Category Archives: Forking Restaurant Reviews

Honest unbiased reviews based on actual experiences

A Little Taste of Little Asia Cuisine in Phoenix AZ – Newly Opened

Little Asia Cuisine is a casual Asian restaurant located in Phoenix Arizona. They offer sushi, Hawaiian big plates, ramens, Thai soups, Burmese soup, fried rice dishes, noodle dishes, some American Chinese style dishes, children’s meals, soft beverages and more!

It’s casual. They have a counter so we ordered and paid there. People came in after us and the girl at the counter waited on them so it can roll either way.

We started out by sharing an appetizer of chicken dumplings.

They came out a little greasy but were tasty.

I tried the mohinga soup (spicy Burmese fish noodle…..National dish of Burma)

I am not an expert on Burmese Foods but I have had this soup from another restaurant and it differed very much. Although both soups contain a fish broth and noodles there are many differences between the two. The soup below is richer, more savory, and has more textures. What I really liked about the bottom one was that tasty toasted rice taste…..so yummy and more aromatics to counter the fish. Don’t get me wrong…..The top soup is good too. It’s also tasty.

I don’t know if this other one is a different style or just taken further?

Anywho-

The other dish we tried was the spicy chicken fried rice.

It was studded with peas and carrots and it’s ultra spicy. They offered heat levels of one, two, or three. We picked three and that really is too hot for most people. This dish was a very large generous size, a little one note and FORKING hot today…..actually MOLTEN HOT.

Did some take out to try other dishes.

Lemongrass chicken with green salad. Very large portion. For me this is three meals. The salad stayed fresh and crisp. Doesn’t remind me of lemongrass when I eat the chicken…..?It doesn’t taste like anything that I am familiar with……….But I do taste lemongrass in the rice that is under the chicken. This chicken could be more tender. The heat levels differ here greatly. The spicy chicken fried rice was ordered at a #3 heat level and was almost too hot for anyone. The #3 lemongrass chicken has no heat. Maybe it’s. an error?

Teriyaki salmon…..Large amount of food. Well done salmon. …..but it taste good….Maybe a little sweet but the fish isn’t fishy so that is a win!

Curry chicken…..not a beauty here but developed with some tasty flavors. The chicken is tender and the sauce is a little on the thick side but has good flavors. I got three meals out of this one too.

Better and cheaper that fast food. Not all but many of the dinners are less than ten dollars and for most people are more than one meal.

That was a Little Taste of Little Asia Cuisine in Phoenix Arizona.

www.LittleAsiaCuisine.com

A Taste of Tratto Restaurant Phoenix AZ

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Tratto Restaurant is a full service Italian restaurant located in Phoenix Arizona. It is by James Beard Award Winning Chef Chris Bianco. The chef is famous for his pizzas and is well received by celebrities, Food Network TV, magazines, and food critics. Tratto recently made the New York Times list of 50 favorite restaurants in America. The food served is high quality.

Tratto is a small old building with a bar and a patio that is currently not in use. There is exposed brick to see, antiqued furniture and a roof that looks like from a time gone by..

Tables are set with linen.

Tratto has an open shiny kitchen.

bar area and kitchen in the middle of the restaurant

The menu is seasonal and does change around a bit. Today they offered a few salads, a seafood crudo, and a chicken liver toast. They also offered three hand made pastas, Three entrees and two vegetable side courses.

Tonight they started us off with a complimentary plate of cured olives, some cheese, and a couple pickled green beans.

Our first course tonight was the seared two wash ranch chicken livers on grilled sourdough bread with quince jam and crispy sage leaves.

We didn’t have it tonight but they also had a farinata as a special – a tasty chick pea crepe made with tomatoes and onions.

We also previously enjoyed a roasted beets in fig leaf with gorgonzola dolce.

Beets in fig leaves with gorgonzola dolce

Our pasta course was coming next so they gave us the famous Bianco Bread and olive oil.

I do have to note that this bread and this olive oil are either the best or close to the best in all the land.

Tonight we shared the orecchiette pasta with walnut, Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and chiltepin (an expensive but VERY delicious spicy Mexican pepper).

The dish lacks textures but the pasta and flavors are exceptional.

On a past visit we enjoyed the scarpinocc (cheese ravioli with fava beans and crisp sage).

Tonight we shared the snapper special.

It was very fresh and cooked to perfection. It was good but had less meat in it than I thought it would have. It might be too small for two people to share.

We didn’t have it tonight but the grilled two wash ranch piccolo chicken with lemon sage was offered on the menu tonight.

Tonight we had room for dessert so we tried the dark chocolate board.

We had thin slices of the freshest sweetest crisp apple that I have tasted in decades. yummy midnight moon gouda, short bread, and callebaut dark chocolate.

That was a taste of Tratto.

www.TrattoPHX.com

Everything is subject to change.

Biryani Bowl – Newly Opened in Peoria AZ – MANY Specials

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Biryani Bowl is a mostly North Indian and fusion casual restaurant that recently opened in North Peoria Arizona. Biryani Bowl isn’t a fancy place and is open for mostly take out but you can dine in and also dine on the small patio.

They offer a regular daily menu and MANY specials.

Pulav (vegetable rice) Wednesday specials

We tried three of the Dussehra Weekend (Dussehra is a major fall festival) Specials and the pulusu fish (fish curry).

We started out by sharing the mirapakaya chicken Dussehra special.

It’s marinated stir fried chicken chunks in a slightly spicy onion/ginger/garlic kind of sauce with cashews.

Then we tried another Dussehra special the chule batura (spiced chick peas with fried bread called puri).

Much less spicy than what I expected but tasty.

For entrees we shared off the daily menu the pulusu fish (fish curry) and off the Dussehra menu the mughial chicken (brown onion gravy curry chicken)

It gets delivered to you like take out food with boxed fluffy rice. Both dishes have very small amounts of protein in them. The fish curry on the left is tasty but unlike any fish curry that I have had before. It is less sour and less spicy but is aromatic. The munhial chicken on the right is MELT IN YOUR MOUTH tender as can be. This is an extremely fragrant dish….also not very spicy but does have some heat to it.

Side note……The leftover munhial chicken I took home to have latter grew with heat maybe two levels.

That was a little taste of Biryani Bowl in Peoria AZ – Newly opened!

www.BiryaniBowlAZ.com

Everything is subject to change.

A Little Taste of Cook & Craft a locals eatery in Scottsdale AZ

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Cook and Craft Restaurant is a full service modern American restaurant with vegan and vegetarian options located in Scottsdale Arizona. They are soon to open a second location in Phoenix at Desert Ridge on High Street. Cook and Craft helps to support other local businesses and offers some local coffee roasters, local breweries, and local distillers on their menu……. Food forward some of the starters they offer are starters such as sliders, wings of chicken and cauliflower, deviled eggs, house made mozzarella and chocolate bacon. They also offer salads, soups, and some of the entrees are craft burgers, short ribs, filet mignon, gnocchi stuffed acorn squash, wrapped meatballs, barramundi, grilled meatloaf and MORE!

They do offer some patio seating.

Or you seat yourself inside wherever you want.

During nice weather the garage door windows are open and lots of bright light and fresh air comes in.

They start you off with water, complimentary trail mix, and seasoned Chex Cereal.

We shared a starter of filet sliders.

The slider filets are very tender and well seasoned. They are topped with provolone cheese, tomato, crispy onions and are on brioche buns spread with a mustardy-like aioli. The plate also came with a generous serving of crispy fries.

Today I had the crafted salad with added salmon.

This plate is packed with LOTS of stuff. There is arugula, roasted beets, goat cheese, pomegranate, marinated artichokes, these fancy dance-ee vegetable rolls of squash, carrots, asparagus and more stuff. balsamic dressing and the salmon….This is an extra generous portion of food. I doubt most people can finish.

My husband tried the crafted grilled cheese with added short rib.

It came with a. basil laced tomato soup. The grilled cheese was made on a quality toasted and buttered baguette bread. The sandwich is different and isn’t. your typical grilled cheese. This is a four cheese sandwich (provalone, cheddar, gruyere, parmesan). It’t not. all melty. The cheese on the top is hard and the sandwich is stuffed with the added short rib and some of the cheese.

We also tried a side order of macaroni and cheese.

The side order of macaroni and cheese was made with nicely cooked pasta. I think the cheese sauce is good and tasty but maybe too thin or just not enough because you only get the cheese sauce at the bottom of the dish.

That was a little taste of Cook and Craft restaurant a locals eatery in Scottsdale AZ.

www.CookandCraftAZ.com

Bonita’s Mexican Restaurant Glendale AZ – Birria Ramen & MORE!

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Bonita’s is a small casual Mexican Restaurant located in Glendale Arizona. They are open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They offer a varied menu of breakfast burros, combos that include rice and beans (priced $7.50-$11. subject to change), assorted appetizers like miniature chimis, soups, all kinds of different tacos (street sized priced at only $1.50 subject to change), burros, birria ramen, children’s menu, desserts, limited alcohol, and more!

Bonita’s is on the end of a strip mall.

There are two menus to order from. One is on the side wall.

They also have a menu on the wall behind the counter that you order from and pay at.

You get a beverage or order a margarita, pick a table to sit at and they run your food to you when it is ready.

$5. margaritas…..pretty strong…not bad for $5.00

Today we ordered street sized tacos of carne asada, pollo asada (chicken), carnitas (pork), adobada (pork) and a birria taco (beef).

Everything was at least good. Today we liked the carnitas, adobada, and the birria tacos best of the tacos we tried on this day.

Mexican style rice and refried beans.

The other stand out was the Birria Ramen. We actually liked this better than the birria taco because it seemed more flavorful than the taco….We think the cheese mellowed the flavors in the taco.

You should know that birria is a spicy Mexican stew that is painstakingly made and is considered to be a special dish. Often Birria is served at special occasions and holidays….This is really flavorful and delicious…The beef is infused with flavors and is falling apart tender…This is really good. The noodles are just ramen style…I do note that I don’t know if other Mexican Restaurants take the birria ramen further with the noodles or add a marinated egg but this is pretty cool for North Phoenix.

Gotta go back and try fish tacos, chili relleno and maybe fried ice cream next time.

Went back!

This time tried a fish taco.

The tortilla is warm and the fish is extra crispy and this does have good flavors with the chipotle cream sauce.

Tried a chili relleno.

The chili relleno is not a beauty here but was made with a fresh poblano pepper and is stuffed with melty mild white cheese. The relleno is very lightly battered and you do have the choice of red or green sauce.

My husband had a carnitas fajita burrito. He said the carnitas wasn’t as fatty today but was still good. The guacamole is nice fresh and chunky like it should be.

It sure didn’t cost much to have dinner here. Our two tacos, relleno, burrito and two margaritas were only around $35.

On both visits service was efficient and welcoming.

The dishes that we are most likely to come back for (so far) are –

birria ramen, carnitas, adobada, fish tacos, chili relleno, guacamole, and $5.00 margaritas

Bonita’s is worth a try if you find yourself in the area. It sure doesn’t cost much to dine here either.

WWW.BonitasPHX.com

Everything is subject to change.

A GOOD Taste of Taberna De Arcadia Phoenix AZ – Newly Opened

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Taberna De Arcadia opened this pass June (2021) in the Arcadia part of Phoenix Arizona. They offer seasonal menus where the menu seems like a mix of BBQ, Tex Mex, and New American.

The word taberna sounds a lot like tavern but actually is an ancient Rome term for shop.

When you walk in it is a mix of fancy and a little rustic.

Then you either get seated on the patio with traditional picnic benches that have padded seats.

The patio wraps around with traditional tables.

Or you can dine inside at a high top, the bar, or one of the booths.

It looks like all the tables inside except for the round top to the left are high tops. The booths are one step up and are good for most people but might be troublesome for the elderly or those who had recent operations.

The appetizer menu today had things on it like salmon aguchile, cauliflower ceviche, smoked pork taquitos,

smoked brisket jumbo flautas, and

t.h.c Taberna hot chicken with biscuits, honey butter and hot sauce (not pictured)

T.H.C Taberna Hot Chicken with biscuits, honey butter, and house hot sauce. (the chicken legs are smoked and then fried)

The cauliflower ceviche is fresh and light……unless you eat too many chips. It’s almost like eating salsa. It’s like cauliflower salsa.

They offered detailed sounding salads with add on options like smoked turkey, smoked chicken, and grilled salmon.

Arcadia citrus salad with added smoked turkey and a side order of pimento Mac ‘n’ cheese

The salad is full of fresh herbs like mint and basil that go well with the citrus. The turkey is gently smoked but could be more moist today.

They offer a variety of street sized tacos. I do note that these tacos are actually street sized and are very small tacos.

hot smoked salmon and spicy turkey tacos

I tried the hot smoked salmon taco with sumac aioli, fennel slaw, pink peppercorns.

I also tried the spicy turkey taco that came with broccoli slaw, cranberry hot sauce, and crispy sweet potato chips.

I thought that the hot smoked salmon taco was much more flavorful and more spicy than the spicy turkey taco……….The turkey in the turkey taco seemed good and was seasoned…but somehow all together this taco didn’t turn out spicy..or as flavorful as the hot smoked salmon taco…..?????

I know my husband had a bbq chicken, pulled pork and a mushroom tacos. I didn’t taste them but I remember he said that he enjoyed the chicken one the most.

Besides tacos they also had a meat plate section on the menu. You can get a half pound of meat with tortillas, pickled onions, cucumber, and salsa. The selection of meats were prime brisket, half chicken, pork shoulder, turkey breast, and beef rib.

We were interested in the plate section. They had things like duck enchiladas, smoked grilled pork chop, sweet potato gnocchi with brisket, grilled salmon, and a surf and turf.

Duck confit enchiladas with white bean puree

The duck confit enchiladas are in a sharp tomatillo green chile sauce that balances well with the creamy white bean puree.

The pimento mac ‘n’ cheese is a bit light with pimento but is so darn cheesy who cares. It’s rich and delicious and OH SO CHEESY!

On our visits we noticed that the majority of people were eating sandwiches. They offer sandwiches like salmon, pulled chicken. pulled pork, and brisket. They also offer desserts and have plenty of sides on the menu.

That was a GOOD Taste of Taberna De Arcadia in Phoenix AZ.

www.TabernaDeArcadia.com

Everything is subject to change.

Haldi Indian Cuisine – Newly Opened in North Glendale AZ #UpperWestSide

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Haldi Indian Cuisine recently opened a second location in north Glendale Arizona in Arrowhead. The original Surprise Location was awarded by Phoenix Magazine for BEST IN THE VALLEY for Indian Food. Haldi Indian Cuisine offers North and South Indian dishes. They also offer beer, wine, sodas, tea, coffee, mango lassi, basic cocktails and more.

Today we tried vegetable samosas.

They came with tamarind and cilantro sauce. Very tasty. Anyone would like them.

We also shared spicy chicken curry and vindaloo chicken (also spicy). They came with a bowl of fluffy basmati rice studded with cumin seed.

We ordered #4 out of 5 for heat spiciness. It was hot but not as hot as #4 from other places that we have been. ……We had lots of rice and tasty sauces left over so we took them home. .(OMGosh..the next day these not so hot with heat #4’s turned into #5’s and grew with lots of heat almost too much heat…WOW)……….The sauces both were very fragrant, delicious and were made with lots of exotic spices. The white meat chicken in both could have been more moist.

Haldi Indian Cuisine has recently opened in North Glendale AZ

www.HaldiAZ.com

Everything is subject to change.

A Taste of NakedQ BBQ Phoenix AZ

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NakedQ BBQ is a casual BBQ restaurant that serves dry rubbed barbecued meats at three locations in metro Phoenix. NakedQ BBQ is located in Glendale (Westgate), Scottsdale and in the Deer Valley part of North Phoenix. The Phoenix location is small and casual.

It usually has an appetizing smokey smell when you walk in.

You order at the counter and you pay and either take your tray of food with you to the table or they run the food out to you. This restaurant was featured in our local paper The Arizona Republic. According to Go Shindig the NakedQ BBQ in Deer Valley was listed on Go Shindig’s Ultimate BBQ Road Trip based on reviews and prices.

The meats they offer are pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, sliced turkey, jalapeño hot link and ribs. Only a couple times a year they offer a FORKING AMAZING smoked corned beef. Most meats are offered on sandwiches that are priced around $8 or $9 that includes a side. Platters are offered in one or two meat platters that include two sides and a corn muffin. Most platters are priced around $14-$20.

The atmosphere is casual and woody with Naked Q BBQ logos all around.

They have a roll of paper towels on every table. They also have a small station of house sauces that you can add so your meat isn’t naked. They offer a North Carolina Style vinegar based sauce, a South Carolina mustard based sauce, a sweet sauce and a spicy sauce.

This day I got the Turkey Salad because on previous trips the BBQ Turkey was always my favorite meat. ($9.00)

The salad is kind of average but it seems fresh. The Turkey really is very good, moist and is full of great flavors. I like that this is a sensible portion of food. Usually I get overly stuffed at BBQ places.

On a different visit I got the garden salad with turkey.

The above salad was only $9……It’s almost fast food priced and is bigger and better than fast food.

My husband got a two meat platter and a side of hot links.

Another time my husband got the same plate…On this day everything was tastier and even more succulent. This time he asked for the fatty. You should ask for the fatty if you want succulent.

Above are hot links to go.

I was lucky enough to get that amazing smoked corned beef sandwich twice. One was FORKING FANTABULOUS…..the other was from the lean side and tasted great but was a little dry.

Above is the one that was a little dry.

The above smoked corned beef sandwich were OFF THE CHARTS FORKING INCREDIBLE……OMG….Succulent …so amazing….These sandwiches made the same would be a best sandwich of Phoenix.

On a previous visit we had a 2 meat platter with brisket and pulled chicken, a slaw, green beans and a corn muffin.

Here’s a pulled pork, sausage, macaroni and cheese and a corn muffin with beans on the side.

Another time I had a one meat Turkey platter with slaw, broccoli and a corn muffin.

A one meat platter with brisket, macaroni and cheese, bbq beans and a corn muffin.

That was a taste of NakedQ BBQ in Phoenix AZ.

www.NakedQ.com

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

Ling’s Wok Shop Scottsdale AZ – Newly Opened

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Ling’s Wok Shop recently opened in North Scottsdale Arizona. By day this is a fast casual Asian inspired food with a small full bar. By night they have wait service. On our visit we ordered at the counter and sat ourselves. Someone ran drinks and the food to us.

As you walk in you see a good sized patio.

It looks like this when you walk in. It’s very small with a few booths and a bench with a few tables.

The other side of the restaurant has seating at the bar.

You order and pay at the counter during the day. They offer small bites such as lettuce wraps, edamame and shishito peppers. They also offer a variety of wok fried dishes that you can add on chicken, grass fed beef, shrimp, scallops, tofu, or salmon. Other areas of the menu are signature dishes, noodle dishes, soups, salads, and side dishes.

We shared a side dish called a complements dish on the menu of Korean Cauliflower.

The cauliflower is fried in a tasty combination sauce of sesame, soy, oil, and is topped with a mild gochujang aioli and micro greens.

We also shared the Buddha’s belly (under Wok-Fried……with grass fed beef). The beef is very tender and the dish has delicate Asian flavors that is described as a stir fry sauce.

and a Ling;s Signature dish of firecracker chicken.

I think the firecracker burned out before it made it’s way to our table ……Everything was all mild here……and a bit one note. Maybe something was left out? Some pieces of chicken are crispy and some are not.

Our favorite dish we tried today was the Budda’s Belly with grass fed beef. It was made with fresh vegetables, tender beef, all laced with balanced mild Asian flavors.

Everyone working there was helpful and efficient. The restaurant seemed sparkling clean.

Ling;s Wok Shop has newly opened in North Scottsdale AZ

www.Lingswokshop.com

Everything is subject to change.

A BIG Taste of Zinc Bistro Scottsdale AZ – Worth a Fork!

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Zinc Bistro is a New York Style Parisian Bistro Located in Scottsdale Arizona in the Kierland Commons. They offer ever changing menus of lunch, Afternoon menu, dinner, brunch and more. Whatever you order the food is finely crafted, detailed, and quality. The atmosphere is charming and sort of yesteryear…..Tin roof and classic fixtures with some nods to France.

You can choose patio, limited courtyard dining, bar seating and traditional table seating.

The tables are set with crisp linen and heavy silverware.

The menus do change but one dish that is on all the menus but IS OMITTED FROM BRUNCH is the onion soup gratinee made with six month aged AOP gruyere cheese.

This soup was featured on Food Network TV Show called, “Best thing I ever ate.”

It really doesn’t taste like any onion soup I had before because it’s better….It taste like very developed onions….The onions are the star and everything thing else is just delicious with it…..

Other appetizers we’ve tried.