Athens on Easy Street is a Greek Restaurant located in Carefree Arizona. At this time they are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have indoor dining.
They also offer a dog friendly patio.
We decided to try a few things and I noticed that they offer many different dips that you don’t come across very often at most Greek Restaurants. We wanted to try the lentil dip but they were out of that so we went with the eggplant dip.
Our eggplant dip was extremely delicate with the seasonings. It tasted like just eggplant to me. The pita bread was very average. It taste like they buy the bread.
We had to try the saganak (flaming kasseri cheese).
Opa!
I don’t know why but our cheese taste burnt.
Now our dinners arrive.
I got the Athenian pressed herbed chicken. WOW! The chicken is really great! It’s very moist and very flavorful. This plate also came with really nice spinach and nicely flavored orzo topped with some feta cheese. I thought that the orzo was a nice touch since most Greek Restaurants just serve rice with platters.
My husband got the pork kabob platter.
The pork had great flavors in it but was slightly dry today. It came with Greek salad, orzo and tzatziki.
That was a little taste of Athens On Easy Street in Carefree AZ
Barrio Queen is an Arizona Chain of around a half dozen Southern Mexican Restaurants. The website list only Gilbert, Scottsdale and Phoenix but I also noticed locations in Queen Creek, Tempe, Glendale and possibly one coming soon to Avondale? James Beard Nominated Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza is no longer working for this group of restaurants but she did work for them until some time in 2014 and added her famous guacamole, cohinita pibil, chile en nogada and possibly other items to the menu. She also started up Barrio Queen with some of her closest employees.
I went to the Glendale location that is located in Arrowhead Town Center around 75th Avenue and Bell Road. This location is very busy. I arrived around four o’clock and was hoping to beat the crowd but didn’t. The whole front patio at the moment is being used for a waiting area for waiting for your table. At 4 o’clock they were on a twenty five minute wait so we grabbed some margaritas to pass the time.
front bar (currently the seating here is closed due to covid)
I have to say that the El Don Margarita with Don Julio Anejo Tequila, lime, agave and Grand Mariner is really great and very strong….I tried my husbands house margarita and it seems very flat after the El Don I’m enjoying.
Twenty five minutes goes by and we walk threw the restaurant on the way to get seated on the patio.
We walk by a gift shop.
Here’s part of one of the dining rooms.
Here’s another dining room.
Here is a second bar that is also an indoor/outdoor bar.
Here is half of the patio.
I noticed someone nearby getting the table side guacamole.
The first thing they do is start you off with complimentary chips and salsa.
Our chips arrived fresh and hot. We also got fresh lime and a crock of extra mild but flavorful salsa.
I order the pescado del Barrio (Mexican sea bass)
One side of my fish is over cooked and dry but the other side is good. My fish was topped with chopped onions some garlic and cilantro….It all kind of dry and I squirt it with lemon. The grilled zucchini is good. The Mexican style rice is very plain.. I notice that I didn’t get my hand made corn tortillas that I was looking forward to trying. Someone walks by who might be a manager and ask how things are? My husband quickly tells him that I didn’t get my tortillas. I guess before the man can say anything I say that I have enough food and don’t need the tortillas and then he leaves. It isn’t until I start getting into the plate that the dryness of the fish bothers me. I’m half crocked from the strong margarita and I forgot that the fish is suppose to be in a garlic cilantro white wine butter sauce. That means my server didn’t know (or maybe care?) that she served me a plate missing the tortillas and my fish missing the sauce. I guess that it isn’t her fault if she wasn’t trained to learn the menu on the food that she serves.
My husband was much luckier than me and got the Sonoran Style Carne Asada Entree.
His plate was much better. He got medium rare, tender and tasty arrachera (marinated and grilled skirt steak) onions, Oaxaca cheese stuffed Anaheim chile, a chorizo quesadilla, chorizo refried beans, Mexican style rice and flour tortillas.
And I got a dry fish.
That was my trip to Barrio Queen at Glendale AZ.
As a slight update someone from Barrio Queen contacted me and said that this isn’t how Barrio Queen does things…They also apologized for…(their words) “Dropping the ball a few times on my visit and not taking my concerns seriously when I was there when my concerns could have been fixed immediately. The General Manager said that he would like to email me a gift card so I would come back. He said that he was emailing me the gift card March 8th 2021 and wanted me to let him know when I was coming. As of yet I haven’t received the gift card.
He sounded very sincere…? Did he forget? Or was this just talk?
Fabio On Fire is an Italian Restaurant located in North Peoria Arizona. Fabio On Fire is also part mobile caterer that you can hire or might see at festivals and farmers markets. Fabio On Fire Italian Restaurant also offers Neapolitan Pizzas, home made pastas, and seasonal specials. They are also a bakery that offers amazing ciabatta pugliese bread, Italian cookies, pastries and more.
Fabio at the pizza oven
inside
Specials
side patio
front patio (this is a new addition)
The tastings start now. Below is the amazing complimentary bread and olive oil.
Once in a while you get treated with a deluxe basket of bread.
The rest is up to you.
antipasto (small size)
bufalo ricotta and caponata special
mushroom ravioli special
lasagna
pappardelle al salmone special ( I need to note that the tomatoes taste farm fresh)
orecchiette
pear salad
strawberry and gorgonzola salad
gnocchi with pesto
veal tortellino special
spinach ravioli in walnut sauce special
eggplant parmesan special
short rib ravioli special
wood fired lamb special
sausage ravioli special
the buffalo cheese pizza (bufalina)
sausage and mushroom pizza (salciccia e fungi)
halibut special, meatballs and little ear pasta (orecchiette) (vegetables used are all fancy)
Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante is an Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria located in North Glendale Arizona (Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide). This spot has been homes to Italian restaurants for over a decade. Over ten years back this spot was home to Tutti Santi. Around spring of 2015 this was Pomo Pizzeria and Toscana Osterio. Then around spring of 2017 it became the Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante that it is today. They offer Neapolitan Pizzas, Hand made pastas, Italian Foods, Brunch Foods, Seasonal Specials and MORE!
The patio is in a park-like setting and is equipped with shades, misters and heaters. Recently the patio has been extended.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is located in Scottsdale Arizona. They have around one hundred and forty locations in around thirty seven states. Menus, some recipes and some prices do differ at the different locations.
The Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Scottsdale Arizona is located on a second level above other businesses. You enter by either walking up the stairs or taking the elevator. They offer indoor seating.
And outdoor seating.
They start you off with a loaf of warm ordinary bread and ordinary butter. (My FORKING Thoughts are can’t they serve a tastier bread? and at least clip some fresh chives for the butter….maybe serve a fresh herb pesto????? This is going to cost an arm and a leg….Why is this is soOoooooo ordinary?)
The bread is ok but not tasty enough to want a second taste. The butter is just plain butter.
When I go to similar price point restaurants going out to eat I usually get bread that is more like this (pictured bellow). (those were my FORKING thoughts)
Twist by Pierre Gagnaire at Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas
or
L’ATELIER de Joel Robuchon Las VegasRuth’s Chris Bread and Butter
Oh Well the bread and butter are ordinary …lets move on.
Next we share a chopped salad.
It’s presented very nice. The crisp onions are tasty. This salad contains raw button mushrooms. Maybe it’s just me but raw mushrooms don’t taste good in a salad. This salad is bland. It’s like made for blue hairs in Sun City. It’s suppose to have blue cheese in it. I think we shared one small crumb of blue cheese…………( I think it should have a few teaspoons of blue cheese not just a small crumb). (My husband insist that this same salad at other Ruth’s Chris locations are much tastier and do include more blue cheese???……I’ve noticed that other locations do have different ingredients listed on the menu )……Oh well………
We share some sides because we are at a steakhouse so you have to buy the sides.
We tried the three cheese sauce potatoes au gratin and the grilled asparagus with hollandaise sauce.
The potatoes are ok but very ordinary. Like something you’d get at a family cook out. They are a smaller amount than expected. I took two chunks so my husband could eat the rest. The asparagus was tasty and nicely grilled. The asparagus might have been the highlight of the meal. The hollandaise sauce seemed fresh made but was very thick, laced with lemon and very mild.
My husband got the eleven ounce prime filet mignon.
