Tag Archives: #PhxFood

My re-visit to The Marketplace Cafe at Nordstrom Department Store at Scottsdale AZ Fashion Square

 

My favorite place to eat a fast casual meal in the Scottsdale Fashion Plaza isn’t in the food court. It’s a cafeteria cafe in Nordstrom’s Department Store called The Market Place at Nordstrom’s. They serve eggs that are cage free, the food is organic and much of the food they offer is locally sourced. The casual menu consist of soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, entrees and amazing looking and tasting in house baked desserts.

A few of the house made desserts at Nordstrom’s

I went threw the cafeteria line and we ordered and paid. They gave us a number and we seated ourselves. Other times they have handed us our plates over the cafeteria line then we proceed threw with a tray.

Soon our food arrives.

I got the Nicoise Salad with Herb and Dijon Roasted Salmon. My salad was full of fresh mixed greens, French Green Beans, hard eggs, olives, onion, and delicious creamy and crisp gold potatoes. The dressing that tied it all together was delicious.

Last time I had a delicious Berry Salad that I almost got again…All the salads are great here..I’ve eaten my way threw about half the salads on the menu. I’ve never felt deprived when I tried a salad here!

Berry Blue Cheese and Chicken Salad from Nordstrom’s

My husband got The Grilled Skirt Steak Chimichurri.

The steak was tender like butter and delicious. It came with a generous serving of roasted carrots, asparagus potatoes and cilantro lime vinaigrette. (steak is over the vegetables)

The Market Place Cafe at Nordstrom’s is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

For more information please visit www.restaurants.Nordstrom.com

Your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

Most Memorable Food I tried in Metro Phoenix in 2016

 

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Memorable can be wonderful, or different or even bad. This is a collection about the foods I had out in Metro Phoenix AZ Restaurants over 2016 that I remember most. I warn you that it wasn’t all negative or all positive because I tell TheForkingTruth. You know that in life there is no Ying without Yang…No light unless you have dark…Maybe no God without the Devil….I just tell The Forking Truth! I do note that every experience in a restaurant may differ so you may or may not experience the same. In the beginning of the year some of the Forking  doozies started…. and here are some……..

Sweet Potato Tart from Casa Filapina Bakeshop and Restaurant

Sweet Potato Tart from Casa Filapina Bakeshop and Restaurant

Filipina  Bakeshop and Restaurant is a very much loved restaurant in the area for Philippine Food. I enjoyed a nice meal there but dessert was another story.  I read in a local publication that the baked goods are expectational too. As my luck would have it on the day of my visit both tarts I tried were hard as rocks. Trying to eat them was impossible as I couldn’t even stick a fork threw them and that was memorable. My husband actually wrestled with them to get them to crack. They were almost as hard as cement. We did bring the tarts to the attention of the owner and he said that nothing was wrong with the tarts…and they just needed to be heated up. Afterwards he did bring edible tarts.

Fondant from India Fusion

Fondant from India Fusion

Sadly Inde Fusion is no more. The atmosphere was great and they had so much potential. Some things I tried there were very good….but…..The Fondant dessert they served me wasn’t a molten lava cake like a Fondant is known to be…..Instead they served me a forking lump of fondant icing. I will NEVER forget that and it was memorable.

The Nosh Eatery and Wine Bar

The Nosh Eatery and Wine Bar

The Nosh accidentally served my husband the wrong burger and he sent it back. (big mistake)….Instead of preparing a new burger they recycled the old burger leaving behind some residue and serving a dried out burger. I’ll never forget how mad my husband got and we never went back. I note that they were newly opened and might not be recycling burgers anymore.

Huitlacoche Machete - $7.99 -Azteca Estilo DF Phoenix AZ

Huitlacoche Machete – $7.99 -Azteca Estilo DF Phoenix AZ

One of the biggest and most memorable plates I tried came from Azteca Estilo DF.  It was the biggest and best folded quesadilla called a Machete I ever had stuffed with Huitacoche and was only $7.99. Look at the fork on the platter. Not only was it humongous but it was delicious filled with a delicacy of Huitacoche also called Mexican Truffles. This one Machete can feed 2-3 people and it did.

Binkley's

Binkley’s

The Shaved Truffles with Prunes are what dreams are made of…….from Binkley’s. This plate will blow anyone’s mind.

