge of watermelon and try to place it under someone’s face so it looks like they are wearing a watermelon wedge.

I think I came across at least three different pizza related sneaker stories. One was a phone sneaker that dialed Pizza Hut and the others were Pizza decorated sneakers.

But the one story that’s burnt in my head is the Guy Fieri (Food Network Host and Restauranteur) Swimsuit. It can’t Forking be unseen.

Guy Fieri’s Face printed on a $49.00 Swim Suit.

Photo via www.MSN.com

It can’t Forking be unseen.

Forking Weird Food Related News.

The Forking Truth

www.MSN.com

www.FoxNews.com

www.CBS.com

PhoenixNewTimes.com

KTVK

 

 

The Forking Truth is that some Dining Experiences are NOT Worth a Fork!

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A grilled chicken sandwich from somewhere in Scottsdale AZ

The Forking Truth is that not every dining experience will be drool worthy.Actually some dining experiences are NOT Worth a Fork! Recently I had a grilled chicken sandwich from somewhere in Scottsdale. The bun was squashed and hard…maybe stale? The chicken also seemed like it had all the life in it squashed out and had a weird texture…..like the snap of a hot dog and also had a burnt taste too. Even the pepper didn’t taste good because nobody rinsed off the can flavoring. I was hoping I’d enjoy the side dish from this particular place….

Well I almost enjoyed the side dish of potato salad…..It did have a nice flavor but the potatoes were very over cooked and mostly got all mashed. I had maybe 4 marble sized pieces of potato in this salad with a few hard lumps of egg. It was like a cup of cold mashed potatoes with a few lumps.

BAHHhhhhh!

In the same week I went to a small sushi restaurant in Peoria. The sushi was very average so it didn’t seem blog worthy. This particular sushi restaurant offered Korean Style Fried Chicken. Ummm you sure don’t come by that all the time! We ordered some Korean Style Fried Chicken and when it arrived I thought it looked Scrumptious and Amazing!

It DID look scrumptious and amazing. But when I took a bite I found that under the very crispy crust was almost cold chicken that was oddly very dry and chewy….WTFork! How the Fork did they come up with that? Cold dried up chicken with a nice crispy crust….

Here is another non-drool worthy plate I had in beautiful Carefree AZ. Chewy meat, SOUR  onions and what looked like pond slime….This plate I couldn’t stomach and I was afraid this food for myself and I thought it could make my dogs ill.

This was not drool worthy. It was more like Forking Puke Worthy.

Early this year I had a pizza from somewhere in Peoria. The Crust was burnt tasting and also was hard like a rock. You can see the burnt threw the crust. This was not drool worthy either. I actually felt sick after this………

I ordered a fried fish somewhere in Phoenix.

My fish was fried to a crisp and most of the flesh was crunchy. My crunchy fish was topped with a couple fistfuls of salt with what seemed like a 1/2 a jar of jarred garlic mixed with some mushrooms. I also was blessed with a slice of unripe tomato, oily lettuce, porridge like rice and oily soggy fries. Nobody asked me how it was as they did the usual drop and run.

We took out some food from a new Fast Food Restaurant in Glendale…is it is Peoria? The Chicken was almost good but it was my luck that who someone careless salted the chicken lost the lid on the salt container and the chicken was coated in enough salt to melt a snow covered driveway. The rolls were pillowy and might have been mixed with yoga mats. The Mac -N- Cheese tasted like margarine and chemicals. WTFork knows what they did to the potatoes. The potatoes were very  heavy and tasted like they have might have contained wall plaster……..Well it’s fast food….you get what you get….my bad.

I guess the least drool worthy food I tried came from a food truck….Look at the picture…No words are needed. My apologies should you have nightmares or gain a fear of food trucks. Only God knows what stories the grease that roll was fried in can tell…….

Close up of Corned Beef Wild Buckeye Roll

The above were all….

NOT WORTH A FORK!

The Forking Truth is that some Dining Experiences are NOT Worth a Fork!

Your experience may or may not differ and everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

 

 

Fast Food Usually is Forked Up!

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I very rarely eat fast food because nearly every time I try it there is something wrong with it and it’s always horrible. Over the past 12 months I only tried fast food twice.

Last November I tried some fast food fish from a fast food seafood chain near my house and got this filet of fish.

It was oil logged with a nasty old oil taste. It wasn’t even cheap and was expensive. It was Forked up! I felt really bad because I offered a piece to my elderly dog I had at the time and the food was so bad my poor old dog spit it out.

A new to Arizona Popular Fried Chicken Restaurant opened not too far from me and the independent place I planned to do Take Out at wasn’t serving food that day….So it seemed like a good day to try the Fried Chicken and we got some sort of family pack that included several assorted pieces of fried chicken, extra soft rolls

and two sides. We picked Macaroni and Cheese with Mashed Potatoes.

The Fried Chicken was almost good. The Chicken was fried nicely, was crispy, seemed oil free. The meat was very tender too! But a careless person working there put enough FORKING Salt on the crust to melt snow off a driveway. That chicken was lethal. That much salt can kill a person.  I had to peel off the crust to eat the chicken. I guess I should be happy and not complain because at least the chicken was cooked in fresh oil. YIPPY!

That’s FORKED UP!

The family meal also came with rolls…They were sweet and super soft like I never felt before……I don’t know how they can possibly be this squishy soft……I think they might be made from yoga mats……the rolls are like.. artificial bread…YUK!

The Halloween Orange Colored Macaroni and Cheese was really scary. It doesn’t even taste like cheese………………….It actually taste like eating a tub of margarine with added chemicals. It was sickening.

Lastly the mashed potatoes are also inedible. The potatoes are unusually thick with lots of pepper and another flavor that I can’t identify that isn’t food related. I don’t know what THE FORK it was…….I  was more upset about the potatoes than the salty chicken because the salt was a slip that I understand. Maybe the salt container lid fell off and the person said Oh well…I’m not tossing all that chicken…..but……The mashed potatoes didn’t taste like food! Neither me or my husband could eat the potatoes….my husband tried to eat the potatoes with the enclosed gravy and he still couldn’t stomach them either. Who knows what kind of person made it?…….  ICK!

Fast Food is Usually Forked Up!

NOT WORTH A FORK!

Did I hit these restaurants on off days…….?

Do they make food this bad all the time………??????????

Would they be in business if they do ……..??????????.

Is it possible that some people don’t care what food taste like and will eat anything…….???????????

“You get more food when your not picky…remember the picky ones don’t make it in the jungle.”

“But I only want the food to taste edible”

“It’s Fast Food Human……you forking get what you get and there are 5 lights up there too!”

For me Fast Food from 2 national chains……2 out of 2 times was Forked up!

In my case fast food was Forked up 100% of the time.

The Forking Truth is that your Forking experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth