Tag Archives: #foodies

A Taste of Leo’s Island BBQ Peoria AZ – Hawaiian Plate Lunch – Worth a Fork!

Leave a reply

Leo’s Island BBQ is a Hawaiian Plate Lunch (including dinner) casual restaurant located near Arrowhead Town Center (mall) in Peoria Arizona. Leo’s Island BBQ is one of the few independently owned restaurants in this area. They offer around THIRTY varieties of the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. The Hawaiian Plate Lunch is a large styrofoam container filled with around eight ounces of one or two proteins, a bed of steamed cabbage, maybe some other steamed vegetables, a double scoop of white rice (or up-charge to brown rice) and a big scoop of Hawaiian style macaroni salad. They also offer appetizers, soups. salads, mini meals, burgers, Hawaiian bowls, family meal deals and catering. The food is never from frozen and is fresh made and even the sauces are made in house. Not all but many of the Hawaiian Plates are priced under $10.00 before tax. It’s not fancy food but it is superior to anything fast food and isn’t priced much different than fast food.

Inside is casual and you order and pay at the counter.

During normal times you. can seat yourself in the dining room (currently closed during covid.) Or you can seat yourself at one of the few tables on the patio or just do take out.

Today I got the maui maui grilled fish.

It’s a lot of food…I get 2-3 servings out of this. The fish is always prepared to perfection with a nice slightly crisp exterior and is always moist inside. I get LOTS of steamed cabbage and a few pieces of broccoli that seem healthy….There is a very generous serving of rice that can feed a small family and a good sized scoop of creamy macaroni salad that always get tastier if you hit it with a little sriracha.

My husband got the chicken kalua pork combo.

It’s a good amount of grilled marinated chicken thigh with grilled smoked pulled pork and a lot of rice, cabbage vegetables and macaroni salad.

Below are some of the other. plates we tried.

combo with bbq chicken and crispy shrimp (shrimps are shaped like onion rings)

island curry chicken (white meat)

lemon pepper chicken

garlic shrimp

loco moco (burger patty, fried egg, gravy.( added Spam)

curry bbq chicken MINI MEAL (………not so mini)

bbq chicken salad

chicken and rib combo

That was a taste of Leo’s Island BBQ in Peoria AZ.

Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

www.LeosIslandBBQ.com

Everything is subject to change these days.

The Forking Truth

Jamaican Jerk Inspired Parsley Salad

Leave a reply

I was gifted with many bunches of parsley so I got on a roll with parsley recipes. I made chipotle lime chili chimichurri, parsley pesto and tabbouleh salad so far. (BTW they all came out FORKING Delicious) I had around a cup of leftover rice and peas from a Caribbean take out. You can add a cup of regular rice or any grain you like for something similar. Then I got the idea to change it up a little and made another sort of tabbouleh salad but with added jerk spices. My GOSH this came out FORKING AMAZING!!!! This recipe makes around 4 servings. Chopping up 2 packed cups of parsley is a lot of work. I have no idea on how Mediterranean Restaurants serve all that tabbouleh.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

2 cups parsley leaves – packed tight and well hand chopped

1 English cucumber – seeds removed – small dice

1 small red onion – fine chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme – chopped

3 red jalapeño peppers – fine chopped (or to taste…red one look pretty and usually are never too hot)

1 cup prepared rice or another grain

2 limes the fresh squeezed juice and all the zest

3 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon course sea salt (or to taste)

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions

In a large mixing bowl add the parsley, cucumber, onion, thyme, jalapeño, rice or grain, lime zest and mix.

In a small mixing bowl add the lime juice, garlic, allspice, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt, oil, honey, paprika, cumin cayenne and brown sugar. Mix well. Pour dressing on salad and mix well. Chill a few hours or over night. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Jamaican Jerk Inspired Parsley Salad

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Universal Yums – Germany March 2021

Leave a reply

Universal Yums is a gift or subscription service for a box of international snacks.

You have three choices of size boxes.

Besides snacks your box comes with a booklet that includes some facts, trivia and a recipe.

I don’t know why but my box is marked reject.

That’s just dandy. WHATEVER

Lets try our first snack.

It’s puffed rice with a thin coat of waxy chocolate. It’s much lighter in texture than the Asian puffed rice bars. I think it might have ground rice powder in it with the texture of almost angel cake holding it together. I like the center of this bar with the ultra light texture. It ALMOST seems like the rice is suspended in angel cake but it isn’t…just taste that way.

Next

They smell tangy……They taste better than they smell…..Sort of like a ketchup taste…..Not awful (“PHEW”) but not something that I would buy.

Next we try the onion rings.

They smell just like onion powder. They have the same texture as softer lighter cheese curls but don’t taste like cheese curls. They taste onion flavored. Light oniony rings…they are ok.

Now we will go for something sweet.

Here are cinnamon almond cream wafers.

They are cinnamon-ee…kinda almond-ee………They remind me of other wafer snacks from all over the world. I think every country out there makes some sort of wafer snack.

Here is premium white chocolate with strawberry rhubarb crumble. I think this is pretty good. It taste like lots of strawberry in a cream……maybe the sour finish is the rhubarb? I think that this was the best of the box.

I saved this for last because I’m not a big fan of marzipan.

Well it’s a stick of marzipan. It’s covered in dark chocolate that isn’t too bad.

That was Germany Universal Yums for March 2021.

www.UniversalYums.com

The Forking Truth

Tabbouleh Style Rice Recipe

Leave a reply

I was gifted with several bunches of parsley and Tabbouleh is a parsley salad so here it is but a little different. I added a cucumber because I was gifted with a bunch of them but the most different thing is the rice. Tabbouleh is traditionally made with soaked bulgar. I used rice because I had leftover take out rice taking up room in my refrigerator. It made sense to use the rice. Tabbouleh uses an incredible amount of parsley that you hand chop as small as possible. I have no idea how Mediterranean restaurants serve so much of this. This recipe makes around 4 salads.

Ingredients for around 4 salads

2 cups parley leaves (packed very tight) – chopped fine

1 cup cooked rice (or substitute any grain you want or have)

1 large tomato – chopped into small pieces (mine was small but that was all I had)

1 hot house cucumber – remove seeds – chop into very small pieces

1 small red onion – small dice

1/2 cup mint leaves – chopped

1/2 cup scallions – sliced thin

1 large Meyer lemon – the zest and fresh juice

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

All the ingredients go in a large mixing bowl. Mix, chill a few hours or a day and serve.

Tabbouleh Style Rice

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Mediterranean Restaurant Casa De Falafel The #5 TOP Restaurant in greater Phoenix AZ – according to Yelp

Leave a reply

According to Yelp a small casual Mediterranean Restaurant located in a gas station called Casa De Falafel is the #5 TOP restaurant in greater Phoenix Arizona. *****UPDATE no longer located in gas station moved to own spot in Glendale AZ.

Also according to Yelp Casa De Falafel is the number 2 falafel restaurant in the United States.

Lets see what Casa De Falafel is like.

We order at a counter and pay here.

The menu is limited.

I noticed that they sell their very own packaged lentil soup.

We ordered 2 falafels and a beef and chicken shawarma plates. While we wait we look around a little.

Here is the dining room. It’s currently not in use during the pandemic.

Here is the view if you were seated.

We start with falafels.

They look like small donuts. One is with a little hummus and the other is with a little tahini sauce that are very similar today and are very delicate tasting.

They are fried nicely and do have a crisp exterior and a moist fluffy interior and are lightly herbed and seasoned. It’s good……to some this falafel might be under seasoned.

Now we are digging into the shawarma plates with garlic sauce, tahini and extra HOT green sauce.

There is a lot packed into this plate. I got a serving of lentil soup, chicken shawarma that is moist, flavorful and nicely caramelized. there’s Mediterranean pickle slices, olives, chickpeas, salad, red onions dusted with sumac and what might? be?

Mexican style rice? Perhaps a nod to part of the name of the restaurant?

The beef shawarma plate is the same but made with beef.

I preferred the chicken over the beef shawarma because the chicken was moist and I think flavored better. For me the beef wasn’t tender enough but my husband said it was good to him. He doesn’t mind a little chew. I also thought the food was tasty and a good value. My chicken shawarma plate was only $9.50 before tax and tip.

That was my trip to Casa De Falafel in Peoria AZ. According to Yelp they are the #5 TOP Restaurant in Greater Phoenix and the #2 Falafel Restaurant in the country.

Casa De Falafel does not have a website but you can find them on Facebook.

Address and phone number is below.

Everything IS subject to change.******UPDATE They’ve moved. to Glendale.

The Forking Truth

The Fantabulous Dish – The Bufalina Pizza from Fabio On Fire Peoria AZ – Worth a Fork!

Leave a reply

The Fantabulous Dish means……top of the line, marvelously good, peachy keen and dynamite.

There are many fantabulous pizza restaurants out there in metro Phoenix. But each one is unique and many of them do a particular pizza better than from other restaurants.

Burrata or bufala cheese is the most exquisite mozzarella cheese that you can imagine. It’s the top of the line of mozzarella.

Most bufalina pizzas (margherita pizzas but made with Italian Buffalo milk cheese) look something like this……and this is GOOD but …….

Fabio On Fire elevates the bufalina pizza. His Bufalina Pizza is special.

Fabio On Fire in Peoria AZ makes his Bufalina Pizzas like this one below.

This Bufalina Pizza starts with San Marzano Tomato sauce, Imported bufalina cheese, oregano, garlic, arugula, reduced balsamic vinegar, farm fresh sweet tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil.

Sometimes they spread out the cheese.

The heat of the pizza warms the creamy imported bufala cheese without cooking it. You get the most exquisite mozzarella the way it was meant to be.

It’s FORKING DELICIOUS! It got all kinds of flavors going on. The BEST bufala cheese, San Marzano tomato sauce (the BEST), farm fresh sweet tomatoes (the BEST), peppery arugula, sweet but tang from the balsamic, flavors from the garlic and oregano….It’s going on here.

The Bufalina Pizza from Fabio On Fire is an official Fantabulous Dish!

Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

www.FabioOnFire.com

The Forking Truth

Beet Chutney Recipe

Leave a reply

I had some beets and I saw a chef make beet chutney on Food Network TV. I usually don’t do Food Network TV recipes so I looked up other vegetable chutney recipes and got ideas on how to make the dip a little more complex. I have to say this came out amazing. You will want to try this. It came out so good that I will in the future use this as a filling in pastry or another creation. This is NOT an authentic Indian chutney recipe but is Indian Inspired. Serving size may differ. This make around 8 small servings.

Ingredients for around 8 small servings

1 lb beets – peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium sized red onion – diced

2 red hot peppers – minced

2 bay leaves

2 branch curry leaves

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon nigella (also called black cumin seeds)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

5 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 Tablespoons tamarind paste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar – (or to taste)

sea salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh cilantro – torn or chopped

optional – pomegranate seeds

Directions

Set oven to 400 degrees f.

In a pan that you can cover add the beets, onion, hot peppers, bay leaves, curry leaves, sugar, ginger, fenugreek, nigella, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, garlic, turmeric, & tamarind. Cover and put on middle rack of pre-heated 400 degree f oven until beets are fry tender. ( I left mine in for one hour)

Next when done – remove the bay leaves and curry leaves and add a splash of apple cider vinegar and blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finish with some fresh cilantro. Add pomegranate (if using) Serve with something to dip.

Beet Chutney

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Dining Out With DOGS In Metro Phoenix AZ – March 2021- Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery, Phila-Deli, Culvers, Bruster’s Ice Cream

Leave a reply

Dining out with dogs in metro Phoenix is just a “FLUFF” story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie came down with aggressive cancer. We were told that he only had three months or maybe up to six months to live. Louie was already elderly and couldn’t do a lot but he always enjoyed eating and also always enjoyed going out to eat. I took Louie out to eat as much as possible and Louie made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat.

There are some things that you need to know about dining out with dogs. One thing is that not all patios are dog friendly. It’s always best to call a restaurant and ask if it is ok to bring your dog (even if it is dog friendly because the patio could be booked). It is also best to dine out with dogs at off times. It’s always best to avoid as many people and other dogs as possible. Many people don’t share your love for dogs and other people might be allergic. It is also best to avoid other dogs because dogs enjoy barking at each other and you could be asked to leave.

You also need to be aware of safe and non-safe food for dogs. Most people food can be dangerous or even toxic to dogs. You need to get a food safe list and foods to avoid list from your veterinarian. Usually a small lean sauce free piece of meat is safe for your dog. Here in Arizona weather is an issue for dining out with dogs. All dogs are less heat tolerant than people. Dogs wear fur coats and absorb heat up their paws. They also can’t sweat. Usually 90 degrees and over is too hot to dine out with dogs. Leave your dog home if unsure.

There also are some rules to dining out with dogs. Dogs must be by your side at all times. Dogs are not to sit on restaurant furniture or to eat off restaurant plates.

Our first dining trip out was Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in North Phoenix. They offer around a dozen different Banh Mi Baguette sandwiches and many of your usual Vietnamese favorites EXCEPT FOR PHO.

Today I had the lotus root salad (It’s only $5.00) and potstickers ($4.00).

I don’t eat shrimp so I give it all to my dogs and small parts of the tasty potstickers.

My husband got a grilled pork Banh Mi today.

We all always enjoy Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery.

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

Next trip out with the digs was at Phila-Deli in Glendale/Arrowhead/#UpperWestSide. Phila-Deli is a small sandwich shop. They offer a variety of cheesesteaks, sandwiches, wraps and more. The salad they offer is one of the best deals in town. It’s only $7.49 (avocado is 75cents extra) I have no idea on how they can make money serving this great big salad. The owners are extra nice. They usually run out water to our dogs and make a big deal about them.

I have plenty of chicken to share with the dogs.

My husband always likes to get the cheesesteak with extra American cheese.