Organ Stop Pizza

Organ Stop Pizza

The Organ at Organ Stop Pizza is the biggest or one of the biggest Wurlitzer Organs in the country and the whole restaurant is filled with it. This photo only shows you about 1/10 of the organ. The music I heard was amazing. The pizza is ok. The Music made the food memorable.

The Vic Bar and Grill

The Vic Bar and Grill

I will never forget pulling out a silicon like object from my mouth from a dessert at The Vic Bar and Grill. Now THAT was memorable! Forking memorable!

Tratto

Tratto

One of the Best Meals of the year I had came from Tratto Restaurant as everything was superb. Everything was perfect.

Barrio Gran Reserva

Barrio Gran Reserva

Most interesting Salad came from Barrio Gran Reserva.  A very complex salad that hit everywhere in your mouth. I tasted bold flavors and ingredients I never tasted before. It was very memorable and delicious.

 

"The Bobby Slayer"

“The Bobby Slayer” From at The Boulders

WOW! Best Sandwich I “Discovered” this year was at The Boulders in The Discovery Lounge. The  Boulder’s Chef battled Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay on  Food Network TV and beat Bobby Flay with this “Bobby Slayer” Steak Torta Sandwich. It’s worth the trip just for this sandwich as it was FORKING GREAT! It was a great big sandwich that we split and it was filled with Skirt Steak, Oaxacan Chiles, Crispy Chicken Skin, Avocado Creama and Cabbage. I never imagined I’d eat a sandwich like that but It was Forking Awesome!

The Chicken Scoop

The Chicken Scoop

I love the idea of the Chicken Scoop Restaurant that’s an all Chicken Salad Restaurant. The food did taste good that I tried but all the chicken salads I tried seemed whipped and smooth without chunks. More like chicken spreads……..I am not used to chicken salad being prepared that way so it seemed very odd to me and I keep thinking about it.

Quiessence

Quiessence

Quiessence served some of the most amazing bites I tried this year. The first three courses of the tasting menu truthfully were astonishingly great!……..

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It was a night of mostly astonishingly great food, that mostly all came with corn and an covered cooked and salted dinner.

Over Cooked and Over Salted by Quiessence Restaurant Phoenix AZ

Over Cooked and Over Salted by Quiessence Restaurant Phoenix AZ

Kitchen West Scottsdale AZ

Kitchen West Scottsdale AZ

Kitchen West offers an incredible menu that’s interesting and unique. We started out with a mushroom flatbread where the mushrooms on top were forgotten and the provolone cheese was missing but replaced with a spreadable cheese. We did inform the manager and she brought us the mushrooms we were missing and kindly took the appetizer off our bill. The appetizer was a bit of a miss and I thought we were done with misses but I was wrong……I was looking forward to  an amazing salad that contained Amazing Ingredients such as fiddlehead ferns, pickled blueberries (got blueberries but they didn’t seem pickled), candied sunflower seeds and more. I didn’t get ingredients promised for the salad. At this point I felt cheated but more bummed out because I was looking forward to those things. I also received what seemed like a piece of leftover overcooked salmon with albumin formation that was slightly reheated. Then I really felt cheated……That was Forking memorable like a bad dream. I’ll  never forget that.

Christopher's Bar and Crush Lounge

Christopher’s Bar and Crush Lounge

Had a wonderful dinner at Christopher’s Bar and Crush Lounge. Every single plate was incredible. Techniquely perfect and delicious. The plate in the picture even has an edible spoon that contains cheese for the expertly prepared house smoked salmon. The dessert was amazing and the one I enjoyed most this whole year. It was Lemon Tart with Berry sauce with a side of Lemony Lime Ice in an edible basket..just sublime……(insert angels singing here)

Kitchen 18

Kitchen 18

Best Baba Ghanoush and shawarma I tried in Metro Phoenix so far came from Kitchen 18. This is what eggplant dip is suppose to taste like. I haven’t tasted any other Baba Ghanoush out at any other restaurant that even comes close. It’s creamy, there is a taste of smoke, Tahini and lemon are accents to perfectly prepared eggplant.  Baba Ghanoush should be mostly eggplant that’s double or triple cooked. I note that I haven’t been everywhere (not to many places in Tempe or Mesa) in Metro Phoenix for Mediterranean Food but I have been to many places in Glendale and Phoenix and for sure all the Mediterranean was very above average but the Baba Ganoush was so great that it earns a shout out. The other items I tried were all solid and the chicken shawarma was the best I tried too!

Match Cusine

Match Cuisine

The Dessert from Match Cuisine certainly was among one of the best of the year. It certainly was the most detailed dessert I had all year and it was interesting and tied together with a chocolate mole sauce. It was a work of art that was interesting and different!

Tang Dynasty

Tang Dynasty

Tang Dynasty is a newly opened restaurant that made the best Sichuan style food I tasted in a LONG time. This Sichuan Style Beef with lettuce was amazing. I so wanted to scoop out the beef and eat on a roll like a steak sandwich… It was that great!

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal sure makes a killer Chicken Biryani and a tasty Fish Vindaloo. The owner claims his Masala is the best you can get anywhere….and people do drive two hours for it. This was overall the best Indian food I had this year.

CC'S Mesquite Grill

CC’S Mesquite Grill

CC’s Mesquite Grill makes REALLY delicious Mesquite prepared meats but the sides of  beans and rice were weak like they didn’t come from the restaurant. The atmosphere is very unusual. More strange than my photo shows….Like sea shore graffiti and weird objects are glued to walls…. All together it’s memorable.

Sonata's

Sonata’s

Sonata’s serves Eastern European and Lithuanian foods I tried the most complex and BEST pirogies I ever had in my life and maybe the tastiest Filet I ever had. Mostly everything I tried at Sonata’s was incredible.

Fat Ox

Fat Ox was very dimly lite with an energetic  loud atmosphere

Fat Ox is a newly opened restaurant that serves Modern Italian Food. They did serve one of the best plates I tried this year and it was hand made pastas that contained butternut squash.

It was so flavorful and so detailed. It was a light bite that was gone in minutes but it was amazing and memorable. It had everything going on with it.

This was a collection of what was most memorable to me from Metro Phoenix Restaurants that I visited over the 2016 year.

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

International Desserts in Metro Phoenix Arizona

 

Spurgos Vaskes (Lithuanian Donuts) from Sonata's Restaurant Scottsdale AZ

Spurgos Vaskes (Lithuanian Donuts) from Sonata’s Restaurant Scottsdale AZ

Phoenix Arizona offers quite a lot of international cuisine. Here are just a few of some international desserts I tried this year.

Sonata’s Restaurant in Scottsdale Arizona serves Lithuanian and Eastern Europeans Foods. They have their own Lithuanian Donuts on the menu called Spurgos Vaskes.

They are small round deep fried donuts that are made with Lithuanian Cheese Curd that’s similar to Quark Cheese. Instead of rising from yeast like an American Donut these rise from baking powder.

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Sonata’s serves the Spurgos Vaskes with Organic Hazelnut Chocolate Spread, Strawberry Preserves and a Heavy Pastry Cream.

We now have Thai Style Ice Cream Rolls at Arrowhead Towne Center (The Mall) in Glendale AZ from the new Indian Restaurant named Maya. (Maya is more of an Ice Cream Roll restaurant that serves a short 3 item menu of Authentic Indian Cuisine.)

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The Ice Cream Gets Made before your eyes on a sheet that instantly freezes the cream. Things get hand chopped and mixed on the sheet, then the ice cream gets “rolled off.” You pick the base, the add ins, sauce and toppings.

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My husband had an all Chocolate Thai Style Ice Cream Creation.

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We also have Kwality Ice Cream in Phoenix AZ that specializes in egg-free Indian Flavors of Ice Cream.

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Last time I tried a single note flavor of Leechie Fruit and my husband had Butterscotch. This time I went for the explosive favor of Mitha Paan.

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Wow lots of flavors…..This one you got to be prepared for….Betel Leaf, Rose Petals, Cloves, Cardamon, Coconut, Fennel and Candied Fruit! You are sure not going to find this at Baskin Robbins!

 

The Great Australian Bakery in Old Town Scottsdale AZ Serves all kinds of hand pies, rolls, pasties and several Australian Desserts. Some of the desserts TGAB offers are, Vanilla Slices (like Napoleons), Lamingtons (spongy tender cake covered in chocolate icing and dusted with coconut, some are filled with cream and jam), matchsticks (raspberry jam and cream sandwiched in puff pastry topped with icing sugar and Anzac Biscuits or Anzac Biscuit Ice Cream Sandwich.

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The Anzac Biscuit is sweet hard and chewy and (according to Wikipedia) is an eggless biscuit made from rolled oats, flour, sugar, butter, golden syrup, baking soda, boiling water and optionally desiccated coconut.   The name of the biscuit Anzac is the combination of Australia and New Zealand made into one name that combines the two countries who have fought together in WW1. I read that Housewives would make these sturdy biscuits and ship them to soldiers at war for nourishment. There is a holiday called Anzac Day April 25 (like America’s Memorial Day) Anzac Biscuits are eaten to remember the soldiers of war.

The cookies are chewy and delicious with filled with vanilla ice cream. You can’t tell by looking at my photo but this is an extremely large cookie sandwich. It’s enough to feed FOUR people. My husband and me could only make it threw half and had to call it quits. It was delicious but the serving is for sharing with a family.

One location of Snoh Ice Shavery is in Phoenix AZ. They serve a frozen Chinese-Taiwanese kind of dessert. It’s light and fluffy like real snow. It’s described as shaved ice mixed with ice cream. Here you pick a favor, a topping or two and a sauce. The delicate ice is mild with flavor and the added sauce and fruit give this light dessert some substance.

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These were only a few of the International Desserts you can try in Metro Phoenix AZ.

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth

 

 

Forking Dining Out with DOGS December 2016 in Metro Phoenix AZ

 

"We're Forking Dining Out Today!"

“We’re Forking Dining Out Today!”

Dining with Dogs is just a Fluff Story about taking my dogs out to eat. This isn’t full blown reviews on any restaurant and often I do take my dogs to same restaurants over and over again.  You need to be aware that not all restaurants with patios are dog friendly. Certified dog friendly patios are recommended but there is always a chance you will be asked to leave because of other people’s allergies or fear of dogs so a plan two should always be in the works. There are several rules to dine out with dogs. All dogs should be well behaved and stay by your side at all times. Dogs are not allowed to sit on furniture or to eat off plates that people use. You also should review the list of dog friendly foods. Most foods you eat can be harmful to your dog. Basically just give them a few bites of plain meat. A few but not all of the harmful or toxic foods are anything made with grapes, macadamia nuts, chocolate, onions, garlic, avocado and bread.

I found a new to us Gourmet Salad Drive Threw called Salad and Go in Phoenix AZ. They specialize in salads and over over ten choices.

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They also have a walk up window and a Dog Friendly Patio.

With our order they gave us Dog Biscuits and a few minutes latter our salads were ready.

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I had a Apple and Mixed Greens Salad that also contained Golden Raisins, Candied Pecans, Apples and Blue Cheese with added Chicken. This was a really great salad and it only cost $7.18

My salad also looked good smelled good to the Dogs.

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My husband had the Santa fe Salad with added Steak.

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The dogs liked that one too!

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“We got a new Favorite Place in Town.”

For more information on Salad and Go please visit www.SaladandGo.com

"This week we are off to Leo's Island BBQ in Peoria AZ"

“This week we are off to Leo’s Island BBQ in Peoria AZ”

Leo’s BBQ specialty is the Hawaiian Plate Lunch. The Hawaiian Plate Lunch is served in styrofoam and consist of a double scoop of rice a scoop of creamy macaroni salad, some steamed cabbage and a double (maybe triple) pile of meat. You have about 30 choices to pick from and some are combos all for around $8.00.

My husband had the BBQ Chicken and Shrimp Combo. (shrimp look like onion rings)

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I had the Island Chicken Curry with Brown Rice. It’s a lot of food…

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The Dogs were very interested.

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The dogs always enjoy the trip to Leo’s Island BBQ.

For more information please visit www.LeosIslandBBQ.com

"We're off to Banh Mi Bistro in Phoenix AZ"

“We’re off to Banh Mi Bistro in Phoenix AZ”

We went to Bahn mi Bistro Vietnamese Eatery in Phoenix. This is a Pho Free Vietnamese Eatery. The Specialty of the house are  the Banh Mi Sandwiches. They offer a long list of sandwiches to pick from but they offer something for everyone. The Bahn Mi is a Baguette that is made with rice flour. The bread has a crispy exterior and a soft interior. The sandwiches come with house made aioli, jalapeños, cucumbers, fresh cilantro, carrot radish salad and the filling. The Original also contains pork pate. We come here often because we enjoy the tasty food and the reasonable prices. Other foods we enjoyed here are a variety of rolls, dumplings, lotus and papaya salads and MORE!

I went with the Chicken and Rice Plate and my husband went with a Shaken Beef Banh Mi.

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The food is delicious like it always is and all of use are happy!

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For more information on Banh Mi Bistro please visit www.BanhMiBistro AZ.com

“We are off to Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen in Scottsdale AZ”

“Ummmm”

Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen in Scottsdale AZ offers maybe the most attractive Dog Friendly Patio  that I’ve ever seen. Our waiter treated the dogs very well and gave my dogs a special bowl of water for them.

 

I ordered the Salmon that was topped with a Passion Fruit Sauce.

The salmon was well prepared and the passion fruit sauce was was bright, refreshing and was a perfect accent for the salmon. The potatoes were very creamy with lots of butter and there was fresh carrot coins and charred tender broccoli.

My husband got the Traditional National Brazilian Dish of Feijoada. It’s Black Bean Stew that contains sausage, beef and pork with sides of fresh orange, fried collard greens, a big bowl of rice  and for sprinkling nutty tasting manioc flour (cassava).

Besides my husband both dogs enjoyed it all but I wasn’t able to get many pictures of the younger dog because it was very sunny and she stayed under the table the whole time.

“I Forking Love Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen. I can’t wait till the next time!”

For more information please visit www.Carvalhos.co

That wraps up December Dining with Dogs 2016.

We hope to see you next year.

The Forking Truth

 

It can be FEAST or Famine at The 99cent Store in Phoenix AZ

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It’s no secret that in metro Phoenix AZ we often pick up expired foods and less than perfect produce at the supermarket. I doubt in ten years I ever picked up a perfect bag of potatoes from any supermarket since I moved here. I don’t do all my shopping at any one store but I was really floored when I came across all this fresh produce from the 99cent store this particular week. Don’t get the wrong impression I do note it doesn’t roll this way all the time. I came back a few weeks later and had nothing to throw in my cart so it’s Feast or Famine.

I’m embarrassed to admit that I find the produce from my local 99cent Store superior (sometimes) and cheaper than produce from my local Walmart Grocery Store. I note that I don’t know if all Walmart stores are like my local store or if it’s just my luck the one by me is the way it is.

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This day I got a grocery cart full of produce for less than $20.00. Here’s my list of what I picked up for 99cents each and a rough guess to what the same amount of produce would cost like from a budget supermarket like Walmart.

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At the 99CENT store these were only 99cents each………

8 limes about $2.00

3 lb bag oranges about $3.00

7 pears about $3.00

1 lb jalapeños about $1.00

5 lb Idaho potatoes about $3.00

3 lb red potatoes about $2.00

3 lbs pasilla chile peppers about $5.00

bag scallions about $1.30

5oz peeled garlic about $1.00

5oz peeled garlic about $1.00

10 oz bag shallots about $1.50

1 lb campari tomatoes about $3.00

1 lb sweet rainbow mini bell peppers about $3.00

1 lb radishes about $1.30

bag cilantro with 3 bunches about $2.25

1 smaller watermelon about $3.00

1 XL head cauliflower about $5.00

1 XL package of mixed greens about $5.00

All this produce at a place like Walmart might have cost me around $46.35…It would cost several dollars more from most of the other Supermarkets that I can shop at and it wouldn’t be any fresher (this day). I can’t even guess what AJ’s Fine Foods would sell it for….maybe double of Walmart’s Price.

All this produce from the 99 CENT Store cost me $17.82

Besides produce dry goods and canned foods the 99cent Store sells meats, wine and lots of snack food here dry goods, frozen foods, health and beauty items, house goods, houseware, things for kids and pets and party and seasonal items. I haven’t had the best experience with the $2.99 wine here but your experience may differ….so I can’t recommend wine from the 99cent store. I do have to draw the line with buying meat and fish here……I just can’t do it……Occasionally one can find find East Coast Brands of food here. Like Hellman’s Mayonnaise,  Breakstone’s Cottage Cheese and the real gem is Temptee Brand Whipped Cream Cheese. I don’t go too much for flavored yogurts but they do usually have a great selection of name brand flavored yogurts that are much cheaper than from any supermarket.

Now don’t get the wrong impression……..The 99cent store is HIT and MISS….You can’t count on getting what I did every week as I visited a few weeks later and the produce bonanza seemed to have evaporated and vanished into thin air.

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About half the residents in Arizona are Mexican so it’s normal to come across Mexican Foods at the dollar store. I found Mexican Sauces, Cheeses and snacks in the refrigerated section. And….

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Zombie Habanero Cucumber Flavored Corn Tortilla Snacks.

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Roasted Chile Flavored Potato Chips.

Other snacks I came across was a Name Brand Healthy sort of snack food.

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This bag of name brand Rice and Adzuki Bean Snack Chips goes for around Three dollars at Sprouts Grocery.

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I came across these popped Edamame Chips…Betcha they came from Whole Foods and might have cost $3.99 there….YUP I sure bought these….only made from Rice Flour, Edamame, Safflower oil, Cane Syrup and Sea Salt….Those are quality ingredients…..no chemicals……Take back the $3.99… these might have been among the really expensive at Whole Foods…like $8.99…and don’t expire into many months of next year…???????? Don’t know WTFork they’re here…..? You do find some gems now and then at the 99cent Store.

Sometimes you come across very strange things at the 99cent store. On this visit I came across the strangest Kiwi Fruit I have ever seen in my life.

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Aren’t they strange?…. They look very abnormal……..Each fruit weighs one half a pound….Now these I am afraid of……Are they radio-active?…..this fruit is just too strange.

You Never Forking Know WTFork You’ll Find at the 99cent Store. It can be Feast or Famine.

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth

My First Try of Chicago Style Pizza in Metro Phoenix AZ

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I never have been to Chicago and I’m not real familiar with Chicago Style Pizza. Lou Malnatis is a Famous Pizza Chain from Chicago that’s well known for their Signature Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza.  Lou Malnatis has opened their first Restaurant in Phoenix AZ and that’s a big deal so I thought I’d give it a try.

Lou Malnatis

Lou Malnatis

The inside of the restaurant has a fun retro kind of interior with interesting fixtures and bright lights that spell cheese on a wall in the dining room.

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We order our individual sized pizzas and are told it will take at least 30 minutes.

After about 40 minutes we receive our pizzas.

I ordered a vegetable pizza named “The Lou.”

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The first thing I notice is that this is an extremely small size pizza. It looks child’s size to me.

My pizza with filled with fresh mushrooms, spinach mix that looked sort of grey, vine ripened Lou’s tomatoes (that were good), cheese blend (mozzarella, Romano, Cheddar) and topped with roma tomatoes (sort of unripe) in what they call Butter Garlic Crust.

You don’t pick up a slice and eat this pizza. You have to eat it with a knife and fork. I try a little end of the crust and it’s thin and fried pie like almost like a crostata. ( a crostata is made with olive oil based dough) The bottom of the crust is slightly thicker but still thin and is more pizza dough like. I don’t get the butter taste it almost seems more like dough that’s fried in oil….

I like the taste of the cheese blend and I also like the fresh mushrooms and vine ripened tomato sauce.

My husband tries the Malnati Chicago Classic. It’s a similar pizza but filled with lean Lou’s Sausage, vine ripened tomato sauce and cheese blend. The sausage is very lean and slightly dry. This pizza is very mildly seasoned.

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Lou Malnatis is the first of Three BIG Chicago Chains of Pizza restaurants to open in Metro Phoenix AZ. (the other two chains are opening soon within the year) You might want to give them a try if you want to take part in all the hype about Chicago Style Pizza.

For more information please visit www.LouMalnatis.com

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth

Salad and Go Phoenix AZ – A Gourmet Salad Drive Threw is Worth a Fork

 

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Salad and Go is a Gourmet Salad Restaurant. Salad and Go is small local chain that seems to be growing in Metro Phoenix. You either drive threw and order or use the Walk Up Window pictured above. No dining room here but they do offer a Dog Friendly Patio and gave my dogs Dog Biscuits! At Salad and Go all the food is natural and organic and made in house. They offer over TEN varieties of fresh and seasonal salads that can also be turned into wraps. They serve healthy breakfast options, smoothies and more. Prices are very low and portions are surprisingly large. All nutrition values are posted on their website. www.SaladandGo.com

I ordered the Apple and Mixed Greens Salad ($5.74) added Chicken ($1.44).

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My salad contained Fresh Mixed Greens, Romaine, Golden Raisins, Candied Pecans, Apples, Blue Cheese,  Balsamic Vinaigrette and added Chicken.The chicken was well seasoned and seemed like it was baked, chilled and cut into bit size cubes. This salad certainly was DELICIOUS and was so satisfying. This $7.18 salad is bigger and better than many $12.00 salads I had out in other places.

My husband had what they called a Santa Fee Salad with added Steak.

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The Santa Fe Salad contained Corn, Mexican Cheese, Sweet Grape Tomatoes and Spicy Beans and a Cilantro Lime Dressing tied it all together.

The dogs were well behaved and got to sample the Chicken and Steak too.

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Salad and Go is Budget Priced but Quality Food that’s Healthy and a Great Value.

Salad and Go is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

For more information on Salad and Go please visit www.SaladandGo.com

Anything is subject to change and your experience may differ.

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth

 

 

Fat Ox Scottsdale AZ Restaurant – Newly Opened

 

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Fat Ox is one of the most anticipated new restaurant openings of the year in the Metro Phoenix Area. The Chef has trained in France and is well known for other very good restaurants in the area (The Brasserie, Zinc Bistro and The Mission).  Fat Ox serves Modern Italian Foods such as antipastos, salumi, pastas and main meals. The energetic atmosphere is a mix of all sorts and so are the lighting fixtures as I counted nearly a dozen different kinds of fixtures. It’s loud in here and it’s also very dark despite all the interesting fixtures…..in this very spacious restaurant with a very large Patio.

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The Forking Truth is that it’s THIS DARK in the dining room! Often I couldn’t see what was on the plates and ate mostly blind. I took most of the other photos with a flash. I didn’t actually know what the food looked like until I viewed my photos…..FT (ForkingTruth).

We start out with complimentary toasted bread cubes and Calabrian Chili Butter. I like the unique spicy but not too spicy taste of the Calabrian Chili and I have a jar of them in my pantry right now.

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Our First Course arrives. It’s the Charred Taleggio Cheese with similar bread, Beet Mostardo, Lemon and Walnut and Olive Oil.

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I couldn’t see the Pomegranate Seeds but I felt them burst in my mouth. The Sage, Beets, Mustard and Walnut all dressed up the cheese nicely. This was a great plate!

Our second course was pasta and it was a show stopper.

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There wasn’t much of it but what I tasted was amazing. Carefully made perfect to the tooth pasta shaped like little wrappers containing a prize….of…carefully seasoned butternut squash. It was a little sweet a little buttery highlighted with just the right amounts of mostarda, amaretti cookie, parmesan cheese, sage and pomegranate. Our server recommended that we order THREE Plates of pasta….Now I know why. Amazing, Delicious and tiny…any table can fit in three of these sized plates.

My main course was the A La Diavlo Rotisserie Jidori Chicken.

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The picture looks amazing but remember it really was dark…dark or darker than the photo below because I moved the candle back to where it was suppose to go.

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The Forking Truth is that I didn’t see the vegetables on top of the chicken and when I went to use my steak knife it was like playing MURDER IN THE DARK with the chicken. I sawed off a piece and got an unpleasant mouthful of rubbery moist chicken skin in a tangy but delicious sauce. For me it was a difficult task to remove the chicken skin in the dark. Then it was difficult to find the chicken in the dark…and next…I got a mouthful of fennel when I was expecting chicken. This plate was too difficult for me to eat in the dark. I didn’t know I’d need a coal miner’s hat to eat the chicken. How silly of me to be unprepared.

My husband had the Rosewood Skirt Steak Tagliata.

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Because it was dark neither of us saw the oil and balsamic around the plate. Leaving the steak to taste mostly natural tasting. A few baby herbs and baby vegetables accented the plate.

The waitress tells us about desserts but she is by my husband and I’m on the bench too far to hear her with all the music noise in the background. We pass on dessert this time.

I note this restaurant is new and may still be finding their way..

For more information please visit www.ILoveFatOx.com

I do note that everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

Sizzle Korean BBQ of Phoenix AZ is Worth a Fork

 

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Sizzle Korean Barbecue Restaurant recently opened in the Desert Ridge Marketplace in Phoenix Arizona. Most of the restaurants here are food court and fast food- like but, Sizzle Korean Barbecue is somewhat upscale.

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There is a lot on the menu but this place isn’t for everyone.

One – you must be a meat eater or there is little for you but rice or a steamed egg.

Two – The only meats on the menu are either beef or pork.

You either pick one specific meat or the combination that is either an all beef menu or a pork menu. The price isn’t that much higher for 5 meats verses one meat so we tried the Beef Combination of five that included one stew. The meats get cooked by your server right infront of you on your table.

They set us up with lots of side dishes known as Banchan that translates to side dishes. Some of the side dishes we received were marinated broccoli, bean sprout salad, fish cakes, radish, tossed salad, onions and chives. Condiments for the beef were sea salt, a Korean sort of ketchup sauce and soy sauce.

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Then they quickly bring out an appetizer of steamed eggs.

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Next is bubbling hot Kimchi Stew and they start cooking the meats.

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Our server suggest to use a radish as a tortilla shell, salt the meat, add soy sauce, top with onions and chives and eat like a taco.

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The food all came flying at us a little too fast for me but all the beefs were delicious. This was a fun and different dining experience.

Sizzle Korean BBQ is new but seems to be Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

For more information please visit www.SizzleKoreanBBQ.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may differ……

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth

A Peek into Match Cuisine in Phoenix AZ (Warning “R” Rated)

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Match Cuisine recently opened at the hip and unique Found:re Boutique Hotel in Phoenix Arizona. You walk threw an art gallery on the way to your seat. Not all but most of the artwork isn’t appropriate for children. We were welcomed by a larger than life size naked Burt Reynold’s wearing nothing but a flowing blond wig. It was kind of eye catching and I missed the super cool fun thing below on my way in.

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At first I thought this was a rug but it’s an interactive projection with moving fish that swim when you step on it. It’s really cool…my photo doesn’t do it justice.

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A woman wearing a prickly pear cactus skirt…..looks painful to me.

They had a very WEIRD series of elderly people that are in exam rooms or also at home. Many of these photos show naked parts or next to naked parts I am posting only the tamest of these photos.

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The Dining Room has a unique industrial kind of look with a Chef’s Table. The chairs are very solid and heavy made with rebar and heavy metal legs.

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The menu is interesting with globally inspired dishes of mostly small plates. Here you do need to order two plates a person even at lunch time so we shared a lot of things.

I ordered a Green Papaya Salad with added Yellowtail and Black Garlic Roasted Potatoes.

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The salad was light and refreshing with good flavors. The Yellowtail seemed to be seared far in advance because it was ice cold. Potatoes were slightly overcooked and the Black Garlic seemed burnt off. I note that this restaurant is newly opened and all newly opened restaurants usually open with hiccups that work out in time.

My husband ordered The Grateful Shroom Mushroom Pizza and Ricotta Gnocchi.

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I thought the pizza was very tasty with earthy mushroom and truffle flavors. The crust seemed very unusual to both of us and lacked a chewiness and yeast-tee-ous that pizza normally has. I thought it seemed gluten free but it wasn’t.

The manager presented us with a complimentary Eye Popping Dessert named Oaxacan Wreckage.

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This dessert was very detailed with micro layer cakes and also was very rich. It was all Ying and no Yang but the Flavors and textures were very unique and wonderful with a tied together with a Chocolate Chili Mole. This place is new to me but I can tell you that this is a dessert place..and you are missing out if you don’t order dessert here.

Match Cuisine also offers a dog friendly patio with a several item DOG MENU……I so wanted to bring my dogs here….but my husband insisted that we check out the place first. It turned out to be the correct decision because I would have missed all the eye acting artwork.

For more information on Match Cuisine in Phoenix Arizona please visit www.MatchPhx.com or www.foundrehotels.com

Too new to rate…..

 The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth