Eastwind

Well, I was right, Thursday afternoon came around and I got the call from dad; the dinner call. With mom not due to return until Friday afternoon, I was in for one more night of babysitting duty. I had to go and drop something off at my sister's house, which is right by the folks', so I said that I would head their direction for dinner. I suggested we go try a Japanese place that was nearby, and once Laura got wind of this, she wanted to join us as well. So I picked everyone up (like the good little chauffeur that I am) and we headed North on Tatum Boulevard.

Eastwind is right near where both of them live, but neither of them had ever tried it. I had gone there one day for lunch, probably about 4 years ago, I didn't remember much about it so it was like a new experience for me as well. It is located on the Southeast corner of Tatum and Thunderbird, right next to Kinko's. We walked in and noticed that it was quite busy. The sign said to wait to be seated, but as we were waiting, I noticed the menu hanging on the wall as well. We discovered that their concept changed depending on the meal; at lunch, you order at the counter and at dinner, you have waiter service. I thought this was a good idea because most people are usually looking to grab a quick lunch, while dinner is often viewed as a bit more formal.

Within just a minute we were seated at a table in the main dining area and started to look at the menu. We were first intrigued by the menu insert that highlighted the different Bento Box offerings. They had four different choices, all with quite a variety of different dishes in them. When the water came over he took our drink order, 3 waters and some Saki for dad, and we decided to order a few appetizers as well. Laura and dad love Soft Shell Crab sushi rolls, so we got one of those, and we also decided to try the Calamari and Summer Rolls.

The soft shell crab roll came out first (sorry for the poor picture quality, white on white doesn't photograph well), and the presentation was beautiful. I always find it interesting how the presentation for the same roll can be so different at the different restaurants. This roll was a combination of a whole soft shell crab, that had been deep fried, crab, avocado and cucumber. I wasn't in a mood for sushi that night, but Laura and dad both thought that it was excellent. The pieces were not so big, making them hard to eat, like some places serve it. They both thought that it was better than the one they had had at Yasu Sushi Bistro, which is more of a high end sushi place. At only $8.40 for the roll, they thought this was a steal, and would definitely return for it again.

While they dug into the sushi, I tried out the Summer Rolls. The description on the menu reminded me of Vietnamese Spring Rolls, and when they were placed on the table, I decided they looked like them too! These rolls were wrapped in a tapioca rice paper and filled with shrimp, avocado, crab, vegetables and a spicy mango dressing. A dark colored dipping sauce was served along side them, and it had crushed peanuts sprinkled on the top of it. I took a bite without the sauce and was immediately hooked, the fresh seafood and crisp vegetables were nicely complemented by a bit of heat from the mango dressing. For my next bite, I dipped it in the sauce, and if I thought I was hooked before; I had now officially become and addict! The sauce was a combination of salty and heat, flavors that I could not get enough of. I finally asked the server what was in this magical sauce...and well I am keeping that to myself....just kidding! The sauce was a combination of fish sauce (the salty), siracha (the heat), garlic, and topped with crushed peanuts (more salty).....it has officially earned a spot in my Fave Five! Dad and Laura both tried a roll as well, neither had ever had Vietnamese Spring Rolls before, so they were rookies here, but they both really enjoyed their first experience. I then casually suggested that they go back to working on the sushi; so that I could get the last Summer Roll!

The calamari came out next, it was lightly breaded with panko bread crumbs and served along side a spicy wasabi sauce for dipping. My family loves calamari, and this was definitely a good version. It was light and crispy, not tough or chewy and didn't have a lingering oily taste. The dipping sauce seemed to be mayonnaise mixed with wasabi, it was quite good, it packed just enough heat to wake up the taste buds, but was mild enough to not overwhelm. We all really enjoyed this version.

Since we had decided to have so many appetizers, we decided that we would order two different Bento Boxes and share them amongst the three of us for our meal. We went with Bento A and Bento D, both were served with miso soup, which I let Laura and dad have since I once had a bad experience with it (thank you Rebecca!), both of them really liked it and said it was different than just your standard miso, I took their word for it!

We were still munching away on our calamari when the boxes arrived, and seriously, they were the largest Bento Boxes any of us had ever seen....and the kicker here.....they were each only $10.95! Bento D included Chicken Katsu, Ginger Salmon, Thai Beef Salad, Chicken Teriyaki, Edamame and Cucumber salad. My favorites in this Bento was the chicken katsu, which we all thought was excellent, the chicken was moist and it was not greasy at all. I also really enjoyed the Thai Beef Salad, the beef was sliced thin and had both heat and sweet elements to the flavor, it was delicious. Laura tried the Chicken Teriyaki and said that it was very good; it was moist and had a generous serving of the sauce with a pile of rice to sop it all up. She also tried the Salmon (which is one of my Least Fave Fives!) and said that it was good, but not her favorite part of the meal. Next we moved to the other side of the table to see what we could find in Bento A!

This Bento included Chicken Katsu, Beef Teriyaki, Ginger Salmon, Veggie & Shrimp Tempura, a green salad and Cucumber Salad. Once again, the big favorite here was the Chicken Katsu, but the Tempura was a close second. Sometimes Tempura can feel very heavy and greasy, and has a way of making you not feel very good a few hours after eating it, but this Tempura was light and crisp and not oily at all. Laura called dibs on the shrimp, and I quickly snatched the kobasha squash, so that left dad with the option of the sweet potato or this other white, round piece. He grabbed the white piece and said, "I claim the onion!" Well, he took a bite and quickly realized that it wasn't an onion, he thought it was a potato, I think referred back to the menu and realized that it was actually a lotus root....none of us knew what that was, but he liked it! The Beef Teriyaki was okay, but both dad and Laura decided that the Chicken Teriyaki was much better. Dad tried the cucumber salad, and liked it, but he was the only one to do so. We had quite a bit of food left, but we had hit our limit, and decided to call it quits.

We really enjoyed our Eastwind experience, Laura and dad were both happy to have found a new little gem right in their neighborhood. I have a feeling they will both be frequenting it in the upcoming future. Dad seems to get on kicks when it comes to new restaurants, and the new place becomes the only place he ever wants to go! They have some great prices on lunch specials, so I look forward to stopping by for lunch sometime soon. Overall, a great Japanese food find, and at a great price.

Eastwind

13637 N. Tatum Blvd.

Phoenix, AZ 85032

http://www.eastwind-az.com/

Delux

It was Wednesday night, and with mom still out of town, dad was again looking for some dinner companions. I felt that it was my daughterly duty to join him for dinner (i.e. get a free meal) so I asked him where he wanted to go. His response, "I don't care, just tell me where and when and I will be there." My dad is usually the type of guy to have an opinion on restaurants, so by him giving me free range it could only mean one thing.....he was really bored!! It took me a bit of time to scan my memory banks and think of a place that I had been wanting to try, but suddenly it came to me...it was Wednesday...and Wednesday at Delux meant that the soup of the day would be Lobster Bisque....sold!

I called dad and told him the plan, he agreed and said that we should probably ask my sister to join us as well (so he doesn't look like he is playing favorites). I called her up and she too wanted to join us, especially after she heard about the soup of the day! For some reason, my family has an obsession with lobster bisque, wherever we are, if it appears on the menu, we are going to order it. As a child, I detested seafood, but for some reason I was obsessed with clam chowder and lobster bisque...go figure...so I am always on the lookout for a new place to get my fix....even if it is in such an odd place as a restaurant specializing in burgers! This was going to be the first time at Delux for dad and my sister, but I had eaten there once, about five years ago, I didn't remember much about it, so I was excited to give it another try.

We arrived at Delux at about 6:30 and were immediately seated on the patio. It was a beautiful night, and they had the misters going as well, so it was nice to sit outside. The waitress came by to take our drink order and we immediately ordered two bowls of the lobster bisque as well, because we just couldn't hold off any longer! We then looked over the menu, which for those of you who have never been to Delux, is quite small. They basically serve three different burgers, a few different sandwiches and paninis and a handful of salads. For those who are overwhelmed by Cheesecake Factory style menus this is a bonus, for those that are picky this can be a negative. I fall somewhere in the middle, but felt that there was enough variety to find something that I was in the mood for. Dad went with the namesake Delux Burger, and Laura and I decided to each order a dish and swap half, she got the classic Cheeseburger with cheddar and I ordered the Panini Grilled Cheese sandwich. We also got a "basket" of the mixed fries (regular and sweet potato) to share.

Shortly after ordering the rest of our meal, the bisque arrived. It was sprinkled with parsley and had some thin Italian bread sticks served on the side, which was a nice touch. We all took a spoonful and took a taste. It was delicious! Bisques can be really heavy, but this was the perfect creamy consistency without feeling too heavy. The lobster flavor really shined through, and there were lots of large chunks of the lobster swimming around the bowl. We all decided that there was a hint of a peppery flavor as well, which really complemented the other elements. As far as bisques go, we all really enjoyed this one, and declared that we would return for it...too bad you can only get it on Wednesdays.

We hadn't quite finished our bisque when the "basket" of fries came out. They presentation of the fries is so clever, they serve them in a mini shopping cart (get it, a "basket")! The fries were thin and crispy, and served piping hot. They were served along side two dipping sauces, one being ketchup, and the other being an aioli with a bit of a heat factor. I sampled the sweet potato fries with the aioli, and it was a delicious combination, in fact, the regular fries went well with it too. I finally asked the waitress what was in the aioli, she said it was a mixture of mayo, sour cream, garlic and cayenne pepper....so simple, but so delicious. Just as we were starting to do some serious damage to the fries, our entrees arrived.

Dad had ordered his Delux burger medium rare, and it was cooked perfectly. The burger was topped with a combination of Gruyere and Maytag blue cheeses, grilled onions, arugula and applewood smoked bacon. Dad took one bite and was immediately pleased with his meal. Delux uses a special blend of beef, and he said that the meat and the other elements made for one delicious burger, by the end of his meal, he declared it to be the best burger he had ever had. We did find the garnish that was on his plate and the rest of our plates to be a bit odd, it was something that you probably wouldn't really eat, but I guess they figured they had to throw something on the plate to cover up the space that is usually reserved for the fries!

I sampled my grilled cheese and was immediately perplexed. The menu described it as having three types of cheeses; jack, cheddar and mozzarella, but my taste buds and my eyes could really only pick up the mozzarella. Secondly, the sandwich had not been cooked long enough to let the cheeses melt properly...which is a huge problem for me....half melted cheese just does not fly! I tried to overlook that, but I was then having a problem with the overall flavor. I could only taste mozzarella, and then the flavor of the oven roasted tomatoes was overwhelming. I felt like the sandwich tasted more like a toasted Caprese sandwich than a grilled cheese, maybe this is just a personal preference, but it still doesn't make up for the half melted cheese!

Laura and I were sharing our meals, so she tried the grilled cheese as well, she didn't have such strong objections to it as I did, but she much preferred the burger! The burger came out cooked properly and covered in cheddar (fully melted!) cheese. The presentation allowed for you to build your own burger as far as toppings, so there was a side of shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, onions and pickles. Laura piled on the toppings, minus the onion, and also added a slather of mayo and ketchup. After her first bite she was very happy with her burger. I tasted my portion of the burger and was very happy with it, it was an excellent burger, and far better than the grilled cheese; I quickly abandoned my efforts with the grilled cheese after tasting the burger!

Even though we were quite full from our meal, Laura and I were in the mood for dessert, so we decided to just take a "look" at the menu....well....looking turned into ordering! We were both drooling over the description of the Delux Banana Split Chocolate Lava Cake. Dad, who is not a big dessert eater, was even on board once he was informed that it would be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...his weakness in life! While I think we anticipated that it would be a good sized dessert, we were stunned when it was set in the middle of our table. Inside the large, shallow bowl was a chocolate lava cake, surrounded by 2 bananas sliced in half, a scoop each of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream and topped with whipped cream and cherries! A tureen of hot fudge was placed on the side....this was one massive dessert! We dove right in and were in dessert heaven! The different components were delicious both together, and individually, and we all had our favorite parts. Dad's was the vanilla ice cream, Laura's was the chocolate lava cake, and I was really digging the bananas and chocolate ice cream. It was a wonderful, and sweet end to our meal.

All three of us really enjoyed our Delux experience, even with the half-grilled cheese! The food was tasty, the atmosphere was relaxed, the service excellent, and we had a great table for people watching. Dad and Laura said they would definitely return...and like me....it would probably be on a Wednesday! As we said our goodbye's, my mind wandered the next day, mom would still be out of town....was I going to have to pull babysitting duty on back to back nights?!

Delux

3146 E. Camelback Rd.

Phoenix, AZ 85016

http://www.deluxburger.com/

La Fonda Del Sol

It is a Monday night and my mom is out of town....it can only mean one thing....I have to babysit my dad!! Who is going to be in charge of babysitting my dad when my mom is out of town is a running joke in our family, before this last trip, my sister jokingly said. "Can't we just hire someone?" Nonetheless, we joke about it, but we really don't mind, especially because it usually means lots of meals on dad's nickel!

My dad and I have a shared passion for Mexican food, we just love it, and we love going around trying new places in search for the best. My dad's mission has been to find the best chile relleno and pork green chile, while I usually base my opinions on the beans! There was a point in time a few months ago, where I would wait around on Saturday morning for the inevitable 11:00 am call asking me to go have Mexican food for lunch, which I always happy to say yes too. My sister, Laura, is also a big Mexican food fan, so when we mentioned that were going for Mexican, she wanted to join us too.

I had told my dad about a new place that I wanted to try over on Central & Dunlap. I showed him the add that I had cut out of the paper advertising for "Healthy Mexican Food - No Lard"...needless to say, he was not too amused by this notion and replied....No Lard, No Way! Thus, I had to rack my brain for a different place, and La Fonda Del Sol popped into my head. He was quick to agree, saying he probably hadn't been in there in 20 years, so with my sister in the backseat, East down Shea we went.

I don't ever recall eating at La Fonda Del Sol, although I am sure I did as a child. It is located in the funky shopping center at Scottsdale & Shea where I went to pre-school. From the outside, it looks rather small and a bit rough, but the inside is surprisingly large and just what you would expect from an old school Mexican restaurant. Booths run the length of the restaurant down one side, and there are a few tables and chairs down the other. The walls have hand painted murals that give the place a bit of a nostalgic touch. We arrived at around 7:00 pm, and for a Monday night, I was pleasantly surprised to see most of the tables full.

Shortly after being seated a basket of chips and two carafes of salsa were placed on our table. Further inspection told me that one was a fresh, chunky salsa and the other was more of a hot sauce. We salted the chips and dove right in. The chunky salsa was delicious, I could really taste the flavors of all the components and it was very fresh. It had a lot of onions in it, especially green onions, I really liked it, but those that are not onion lovers may have an issue with it. My dad really liked the hot sauce, as did I, it had a good amount of heat, but not enough that it was unbearable to eat. This was the perfect beginning to our meal.

My dad has always loved a good cheese crisp, and really, how can anyone not? I myself find myself craving a cheese crisp now and then, and there is only one way to eat them, hot out of the broiler. We decided to get one to start our meal, half plain (for my sister) and half with green chilies (for dad and I. It came out bubbling hot, with long green chile strips strategically placed on half of it. We all grabbed a slice and began munching. It was a decent cheese crisp, not the best one I have ever had, but at least it was crispy on the bottom and had a good amount of cheese on top, so it wasn't too greasy. I enjoyed mine by adding some of the delicious salsa on top. My dad liked it to, but his only criticism was that he wished the green chilies were chopped and scattered on top, instead of just one strip per slice, which I had to agree with him on.

We weren't even done with our cheese crisp when our entrees started to arrive. That night, my sister and I both ordered the same dish, with one exception, the beans!! I have gotten into the habit of whenever I go to Mexican restaurants, I always request no rice, all beans. It is not that I don't like rice, but I just like beans so much more! We both ordered Combo #10 which included a shredded beef taco and a red or green cheese enchilada, we both chose red. Like a typical Mexican restaurant, our plates came out piping hot with the standard "Don't touch, the plate is very hot" warning from our waiter. First things first, I took a forkful of beans and held it up, I could see the steam rising from them, I took the bite and was immediately in heaven! These are the beans that I have been searching for!!! They were so creamy and delicious, and had just enough cheddar cheese sprinkled on top....I could have seriously just had a plate of the beans and been happy! I decided that I couldn't neglect the taco and the enchilada, thus hurting their feelings, so I took a bite of the enchilada. I really liked the enchilada sauce, it had wonderful flavor and there was not too much cheese to where that was all you could taste, it was an excellent enchilada. I then tried the taco; the shell was crisp and filled with the shredded meat, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. It was really good, the meat was not the best shredded beef I have ever had, but all the components together made it a taco that I would order again.

Laura also enjoyed her meal. She told us that the rice was really good, and it looked like a decent rice, not dry at all. She wasn't so hungry by this point, so she only ate the rice, beans and enchilada and took the taco home.

When I was growing up, our family's favorite Mexican restaurant was a place called Marilyn's. I have many fond memories of that place, considering we used to go there every Friday night for dinner! As kids, we were mesmerized by the Shirley Temples that were served to us in glasses in the shape of cowboy boots and the little bags of jelly beans that they gave you at the end of your meal. My dad had a favorite dish there, one that he would order every single time, a Chile Relleno con Carne. Back then, I was still into just the Mexican food basics (tacos & bean burritos), but I remember one night trying a piece of the meat that went with it and seeing why he was so hooked. Sadly, Marilyn's closed about 10 or so years ago, and ever since then, my dad has been on the hunt for something similar, with no luck. Well, when he looked at the menu at La Fonda Del Sol, there it was, Combo #17, Beef Chile Relleno. He asked the waiter if the meat was cubed or shredded, the waiter replied cubed and dad was sold.

When the dish came out, it looked just like I remembered as a kid. A large chile covered in sauce and cheese, with pieces of beef peeking through all the cheese. Dad dug into the beans first and his first reply was, "Mmmm, lard!" He too thought that the beans were excellent, and commented that you can't make beans this good without the lard...and he is probably right! Like myself, dad is not into the rice, so he received a generous portion of the delicious beans. Next, he dove into the chile relleno, he really liked it. He said it was very similar to his favorite Marilyn's dish, the chile was not overly battered and the beef was tender and swimming in lots of green sauce. He really enjoyed this dish, and decided that after years of searching, he may have finally found what he was looking for....although, that is not to say that he and I will stop the search all together....we will just know where to go to get a tried and true fix!

I am so happy to have finally re-tried La Fonda Del Sol, not only do I have a new addiction to their beans, but it is also not too far from where I live! The food was good, hot, fresh and the service was quick. It is the perfect little place to grab some authentic Sonoran Mexican food and satisfy my cravings for really good beans!

La Fonda Del Sol

7223 E. Shea Blvd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

http://www.lafondadelsol.com/

The Rokerij

So Sunday afternoon I was really looking forward to attending a Celebrity Basketball game with some friends. I had gone last year and was able meet and have my picture taken with some really cool people including, Jordin Sparks, Larry Fitzgerald and my favorite Cardinal, Bertrand Berry. I was really looking forward to seeing who I was going to get to meet this year, but sadly, the venue had changed this year making it very difficult to get close to any of the participants....so alas....I didn't get to get up close and personal with anyone. :( There was a silent auction this year that had some autographed items, but nothing that I felt I absolutely had to have.

My friends Heather and Jason came to the game with me, and when it was over we decided to go grab an early dinner. I told them that I had been wanting to try The Rokerij, Heather looked at her watch and got really excited, because we were going to make it for Happy Hour! We headed up to the restaurant, grabbed some seats at the bar and started scanning the menu. The Rokerij has a great Happy Hour deal, they have a list of about 20 small plates which are normally $9.00 each, but during Happy Hour, they are just $5.00 each! When I go out to eat, I can never decide what I want to eat because I always want to try a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. So these small plates seemed like my ideal type of meal!

We placed our order then I started checking out the place. We were sitting at the bar on the main level, it was a brass topped bar that overlooked the kitchen area, which I loved! It was so neat to sit and watch them making all the different dishes, and the cooks were more than happy to answer our questions about what things were. There were a few televisions above the bar as well, so I went back and forth from checking out ESPN to watching a live cooking show...it was awesome!! The rest of the tables surrounded the bar and were a combination of plush booths and dark wood tables, the restaurant was dimly lit with votives throughout for an intimate atmosphere. It happened to be quite busy that night, with some sort of wine tasting party going on on one side of the restaurant, but it was not loud at all.

Pretty soon our dishes started rolling out of the kitchen, and it was good timing because we were hungry! The first thing out were the Beef Tenderloin Toasts. On the plate were five toasts each topped with a piece of filet and slice of French triple cream brie melted on top. Oh my, these were heavenly, the filet was tender, and the brie was like butter. Out of everything we had, these were probably my favorite. The picture below is of the first batch, but suddenly they brought us another plate of these because they said they thought the first one's sat too long, we didn't put up a fight and quickly scarfed down the second plate as well!
Next we tried the Asian Shortribs. These were boneless and served over a bed of rice. Heather had had these previously and really like them, but on this night, she concluded that they had changed the sauce a little bit and wasn't as big of a fan. I tried them and thought they were flavorful, they had a thick, brown barbecue type sauce on them, but I didn't quite pick up any Asian influence. The oddest part of the dish I thought was the bed of what seemed to be Spanish style rice that they were perched upon, I found it to be a really odd pairing.

The calamari was the next item we started to eat. It was lightly coated in what I believe were panko bread crumbs and fried until crispy. Calamari can be served with a variety of different dipping sauces, this one was served with a sweet red chile sauce, which happens to be my favorite one. The crispy calamari, and the sweet and spicy sauce are a perfect pair. I thought that the Calamari were really good, they were not overcooked so they were still tender and I didn't find them to be greasy at all. The only thing that I would change about the dish would be to add in some of the legs, instead of just the calamari steak part, I love the crispy crunch of the legs!

The Mini Veal Meatballs were the next item that we tried, this was one of the few dishes that we ordered that Heather and Jason had not tried before. They were served with what the menu described as San Marzano diablo sauce, which to us just tasted like a marinara sauce with some heat to it. Each meatball also had some mozzarella cheese melted on top. The meatballs were quite good, very tender we we enjoyed the kick in the sauce.

When I first saw the menu, I immediately knew that I wanted to order the Oysters Rokeij. I have always loved Oysters Rockefellar, even going so far as to one time attempt to make them at home, which I discovered is very dangerous, shucking oysters is hard....I ended up trying to get them open with an ice pick and a hammer! These oysters were The Rokerij's version, they had spinach, bacon, Dungeness crab and were topped with a jalapeno hollandaise sauce, my mouth was drooling at the description. They came out on a large metal plate with a mound of salt in the middle. I dove right in, but Heather and Jason were not as eager. Heather said no thank you, but Jason agreed to try one because they were cooked and not raw. I really liked these, the smoky bacon, sweet crab and the heat of the jalapeno hollandaise were perfect with the oyster. I would definitely come back for these, even Jason thought that they were good!

I was beginning to get full, but Heather said I needed to try one of the soft shell tacos. We were given a choice between, steak, chicken or carne adovada as a filling, and we went with the steak. These were in what I would describe as a street taco style, served in grilled corn tortillas with just fresh salsa and guacamole on top. I tried one and was pleasantly surprised, the simple toppings really accentuated the clean flavor of the meat, and it was nice and tender.

Jason had ordered the Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, and since Heather does not like shrimp, I had to be the second taste tester. They presentation was beautiful, they were served over a medley of four different sauces that looked like a sunset. I tried one, and while they were good, I didn't find them to be anything special. I think they were basically just shrimp and bacon, with no seasoning except the sauces. I tried them with the different sauces, which were tasty, but still decided that they were not something that I would probably order again.

We were all reaching our capacity when the waitress came over and put down another plate in front of us. We hadn't ordered anything else so we were a bit confused, she just said that it was something she thought we would like. And like we did. The plate had 4 Beef Tenderloin Skewers that were cooked to perfection. They were pink in the middle, and so tender. They had to be some of the best beef I have ever had. They too were served over the same sauce medley as the shrimp, and I decided that I thought the sauces complimented the beef better than the shrimp. We couldn't even finish these, so I got to take 2 skewers home for later!

It was only 6:00 pm and we were all stuffed. I really loved my whole experience there, the food, the ambiance, and the service was excellent. I would definitely return, especially for Happy Hour, but at some point I would like to try the regular dinner menu because it looked to have some interesting dishes on it. Overall, it was a great end to a long weekend.

The Rokerij

6335 N. 16th St.

Phoenix, AZ 85016

www.burningembersphoenix.com

Mucho Gusto Taqueria & Mexican Bistro

Saturday had been a long, emotional day for me and all I wanted to do was curl up on the couch with the remote, but I had already made plans to hang out with my best friend Karen, so the couch and my DVR list would have to wait. She wanted to go and try someplace new with me, so I consulted my list and we decided on Mucho Gusto. I had heard from many friends that it was good, but since it opened after I had graduated from ASU, it wasn't in my "hood" anymore so I had yet to try it out. We had gotten off to a late start, with her having to shower after doing some housework, and me wanting to lay on the couch as long as possible, so we didn't arrive until 9:00 pm. It was a beautiful night out so we opted to sit on the patio, which is where everyone else was sitting as well because a sneak peek of the inside revealed an empty restaurant. We both thought that the patio was adorable, trimmed with small twinkling lights and random objects filled with plants (like the old BBQ next to our table) scattered throughout.

A small bowl of chips and salsa appeared almost immediately, followed by a waitress to take our drink order. I went with my usual, water with lemon, while Karen opted for a lemonade. We tasted the chips and salsa, the chips weren't my favorite chips ever, but they were pretty good. Some of them had been given a little kick with a sprinkling of chili powder. The salsa was more of the consistency of a hot sauce versus a salsa, it had quite a bit of heat to it, but didn't overwhelm.

After sampling the chips we looked over the menu and noticed how it was a good mix of traditional Mexican favorites; burritos, tacos, etc. with some more modern items. Since it was so late, and since we were planning on a visit to Mojo Frozen Yogurt afterwards, we decided to get an appetizer and an entree to share. For the appetizer, we decided to try the Picaditas and add machaca to them. They were described as masa corn cakes, topped with black beans, machaca, lettuce, tomato, cojita cheese and sour cream. When they came out, we were encountered with two large cakes piled high with the toppings. I first tried a bite of just the corn cake; I really liked the strong corn flavor that came through. Next, I tried the machaca, it had an excellent flavor, with a touch of heat and was very tender. Karen and I both enjoyed these, it is not a dish that I have seen on many menus, but something that I would definitely try again. They reminded me of an inside-out tamale!

For our entree, we went down a path that I generally never go down, we ordered fish. Yes I know the health benefits of fish, but I just never seem to order it unless it is tuna in a sandwich or fried with a side of tartar sauce! I was feeling adventurous that night, so we went with the Shrimp and Crab Topped Red Snapper. The fish was topped with a crab and shrimp mixture in some sort of creamy sauce and served with mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies. We both took a bite of the fish and declared it a winner. The crab, shrimp and fish all mixed with the sauce were delicious, creamy and very satisfying. I couldn't quite put my finger on what I thought was in the sauce, but I felt like I have had some of the flavor components before. Karen tried the mashed potatoes and told me I had to try them. Since they were orange, I thought that they were mashed sweet potatoes, but my first taste told me no....but whatever it was, they were amazing! We kept taking bite after bite trying to figure out what was in them, finally when the waitress stopped by again we broke down and asked...the answer....enchilada sauce! That's right,they mix the mashed potatoes with red enchilada sauce; the combination of the rich, creamy potatoes and the spicy enchilada sauce was the highlight of our night. We couldn't help but laugh...who came up with this crazy idea??? Because we would like to thank them!

Karen and I both enjoyed our meal at Mucho Gusto and were especially taken with the relaxed atmosphere on the patio. We moved through our meal slowly; chatting more than eating, but it is always nice to spend quality time with a good friend. We are both eager to return and try some of the other items on the menu and maybe check out what is has to offer for Happy Hour. We finally decided to head out to Mill Ave. to get our Mojo fix and to visit her brother at the Coffee Plantation and meet his tranny friends...and well.....I will leave that story for another time.

Mucho Gusto Taqueria & Mexican Bistro

603 W. University Dr.

Tempe, AZ 85281

Barrio Cantina & Grill

A few months ago I saw the "Coming Soon" banner hung up on the former Fuddrucker's by PV Mall and was giddy with anticipation for the place to open. A new Mexican restaurant....I couldn't wait! I kept checking their website to see the menu (which is not posted) and for when it was going to open, and finally, my friend Strudel mentioned to me that she got invited to the Grand Opening. She went, she had a fine time, it was more of a cocktail reception, so she nibbled on snacks and thought it warranted a return visit. We both LOVE Mexican food, so when we decided to go to dinner on a Friday night, she suggested Barrio and I was game!

We met at 6:30 on a Friday night and the place was packed. We were told that the wait would be 15 minutes, but it ended up only being 5 minutes; so far, so good. We were led into the main dining room and seated at a table halfway in the kitchen area....no joke!! We thought this to be odd, but the place was packed. My first impression of the interior was it was very open, high ceilings and minimal walls, which contributed to the high volume level. There was loud music playing, mixed with all the voices, it was really hard to hold a conversation. I started looking around and noticed that most of the tables were full of families with children, or people over the age of 60, neither of which are conducive to loud environments. Strudel then mentioned that the place was owned by the same group that owns Axis/Radius, a nightclub in Scottsdale; that is when the light bulb went off, they are trying to be a bar/nightclub! Suddenly the two separate bar areas made sense (one being right in the middle of the main dining room), this is not a family Mexican restaurant, this is a nightclub wannabe! But nightclubs don't usually open until 9 at the earliest, couldn't they keep the music turned down until then? Oh well, maybe the food will make up for the unbearable noise!

We sat for about 5 minutes before we were approached by a waitress, I mean how could you miss our table, we were halfway in the kitchen! She did bring by the obligatory chips and salsa, so at least we had something to munch on; the chips were thicker than normal, but at least they were hot, the salsa had a smoky flavor to it, not my favorite, but it was decent. We ordered some drinks and an appetizer since we had had plenty of time to look at the menu by this point. While she was taking our order, a little kid walked right past me and into the kitchen, I turned to look at what was going on, and the waitress said not to worry because he was one of the owner's kids. What?? On a Friday night, the owner's just let their kids run wild through a packed restaurant?? Strike One.


For our appetizer we decided to try the Jalapeno Bacon Wrap Hot Dog Sliders ($10). I have been hearing a lot lately about Sonoran hot dogs (bacon-wrapped with all the fixings) and have not had the opportunity to try one yet, so we thought we would give it a try. When the plate came out there were 3 sliders on soft potato buns, some pickles and a bowl of pinto beans. We each took one and tried a bite. They were quite spicy due to the pepper jack cheese and the chipotle mayo, and overall had good flavor, but I was a bite disappointed. The name implied that the hot dogs were wrapped in bacon, when in fact the hot dog was just split in half with a piece of jalapeno bacon on top. I don't think that these are quite the same as the real thing, but they were tasty, and at least they used a good quality hot dog.

When we ordered our entrees, Strudel asked the waitress what her favorite item on the menu was, she quickly replied the Shrimp Tacos ($11) which were cooked in a tequila glaze, so Strudel decided to try them. She opted for flour tortillas over corn, and black beans over pinto; they also came with rice. When the plate arrived, it was nothing fancy, but just by looking we could see that both the rice and the beans looked dry; one bite and Strudel confirmed this. She also said that the beans had not been cooked properly, they were not soft, but had a bit of firmness to them still. The culprit of the hard beans can probably be attributed to them not being soaked long enough before cooking; but whatever it was, The Bean Queen is never happy when a Mexican restaurant serves bad beans! Strudel then tried the tacos, her first comment was that the shrimp were tough, which probably meant that they had been overcooked. Strike Two. Taking away the preparation, she said the flavor was okay, but nothing to write home about. Their was a sauce that was served on the side with the tacos, we both thought it had good flavor, but we could never figure out what it was!

I had opted for the Carnitas Quesadilla ($9) for my entree. I thought the Barrio menu was interesting because they had a whole section of quesadillas under the entree section instead of under the more typical appetizer section. The quesadilla came out and well, it just looked blah. The presentation of the plate made it look really boring, and unappetizing. I took a bite and was immediately disappointed. The carnitas meat was some of the most unflavorful I have ever had, I make better shredded pork! It seemed to have no seasoning whatsoever, the only flavor came from the roasted poblanos that were in the quesadilla. The quesadilla was also lacking in the "queso" element as well, there was barely any cheese, which also annoys me, I mean it is called a quesadilla for a reason! Strike Three.

So after strikes one, two and three; Strudel and I decided that a return visit to Barrio was probably not going to be in our future. It was loud, the tables were too close to each other making it hard to navigate, the food was poor and to top it off, it took the "manager" about 15 minutes to figure out how to split our check. There is far better Mexican, and even Modern Mexican in this town....but if you dare....try Barrio and let me know your experience.

Barrio Cantina & Grill

4731 E. Cactus Rd.

Phoenix, AZ 85032

www.barriocantina.com

Takeda Thai

The Scene: Wednesday. My office. The clock reads 12:45 pm. I look at Kirsch and say, "What do you want for lunch?" Her response, "I don't know?" Here we go again.

Kirsch and I are in a lunch rut. Neither of us can ever figure out what we want to eat these days, which usually leads to us sitting around until 1:00 and then giving up and walking over to Subway. But today, I knew I didn't want to sit at my desk while surfing the Internet and munching on a tuna sub (Subway has the BEST tuna!), so I checked my list of restaurants to try and suggested a new Thai restaurant that I had heard about recently. Kirsch was game, so out into the unusually windy for a day in April in Arizona we went.

We headed North on Scottsdale Road up to a shopping center that holds many fond memories for me. Those of you familiar with the Scottsdale area are probably aware of the odd shopping center on the Southeast corner of Scottsdale and Shea. It holds such gems as The Dirty Dogg Saloon, Ernie's Inn and the Buzz Nightclub. Well, many years ago, it was in this center that I began to blossom into the woman I am today! Yes, my pre-school was located in this center, good old Tots N' Tunes, as well as Judi's Dance Center where I honed the skills that would lead me to become the excellent Britney Spears' impressionist that you know today! Both Tots N' Tunes and Judi's are long gone, but ironically enough, Takeda Thai is right next door to the former Judi's (currently occupied as a beauty supply store). Just driving into the center makes me a bit nostalgic....well, enough about me...on to the food!

The restaurant just opened the day before Christmas (odd day to choose I must say) of last year. It is easy to see that the building has gone under a tremendous renovation both inside and out, considering that in its past life it used to be a golf store. The inside is sleek and clean, just the way you want a restaurant that you are about to eat in to be.

We didn't arrive until almost 1:00, so the place was pretty empty; there were just two other tables of guests finishing up their meals. We were given two menus to look at; the lunch menu and the regular menu. I really liked this gesture, because it gave us a chance to look at the entire menu, rather than just the pared down lunch menu. In the end, we both ordered off of the lunch menu, all of the items on it are just $7.95 and also include a fresh spring roll.

Many times when we go for Thai, we both tend to stick with traditional dishes that we have had before. But today we were feeling adventurous and each decided to try something new. Kirsch went with the Spicy Noodles with Chicken, at a hot heat level. The dish had thick rice noodles, chicken, onions, bell peppers, chilies and Thai basil. She dove right in and declared it to be an excellent choice. The waitress came by and inquired about the heat level, Kirsch likes things really hot, so she asked for some additional chili paste on the side. I tried a bite before she "kicked it up a notch" and thought that it was really delicious. The flavors were unlike those in a traditional Pad Thai, a bit lighter and no peanut flavor. I thought it was a nice light dish that I would definitely order on a return visit.



I ordered the Pad Prik King with beef at a medium heat level, which is something that I have been tempted to order in the past, but always seem to stick to something that I am familiar with. The dish came out steaming hot, with a large mound of jasmine rice on the side. I took my first bite and was immediately happy that I finally tried this dish. It is basically a combination of beef, green beans, yellow bell pepper and red chili paste. The flavor was amazing, just enough heat so as not to be overwhelming and the meat was cooked perfectly, it was tender, not chewy. When Kirsch tried it she picked up on a floral essence, which once she said that I also noticed, although we weren't quite able to identify it. But whatever it was, it was good! My lunch was also served with a crisp, spring roll with sweet chili dipping sauce. I could tell the spring roll was freshly made, and it was nice and crispy, not soggy. The presentation of both plates was beautiful and the portion sizes for lunch were plentiful.

At the end our meal, we concluded that we would definitely be back soon. The atmosphere was relaxing, the food was excellent and I always enjoy taking a trip down memory lane!

Takeda Thai

10271 N. Scottsdale Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85253

http://www.takedathai.com

Enchiladas and Idol

Since it is Tuesday and I have Idol on the brain, it reminded me of a dinner that I made for my friend Whitney and my sister during an Idol viewing a few weeks back. Whitney had recently done some redecorating at her place, and wanted us to come over and check it out. I had been in a cooking mood so I volunteered to come over and make dinner, and both were quick to agree to the plan!

Whitney, Laura and I have a lot in common, including a deep love for Mexican food....including beans!! I was trying to come up with something quick, easy and tasty to try out....and after surfing around online, I decided to go with chicken and spinach enchiladas. I looked at a couple of recipes and kind of melded them together, and they turned out quite tasty! Both Whitney and Laura were excited when I offered them the leftovers....and the next day I got e-mails informing me how their office mates were jealous of their lunches!

Here is the recipe for the enchiladas. I served them with some fiesta corn and seasoned black beans with a dollop of sour cream on top! My taste testers are not the biggest fans of spice, so I kept these mild, but next time, I am going to kick them up a notch! I also made a mint chocolate chip ice cream pie in an Oreo crust for dessert....and Whitney got to keep the leftovers, lucky girl!

So if you are feeling like having a fiesta....give these a try!

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas

1 c. chopped onion (white or yellow)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 c. cooked chicken; chopped or shredded (I just purchased a rotisserie chicken)
3 c. fresh baby spinach, washed and stemmed
½ c. sour cream
½ c. cream cheese
1 (16 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies (I didn’t use these, but next time I make them I will add them for a bit of heat, but you can leave them out)
2 c. shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Monterrey jack or cheddar)
12 small flour tortillas

Add 1 Tbsp. of olive to a pan, add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add spinach to pan and cook until slightly wilted. Add cream cheese, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese to mixture, stir over low heat until cheeses are melted. Add chicken to the pan and mix well.

Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas and roll up, place seem side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Repeat until all the tortillas are used. If there is any remaining chicken mixture, spoon over the top of the tortillas. Cover with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, until cheese starts to bubble.

Pineapple and what?

My parents love hosting people at their house to celebrate holidays, their motto is the more the merrier. In the past we have had friends from my college dorm, sorority sisters, co-workers, whoever needs a place to celebrate is welcome in their home. Since my mom is always such the gracious host, I like to help her out by bringing a dish. This year, I knew I wanted to bring Pineapple Casserole. I first tried the casserole out last Easter, and I couldn't wait to have it again because it is the perfect accompaniment to ham, and Easter seems to be the only time of the year we ever have a ham.

So I made the casserole and brought it over to Easter, and when we sat down to eat, everyone started raving about how good it was, and wanted to know what was in it. I got a lot of responses that went something like, "Pineapple and what?" As you will see below, when you read the ingredient list, you might turn up your nose....but trust me...everyone that tries it....LOVES it! As my mom says, the recipe looks like it was made up by a drunk person, because who would put these things together....but somehow....it just works!

Pineapple Casserole

2 (20 oz. each) cans crushed pineapple
5 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 c. Ritz cracker crumbs
1/2 c. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with either cooking spray or butter.

Drain pineapple. Place crushed pineapple evenly along the bottom of prepared casserole dish. Mix together the flour, sugar and cheese. Sprinkle evenly on top of pineapple.



Cover with Ritz cracker crumbs. I usually just take 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers and place in a
Ziploc bag. Then I get out a rolling pin and smash away!

The Before

The After!

Melt the butter and pour over the top of the cracker crumbs.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until top turns golden brown and crispy.


And voila! You have the yummiest, sweet, buttery casserole that goes great with ham! Try taking a bite of ham with the pineapple.....it is a party in your mouth!


Hope everyone had a joyful Easter!

The Kozy Cactus

So it was hump day, (Wednesday for those non KMLE country listeners) and I was really tired. I had just gotten home from work, changed clothes, and fired up my computer when my sister called. She wanted me to come over and have dinner with her and her husband, I said, "Great, What are you making?"....her reply, we are going out! I really wasn't in the mood to get back into "going out in public clothes" but she mentioned that they wanted to go to The Kozy Cactus. They had been a few times before and raved about it, so I mustered up some energy, changed clothes and hopped in the car.

The Kozy Cactus opened around the end of last year and is located in the shopping plaza with Target by Paradise Valley Mall. It occupies the space that was most recently Voodoo Daddy's Cajun Grill, which I never went to, but it used to be The Eggery when I was a kid. The Kozy Cactus prides themselves in serving "Renewed American" Organic cuisine. I had never been to a restaurant before that was all about serving organic and locally produced food, so I was excited to try it out.

It was pretty empty when we arrived about 6:30 pm, we were told we could pick whatever table we wanted, I immediately opted for a booth. There was a large bar area that seemed to have a lot of people enjoying drinks after work, and there even seemed to be a few people brave enough to sit out on the patio and brave the wind that was blowing wildly that night. We sat down and looked over the menu. My first impression was that the menu wasn't very big, but many times a smaller menu equals better food, and my guess was that they were still in the process of tweaking it.

My sister wanted to get an appetizer to start. Since I consider "dip" to be one of my favorite food groups, I was open to it. I really wanted to try the Avocado and White Bean Spread, but upon that suggestion, my sister's face looked like she just bit into a lemon. So I agreed to go with her suggestion of the Spinach Artichoke Dip. When the dip came out, it was served with toasted bread slices instead of the more typical tortilla chips. We spread the dip on the bread slices and dug into it. My first impression was that it was a little bland, I ended up having to put some salt on it. My second thought was that this should be called a spread, not a dip. Call me a purist, but I think if you call something a dip, that you should be able to scoop it up with something that is edible, rather than having to use silverware. Overall, it was just okay. It had a cream cheese base, which I thought was completely overpowering of the spinach and artichokes. I may be biased, because I do make a killer spinach artichoke dip if I do say so myself, but this just didn't hit the spot for me. My sister and her husband both liked it, so it didn't go to waste!



The rest of our entrees arrived and I was very impressed by the presentation. Greg had ordered the crab cakes with the garlic mashed potatoes. He got two huge crab cakes and a large pile of potatoes, as well as some steamed broccoli. He had had these here before, and couldn't stop telling me how great they were...and he was right! The crab cakes were almost all crab, not full of bread fillers. They were seasoned really well, and with the tartar sauce they were just perfect, some of the best I can remember having in recent memory, and I am a crab cake freak! The mashed potatoes had just enough garlic to them, and they were very creamy. Overall, it was a dish that I would definitely order on a return trip.



Laura was feeling really hungry, so she opted for the bacon cheeseburger; it was served with a side of mixed fries, regular and sweet potato. The burger was huge, and piled high with fresh toppings. She really enjoyed it. It was cooked exactly to her specifications of just a little pink in the middle and the fries were the perfect compliment. She really liked the bun, which she said seemed to be fresh baked and a bit more like a focaccia roll than a typical hamburger bun. I didn't have a chance to snag a bite, but she reassured me it was a winner.

I didn't quite know what I was in the mood for that night (there weren't many items that had beans in them on the menu) so I opted to go with the barbecue pulled pork special. It too was served with the mixed fries and had coleslaw and pickled red onions piled on top of it. The sandwich was a bit intimidating, so I decided to fork and knife it. I snagged a forkful of the pork and was immediately very happy with my choice. The pork had a sweet undertone to it that I had never experienced before, it was absolutely delicious! Next I tried it with some of the coleslaw, and the coleslaw really added a bit of tang to the sweet pork. I picked off the onions, normally I am a big onion fan, but not sure how I felt about pickled onions, and I wasn't feeling too adventurous that night, but I am sure they were probably there for a reason! The mixed fries were great, I could tell that they were hand cut. It was a huge serving of pork and I ended up bringing enough home for another meal!

I really liked my experience at the Kozy Cactus, except for one thing. My seat was facing the bar area, and there was this couple at the bar that were making out and groping each other throughout our entire meal...I mean the guys hand was getting dangerously close to venturing off down the girls pants....it was something that I just didn't need to, or want to see. I was a bit surprised that no one said anything to them, considering the owner of the restaurant came over to see how everything was with us, so he was in the vicinity; but it didn't ruin our meal.

I would definitely return to The Kozy Cactus, they have a nice appetizer menu and the bar has lots of TVs, so I could see it being a great place to catch a game and have a snack. So after a shopping marathon at the mall, if you are in need of some refueling, check it out!

The Kozy Cactus

4326 E. Cactus Rd., Ste. 3

Phoenix, AZ 85032

http://www.kozycactus.com/

Middle East Feast for the Queen

So Monday lunchtime rolls around and I happen to find myself in the Tempe area after meeting with a client. Kirsch suggests we go for Thai, but since I had just had it for dinner the previous night, and was anticipating eating the leftovers for dinner that night, I wasn't really in the mood. I suggested middle eastern because I hadn't had a gyro in awhile; she immediately yelled out "Let's go to Haji Baba!" Now I had never heard of this place but she swore to me that they had the best gyro meat in town, so off we went.

Haji Baba is located in a very nondescript strip mall on Apache Blvd, between Rural and McClintock....if you blink you will miss it (same goes if you are heading West on Apache because of the light rail). We pulled in and the parking lot was jammed, which is a good sign when it comes to restaurants. We go inside and the place is packed, we ended up having to wait 10 minutes for a table. While we waited we perused the aisles of the attached middle eastern market. The selection was huge, especially the flavored tobacco selection, which I will just never understand....I don't think strawberry essence can really mask the flavor of tobacco if you know what I mean. We finally got a table and sat down to order. The first thing I noticed about the menu is that it was cheap!! I mean really cheap. I wanted to try out a few different things so I settled on the side order of falafel (3 patties to an order) and the gyro pita sandwich. The food came out after about 10 minutes and smelled delicious. Below is a picture of the falafal, a terrible picture I know, but the gyro picture was far worse (which is why I won't be posting it :) ). The falafel were nice and crisp and covered with tahini sauce, lettuce and tomatoes. They had a good texture, but I am not sure they were the most flavorful falafel I have ever had. I think they could have used a bit more seasoning, but for $1.99, I am not complaining.



Next I moved on to the gyro, it was stuffed to the top, full of thickly sliced gyro meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and lots of delicious cucumber sauce. There was even a pickle spear wedged in at the bottom, which is an oddly delicious compliment to the sandwich. My first impression was that the meat was awesome, I really liked how they sliced it so thick, and it was not greasy at all like you get with other gyros. The cucumber sauce was excellent, and they did not skimp. Whenever I have cucumber sauce I always chuckle to myself, because I love cucumber sauce, but HATE cucumbers.....weird??!?!?! Overall, I really enjoyed the gyro, it was huge, so I ended up taking half of it home, along with one of the falafel patties. My biggest surprise was when I went up to the counter to pay....the grand total of my meal.....$5.71....a smoking deal, considering the amount of food and the quality, plus I was going to be able to make an additional meal out of my leftovers!

Kirsch got the Greek salad, which was huge, and a side of gyro meat which was also a very generous portion. The salad also came with a side of warm pita bread. The thing I was most impressed about on the salad was the amount of feta cheese. Many places seem to skimp on the cheese, which always annoys me because when you ask for more they usually charge you, but here she got 4 huge hunks of feta on her salad. Due to the portion size, she too was going to need a box for leftovers!


Kirsch said she used to go to Haji Baba all the time during college because it was so good and so cheap, I am really kicking myself for not having been until now. Whenever I had a gyro craving in college, we usually ended up at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant on Mill Ave., while the food there was decent, it was not nearly as good as Haji Baba, and it was 3 times the price! So next time I am in the Tempe area and have a hankering for a gyro, or shwarma, or hummus....I am going to head on over to Haji Baba because I will be able to fill up for under 5 bucks!

Haji Baba Middle Eastern Cuisine
1513 E. Apache Blvd.
Tempe, AZ 85281

Tottie's Asian Fusion

On Saturday night I had a hankering for some Asian food, I was trying to figure out what I was going to do about it when I got a call from my dad to meet him and my mom at J. Alexander's for dinner. While not the Asian food I was craving, it was a free dinner....so I abandoned the craving and had ribs instead. Sunday rolled around and after a lazy day I realized I still wanted some Asian food, more specifically Pad Thai. The only problem is, having a craving for Pad Thai on Sunday is like having a craving for Chic-Fil-A on Sunday.....you can't get it because all of the restaurants are closed!! Not willing to let the craving live on for another day, I had to figure out a solution. So I went to my "Restaurant's to Try" list to see if I could find a solution, and there it was, Tottie's Asian Fusion. My friend Meghan had just told me the other day that they had great Pad Thai, so I checked their website....and yes...they were open on Sunday....Pad Thai here I come!!


I called and placed my order for pick-up, the girl told me it would be about 20 minutes, so I scanned Facebook one more time and then was out the door. I had been in this shopping center many times before, mostly because that is where Sonic is, but I had never really noticed Tottie's. I was pleasantly surprised when I went inside, it was quite large and tastefully decorated....and it smelled....amazing!


When I got home I was ready to dig in and watch the ACM Awards (I am so glad Carrie Underwood won entertainer of the year!). I had ordered the Shrimp Puffs and the Chicken Pad Thai, medium heat. First came the shrimp puffs; most Asian restaurants serve crab puffs, so I was eager to try a different spin. Well, I think I prefer the crab puffs. It is not that these weren't good, it is just that a few of my puffs were missing a crucial ingredient....shrimp....so it was basically just cream cheese and won ton. Also, I wasn't such a fan of their design. Typically, crab puffs are served as little triangles, full of filling, but these they tried to make look a bit more fancy, making them harder to eat and resulting in less filling. They came with a side of sweet and sour sauce and some hot mustard, but I decided to skip the mustard because I was already getting the spice from the Pad Thai. These were decent, but I probably wouldn't order them again.



Now it was on to the main event, the Pad Thai, when I opened the box I couldn't believe the massive amount of food that it contained. I think the Pad Thai could easily serve a family of 4, and for just a mere $8.50! My first impression was I was surprised out how thin the noodles were, most Pad Thai dishes that I have had, have medium size flat noodles, these were very thin and not flat. But, as I started to eat, I realized that the noodles shape didn't matter....cause this was some good Pad Thai! I mixed in the shredded carrots, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and cilantro and all the flavors blended together really well.....the medium had a bit more heat than I was expecting....but I think it is the heat that makes it so addicting! It is a good thing that I enjoyed it so much, because I think I am going to be eating the leftovers for the rest of the week!




So if a craving for some Thai hits you on Sunday (or really any other day, except Monday, because they are closed), check out Tottie's!!


Tottie's Asian Fusion
7901 E. Thomas Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
http://www.tottiesasianfusion.com/

Wednesday Night Dinner

As time goes by, life gets crazy, so a group of my college friends and I decided a few months ago that we needed to have a monthly dinner to catch up. There are 7 of us total, and we have yet to have the whole group attend....maybe next month? Last night we decided to get together at my house because it is less formal than a restaurant....plus I wanted to try out some new recipes and I always welcome willing participants! I was really excited to start planning my menu, but as I began thinking about things, I realized that I was dealing with a diverse group of eaters (and by diverse, I mean picky!). There is the one who doesn't eat cheese (something I can just not comprehend), the one who only eats chicken (I am a beef girl myself) and the one who won't eat pork. When I was thinking of things to make, that were either meatless or were chicken based....they all included cheese!!! At the last minute I finally figured something out....and the menu turned out great...although I am already starting to worry about what to make for next month!

April's Dinner Menu

Appetizer:
Raspberry Black Bean Dip (I rebelled here....there were 2 different cheeses in this dish!)

Main Course:

Avocado and Mango Spinach Salad with Citrus Dressing

Chicken & Bean Tacos/or Tostadas

Dessert:

Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcakes

Here is the recipe for the tacos, they were so easy, and very flavorful. If you are interested in any of the other recipes, send me a note!

Chicken & Bean Tacos in the Crock Pot

adapted from Pillsbury.com

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used tenders)

1 (1 oz. ) pkg. taco seasoning

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chilies

2 Tbsp. lime juice

Place chicken in a 4 quart crock pot. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Top with beans, tomatoes, chilies and lime juice in that order. Cover and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or until chicken shreds apart easily. Shred chicken with 2 forks and stir everything together.

Serve meat mixture in tortillas or on tostadas shells with all the fixings!