Tag Archives: #Phoenix

My Trip to Slapfish in Glendale AZ – Cod do Better

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Slapfish is a fast food style sustainable seafood restaurant that recently opened in the Arrowhead Area in Glendale Arizona (late December 2018). This is a California based company that is in rapid growth expanding into many states across The United States and coming soon to The United Kingdom. On the day of my visit they offered a great variety of fish, shrimp, lobster that are served in a variety of ways. Again this place is very casual, order at the counter, pay, grab a beverage and number and then seat yourself kind of place.

I decided I’d try the The Grilled Fish Bowl with daily fish (salmon $2.00 extra), seasoned rice, herb sauce and hand picked salad ($13.00 + $2 for salmon).

It’s a nice big piece of salmon that was browned.

It’s slightly over cooked.

Here’s a close up. As soon as I saw the albumin (white protein) pushed out of muscle fibers I knew the fish was over cooked…….That wasn’t the biggest problem. I am undecided if this fish was spoiled or very close to being spoiled. (I wish it went to salmon else…….(excuse bad pun). I can tell you that it had a strong fish taste. Me and my husband couldn’t eat it. I wanted to tell someone about the fish…..But it’s a casual fast food type place here. During that time they had a line going to the counter and I thought if I brought up my bowl with smelly fish all the customers in line would leave and the people working at Slapfish might spit on the new plate of food that they would have to make me. Of course I don’t know if the cooks would get mad and act that way but I’ve worked in several restaurants and do know it takes next to nothing for a cook to flip out sometimes.

That said for the most part most things we tried faired well.

Except for the fish the rest of my bowl was delicious. I received a very nice fresh salad with fresh cut cucumber, carrots, radishes, a sweet tomato and honey lime dressing. The chewy short grain rice was seasoned nice and was topped with a yummy herb sauce. I would have loved this bowl if the fish was ok.

We also shared the Cold Pickles ($4.00).

Also the Natural Cut Fries ($4.00).

We both enjoyed the pickles. They seemed light and refreshing. My husband liked the fries but I was a little put off by the powdery texture. I thought the fries were slightly dry and not too potato-ee tasting like Burger King Fries.

My husband tried a Shrimp Burrito ($11.00).

He said his shrimp were fresh and were moist and not dried out. This burrito is different and is filled with rice, fries, salsa and pickled onion. He thought the burrito was seasoned nicely but also added he thought the tortilla was on the dry side. Neither of us were found of the chips and salsa.

Average pricing run around $12.00 a plate. Expect to pay extra for upgrading the fish, a side and a beverage. (About $20.00 per person or more)

Such a great idea for a restaurant but Cod be better……..(excuse bad pun)

www.SLAPFISHRESTAURANT.com

1/2 a Fork…

My first visit was Hit and Miss.

The Forking Truth is that EVERYTHING is Subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Po Chicken in Mesa AZ

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Po Chicken is a casual Korean Restaurant in Mesa Arizona that specializes in Korean Porridge and Korean Fried Chicken. They also serve other Korean Dishes and Beer. This isn’t a fancy place and the atmosphere is a mix of new and worn.

I noticed something odd and saw something I’ve never seen in a restaurant before.

Each table had it’s own call button to ring a server.

We ordered and soon a few plates of side dishes arrive that are referred to as banchan.

The pickles were very unusual tasting to me…..sort of like regular pickles but mixed with Asian Flavors. We received crunchy salad with sweet thousand Island type dressing, fish cakes, kimchi, pickled radish, pickles, miso soup and a condiment for our hot pot.

We shared the Hot Pot with Flying Fish Roe.

We were told that this dish was meatless except for the fish roe. This was a rice dish with nori, shrimp, fine chopped vegetables, onions and fish roe. We mixed the condiment into the dish. It’s a mild but tasty dish. I like the texture of the onions. They are cooked but sort of crispy in a different way.

We also shared a split order of Korean Fried Chicken. We picked Sweet and Spicy and Soy Garlic. They serve a very large portion that might be enough to share between four people.

On the left is the Yang Nyum (the Sweet and Spicy). The Chicken is hot and very juicy……The sauce runs very sweet for my taste and I am a big fan of sweets but this is too sweet for me with very little heat. It’s like eating a warmed up jar of duck sauce. But the chicken on the left would be good if I liked the sauce. It would be my luck that I hit this restaurant when the “B” crew was on because the Ganjang (Soy Garlic) Chicken on the right was almost cold and was very dry……………..very VERY dry…stringy dry and almost cold…..If this chicken could talk what would it tell me?………Clearly this chicken wasn’t fresh made for us…..it was cooked…..chilled….possibly re-heated again for a long time so it could get all dried out (and awful)…and possibly chilled again……and slightly reheated to below a safe serving temperature for us… I tried to eat one piece and the piece I tried was a back bone that hardly had any meat and should have been saved for a stew …….but hey it did have an ultra crispy skin! We had a great deal of leftover chicken that we didn’t box up.

If you need service or the check you have to walk to the front desk or hit the button on the wall.

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

That was my trip to Po Chicken in Mesa.

1/2 a Fork…

www.Po-Chicken.Business.site

The Forking Truth

Dining Out With DOGS in Metro Phoenix December 2018

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“We are Going Out to Eat Yippie”

Dining out with dogs is just a fluff story about taking my dogs out to eat. It all sort of started when my dog Louie came down with cancer and was given only 3-6 monthsto live. He couldn’t do a lot back then but he enjoyed going out to eat so we took him out as often as possible. Instead of the 3-6 months he made it another 17 months. Today I take my current dogs out to eat. 

Most restaurants in Metro Phoenix do have patios but not all restaurant patios are dog friendly. It’s always best to visit a certified dog friendly patio and it’s also best to call before your visit to make sure the patio is available. I also recommend to go at off times to avoid other diners and other dogs for numerous reasons. Some of the reasons are not everyone wants to dine with dogs. Also some people are allergic to dogs. Sometimes dogs bark at each other. You could be asked to leave for these and other reasons. Remember it’s always best to call first and dine at off times with your dog(s).

There are some rules for dining with dogs. Your dog must be by your side at all times when you dine with dogs. Dogs are NOT to sit on restaurant furniture. Dogs are NOT to eat off restaurant plates. Most of the food and drink that you consume is not safe and might be toxic to your dog. You must get a list of dog friendly foods and foods to avoid from your veterinarian. It’s also important to know that your dog is not as heat tolerant as you are. Dogs absorb heat threw their paws and can’t sweat. 90 degrees F and above your dogs should stay home. Each dog is different (just like people) and do have different heat tolerance. Most younger healthier dogs might be able to tolerate up to or almost 90 degrees F BUT ONLY IN FULL SHADED PATIOS. Hopefully you know your dog well enough to figure out your dog’s heat tolerance. When there is any doubt it’s best to leave them home.
“We are on our way to Humble Pie in Glendale”
The first week of December was very cold for dessert standards so we had to wait for week two of December to dine out. We made it to our local Humble Pie. Humble Pie is an Arizonian Group of nine restaurants that specialize in serving pizzas with house made mozzarella cheese. They feature their own house made sausage but also offer the locally made Schreiner’s sausage. 

I ordered a Margherita for myself and a side order of grilled chicken for the dogs ($3.00).

Someone thought this smelled yummy!

“Ummmm I can’t wait to dig in”
“OH you FORKING RUNT!” ……”GET OUT!” “I’m getting first taste!”

“OK whatever you say Big Pretty Woman.”

“That’s better little boy now we can get along.”
“That Margherita is very thin….Good thing we got grilled chicken!”
“Our other human got the Humble Pie Signature Sausage Pizza.”

“We enjoyed ourselves at Humble Pie!”
www.HumblePieUSA.com 

“We are on our way to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale.” 

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante is an Italian Restaurant that specializes in serving Neapolitan Pizzas,  House Made Pastas and more! They recently updated their menu so we thought we’d  give it a try.

“Why does she drink wine when there is beer?”
New Menu item Chicken Pizzaiola (Tomato Sauce, Mozzarella and Imported Prosciutto) 

“OMG look at all that chicken (Chicken Milanese)…she can’t eat all that we will have to help a lot!”

“Ummmm that’s some good chicken….I can’t wait for my next bite….I’m so hungry!”

#We need to sample the Chicken Pizzaiola too!”

“Everything was delicious and portions were super extra large!” 

“We enjoyed ourselves at Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante 

www.BottegaRistorante.com 

“We are on our way to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix”

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery is a Vietnamese Casual Restaurant that is Pho Free and specializes in offering about a dozen different varieties of the Banh Mi Baguette Sandwich. They also offer almost anything other Vietnamese restaurants offer except for Pho. They offer delicious rice plates, noodle bowls, appetizers, salads, curry chicken, desserts and MORE!

Today my husband went with a BBQ Pork Banh Mi that I forgot to photo and today I went with the Curry Chicken with Rice.

“The food is always so tasty that it can make even dogs smile.”

“We LOVE going to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery!”

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

“Well that was Dining Out With Dogs in Metro Phoenix for December 2018.” “We hope you enjoyed and we also Wish You a Happy New Year and Hope to see you next month!”

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

1st Taste at The Social on 83rd Restaurant at P83 in Peoria – Worth a Fork!

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The Social on 83rd Restaurant and Bar recently opened in P83 section of Peoria Arizona (former location of Slick’s Garage). This area is also known as part of the Upper West Side. The Social on 83rd offers a full bar and an intriguing Modern American Global Menu with reasonable pricing. The atmosphere is clean and modern and maybe sort of lounge-like with a mix of all sorts of tables and booths.

The bench was very comfortable

Seating is available indoors and also outdoors. They offer an indoor-outdoor bar and a two level patio for dining or libations.

We shared two appetizers and a salad. The appetizers were reasonably priced and were larger than we expected them to be. We shared the Bao Buns that were filled with 24 hour short rib. The Buns were topped with pickled vegetables and came with a side of mandu sauce. ($8.50 – subject to change)

The menu reads Bun so we only expected one bun and not two. Inside the fluffy steamed bun was a generous amount of short rib that was compacted into a meatball sized ball. The meat was tender and the fat was cooked out. All together with the pickled vegetables and mandu sauce it was delicious!

The Mac ‘N’ Cheese Balls had a thin crisp exterior and creamy cheesy pasta inside that was prepared to perfection. ($7.50 subject to change)

Mac ‘N’ Cheese Balls seemed free of oil and were flavorful. They rested on top of a little lemon herb aioli.

How often to you come across a Jerk Chicken Caesar Salad made with iceberg, peppered pecorino and mango caesar dressing? ($9.50 subject to change)

The first thing I tasted was a crouton. It was buttery with a tender crunch. The Jerk Chicken was not spicy hot but very flavorful with allspice and other flavors. All together it was a delicious interesting salad.

That was my First Taste at Social on 83rd.

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Can’t wait for my second taste!

www.TheSocialAZ.com

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

The Forking Truth

Confluence Restaurant in Carefree AZ is Always Worth a Fork

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Confluence is a small casual upscale restaurant located in beautiful Carefree Arizona. Confluence offers detailed elevated Modern Cuisine. The atmosphere is classic with modern touches. Seating is at the bar, standard tables or outdoors with mountain views. Currently Confluence is open for lunch and dinner Tuesdays – Saturdays at this time (December 2018). 

Between use we tried around twenty different plates so far at Confluence. Dining at Confluence never gets boring and the food is always exciting.

Today we started out by sharing the Grilled Eggplant with Sesame Seeds, Peanuts, Fresno Chili, Miso and Bonito Flakes.

Delicious! Now I know new flavors to do to eggplant!

For my main I went with the BBQ Chicken Sandwich with Celery Root, Spicy Pickles, Beet Greens, Smoked Onion Mayonnaise on a Fontina Roll.

OMG! YUM! This is from another planet DELICIOUS! This is another one of the best things I’ve tasted this year! It’s MAGICAL! I’m almost speechless…..I’ll start with the Fontina Roll. It’s rich but light textured. I think it taste eggy and buttery…but it’s very strong with a strong yummy-licious Cheese Flavor. The bun alone taste almost like the most delicious grilled cheese sandwich you’ve ever had! The middle of the sandwich is a MIX of all the fillings and became almost like a messy but FORKING DELICIOUS Chicken salad with all kinds of DELICIOUS Flavors….A little sharp crunch and bite from the pickle. Chicken that seemed slow cooked or Sous Vide and was tender like butter. Sharp beet greens. Smoked Onion Mayonnaise that should be bottled……..OMG…BIG FAT YUM! 

My husband went with the Beef Tips with Sun-choke, Broccoli, Potato, Mushroom, Cipollini Onion and a Taleggio Sauce.

We didn’t need dessert but Confluence Desserts are among the best…..

A little Chocolate Mousse with Almond, Orange and White Chocolate Biscotti was well received. 

Confluence Restaurant in Carefree AZ is Always Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.RestaurantConfluence.com

Some of the prior dishes we tried

Cured Farm Egg with Faro
Duck
Snapper
Monk Fish
Guinea Hen
Fruit Granite
Roasted Peach, Epoisses Cheese, Mint, Pecans, Honey

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

The Forking Truth

Best Food I ate out in Metro Phoenix Arizona 2018

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I haven’t been everywhere in Metro Phoenix but I’ve been to many restaurants in Metro Phoenix. The foods pictured are in no particular order. These just are the dishes that stood out from the rest of what I tried in Metro Phoenix.

From Multi Award Winning and James Beard Award Winning Chef Christopher Gross- who was at Christopher’s and Crush Lounge I had the incredible House Smoked Salmon. It MUST BE NOTED that this restaurant is now closed for business but Chef Christopher is the executive Chef at Geordie’s Steak at Wrigley Mansion in the Biltmore area of Phoenix. This smoked salmon plate was epic. It’s so painstakingly detailed…..the thin crepe, the crisp greens, hand made squid ink spoon with creme fraiche, crisp potatoes. The salmon was sliced with expert perfection and was so buttery it just melted in the mouth. If you tried this plate you’d know how lousy most other smoked salmon you can try is…….It’s very rare that you get smoked salmon like this.

I have to give another one to Christopher’s and Crush Lounge for dessert. The Lemon Pie with Sorbet (in a shell) might have been the very best dessert I ate all year.

The pie was just AMAZING with the PERFECT tart/sweet.  The sorbet was natural tasting and perfect. I also loved the detailed plate.

The BEST beef burger that I tried (maybe in my life) was the Prime in house ground Filet Burger on an Apple Cider Bun with Bourbon Pickles and was topped with a Wasabi Deviled Egg and a Bourbon Cherry from the The Bourbon Cellar in North Scottsdale. They went too heavy on the mixed greens but who cares about that? This burger was the most flavorful and juicy burger I’ve ever eaten. This burger was delicious without any sauce. How often does that happen?

Luna Gelateria (Pomo Ownership) serves the most incredible Luna Flavored Gelato. There are some other outstanding Gelato Shops in Metro Phoenix but this Luna Flavor gotta be among the best! It has a different creaminess that comes from local dairy and state of the art Italian machinery.

The placement of the spoon makes it looks like we are checking for breathing

One of the best Fish Dishes I had came from a place you wouldn’t expect………It was the fresh killed Tilapia in a scallion Ginger Broth from D&Y Chinese in Glendale. Tilapia usually isn’t among my favorite fish to eat but fresh killed and prepared well it’s great!

I can add maybe a 1/2 dozen pizzas that are incredible and memorable. This Bufalina Pizza from Fabio on Fire in Peoria was up there among the BEST! The combination of Bufala Cheese, Balsamic Vinegar, Arugula and San Marzano Tomato Sauce are the things that make angels sing. I also have to add that the Spinach Raviolis and the House Made Gelato in Strawberry and Passion Fruit are just as great!

The other most delicious pizza I ate this year came from La Piazza Al Forno in Glendale. The Certified Neapolitan Pizzas do taste different than from other Neapolitan style or certified Pizzas from other restaurants. The Mozzarella Cheese is made in house and is very flavorful. The crust also is more delicate and usually more wet in the middle. I don’t usually order the Bianca variety but I have to say it was more delicious than my photo shows. The combination of House made mozzarella, (tasted like house made but not sure) ricotta, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, Sicilian Oregano and Calabrian Chili Peppers was also one of the most delicious pizzas ever! It’s a possibility that La Piazza also offers the very best Cheese Cake in the Valley…..I know that I don’t care for any other I tried…..La Piazza Al Forno’s Cheese Cake is the best!

April – 22 – 2018

Here’s another one that you can’t get anymore. Zabari Mediterranean Grill is now closed for business. I have to say that pita sandwich was the best I’ve had anywhere. What made it much better than the others were several things. One the fresh baked pita was very above average….it was perfect and molded around all the filling and didn’t fall apart or get soggy. Their Chicken Shawarma was KILLER……KILLER>>>>>>I MEAN KILLER……most flavorful and moist I’ve had anywhere. But the one thing they offered that none of the other Mediterranean Restaurants offer was that unbelievably delicious DELICIOUS Matbucha (spicy tomato and roasted pepper salad or salsa). That Matbucha was so delicious that stores should sell it. All those other sauces they made were delicious too….I should be happy that I got to eat here twice but I get upset when I have so many mediocre Mediterranean Restaurants near me that are in business and a really good one isn’t anymore. My other favorite for Mediterranean is also closed for business this past November The Shawarma King…BAHHHHH!

 

I was fortunate to dine at Cafe Monarch in Old Town Scottsdale. The Squash Blossom Relleno is what I remember most…….It was so layered with delicious flavors and so so textured. It packed a little heat so but was so dam scrumptious I wish I had a Forking Platter of them.

The Food is great and also painstakingly highest of quality from all the Bianco Restaurants….But This Nutmeg Italian Ice I had from Pane Bianco in Phoenix is still burning in my memory of one of the most delicious things I tried this year…..It really was THAT GOOD!

This Focaccia di Recco made with Stracchino Cheese from Pomo Pizzeria in Scottsdale is ULTRA SCRUMPTIOUS!!!! It’s so thin and cheesy……but not the normal cheesy…..it’s a cheesy flavor that just melts in the mouth and also taste better than most pizza cheese.

The Tea Brined Fried Chicken Thighs from Elements at Sanctuary was so darn delicious I tried it twice. It did differ the second time around but was still incredible. Both times the chicken had a developed flavor and was juicy with a tasty crust. It went really yummy with the pickled watermelon salad. The delicious sauces underneath kept each bite interesting.

How can I pick one favorite dish from Confluence in Carefree AZ…..It’s impossible. Every dish was way up there……like from another universe……..EVERY FORKING DISH WAS A FORKING MASTERPIECE…..So complex so interesting and so darn amazballz…..This Red Snapper from Confluence in Carefree AZ was really perfect and unusually delicious. The skin was seasoned just so and was extremely crispy. This dish contained fennel and I don’t know what they did to it but it was the best tasting fennel I ever tried. The plate also contained cucumber, grapes and Calabrian Chili Peppers….it was a hum-dinger! The Monk Fish….mindblowing…….The BBQ Chicken Sandwich…..OMG YUM!

From The Delta and The Larder in Phoenix came the MOST FORKING GLORIOUSLY DELICIOUS Spicy Chicken Sandwich I’ve eaten (so far). OMG this was scrumptious YUM! The chicken so flavorful and delicious. It had this slightly caramelized thin crisp coating, delicious slaw, extra great thick pickle chips (not chips more like blocks) and a bun that wasn’t too big….If Jesus wanted a DELICIOUS GREAT Hot Chicken Sandwich he’d fly to Phoenix and stop in to The Larder and The Delta in Phoenix.

Spicy Chicken Noodle from Szechuan Cuisine in Glendale AZ

The Spicy Chicken Noodle (Big Plate Chicken) from Szechuan Cuisine in Glendale was one of the best Chinese Dishes I’ve ever had…….It was a magical food adventure like Chinese Thanksgiving with fireworks. This dish was rich, full of flavors and spices and comforting, spicy and with all the chicken, potatoes and noodles.  The magic part were the Sichuan Peppercorns because they made the onions turn unusually sweet in your mouth. This was a very delicious dish.

Another one of the BEST MEALS I ate this year came from Atlas Bistro in Scottsdale. Just like Confluence it’s next to impossible to pick one dish…..Another restaurant that offers highly creative detailed plates that are beyond delicious!

It’s very hard to focus on just one plate but this plate of Carrot Gnocchi, Lentil Meatball, Artichoke Melted Leeks, Fried Broccoli and Sea Scape Cheese was a stunning gastronomic adventure of flavors, colors and textures.

The Sushi I tried from Haru Sushi and Grill in Glendale was incredible……This sushi is different than other sushi I’ve tried on the upper west side. The texture and taste is different. It just melts in my mouth. Toro, Blue Fin and Ocean Trout were my favorites but even the mackerel was sweet.

What just squeaked in was the Chilean Sea Bass Entree also from Haru Sushi and Grill. Wow super fresh fish that was prepared as well as from the finest restaurants and the vegetables were also delicious fresh and tender crisp. You might not be able to see but I also got a nice serving of black rice.This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is fullsizeoutput_7abc-1024x768.jpeg

Another one of the best things I’ve eaten this year was the Charred Sweet Potatoes with Avocado, Lime, Pickled Shallots, Radish Salad, Pasilla Pumpkin Salsa and Aleppo Pepper Plate from Ocotillo in Phoenix. OMG YUM! The flavors went together so well! Something about that char……and something about that pasilla pumpkin salsa….really made flavors pop! This plate was way more delicious than I can describe and truly was among the best of the year.

This was a sampling of the Best Foods I tried in Metro Phoenix 2018

The Forking Truth

Best FRESH FISH Dinner in the Upper West Side of Phoenix is at Haru Sushi & Grill in Arrowhead Arizona

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Chilean Sea Bass $25.00 (price subject to change…and it should)
I’ve written a few times about how impressed I’ve been at Haru Sushi and Grill in the Arrowhead Section of Glendale Arizona. This restaurant recently opened September 2018. I don’t recall the Arizona Republic or The Phoenix New Times announcing the opening of this restaurant (as of December 11th 2018. 

The Upper West Side is a newer territory and most of this area wasn’t even on maps 15 years back. This area is changing with many new restaurants that are set to open in the area….Particularly with new 83rd Upscale Market Place that will open in a year or so. The Upper West Side are zip codes 85383, 85382, 85310, 85308, 853083. The Upper West Side is basically Arrowhead, Way North Phoenix and Part of Peoria. Only a handful of restaurants are in this area and most are extra casual restaurants. Even in North Phoenix there are very few restaurants that serve fresh fish. By fresh fish I don’t mean not spoiled…….I mean fresh just flown in fish. There is something very different about just flown in fish that is cooked perfect. I’ve only experienced this a handful of times. The fish is so clean tasting and actually melts in your mouth. 

If you read my reviews you know that I usually (but not always) look forward to ordering fish when I go out to dinner because fresh fish can’t be purchased where I live or it’s like $40.00 a pound from AJ’s Fine Foods Store.  I’ve enjoyed the Sushi a number of times from Haru Sushi & Grill. I haven’t tasted sushi that was so fresh or melted in my mouth the way this sushi does at any of the nearby sushi restaurants. Tonight I decided to try a dinner and I’m Glad I did!
Look Here! 
Chilean Sea Bass with a medley of fresh vegetables and Black Rice
This was fresh Chilean Sea Bass that was cooked to perfection as well as any fine restaurant. Nicely grilled and caramelized with that melt in your mouth texture. I received a great deal of vegetables also nicely caramelized, tender crisp and seasoned with a little Asian flavors and a large mound of chewy black rice. This was an amazing dinner….and it was only $25.00. The portion was also larger than I can eat and I brought a good amount (half) home for my next dinner. I have paid much more for fish dinners that weren’t as good……..Perhaps the one restaurant in North Phoenix that serves the freshest fish might be the Pappadeaux Chain.  From Pappadeaux…. (not recently) I had a salmon dinner for $40 and it only came with just a little plain broccoli……It was a very good fish that was prepared well but not so special with plain broccoli. I was very surprised to get such a great dinner at such a low price at Haru Sushi and Grill. 

My husband enjoyed a Nagasaki Seafood Noodle Bowl of Shrimp, Mussels, Fish Cakes, Vegetables and Calamari. (I didn’t write the price down but I think it was around $14.00.

The Chilean Sea Bass is the BEST Fresh Fish Dish I’ve tasted in or around The Upper West Side so far (as of 12-9-2018)

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

I haven’t found a website for Haru Sushi and Grill but they are on Facebook.

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

The Forking Truth


Not Every Restaurant Trip is Worth Writing About

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Not every restaurant trip is worth writing about. On the other hand if I don’t write about my Forking Trip then I don’t have a story for my blog. It’s not my intention to put a little mom and pop shop out of business because I told you how much they’ve sucked so I won’t mention the name of any new restaurants that I can’t praise. Sometimes some restaurants do need a few months to work out the bugs to get better……..but some never get the chance because a few months can be too long and go under. Other restaurants just never get better. It always pains me not to write a positive review. I FORKING WANT to enjoy myself just like you when I go out to eat. I can’t sugar coat things.  I just have to tell it like it was and that’s The Forking Truth.

I recently went to a new Mediterranean Restaurant that opened somewhere in Glendale AZ.

The Chicken Shawarma might have been good at one time but on my visit it was dry and chewy. It’s pretty difficult to make dark meat chicken dry and chewy so I’m thinking I wonder how many times was this chicken re-heated?  The owner must know that they are serving me dry chewy chicken. I’m thinking that this chicken might have been re-heated a number of times (but I don’t know for sure).  The rice also seemed a few days or maybe a week old. Even the tomato slices have seen better days. I thought this really sucked. I felt like they  screwed me out of a nice meal out. I would have rather eaten almost anywhere else.

My husband made me taste his beef shawarma…………(but I didn’t want to)……….I could clearly see I wouldn’t like it.

It also was dry and chewy with the same old rice.

Maybe we can chalk this up to the restaurant owners did not know how much food to prepare and accidentally prepared too much food that got old and dry. I don’t know if they will get their act together????

A couple months back I went to different newer Mediterranean Restaurant also in Glendale. Most of the food photoed nice so you can’t tell how it taste but you can see the pickle they served me was a geriatric pickle with its’ own Senior Citizen’s discount card.

Their rice and raw vegetables were good but the Beef Shawarma was even dryer that from the above place. It was like chewing someone’s pony tail as it was next to impossible to break down in the mouth.

Their Chicken Shawarma was similar to fried processed Chicken Baloney and grossed me out.

But those were the highlights….

Their eggplant dip contained so much smoke that it was like trying to eat a really large ash tray. Sadly even their falafels were inedible because they were very similar in texture to gritty mortar mixed with small rocks. The chickpeas never got soft and stayed like rocks…that taste sort of burnt. .(don’t know but maybe from not being soaked)

The best Mediterranean Restaurant that I know of in Glendale was the Shawarma King. BUT HOLY FORK!!!! *********DANG!**********THEY JUST CLOSED FOR BUSINESS JUST THIS NOVEMBER 2018. I haven’t been able to try their Chicken Shawarma yet because on my (at least three or four visits) they were out of it when I wanted to try it but I tried a number of things there that were all delicious.

So sad………. 🙁  It’s a shame …………

Not Every Restaurant Trip is Worth Writing About. I also don’t recall the Arizona Republic or The Phoenix New Times including The Shawarma King in their listings of closed restaurants for November 2018.

Everything is subject to change!!!!!! Your experience may indeed differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

 

My Trip to Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale AZ- Worth a Fork!

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Rancho Pinot is a dinner only restaurant that’s located in a shopping center right on Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale Arizona. This restaurant has been in business for twenty five years now. You might be wondering what kind of restaurant is this…..The answer might be a mix of global American that slants Italian. On the menu the night I was there they offered Kabocha Squash with Tahini Sauce and Dukka, to Gnocchi with Lamb Bolognese. The menu changes often from what I was told but some menu items stay the same like the long time specialty of the house The Nonni’s Chicken that has been on the menu for twenty five years.

The atmosphere is mostly Western and sort of Kitsch.

From my seat I wasn’t able to photo all I wanted but I did get in the saguaro skeleton that’s in the middle of the dining room. The chairs are very rustic and somewhat uncomfortable. On the walls are cow head skeletons and a few stuffed animals such as jack-o-lopes. Lots of cowboy related pictures grace the walls and there is a curio cabinet with all kinds of strange things.

We were greeted by several workers that were very friendly. One worker told us that they work as a team so anyone could help or serve us. Our main server took our order and seemed very knowledgeable about the menu and the food served. We order and soon very fresh soft bread arrives.

We started out by sharing the Asian Pear, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad.

Everything was very fresh and everything did taste great together. The salad contains crunchy Asian Pears, shaved fennel, sharp greens, hazelnuts, pomegranate and creamy feta cheese.

For my main I went with the specialty…The Nonni’s Chicken.

Two generously sized braised chicken thighs with mushrooms, herbs and stock-ee white wine sauce served with crispy polenta and topped with a sprinkling of Italian Cheese.

WOW! I have to say that this is the moistest chicken I’ve ever had! You Forking don’t need teeth to eat this chicken! This is even more moist than from a Sous Vide! The polenta is prepared perfect. It’s nice and creamy inside. If I had a bigger appetite I would have dunked my bread in the sauce….On this dish the meat portion is about double of what I usually eat. It worked out well because the dish my husband ordered was smaller so he finished my dish.

He ordered a brand new dish to the menu and had the Fettuccine with Duck Confit, Winter Squash, and Braised Greens.

This was a more flavorful dish that was also prepared to perfection.

We were told that it was a big deal that they were offering Pecan Bars tonight because they haven’t had them on the menu for a year and a half so we ordered one.

The Pecan bar was very chewy….sensibly sized and wasn’t too sweet. We both liked the house made vanilla ice cream on top.

That was my trip to Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale AZ.

Worth a Fork!

www.RanchoPinot.com

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

The Forking Truth

Dining out with Dogs in Metro Phoenix AZ November 2018

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“Whoo HOO!” “We are going out to eat!”

Dining out with dogs is just a “Fluff” story about my adventures eating out with my dogs. It all sort of started when my late dog Louie was diagnosed with aggressive cancer and was given the 3-6 months to live but somehow he made it another 17 months. He couldn’t do a lot back then but he enjoyed going out to eat so I tried to take him out to eat as much as possible. Today my current dogs enjoy going out to eat.

Many restaurants in Metro Phoenix have out door patios but not all patios are dog friendly. It’s always best to call a restaurant and ask them if it’s ok to bring your furry friend. Even if the patio is certified dog friendly it is still best to call because you never know if the patio is booked for a party. It’s also always BEST and RECOMMENDED to dine at off times to avoid as many people and other dogs as possible. Many people don’t share your love for dogs and some people are allergic to dogs. You might be asked to leave. You also might be asked to leave if someone’s dog or your dog starts barking at others. Avoid all potential problems and call first and dine at off times.

You need to be aware that most food and drink that you consume can be harmful or toxic to your dog. You must get a list from your veterinarian of safe and not safe foods for your dog. Usually a best bet is always a small amount of lean plain sauceless meat. You also should bring a water bowl with you for your dog.

There also are dining rules that you need to be aware of. Dogs are not allowed to sit on restaurant furniture. Dogs are not allowed to eat off restaurant plates. Dogs should always be close to you by your side.

It’s also very important to know that dogs can NOT TOLERATE the temperatures that you tolerate. 90 degrees up is TOO HOT TO DINE OUT WITH DOGS. The MAXIMIN for healthy younger dogs might or might NOT BE maybe p to 90 degrees F BUT IN FULL SHADE…..FULL SHADE.

Now that we got all that out of the way we might be ready to Dine Out with Dogs!

Our first Dining Out With Dogs for November 2018 was Cucina Tagliani in Glendale AZ. This is an American/Itailian Restaurant. That serves traditional American/Italian favorites and also offers healthy spins on certain dishes. They offer about a half dozen different vegetables a day. They offer healthier pastas alternatives like whole wheat, or spaghetti squash and zoodles (zucchini cut like spaghetti). Cucina Tagliani offers a nice roomy certified Dog Friendly Patio.

Depending on what server you get they might serve the dogs water.

Today I went with the Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad that includes chicken and my husband went for a Stromboli.

The dogs got plenty of chicken and a few small pieces of the Stromboli.

“We did really well at Cucina Tagliani!”

www.CucinaTagliani.com

“Woo Hoo we are on our way to Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix!”

Banh Mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery is a Pho -Free Vietnamese Restaurant that specializes in the Banh Mi Baguette Sandwich. They offer around a dozen different Banh Mi Sandwiches. They also offer many fresh made appetizers (not from frozen like some places), some salads, noodle bowls, rice plates, the Chef Special Curry, some desserts and MORE! This isn’t an official dog friendly restaurant but they have a secret folding table for out door seating.

Today I went with the Grilled Chicken Banh Mi and my husband went with the BBQ Pork.

“We love the large portions and how fresh and delicious everything always is.”

“We Love Dining at Banh Mi Bistro in North Phoenix!”

www.BanhMiBistroAZ.com

“We are on our way to Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale AZ”

Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante is an Italian Restaurant that specializes in Neapolitan Pizzas, House made pastas and more. They offer nice contemporary dining indoors and an outdoor dog friendly patio that features an indoor-outdoor bar.

Today I went with a grilled chicken panini and had the chicken on the side so it was easy to share with the dogs.

It’s made on fresh baked seasoned bread that is shaped like pita bread. Actually is more like two pita breads and is served with mixed greens with balsamic dressing and shaved Italian hard cheese.

“The Chicken and Cheese is Forking Delicious!”

“Everything I tried was Amazing!” “I can’t wait for my next bite!”

www.BottegaRistorante.com

“That was November 2018 Dining Out with Dogs in Metro Phoenix.”

“We hope you enjoyed as we did and also hope to see you next month!”

The Forking Truth

In Memory of Louie 5-5-2001 – 3-3-2017