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My Trip to Cafe Monarch – Fine Dinning Restaurant in Scottsdale AZ

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Cafe Monarch is located in Old Town Scottsdale. This is a Multi Award Winning, Reservation Only, Fine Dining Restaurant. Just a couple of the many awards they won are for most romantic restaurant in the country from Yelp an another recent award is from Tripadvisor that rates Cafe Monarch as #1 out of 956 restaurants in Scottsdale (April 2018). They have servers that are knowledgeable and all are sommelier trained.

When you walk in the first thing you see is the bar.

They have indoor and outdoor seating…..Today would have been a great day to sit outdoors but I didn’t specify my seat when I made the reservation so we got seated in one of the dining rooms at a secluded table.

You know me…….I have to tell The Forking Truth…..I’m in a lovely place in a lovely room….I’m about to enjoy a four course dinner soon…..But these chairs are in need of repair (or replacement) and are indeed uncomfortable. My husband’s chair and my chair both have broken springs and out butts fall threw the chairs…..The weird feeling sort of passes and we get used to it.

Our waiter greets us. He seems genuinely excited to wait on us and is very friendly and seems very knowledgeable…..I then get presented with a white linen napkin to rest on my black attire…..The Forking Truth is that this is a small thing but it slightly offends me because fine dining 101 is to match the napkin to the guest’s attire. They should have offered me a black napkin. We order and hope for the best.

Anyways…..

All is forgiving after the first course.

WOW!

The Squash Blossom Relleno is highly recommended by me.

God it’s amazing. It’s one of the best things I ate this year.

It’s layered and complex with all kinds of interesting textures.

The Squash Blossom Relleno is coated in the lightest crispest batter and rest on creamy black bean puree. Pickled red onions counter the richness of the Oaxaca Cheese. Poblano pepper, New Mexico Chili sauce and herbs add just the right flavors. There is a little heat but it’s very controlled. Just delicious in every way…..We both wished we could eat a big plate of these…..they were really extra great….I mean FORKING GREAT!

Second course was the Compressed Spring Watermelon Salad.

This was a small detailed plate that contained many ingredients. In the end it was light and refreshing.

Third Course for me was Yellow Fin Tuna Crudo.

Here was a rice cake that was topped with the freshest tuna laced with Calabrian Chili Aioli, Tare Sauce, Capelin Caviar, Chives and the tastiest micro green I have ever tasted. It tasted like a sweet pea. This was light and very delicious…….also with a light controlled heat. My husband tasted a piece of this and he said it was much better than what he picked.

He picked the Hanger Steak.

Not a thing was bad about the Hanger Steak…..It just wasn’t as bright and flavorful as the Yellow Fin Tuna Crudo. This was also a detailed many ingredient plate. It was prepared with prime beef, herb spaetzle, wild ramp béchamel, tomato confiture, asparagus, shallots, pecan pesto, garlic chips and pea tendril.

Fourth Course for me was the Citrus Crusted Sea Bass.

I eat mostly fish when I go out to eat and have had many dishes of fish called sea bass. This sea bass was unlike any sea bass I had before. It was a big thick generously sized piece of fish.This sea bass had the appearance of halibut but with a much less meaty texture and was a very light and sweet.  It was prepared close to perfect. We were light on the citrus here but the fish picked up a lot of the butter and some of the sweet beurre blanc sauce for flavor. There was a detailed sort of patty of basmati rice, roasted corn, ramps, peppadew peppers, taro root and squash that was tasty. A pretty yellow swipe of something was on the plate that tasted like sweet roasted corn to me.

My husband had the Bucatini ai Frutti di Mare.

All the Seafood was great….(Diver Scallop, King Crab Leg, Tiger Prawn, small piece of Lobster Tail)……The House made Bucatini was great too but the portion might have been overly petite. My husband said the sauce was excellent but he wished they gave him two shrimp and more bucatini.

I’m full but my husband insist that we order a dessert….He knows I’m a sucker for a good desert.

We decide on the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding.

Not a fan of the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding……(neither of us liked this dessert)………..It’s very dense and not sweet. Bananas don’t taste ripe or even flambé. …….Bad finish to a mostly lovely meal. I would come back but I doubt I’d ever order a dessert here again.

The Forking Truth is that I tell it how it was!

The menu changes ever other week at Cafe Monarch.

I would say everything except dessert was Worth a Fork at Cafe Monarch.

www.CafeMonarch.com

Amazing Atmosphere! A lovely detailed dinner…….except for dessert. I’ll go back again sometime……I’m just not sure if I would ever try dessert here again.

EVERY FORKING THING EVERYWHERE is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Potato Fennel Apricot & Green Garlic Salad Recipe

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Potato Fennel Apricot & Green Garlic Salad

I had two fennels I had to use and didn’t want to do the usual fennel orange salad. I also recently got the most unusual giant red colored green garlic from Crocked Sky Farms at the Pinnacle Peak Farmer’s Market…..

A GIANT RED Green Garlic

I had to buy it when I saw it. I was thinking about treating it like a leek but the bulb had a very sweet onion kind of taste laced with mellow garlic and the tops are much more tender and sweet garlicky sort of…..fennel and this green garlic isn’t enough for a salad….I needed something starchy so I thought creamy red potatoes would work well and dried apricots helped to add a little maybe Moroccan kind of interest to this potato salad. My photo isn’t so great of the salad…It’s really more colorful than my photo shows.  This comes out to be a REALLY DELICIOUS Potato Salad. The potatoes are creamy and flavorful. you get sweet, tang and sour from the rest.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

1 lb red skin potatoes – already boiled (I like to boil potatoes with salt and a banana pepper because it adds TONS of delicious flavor) ((***I get the banana peppers from Asiana Market …they usually run ultra spicy and I only use to cook with but not to eat…they are very flavorful)

2 fennel bulbs  + some fronds – cores and tough outer removed and then sliced very thin

1/4 cup dried apricots – in a cup of hot water to add some life back then slice up

1/2 cup green garlic bulb – chopped (I think a sweet onion of any sort would work here)

1/4 cup green garlic  top – chopped (a substitute could be scallion tops and a shredded garlic clove)

1 celery rib + some leaves – peeled and sliced very thin on an angle

1 Calabrian Chili pepper – chopped fine (this is a pepper that’s spicy but has great flavor)

1 lemon – just the fresh squeezed juice

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons course sea salt

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil – to add to salad before you serve

Directions

In a large bowl add the apricots (drained and sliced up), sliced fennel, green garlic bulb + tops, celery, Calabrian Chili mix. Add the salt and sugar and let sit to the side.

In a small bowl add the mustard, 2 Tablespoons olive oil and mix well. Add the vinegar mix well. Add the lemon juice and mix well.

The potatoes should still be almost hot. Chop them in large pieces. Add the potatoes to the large bowl and while the potatoes are still hot add the small bowl of dressing.

Toss in the remaining ingredients except for the 1/4 cup of olive oil.

Mix.

The hot potatoes probably drank up all the liquid. You add the 1/4 cup of olive oil just before serving.

Potato Fennel Apricot & Green Garlic Salad

Chance are if you make your potato salad the same way you are going to get compliments on this salad. It’s flavorful, delicious and unique!

The Forking Truth

 

 

El Pollo Correteado Restaurant Phoenix AZ – GOOD Fast Food Chicken

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El Pollo Correteado is not a fancy place. You don’t come here for the atmosphere. You come here for the Chicken. I tried to translate El Pollo Correteado to see what it means. I think it translates to The Chicken You Pursue or the Chicken you Chase After. El Pollo Correteado is a small postage stamp sized restaurant that serves Mesquite Charcoal Cooked Chicken. You order at the counter-

a half chicken ($6.57 April 2018 pricing) or a whole chicken ($13.12 April 2018 pricing). The menu is in Spanish on the wall but it’s easy for anyone to figure out. The man at the counter speaks Spanish but is bilingual. He calls your order in Spanish to the man in the kitchen and your chicken gets is served to you in a moment.

Your chicken comes in a styrofoam box and also comes with salsa, lemon, pickled onions, hot chili pepper and a stack (around 7) corn tortillas. The food comes from a window or a pass in the kitchen. Off to the side you see the grilled 1/2 chickens piled up as the man in the kitchen takes them off the fiery Charcoal Grill.

*****NOTE*******The 1/2 chickens in the window do have breast and wings……. three tables indoors or you can seat yourself outside on a bench.

We sat inside at the one remaining table…….I  watched many people picking up food and taking it to go. It was non-stop take out.

Ooooooh….I got a Forking funny looking half chicken……I was expecting an actual half chicken but I got a 1/2 chicken with three smaller sized legs and two partial thighs. My husband also had a funny looking half chicken with three legs, and a thigh and another thigh with 1/2 a breast.

Anyways-

The meat is delicious. It taste like it was marinated. It’s very juicy and flavorful. It’s not very smoky but it is delicious It’s great by it’s self.

Then I try some as a taco.

A squirt of lemon, a little pickled onion, a strip of hot pepper and a small dap of salsa….Now that’s the whole experience. Very delicious and a bargain for $6.57. I think it’s actually cheaper than national fast food chicken.

So you only come here if you don’t mind enjoying delicious dark meat chicken. I don’t know if the chicken pieces are served random or if you have to request white meat…………….They also offer macaroni salad, beans, mashed potatoes and a noticed a small sign outside that offered a 10 piece special.

El Pollo Correteado has two locations.

I went to 2904 W McDowll Rd in Phoenix

The other location is

1602 E Jefferson St Phoenix

No Website but they are on facebook.

El Pollo Correteado – Good Fast Food Chicken….it might be the Fast Food Chicken you Pursue……..instead of chicken from a national chain.

The Forking Truth is that everything is subject to change and YOUR experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on NEW Crunchy Mint & Raspberry M&M’s Candy

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M&M’s have put out for a limited time three new flavors of M&M’s Candy – Crunchy Raspberry, Crunchy Mint and Crunchy Espresso. I’m only trying the Raspberry and Mint flavored M&M’s. On the back of the package they suggest that you text them your favorite of the three flavors. They also note that no prize will be awarded and there is little other information.

I start by opening the Raspberry Bag.

I take a whiff.

It smells just like those dark chocolate raspberry jelly rings that my sister loves.

Next I pour some out.

Odd colors for raspberry – white, red and brown….I was expecting purple like the bag…..and smaller irregular shapes and different sizes.

I go to taste one and let it melt in my mouth.

Hard shell that sort of taste like Raspberry Bubble Yum. Followed by a burst of a dark chocolate taste that is slightly bitter mixed with that candy jelly ring like raspberry taste…then I’m left with a crunchy center that taste like Rice Chex cereal.

I get more flavor when I eat about three of them normal……..I really like the texture…..this is what the crispy M&M’s should be like……..very crisp and light……but…I get…Ick!…a chemical after taste…ick!

Now I bravely go for the Crunchy Mint.

I open the bag and take a whiff.

It smells appetizing…..very chocolate and very mint…….reminds me of an Andie’s Candy.

I pour some out.

These M&M’s are also of different sizes and shapes but are larger than the Crunchy Raspberry M&M’s. They are a light green a medium green and brown.

I let one dissolve in my mouth.

Normal candy shell.

Taste like deep chocolate with lots of mint…….lots of mint…..clears my head….I like the very strong mint. Almost gives me a brain freeze. There is a cereal center…..when all the chocolate is gone the cereal taste like a Rice Chex.

I go to eat some normal.

Ummm I think these are pretty good.

A nice light crunchy texture with very strong mint and deep chocolate. Sort of like an Andie’s Chocolate Mint but with lots of textures.

I think these would also be really yummy with ice cream.

Opps!………… I ate a few handfuls….. they were yummy…..Now I get an artificial tic tac breath mint kind of mint build up and aftertaste…..wow it’s like sex that ends with a fart.

I guess the new Crunchy Mint is only good if you only eat a few.

I’m not big on the Crunchy Raspberry but it does have a nice texture. The Crunchy Mint also has a great texture and is great until you get that Tic Tac breath mint kind of build up.

Those were my Forking Thoughts on Crunchy Raspberry and Mint M&M’s…I note that YOUR FORKING OPINION may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

Pane Bianco in Downtown Phoenix AZ – Worth a Fork!

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Pane Bianco is a small casual urban restaurant that focuses on serving a limited menu of mostly Italian accented sandwiches on wood fired fermented bread that’s made from local heirloom grains. The popular sandwich is the Tomato Basil made with local produce and house made mozzarella cheese. Each sandwich is painstakingly made. Here is the April 2018 menu.

Pane Bianco is a sister restaurant to the FAMOUS Pizzeria Bianco By Chef Chris Bianco. He is a James Beard Award Chef (Best South/West Chef) He is the first Pizza Chef (maybe only) that has won a James Beard Award. Pizzeria Bianco is considered to be the BEST PIZZA in the UNITED STATES and is also recognized officially by Bon Appetit, Vogue, Racheal Ray, Andrew Zimmerm, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, GQ and Gourmet. Sorry I know I got you hungry for the famous pizza now……I was lucky to hit Pane Bianco when they were also serving the famous pizza. I’ve tried several of the pizzas several times and my best memory of the pizza was from Pane Bianco.

Back to Pane Bianco. Originally you ordered at the counter, browsed or purchased some local and imported goods and did take out or sat outside on a community bench.

A few years back Pane Bianco expanded and added on a dining room with wait service.

I was surprised when I looked at the menu. There are more additions than what the website shows. I haven’t made it here in maybe a couple years because of menu changes but I see that old favorites have come back since my last visit.

This time I got the Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich. Today it came with a sweet mustardy red cabbage and vegetable salad. It is a very large generous sandwich. You can make two meals out of it.

My sandwich was PACKED with LOTS of arugula that was massaged and made tender and was easy to bite threw. The Albacore Tuna doesn’t taste or have the the texture of canned……..It taste like there is balsamic vinegar and and oil. The tuna salad is studded with sweet marinated raisins that burst in your mouth and there are little pieces the highest quality gaeta olives. It’s all delicious together…This sandwich does differ from other tuna sandwiches I’ve had here but all of them were all very good.

My husband had his favorite sandwich. The Soppressata with aged provolone and wood roasted red bell pepper.

My husband thinks the meat and cheese are of the highest quality. He loves this sandwich! A few years back red peppers were very expensive and Pane Bianco wasn’t offering the red peppers on this sandwich….instead they used roasted onions.

This version is still good……but not as great.

One of the very BEST, Must GET, desserts in Metro Phoenix is the Crazy Great Nutmeg Ice from Pane Bianco. (also served at Pizzeria Bianco at the Town and Country location).

It’s not like any Italian Ice I’ve had anywhere before. It’s a little creamy but it’s a one note refreshing punch that knocks you out…….I promise you…. it’s AMAZING!

Town and Country Pizzeria Bianco presents the Ice a little differently with cookies.

a few things I had at Pane Bianco in the past. (most things I didn’t photo here)

Tomato, Red Onion and Cheddar Focaccia (once I had a lemon rosemary bread that was really great!)

Chicken Salad

Tuna Salad

Pane Bianco is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.PizzariaBianco.com

EVERY FORKING THING is subject to change and YOUR experience MAY or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls Recipe

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Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls

These Eggplant Meat-Less-Balls are Stuffed!

Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls

I got the idea to make these Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls after I tried something similar from a restaurant. I knew I could make them better so I did. These Meat-Less Balls have a great flavor and satisfying almost meaty texture. They even have a gooey cheese filling. My husband didn’t think he’d like them because he doesn’t really like eggplant much. He also hated the Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs we tried at a certain restaurant…But after he tried THESE EGGPLANT MEAT-LESS-BALLS he kept saying these are really good! Over and over again. Then he asked me how I made them…He couldn’t tell if I fried them or not….They do seem like they were fried but I try not to fry eggplant (unless I have too) because eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge. Next he asked what was in them. Eggplant cooks up to something really soft like mashed bananas……It’s TRICKY to get eggplant into a solid……..My husband said I should bring my Eggplant Parmesan Balls to a certain restaurant for them to try…..(I am not sure sure they would take this well)…….Any who- If you like Eggplant Parmesan you should like these Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls. This recipe make approx. 35 one ounce balls about 8 servings. I thought the eggplant would work out better if I made the eggplant a day in advance so I could get the eggplant to drain more. You don’t want wet drippy eggplant or you will have mushy bitter balls.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

2 eggplants (after draining(s) you should only have 1 1/2 cups of cooked eggplant)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup bulgar

1 cup water

pinch course sea salt

1/4 cup raisins – chopped

1/4 cup pine nuts – toasted (350 degrees 5 minutes)

2 large eggs – slightly beaten

1/2 cup rice (already cooked)

1 cup whole wheat panko

2 teaspoons course sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 garlic cloves – grated

1 Tablespoon dried basil

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

2 Tablespoons parsley – chopped fine

1 Calabrian Chili – chopped fine

1 cup parmesan – shredded

6 oz mozzarella cheese – a small cube for each meat-less-ball (you might only need 5 oz. cheese..I gave out some samples while preparing)

Non stick spray

Directions

Set oven to 500 degrees F.

Wash and cut each eggplant in half. Score each eggplant and place on baking sheet(s). Drizzle with olive oil and place in oven for an hour.

Eggplants should look like this when they come out.

When eggplant is cool enough to handle scoop the flesh from the skin and put in bowl. Cover and leave in the refrigerator till tomorrow.

Next Day

Drain the liquid from your eggplant. Chop in small pieces if it isn’t already in small pieces. Line a colander with paper towels that is over a bowl and put the eggplant on the paper towel lined colander in the refrigerator to drain more…..you can also give it a squeeze to drain more liquid out. This can be done twice. You NEED to drain the liquid for TWO reasons.One if there is too much liquid your meatballs will be mushy. Reason number two is that eggplant liquid is bitter. For the best taste you need to remove liquid too. If this was done correctly you should only have ONE AND ONE HALF CUPS OF EGGPLANT.

While your eggplants are draining cook the bulgar. Bring a cup of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. Add the bulgar and reduce to simmer and loosely cover with foil. The bulgar should be done in about 13 minutes. Take off heat and add raisins, pine nuts, eggplant and all the remaining ingredients EXCEPTfor the CUBES of Mozzarella and the non stick spray.

Turn the oven on to 350 degrees F.

Spray your baking sheet(s) with non stick spay and set to the side.

Get out your one ounce scoop and make a ball. Insert a cheese cube.

Roll the ball making sure to cover the cheese well and place on baking sheet(s)

Continue till done and apply either a light coating of non stick spray to the tops of the meat-less-balls or a light spray of real oil.

Put in 350 degree F oven for about 15 minutes. Then after 15 minutes they brown up some…(these were cool and I put in one pan).

Serve with your favorite marinara kind of sauce and a little grated parmesan.

Eggplant Parmesan Meat-Less-Balls

Forking Yummilicious!

The Forking Truth