There are many great dishes to try from many metro Phoenix Restaurants. Some might inspire you to try to do a copy cat version. Here are some that inspired me. They are listed in no particular order.

This miso eggplant with bonito flakes and crisp enoki mushrooms and peanuts was inspired from one of my visits to Confluence in Carefree AZ.

Reathrey Sekong is a Cambodian Restaurant that I have been to a few times in Phoenix. They make a Cambodian flavor paste to flavor some of the dishes and did it on video for our local newspaper. I watched and took notes. A combination of turmeric, lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal, shallots and garlic makes Cha Kreung Paste and that is what I used to flavor the above vegetables.

I went to Abyssinia Restaurant and Cafe in Phoenix. The Doro Wat Chicken was so delicious I had to find out on how to make it.

Eddie’s House in Scottsdale is no longer in business but part of the complimentary bread basket inspired me to make a flat bread with blue cheese butter and pistou.

At Angel’s Trumpet Ale House in Phoenix I had this amazing salad that inspired me to do the above plate with the majority of ingredients that were in the salad. Up above are smoked beets, goat cheese mousse, oranges, pea sprouts, almonds, mint and orange champagne vinaigrette.

We enjoyed spaghetti squash with harissa from FnB in Scottsdale so I made something similar.

We often dine at Bottega Pizzeria Ristorante and one special they had was a squash wrapped manicotti. I thought that was a good idea and made up my own ricotta cheese and did the same.

The most memorable plate I tried from The Vic Bar & Grill in Buckeye was a melon salad with preserved lemon and lavender.

Miu’s Cuisine was one of the best Chinese Restaurants. They had this dish with potatoes, green peppers, eggplant and black garlic that was so delicious. I attempted a reduced fat version.

We enjoyed the Gilfeather Rutabaga from FnB in Scottsdale. I purchased the same rutabagas from the Scottsdale Farmers Market and did something similar. (should have used more chives)

I really enjoyed the spicy cauliflower meatballs from Meat The Ball in Scottsdale. Sadly Meat The Ball is no longer in business but I still remember several of the meatballs I tried.

Even food from a buffet can inspire. There used to be an Indian buffet and restaurant called Mayuri Palace in Phoenix. I tried an okra dish that was marked kauai bhindi masala and gosh it was amazing. At the. time I was unable to find a similar recipe. Somehow I came up with this Indian inspired green beans with chick peas. I know it came out pretty good because this recipe has been featured in an Indian on-line publication and rates 5 stars on a certain recipe site.

This pickled beet, Israeli couscous with harissa vinaigrette was inspired by a plate I enjoyed from Atlas Bistro in Scottsdale.

I tasted this AMAZING Focaccia di Recco at Pomo Pizzeria. This I didn’t know how to make so I followed Mary Ann Esposito’s recipe. Mine didn’t come out quite as amazing as Pomo’s but still was very tasty.

The Brazilian potato salad was really delicious from Carvalho’s in North Scottsdale. It’s different…Looks very creamy but the creaminess is made by over cooking the potatoes. Can’t get it there anymore because they are closed for business.

I really enjoyed the beets poriyal from Vaigai that used to be open in Glendale. I looked up a recipe for them and they came out close.

The bang bang broccoli from The Larry in Phoenix was SUPER tasty. I had to make something similar and I did!

Thanks to my visits to The Barrio Grand Reserva (no longer in business) I was inspired to make this AMAZING guacamole. I learned some secrets there that I never would have came up with unless I tasted The Barrio Grand Reserva’s amazing food. This isn’t a copy of their guacamole but does copy some of the superb things I tried there. Some secret ingredients are Asain pears, chitepin peppers, home made pickled caccabella peppers and SEAWEED.

We used to have a very above average Mediterranean Israeli Style restaurant called Zabari Mediterranean Grill in Phoenix. One ultra memorable food item from that restaurant was a cold tomato sort of salsa called Matbucha. OMG it was so delicious I had to learn how to make it. I did a lot of research and I was able to figure a recipe that taste similar. This stuff is really great and I have no idea why this food isn’t main stream. I bet I could make a living just selling this.

From a visit to Deseo Nation Restaurant in Scottsdale we enjoyed this side order that was delicious. My version of it was made of red lentils, rainbow chard, dates and almonds.

Tasted an amazing eggplant caponata from Stratta Kitchen in Scottsdale. Always thought that I didn’t like eggplant caponata till I tasted the one that Stratta Kitchen serves. Made my own and it is awesome……(Thinking that most people don’t correctly cook the eggplant or study on how to make it right)

At FiGaMi Asian Fresh Restaurant in Phoenix I got an amazing Burmese Style Fish Soup. I had home made turkey stock at home and did something similar after I looked up on how to make Burmese Style Soup. (P.S. I went back to FiGaMi Asian Fresh for the same soup and it was different second time around)

We enjoyed a radish, caper and anchovy caper dressing salad from FnB in Scottsdale. My radishes were not as special but I did a pretty good job copy catting.

Those were some of my inspirations from Metro Phoenix Restaurants. I wonder what restaurant will inspire me next?