I think my dog is smiling from the food from Phila-Deli.

www.PhilaDeliAZ.com

During lent Culver’s (a national fast food chain with a nice patio) offers hand battered walleye that I enjoy. We came just for that the first week walleye was on the menu and already missed the walley special.

The patio is usually empty

Since they were out of walleye already early I got the hand battered cod that they always offer with steamed broccoli and cheese sauce. I thought one side would be broccoli and I thought my other side would be cheese sauce?????

The cod is actually pretty good. Even my dogs love the cod. They also liked steamed broccoli with cheese sauce.

They also got to eat some of my husbands butter cheese burger. He surprised me by getting a spicy chicken sandwich….I tried a few bites. It contains spices that are not dog friendly. I wouldn’t come back for this particular hot chicken sandwich but I would come back for the cod.

The dogs enjoyed everything they tried.

www.Culvers.com

Bruster’s Ice Cream was nice enough to treat our dogs to free Pup Cups.

Look how happy the dogs are anticipating the pup cups.

I got a blueberry cobbler for myself. My husband got something I think was called coffee cake.

www.Brusters.com

“Don’t worry we are in this thing together and are here to help you eat all this delicious food”

That was Dining Out With Dogs in Metro Phoenix for March 2021. We hope that you’ve enjoyed and we hope to see you next month.

The Forking Truth
In Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017

Sun Dried Tomato and Walnut Parsley Pesto Recipe

Leave a reply

I was gifted with many bunches of parley. So far I made tabbouleh, parsley pesto, chipotle lime chimichurri, Jamaican jerk inspired parsley salad (like tabbouleh but jerk flavored). Now here is sun-dried tomato and walnut parsley pesto. Everything I made with parsley is delicious so far. Had no idea that parsley can be so great! Portions are difficult to judge because you will use a lot if you are using this pesto to dress pasta. But you will only use a little if you are spreading this on bread. I think it will be at least 4 pasta servings and 8 or more servings for bread.

Ingredients for around 6 servings

4 cups parsley leaves – packed tight hand chopped fine

3/4 cup crushed walnuts

1 teaspoon garlic confit – fresh garlic might turn too strong (roast garlic cloves in olive oil covered for about an hour at 350 and blend…..I make a big bath every time I buy a bag of garlic)

3 oz sun dried tomatoes – chopped

1 cup parmigiano reggiano – shedded

1 Meyer lemon – zest and fresh squeezed juice

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

optional – a splash of Calabrian chili oil (or Calabrian peppers)

some water or oil to thin to desired consistency

Directions

All above ingredients get blended together. Thin with water or oil to desired consistency. Adjust salt and pepper.

Sun Dried Tomato and Walnut Parsley Pesto

Enjoy on pasta or bread or convert to a dressing.

The Forking Truth

A Little TASTE of the Golden Pineapple in Tempe AZ

Leave a reply

The Golden Pineapple is a bar and restaurant located in Tempe Arizona. They offer craft beers, cocktails and a limited chef crafted menu that includes a few children’s dishes. The foods offered are casual like tacos, burgers and hot dogs but are high quality that have ingredients like Chula Seafood and Noble Bread in them. Much of the foods offered have a southwest accent. You can sit inside at a table or the bar.

There is also another big area inside for seating but the lights were out so I didn’t photo it. It was a nice day today so almost everyone was seated outdoors. There is also a patio with a veery old very large tree. Something that you don’t see very often in metro Phoenix.

Parking is easy because they have their own parking lot with plenty of bike racks.

They offered an interesting brunch special today but I went with the AZ hot fried chicken sandwich with seasonal greens.

I go and take a bite. WOW the exterior of the chicken is shattering crisp with lots of paprika, a little sweetness and other spices and the white meat chicken is incredibly juicy. This is a very flavorful detailed sandwich that is also very delicious but it isn’t spicy (I wonder if they forgot the cayenne or other hot pepper that it should have?). The Noble Bread Bun is nicely toasted. It’s spread with avocado aioli and adorned with house made crisp pickles. The slaw is fresh made and crunchy. It’s really good but isn’t spicy….I am very picky….too picky……… for me this would be a perfect sandwich if the bun was a little smaller and the sandwich was made with some heat……….but…….Can’t be mad…It’s darn good and better than most chicken sandwiches so I am very happy with it. I think anyone would enjoy this sandwich. The greens are great too. Lightly dressed with pickled onions that just brighten it up.

My husband got the green chile burger with egg with hand cut fries as his side.

It’s a brisket patty with chilis, colby jack cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce, pickled tomatillos, avocado aioli and hand cut fried that were nicely stacked. It was prepared to a perfect medium rare. He said it was one of the best burgers that he has had.

Both sandwiches were very good.

That was a little taste of the Golden Pineapple in Tempe AZ.

Worth a Fork.

Worth A Fork!

www.TheGoldenPineappleAZ.com

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth