Category Archives: Forking Restaurant Reviews

Honest unbiased reviews based on actual experiences

A Taste of Weft and Warp Art Bar and Kitchen Scottsdale AZ

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Weft and Warp Art Bar and Kitchen is a modern American restaurant located in the twenty three acres of the Andaz Resort and bungalows in Scottsdale Arizona. Weft and Warp A.B.& K. is named after a fabric term. Weft is the name for the threads that run up and down and Warp is the name for the threads that run across resulting in a beautiful creation and a beautiful creation is what is that you are excepted to find here.

Inside is open and airy with lots of bright light during daylight hours.

They also offer patio dining with view of the pool area.

The offerings from Weft and Warp do differ some than from most restaurants out there. They offer breakfast, drinks, dinners, sunset menu (happy hour), and desserts like many other restaurants. They also offer a pool menu, a picnic menu, and maybe the greatest doggy menu anywhere….The doggy menu is offered for breakfast and dinner and some of the offerings are scrambled eggs, grass fed burgers, chicken burgers, flat iron steaks, and baked fish of the day. One dollar of every doggy platter goes to Lucky dog rescue. Wednesday’s also go to the dogs and are called, “Dinner with your dog,” and are %15 off.

By now you must be hungry to hear about Weft and Warp’s dinner for people menu after hearing the amazing doggy menu. Some of the interesting starters are –

mushroom pate – port, pickled seasoned vegetables, grilled Noble ciabatta

mushroom pate, a Spanish pulpo (octopus) with harissa, chorizo, Fresno jam,, chives and arugula, something called breaking bread (Nobel ciabatta), whipped feta, drunken goat,, spiced cashew cheese, with almond and olives, and. a pork belly porchetta.

pork. belly porchetta – Calabrian chile onion soubise, broccolini, fennel pollen, honey

A few of the dinners and house made pastas are –

Mediterranean Bass

Mediterranean bass with crispy. seasoned skin, a dab of buckwheat polenta,, raisins, and a tiny bit of Swiss chard, and zhoug (Moroccan spicy sauce). a hatch chile rubbed filet, also

Duck Confit Rigatoni

a flavorful duck confit rigatoni with mushrooms, chestnuts, tarragon, and. Granda padano.

They do offers desserts.

We tried the detailed dessert called, ‘not a Newton.’

not a Newton

frosted orange ricotta cake, toasted fig, black currant sorbet and balsamic chutney.

That was a Taste of Weft & Warp Art. Bar and Kitchen in Scottsdale AZ

www.AndazScottsdale.com

6114 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale AZ

480-214-4622 (reservations)

480-368-1234 (Andaz)

Everything is subject to change

The Forking Truth

Twist Hot Chicken in Peoria AZ – Worth a Fork!

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Twist Hot Chicken is a small casual chicken sandwich restaurant located in a strip mall in Peoria Arizona not too far from Westgate.

It’s very casual and busy…The little place was packed with a line out the door just ten minutes after they opened.

Again it’s casual. You order and pay at the counter. (complimentary cucumber water is by the counter)

On the menu thy offer five different flavors of chicken sandwiches that can be ordered in different levels of heat. The choices of heat are mild, medium, hot, and can’t touch this. They also offer vegan options, chicken tenders, loaded fries, macaroni and cheese, interesting stubborn sodas, beignets, limited adult beverages like Cider Corps Pog, and MORE!

Here’s the menu.

I missed the sodas on my way in but next time I’ll try one.

Today it took us around ten minutes to wait in line and order. I sat at one of the two tables that they have outside and it took around thirty minutes for our order to arrive.

We shared fries and macaroni and cheese. Most of the food comes wrapped with paper in rectangular white boxes.

The fries are fluffy, crisp, and well seasoned. They also are a generous serving. The macaroni and cheese is not bad…..better than a lot of them out there…..

We also share the Shabazi (medium heat) chicken sandwich.

Shabazi

It’s a BIG Sloppy Delicious sandwich with a crisp exterior and moist delicious white meat chicken. This sandwich is made with spicy green zhoug (Yemenite hot sauce) sauce. red cabbage slaw, and tahini sauce. This is wonderfully flavorful and delicious!

We also share the Twist Hot Chicken (HOT) sandwich.