$53.00
It came out on a very hot plate. My husband gives me a bite to try. It’s tender but I can’t eat this. It’s oddly tasteless. The beef is not flavorful and is so ordinary tasting and very bland. It really needs salt and pepper too. I don’t know why this filet is tasteless….It’s of high quality……Maybe they didn’t sear it enough???????…….I just had a ground up prime filet somewhere else and it was far more flavorful and cost less than half of what this cost. The last Filet I had also was far more flavorful, detailed and delicious, (pictured below) and also cost much less. (my husband did say that he has enjoyed filets from other Ruth Chris’s Restaurants…to him this one did differ….)
I THANK my lucky stars that I didn’t go with a filet at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
The Chilean sea bass almost seems amazing after tasting the filet.
$40.
It looks like a large portion and it is enough but not as large as it looks. It is placed on a very small plate. (They are tricky here) This is a standard restaurant side plate….Like the type of plate you would serve a baked potato on or a side of vegetables. The fish is surrounded by small chunks of hard sweet potato and grilled chunks of pineapple in a coconut butter sauce. The fish is prepared well and is tasty with the fresh herbs, salt and pepper. This plate was mostly ok even with the undercooked sweet potatoes. For $40 I think it could have been a little more special. Maybe dressed with a nice vegetable like a few snap peas? A few pretty sprouts? Some toasted macadamia nuts?
For the same price I enjoyed many extraordinary fish entrees from Confluence in Carefree. (They always do fish extraordinary with crispy seasoned skin that is shattering crisp and extraordinary things surrounding the plate).
Hiramasa, huitlacoche, tomatillo, mango, pepitas, arbol chili
The above plate is far superior to-
This was a $300. night out (with tip).
In general there is nothing wrong with ordinary. I expect ordinary at most places but –
……Dinner tasted very ordinary (but was extraordinarily priced).
I left very underwhelmed.
We went to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse because we had a gift card.
I do note that each location does differ and your experience at Scottsdale could indeed differ.
www.RuthsChris.com
Everything is subject to change and your opinion may differ from mine.
Ocho Rios Jerk Spot is a Caribbean Restaurant located in an older strip mall in Phoenix Arizona. They offer Jamaican patties, wings, salads, cocktails various Jamaican entrees and more.
They do have a patio but it doesn’t appear to be in use.
Inside is a dining room and a bar.
Today we did take out.
We tried a variety of things. We tried small sized a la carte escovitch snapper, a la carte brown stew chicken, a la carte curry chicken, s/o macaroni and cheese, cocoa bread and a jerk chicken entree with rice and peas, cabbage and festival bread.
All the chicken dishes we ordered were dark meat that was developed with flavors and falling off the bone tender. The curry chicken and the brown stew chicken was very similar to others that I have tried. Very good and similar familiar flavors. The escovitch snapper also had very good flavor. Don’t remember having cocoa bread before but it was good and seemed fresh. It was slightly sweet. The macaroni and cheese was a homestyle kind……a little soft with the noodles but it was very cheesy. I do find that each restaurant has their own unique recipe for jerk chicken. This one is among the best that I’ve tried. It’s very flavorful and very tender. I had my choice of sauce that comes with it. I think? the choices were something like mild, bbq or hot…We picked hot and it was HOT but not nuclear with a nice fruity taste. I thought it was really great!
I have to say…….First taste at Ocho Rios Jerk Spot was….
The Bourbon Cellar is a small independent steak and seafood restaurant in North Scottsdale Arizona. The owner is also the chef and does the in house butchering. Inside is sort of rustic with lots of wood, bricks, bourbon barrels and American Flags.
Outside is a lush dog friendly patio with a water feature.
I’m not a burger person…Most burgers are just food that is very filling. A few are tasty out there and some burgers out there are of a higher quality……..but none are like The Bourbon Cellar’s Prime Filet Ground in House Burger……..I’ve been here several times and I just can’t get past the ground-in-house prime filet burger. This burger is different.
Here is a closer look. All beef does taste different. Especially ground beef. Commercial ground beef just isn’t up there with ground in house beef. Commercial beef is much gamier tasting…..with a slight sourness to it. It’s that dead cow taste….I know it because I used to cook up a few hundred pounds of beef when I was a cook. It does smell like a dead cow. Ground in house beef is a cleaner taste and doesn’t smell as bad at home when you grind your own beef.
It is an amazing big burger so I cut it in half and remove the toppings.
This burger is great but it isn’t cheap and might run you more than most burgers you eat. The bourbon pickles that I added (90cents) and onion ring topping (90cents) are really great. The onions rings are super great because they are shattering crisp and the onion doesn’t pull out when you bite into it. But it is the burger that is the main event here. It’s seasoned to perfection. I think “medium” is perfect here….medium rare would be too much raw meat. It’s like eating a really great steak. It’s so flavorful. I think it’s maybe the best tasting burger that I have ever tried. It’s so good that it shouldn’t be covered up with stuff. I love stuff….but then it covers up this amazing burger. You really have to eat it open face…It’s that good.
My dogs are always happy to help me with the other half.
Even the cole slaw was good. It was made fresh to order and came out after my burger.
It was very crisp and fresh.
We tried one different thing off the menu and went for the macaroni and cheese appetizer.
This was made fresh to order and did take some time but it is a perfect mix of cheesy and creamy. (Gave my dogs some too)
The ground in house prime filet burger from The Bourbon Cellar is Worth a Fork!
The Barrio Cafe is a Mexican Restaurant….But not just any Mexican Restaurant. The Barrio Cafe is a Gem of Phoenix Arizona. It’s the 6th “C” of Arizona. We have climate, cotton, cattle, copper, citrus and a special cafe……The Barrio Cafe is by James Beard Nominated Silvana Salcido Esparza. The chef is well known and famous for her tender flavorful slow roasted Oochinita Pibil, Chiles en Nogada and her bright and chunky guacamole topped with pomegranate.
Stunning larger than life Mexican heritage artwork surrounds the restaurant.
parking lotparking lotside of restaurantduring pandemic only two tables on the patiobar areabar area
This time we did take out…Flavors are all very special.
Ensalada de Barrio
Pollo en mole spice rubbed bone in chicken
cecina
The portions were very large. For some people each platter might be two meals.
Some prior take outs are below
I think you CAN’T understand what a great talent the chef really is from looking at my take out photos.
You need to see her creations from her other restaurant (now closed for business) Barrio Grand Reserva. Sadly the Barrio Grand Reserva is now closed for business. A few of the plates pictured are also served at Barrio Cafe.
amuse bouche Spicy seeds
That was a TASTE of The Barrio Cafe – Gem of Phoenix – Worth a Fork!
Spring Time comes early in the Valley of the Sun. Here are some of the restaurants with patios that I have dined from in no particular order.
Up above is Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. They have a stunning patio. They have misters for cooling and heaters for chilly days. Part of the patio has shades with an indoor-outdoor bar. They also have a beautiful park-like setting and the patio is dog friendly.
Geordie’s at the Wriggly Mansion in Phoenix has out door seating that was expanded after this photo was taken.
Tacos Chiwas in Phoenix has a patio.
Singh Medows in Tempe offers multiple choices for outdoor seating. They offer a patio and outside tables. They also offer blankets to use so you can seat yourself by a pond or in the meadow.
But you do need to call Singh Meadows to check on when they are open. They are a farmers market with limited weekend hours only.
Virtu Honest Craft – Scottsdale
Fellow Osteria – Scottsdale
Pane Bianco in Phoenix
The Sicilian Butcher in Phoenix
The Rec (Detroit Style) Pizzeria and Wings in Peoria offers a few tables outside.
The Larry – Phoenix
Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue in Cave Creek also offers patio dining.
The Vic Bar and Kitchen in Buckeye AZ
The Vic Bar and Kitchen in Buckeye
The Copper Mule in North Scottsdale has a patio with heaters that is also dog friendly.
The Perfect Pear Bistro in Tempe offers outdoor seating.
Pomo Cucina and Pizzeria in Scottsdale has a patio and so does their Gelato Restaurant Luna next door.
Elements at the Sanctuary in Paradise Valley Scottsdale offers Patio Seating.
Mrs Chicken in Phoenix does have a patio.
Oscar’s Pier 83 in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide offers patio dining. They are also dog friendly.
Tonto Bar & Grill in Cave Creek
Pizzeria Bianco at Town and Country in Phoenix offers Patio Dining. They have portable heaters.
Bandolero Cocina de Mexico in Scottsdale offers two patios with heaters. The back patio is also dog friendly.
Desi Fusion offers a shaded small patio.
Prado at the Omni Resort in Paradise Valley Scottsdale.
Ocotillo in Phoenix offers multiple patios with portable heaters with a beautiful park-like setting.
The Twisted Italian in Peoria offers a two table patio in front of the restaurant and is dog friendly.
Lon’s at the Hermosa in Paradise Valley Scottsdale.
Ofrenda in Cave Creek offers a two story wrap around patio.
Fabio On Fire in Peoria/#UpperWestSide offers TWO patios with portable heaters.
Parma Italian Roots in North Scottsdale offers patio dining with portable heaters and an indoor-outdoor bar.
The Bourbon Cellar in North Scottsdale offers dog friendly patio seating.
Veneto Trattoria in Scottsdale
Lure Fish House in Scottsdale offers two heated patios
FnB in the arts district of Scottsdale (during pandemic) is patio seating only with portable heaters.
Phila-Deli in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide offers dog friendly Patio Seating.
Confluence in Carefree offers stunning mountain views and patio dining with heaters and a fireplace.
Tacos Calafia in Peoria offers a few patio tables.
The Craftsman in North Scottsdale offers a wrap around dog friendly patio with large door wall of windows that sort of extend the patio space.
Cucina Tagliani in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide offers old fashioned Italian music, misters and heaters on an officially licensed dog friendly patio.
Jalapeno Inferno in Peoria offers patio dining with misters. The North Scottsdale location also has some patio dining. The North Scottsdale location also has patio seating.
Twist Bistro and Gallery in North Scottsdale offers patio tables with umbrellas.
Stratta Kitchen in Scottsdale offers a patio.
Starlight BBQ in Scottsdale offers some patio seating on long benches.
Wally’s American Gastropub in Scottsdale offers a patio.
La Piazza Al Forno in Old Town Glendale does have a small patio.
The Collins in Phoenix has a small patio.
Angelina’s Pho & Grill in Glendale does have a patio that was useable on my last visit. (It has been closed for a long time)
Doda’s Pizza in Glendale does have a few patio tables.
Sel in Old Town Scottsdale offers patio seating.
Las 15 Salsas in Phoenix has a small patio.
Greek Palace in Peoria does have two patios. They have at least one open patio.
True Food Kitchen – Biltmore Fusion Park in Phoenix
Chauncey Social – Scottsdale
Zinque at the Scottsdale Fusion Square in Scottsdale.
The Farish House in Phoenix.
Proof in North Scottsdale.
Mowry and Cotton at the Phoenician in Phoenix.
Pizziacatta in Cave Creek
Persepshen in Phoenix.
The Farm in Phoenix.
Little Cay in Phoenix.
JB Steakhouse at the Phoenician in Phoenix.
Popo’s Fiesta Del Sol in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide
English Rose Tea Room – Cave Creek
Vincent Market Bistro in Phoenix has a few outdoor tables but you better get them before 5pm…(It’s an extra early crowd here).
Tarbell’s The Tavern (I did hear the patio got extended since this photo was taken)
Cafe Monarch has an outdoor patio (out back).
Little Miss BBQ – Sunny Slope Phoenix.
That was over 60 patios in Metro Phoenix.
These days every FORKING thing is subject to change.
Lue Fish House is a reasonably priced seafood restaurant located in Gainey Village in Scottsdale Arizona. They are a family owned business with 4 other locations in California. I was told that the fish is fresh flown in daily and the vegetables that are served are all organic. Seating is at the bar, oyster bar, dining room or either side patio around the building.
Delicious fresh baked sour dough bread to start you off with.
Miso glazed sea bass skewers with organic brown rice, vegetables and spicy slaw with soy ginger dressing
shrimp skewer with potato cake and beans
seasonal harvest salad with added salmon
Mexican burrito bowl
flourless chocolate cake
east coast (blue point) and west coast (British Columbia) oysters.
branzino with sautéed spinach and almond pesto cauliflower
cioppino – mix of fish in briny tomato fish broth (tonight it was salmon, clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops) with garlic toasts.
blueberry cobbler
take out – Sally’s sand dabs with pineapple slaw and cilantro laced corn salad
take out – tequila lime spicy shrimp pasta (this one was really spicy…(hope they still make it like this)
take out – key lime pie
www.LureFishHouse.com
Lure Fish House…just a nibble and you will probably be hooked!