Twist Hot Chicken Sandwich

The Twist Hot Chicken (HOT) sandwich is another BIG SLOPPY FORKING DELICIOUS Sandwich! This sandwich in hot is not for tenderfoots. This is the perfect hot for hot sandwiches. It is almost too hot for me….I can’t imagine how nuclear the “I can’t touch this” must be…Just like the other sandwich this one has a shattering crisp exterior and a flavorful moist white meat chicken inside. Adorning the sandwich is a creamy twist sauce (similar to remoulade), pickles, and house slaw. All this is packed into a nicely toasted eggy roll that is just the right size and didn’t fall apart.

If you like Hot Chicken Sandwiches this is one that you have to try!

Worth A Fork!

www.TwistHotChicken.com

8386 W Thunderbird Rd Peoria AZ

623-217-2714

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The Forking Truth

Umami Ramen at Shady Park Tempe AZ – Worth a Fork!

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When an Award Wining Ramen chef runs a ramen restaurant chances are …..that the ramen is a winning bet. Umami Ramen is a build your own ramen and sushi restaurant and bar located in downtown Tempe Arizona. They offer six varieties of ramen broth and various toppings. They also offer vegan options, house bowls, sushi rolls, rice bowls, sushi tacos, drafts, sake, Japanese drinks and more!

The sign is on the side of the building.

They have an indoor-outdoor bar and patio.

outdoor bar and patio

Inside are booths, traditional tables, and a bar.

Today they are playing non-stop Grateful Dead Music.

inside

Both ramens below are shio broth. Shio means salt in Japanese so shio broth are salt based. This is the most difficult type of ramen to make well because the broth doesn’t get covered up with other things like miso or soy sauce to help it out and has to be good on it’s own. It’s also the type of ramen with the most Unami.

Here’s the vegan shio with added grilled chicken, regular noodles, togarashi corn, and spicy garlic paste.

WOW! I can’t believe how flavorful this is….and it is very spicy too! This is very developed with flavors. I think I’m also getting some additional flavor and heat off of the togarashi corn. This is a really good flavor to me. The noodles are nice and chewy like they are suppose to be. They were very generous with the chicken. For me I could have made two meals out of this. But some people do eat more and can finish this.

Here’s the shio (chicken pork broth) with added pork belly and hard egg.

This one is also a very good developed broth. The pork belly also is very good and stayed crispy to the end. Noodles are also good and chewy. They offer soft and hard eggs. My husband went with a hard egg. He said it was slightly marinated.

Umami Ramen at Shady Park in Tempe AZ is-

Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

Umami Ramen

I have not found a working website for Umami Ramen.

26 E University Dr Tempe AZ

480-222-2244

Parking might be challenging to some because of location in downtown Tempe. Fortunately a parking garage is next door.

Every thing is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

K Scoop Korean Restaurant Scottsdale AZ – Fast Casual Buffet 60 Cents an Ounce – Worth a Try!

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K Scoop is a fast casual Korean Restaurant located in the Promenade in Scottsdale Arizona. It’s set up like a buffet and you scoop all you want from the buffet.

Then they weigh your plastic tub of goodies, grab a beverage, pay, (tips are donated to charity) and seat yourself inside or on the patio.

This is what I took from today’s buffet.

Today I took vegan chewy noodles. They were really delicious….(I would have took more if I knew) The kimchi rice was tasty. The onion ring was shattering crisp. The vegetables (cauliflower, carrot, broccoli was very plain and almost still raw but ok. under them was a kimchi pancake that was tasty but hard to eat with just a plastic fork. (today they only had forks and spoons) I also took a tempura piece of broccoli that was tasty. The fried thing next to the onion ring was very unusual…….It was marked mashed potato but it taste like potato salad in a fried crust……Up top are the meats I took. Beef Bulgogi, and spicy beef with a little kimchi. Both are very tasty and tender with different flavors. The spicy beef is tasty but isn’t spicy today. I also took a chunk of maui maui fish, battered fish with sauces, and chicken teriyaki. The tastiest of that group was the battered fish with sauces but nothing was bad.

My husband took some things that I didn’t take.

He took a different pancake, shrimp, and a few dumplings. He liked everything for the most part. Today the dumplings were. marked beef but he thought that they were something else?

Lunch was inexpensive today. We had a combined total of 39 ounces so lunch out at K Scoop was only around $26 today for the two of us.

Worth a try!

www.K-Scoop.com

16459. N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale AZ

480-247-8708

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The Forking Truth

The FANTABULOUS DISH – The Stuffed Grape-leaves from Alzohour Market Bakery & Restaurant Phoenix AZ – Worth a Fork!

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The FANTABULOUS Dish means……..Top of the line, marvelously good, peachy keen and DYNAMITE!

There is no need to hop the Marrakesh Express since we have Alzohour Market Bakery & Restaurant here in Phoenix Arizona. It’s around the south/east corner of 27TH and Northern. Allzohour is a casual Moroccan-Middle Eastern restaurant, small market, bakery, Islamic Clothing store, and a little more.

The stuffed grape leaves are filled with rice, parsley, lemon, and spices but these are far different than any other that I have tried before. They are far MORE DELICIOUS! They are not the usual……These are lighter, more. tender, and FAR MORE flavorful and far FORKING MORE delicious!!!!! These grape leaves just melt in your mouth. I can taste that the lemon is preserved lemon…but either it’s the spices or maybe it almost seems like the grape leaves might have been braised in something really delicious….They were an unexpected really great surprise!

The Stuffed Grape leaves from Alzohour in Phoenix are one FABTABULOUS Dish!

I must mention to those who do not know that Alzohour offers several FANTABULOUS dishes. I have tried many of Alzohour’s dishes but I haven’t tried every dish that Alzohour offers…..However I can recommend these FANTABULOUS dishes.

B’stilla

B’stilla- Is made in house phylio dough with chicken, cinnamon, sugar and almonds. It’s like dessert and lunch. at the same time. It’s also big so you need to share.

Fish Tagine

The fish (cod). tagine is our favorite dinner from Alzohour. It’s just so delicious!

Hot Tea

It sounds crazy to list hot tea as a fantabulous dish but seriously this tea served here is the best tea that I have tasted anywhere. You MUST get the tea here.

Kashke Bademjan

Another FANTABULOUS dish is the kashke Bademjan. It’s roasted eggplant with herbs, fresh mint, garlic, onions, and bread. You eat it like fajitas and it. is just another great surprise because it doesn’t look exciting but it taste exciting in your mouth. You eat it like a fajita. (this dish doesn’t take out well so order it when you dine here)

Kunafa

It’s this delicious house made noodle pastry stuffed with cheese and topped with sweet syrup and pistachios and it fresh made to order. It’s really scrumptious…….among the best desserts around in Phoenix.

Alcohol is not served and service is very limited and might see slow to some.. Zhor herself does mostly everything herself. She cooks and waits on people at the same time. Not always but sometimes she serves the appetizers with the dinners. She also runs late sometimes with the opening hours.

Alzohour is a gem of Phoenix and is Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

www.AlzohourMarket.com

www.Alzohour-Market.business.site

7814 N 27TH AVE Phoenix

602-433-5191

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Santorini’s BBQ Grill in Glendale AZ

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Santorini’s BBQ Grill is a casual budget type restaurant that offers a mixed menu of Greek Food, some Barbecue, and Fried Fish. They are located in Glendale Arizona only a few. miles from Old Town Glendale. Did you know that Santorini is the name of a large Greek Island where one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history happened……….Anyways- I was in the area and this place sounded interesting so we gave it a try. It’s not a fancy place but seems clean inside. It looks like hit might have been some sort of fast food place at one time.

We walk in and I see the lunch specials.

Then I see the full menu on the wall.

We order, pay, and seat ourselves.

We start by sharing the hummus.

The hummus is extra creamy and glistens from olive oil. The pita bread was warmed up for us.

I had the chicken kabob Greek Salad that came with more warmed up flat bread and tzatziki sauce.

The salad. is a generous size and was fresh made with crisp romaine, tomato. wedges, olives, pickled spicy peppers, feta cheese, and marinated chicken breast. It’s reasonably. good.

My husband got the gyro. Greek salad with a sides of hot links and macaroni and cheese.

It’s kinda average and A-OK!

It cost slightly more than fast food and is better than. fast food.

That was my trip to. Santorini’s BBQ Grill in Glendale.

www.SanntorinisGrill.com

5010. W Olive. Ave Glendale AZ

623-847-0522

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The Forking Truth

My Trip to Bacanora Restaurant Phoenix AZ

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Bacanora Is a small but very well received Sonoran Mexican Restaurant and Bar located in Phoenix Arizona. They have been named by Esquire one of the best new restaurant of 2021 in America. Our local food critic said in her latest review said the Bacanora is an instant classic.

The restaurant really is very small with less that 10 tables inside, a few bar seats, and a few tables outside.

Most of the inside
bar area
a few outside tables

All the cooking is done on one wood fired grill that. is very close to the bar.

the kitchen

Did you know that Bacanora is the same name as a Mexican clear alcohol from agave plants from the town of Bacanora? Speaking of alcohol Bacanora (the restaurant) offers an interesting cocktail menu. Some of the cocktails that they offer are margaritas, an Oaxacan old fashioned, something called chicken milk with mezcal and all kinds of things, micheladas, and an over the top option called Con Fuego of adding hot coals and smoking aromatics.

Oaxacan Old Fashioned (LOOK at the ice cube) and Special of the day Margarita with Tamarind

Just lke the vestibul sized restaurant the menu also isn’t the largest. They offer elote (charred corn with seasoned spiced creama and cotija cheese) as an appetizer and special of the day appetizers. The special of the day appetizers today were cucumber salad, a butternut squash appetizer and halibut aguachili.

Halibut Aguachili Special Appetizer

The main digs that they offer are a carne asada burrito, A Sonoran style (fried in fat) carne asada tostada, pollo asada and daily specials.

Pollo Asado

Today’s specials were a. shrimp and chorizo entree and a tomahawk steak.

Shrimp and Chorizo Special

I’ve been wanting to come here for a long time but read about waiting around ninety minutes for a table. I recently found out that Bacanora now takes reservations. When I made my reservation they were already booked up for a month on the days I wanted.

Everything we tried was delicious with unique flavors that you won’t find anywhere else. The food wasn’t upscale but was homestyle….meaning that you had to peel the shrimp yourself. You also had to peel the chicken skin off because it wasn’t edible. The proteins today were prepared reasonably well (slightly over (shrimp & chicken breast) and slightly under (chicken thigh & leg))) but had very good flavors. My hands smelled delicious all night long.

That was my trip to Bacanora Restaurant in Phoenix AZ.

www.BacanoraPHX.COM

1301 NW Grand AVE PHX AZ

602-612-4018

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The Forking Truth

A Little Taste of Rags Real Chicken and Waffles in Youngtown AZ

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Rags Real Chicken and Waffles is a small casual restaurant located in Youngtown Arizona. Incase you didn’t know…….Youngtown is a small-town of around six thousand in Arizona. It’s located between El Mirage and Sun City. Rags Real Chicken and Waffles offers a limited of menu chicken and waffles, fried chicken dinner, rib dinner, fried (catfish) fish dinner, fried shrimp dinner, kids meal, and a few more choices. Soft beverages are included with dinners. They do have a B.Y.O.B. sign on the wall so you can bring in your own booze. It’s not a fancy place. They have a mix of homey mix matched furniture. It’s also small and they have only three community tables and four seats at the counter. In the corner of the restaurant is a band area and dance floor.

The open kitchen is also very small. They don’t have room for a steam table so they use chafing pans on the counter to keep the sides hot. The chicken and the waffles are prepared to order so expect to wait at least fifteen minutes.

We try a dark meat chicken dinner and a white meat chicken and waffle. The White meat breast is Dolly Parton sized.

White meat chicken and waffle

The chicken in both platters is fried to perfection and both dishes the has a light crisp coating of corn meal. They are minimally seasoned so that you mostly only taste chicken. You can add salt and pepper to spice it a little more or used some hot sauce for a little zip……They also have BBQ sauce but I think it was too overpowering for the chicken…maybe it really goes with the ribs. Somehow the waffle didn’t get crushed as you would expect under that heavy breast. The waffle stayed light and fluffy. The chicken breast is really good and a very large portion. It certainly can be two meals for many people.

dark meat chicken dinner

The dark meat does have even more chicken juice and chicken flavor. It’s fried so expertly well that it doesn’t even seem fried. It’s also a large portion. The sides are like a neighbor or relative might have made them…..home style.

That was a little taste of Rags Real Chicken & Waffles in Youngtown AZ…You should be licking your fingers now!

www.Rags-Real-Chicken-Waffles.business.site

12242 N 111th Ave Youngtown AZ

623-977-2257

Hopefully you won’t complain about anything.

Too sunny to get a good picture of the front

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Clever Ramen in Scottsdale AZ

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Clever Ramen is a fast/casual Ramen Style restaurant located in the ASU part of Scottsdale Arizona. Clever Ramen is a sister restaurant of Clever Koi, Fellow Osteria, and Across The Pond. These restaurants are by Born and raised Hospitality. Clever Ramen offers Pre-Built ramen bowls, build your own ramen bowls (confit chicken thigh, lemongrass chicken breast, karaage chicken, bulgogi steak, pork belly, tofu, and soy egg), a variety of fries, extra vegetables like Korean spinach, and grilled bok choy. Extras like crispy shallots and nori. They also offer steamed buns of pork belly, Korean hot chicken, and kimchi cauliflower. They also offer soft beverages and sake cups, and canned beer and wine. We ordered and paid at the counter.

We got our drinks and sat ourselves.

It’s modern and sleek inside.

It was a nice day so we walked threw to the patio. Within only a few minutes someone runs our food to us.

We started out by trying a couple of steamed buns.

Crispy (not crispy) pork belly & Korean Hot (but not hot) chicken steamed buns

They are small so you can eat one and fit in some ramen. The better one today was the Korean hot chicken. The chicken was developed with flavors and was tasty fresh and juicy. It was good with the tasty house made pickles. It wasn’t hot it was just tasty. They put only a scant amount of sauce on mine today….it was almost dry so I hardly got any taste of Gochujang.

It wasn’t the best day for anything pork…Instead of crispy pork belly today it was mushy and chewy. Maybe it’s usually better?

I thought the Pre-Built Bowl of spicy kimchi ramen with confit chicken thigh was pretty good!

The broth is well made and taste developed with flavors. The chicken is tender and delicious. I taste kimchi but it’s not over-powering. Chili crisp is there to heat things up. The soy egg is ok but is missing that ramen taste that only mirin can give……..The only thing that can really improve are the noodles. The noodles are slightly over cooked and don’t have the chew that ramen noodles are known for. The noodles here are more like collage noodles.

My husband tried the pork ramen. Today wasn’t the best day for pork.

The crispy pork wasn’t crispy today and was mushy and chewy. The broth was weak today and the mushrooms were soggy. Maybe tomorrow this dish might be better?

That was my trip to Clever Ramen in Scottsdale AZ.

www.CleverRamen.com

1455 N Scottsdale Rd Scottsdale AZ

480-350-7830

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The Forking Truth

Harumi Sushi & Sake – Newly Opened Peoria AZ – Melt in your mouth fresh fish!

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Harumi Sushi & Sake iis a small casual sushi restaurant that recently opened in North Peoria Arizona. They also have their first and original location in downtown Phoenix. Their sushi is a bit unique and differs some from most other sushi restaurants. It’s made with healthier purple forbidden rice that does have a slightly different taste. The big deal here is that the fish they select to use is from fresh and was never frozen. This kind of fish gives you that melt in your mouth texture…… They use shipped overnight Scottish salmon and Nova Scotian tuna. They top most fish with fresh wasabi that is not from concentrate. Sushi is a treat here!

Inside is small and tight.

We were packed in like sardines.

The tables were so close that we couldn’t get out until the table behind us got up.

Depending on where you are sitting plates might be flying over your head.

We started with a specialty roll called The Hot Havana.

It is hot but is made with the kind of fish that melts in your mouth. I like that they make the rolls with a thin layer of rice so you don’t get too stuffed. This Hot Havana Roll was made with yellowtail, cucumber, avocado, jalapeños and mango habanero sauce.

The yellowtail collar (hamachi kama) was fried and served in ponzu sauce with lemon.

Today this was overcooked and dry….Usually this is the best part of the fish because the collar is the most flavorful and succulent part……We weren’t checked on.

Our last plate was the blue fin tuna nigiri and seared salmon nigiri. (my husband said that he checked Toro and un-seared salmon……???)

Both nigiri were were melt in your mouth fresh.

Service today wasn’t the best. In addition to not asking how the collar was and possibly serving fish different than what we ordered…….the Forking Truth is that nobody even considered clearing out our three rounds of plates.

Service can use improvement but the sushi is what you come for here and really was melt in your mouth fresh.

They were still constructing a patio on our visit that might be ready by now?

www.HarumiSushiAZ.com

24681 N Lake Pleasant Parkway Peoria AZ

646-660-2565

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth