Wednesday, June 28, 2017

June 24, 2017 Oink Cafe - Scottsdale, Arizona

I visted this cafe for the first time with my cousins, Jessica, Darren and Jackson Friesen.   We met for breakfast on this really hot Arizona summer Sundays.

Each of us chose some form of The Two Egg Classic. They have about 7 or 8 different choices of bacon.  I added bacon to my order- jalapeno…and I wanted it crispy..a homemade baking powder biscuit.  One could also have a choice of toasted breads.  If you are looking for something fancy this isn’t your café.  If you are looking for a good tasting simple breakfast this is it!  I would return….there are still other varieties of bacon yet to be tasted.  I am always looking for a good breakfast spot.

Oink Café
4326 E. Cactus Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85832
(602) 404-6465
Hours:  Daily 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Monday, June 19, 2017

June 18, 2017 - Zen Culinary - Scottsdale, Arizona

I had dinner here on June 18, 2017 with Joshua, Jody, Judson and Jonah Hayes....celebrating Father’s Day  We started with the appetizer Dragon Balls – pork and shrimp filling, panko crust, chili soy and wasabi aioli.  We each had one and they were delicious…I thought the wasabi aioli tasted just perfect with them.

Jody ordered the Sashimi Bibim Ramen -  spicy ramen, thinly sliced fluke, veggies, korean chili paste, sauce on the side…it looked tasty.





I ordered Panang Curry  with beef - traditional panang, curry paste, coconut milk, seasonal vegetables.  I love curry…and it was just perfect.  I loved the taste…it wasn’t too sweet….just right…mine had a lot of cauliflower and  broccoli in the liquid..and it was wonderful.  I spooned mine over rice….goodness.




Joshua ordered the Green Curry with chicken -  traditional green curry paste, coconut milk, vegetables, basil.  I also tasted this one…and it was very good.  I might have to go there at least two more times to have a bowl of the green curry…and then another time for the yellow curry.





Judson ordered the Korean Baby Back Ribs -  Seoul marinated pork ribs, crispy french fries, roasted garlic, seasonal local/organic vegetables.  He liked them…said they were better than Bobby Q’s….but I tasted them…and I don’t know about that.





Jonah, our little food connoisseur ordered Chicken Strips and French Fries….boy were those fries good…actually the chicken was also…why do the French fries always taste good in the Asian restaurants…is it the oil that they are fried in…I wonder.


The service was just wonderful.

Zen Culinary
15544 N. Pima Road
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
(480) 500-8865
Hours:  Monday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
             Sunday – Closed
Type of Food – Asian Fusion

After dinner we went back to the Hayes Residence and had a piece of Jody's homemade Huckleberry Pie with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream...delish!


Friday, June 16, 2017

June 15, 2017 - Dragon Wok - Gilbert, Arizona

My bridge partner, Janet Hastings and I played bridge today in Sun Lakes.  We decided to grab dinner in the area..as we waited for the rush hour traffice to clear.

I ordered the Mushu Pork..and it was terrible. I am used to a shredded  type pork…and not these strips that had no taste.  I am also used to the meat being cooked in a great sauce.  This did not taste anything like that.  I am used to everything mixed at my table…as well as the mixture being wrapped in the tortilla type wrap.    Janet ordered the Phoenix Dragon…

chicken…shrimp..straw mushrooms..baby corn and vegetables.  She liked it..and it did look good…but I never did taste it. The restaurant was lovely. The service was very good.  I think I just need to order something else if I ever return.

Dragon Wok
727 W. Ray Rd #B1
Gilbert, Arizona 85233
(480) 782-6889
Hours:  Monday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
             Friday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
             Saturday 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
             Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

June 14, 2017 - Salt + Lime Modern Mexican Grill - Scottsdale, Arizona

My cousin Rose Filicetti is in town several times during her vacation at the Grand Canyon with her whole family.  We planned many months ago to all meet for dinner on this date.  Eight of us - Rose,  her husband, Neal Savage, their youngest daughter Torie, Joshua, Jody, Judson and Jonah Hayes met here for dinner.

I ordered two tacos…one was a pot belly taco..and the other was a blackened camaron taco…both filled with lots of sliced peppers…red onions….chopped cilantro…small cubed tomatoes…lemon juice…yummy!



Pot Bell Taco on the left...Camaron Taco on the right

Torie’s choice of Tamales intrigued me.  I may return just to try this entrée.  Three Mexico City style tamales topped with your choice of carne asada,* carnitas or pollo asado, refried beans, tomatillo salsa and queso fresco.

Everyone else pretty much ordered some type of specialty taco as I did.

Neal, however, ordered the Taste of the Street - three street tacos, choice of carne asada, pollo asado or carnitas in mini corn tortillas topped with white onion, cilantro. Served with street corn, jicama mango slaw and choice of salsa.  His was able to mix and match the choices...he decided on two carna asada and one carnitas.  He and Torie were sharing.  Great idea!

Jonah, of course, ordered his cheese quesadilla.  That boy never has to look at a menu. Or go through the process of a decision.

Then we did share two dessert – sopappillas and churros…nice and hot and delicious.  Four square sopappillas were served with three different sauces…lime…chocolate and caramel.  I thought it was unique to eat  square sopappillas but I decided to research and the term “sopappilla” means fried Mexican pastry, typically square eaten with honey and sugar as a bread.  I learn something new every day.  That’s exactly what these were.  Perfect!

The churros were served in large chunk sizes with a vanilla cream cheese sauce.  They were so tasty I wondered if they weren’t fried just before serving…and I should have asked but I wonder if they were homemade…or at the least never frozen.  Now…that gives me a reason to go back.


We sat out on the patio…and it was a perfect evening..with the misters on us.  We talked and laughed…until almost 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

June 13, 2017 - Sierra Bonita Grill - Phoenix, Arizona

Kelli Jo Welk and I picked this restaurant for our June monthly dinner.  We ate on the patio…not really crowded…it was quiet enough to talk…the wait staff was wonderful.  

We ordered two Starters off the Happy Hour Menu – Guacamole  - hand prepared daily in their molcajete.  Served with homemade tortilla chips and three salsas – one green that was nice and mild – a red with chipotle  and a second red that was on fire.  Our second was Queso Fundido Con Chorizo – fried Mexican cheese blended with chorizo.  Served with homemade tortilla chips.  Delicious – almost enough for dinner.


Guacamole



Queso Fundido Con Chorizo

Kelli ordered the Carne Asada – grilled marinated steak, charro beans, roasted tomato rice, guacamole, salsa fresco..served with a toasted flour tortilla off the grill.  I love my tortillas like that.  Kelli gave me a bite of the steak…and it was perfect.


 Carne Asada

I ordered the Smoked Red or Green Chile Pork Roast – with Charro beans, tomato rice, salsa fresco and a toasted flour tortilla off the grill.  I couldn’t decided whether I wanted the red or the green so they brought me half and half.  The meat was moist and coming apart..just the way I like it…I love both the green and the red chili sauce…delicious!  I love this restaurant.



Smoked Red or Green Chile Pork Roast

Sierra Bonita Grill
6933 N. 7th Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85014
(602) 264-0700
Hours:  Monday – Tuesday 11:00 am. – 9:00 p.m.
             Wednesday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
             Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Monday, June 5, 2017

June 4, 2017 - Baked Bear - Scottsdale, Arizona

My grandson, Jonah and I spent the day at the Carefree Desert Gardens in Carefree, Arizona.  On the way home we decided to stop for a treat.  I picked Baked Bear.  They specialize in Make Your Own Ice Cream Sandwich.  First you pick a two cookies...one for the top...and one for the botton.  Then you pick your ice cream.  The server makes it into a sandwich by merely putting the ice cream between the two cookies.

Jonah chose Cookies and Cream Cookies…and the Cookies and Cream Ice Cream.  I chose one Peanut Butter Cookie and one Red Velvet Cookie…with Salted Caramel Fudge Ice Cream…very good…but there is too much..and they are too sweet for me.




Salted Caramel Fudge Ice Cream between one Red Velvet Cookie and one Peanut Butter Cookie


Jonah's Cookies and Cream Cookies with Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

Jonah said to me on the way home, "Didn't it sound as if we were going to make our own but we didn't.  We just picked everything out...and they did it."

Baked Bear
7366 E. Shea Blvd
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
(note:  ice cream shop)
Hours:  Monday – Thursday 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
             Friday 12:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
            Saturday  11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

            Sunday  11:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

June 3, 2017 - Bobby Q's - Mesa, Arizona

I am staying with my grandsons for the week.   Today was my birthday so we went to this BBQ restaurant for my birthday luncheon.  I chose it because Judson really likes BBQ.

Judson ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich with mashed potatoes. 



Judson's Pulled Pork Sandwich


I ordered the Sliced Prime Beef Brisket with Pecan Cole Slaw. 






My Sliced Prime Beef Brisket Sandwich


Jonah ordered  a Hamburger and Fries off the 
Kids Menu.
 


My grandson, Jonah...showing us his Hamburger and Fries off the Kids' Menu


I thought my beef brisket was excellent..moist…cooked to perfection as far as I was concerned. I liked the fact that it wasn’t drenched in BBQ sauce…you could have more on the side if you wanted it…I don’t like a lot of BBQ on my meat.  I want to taste the meat and  the BBQ taste.  This was a real plus for me. All of their meat is smoked for 18 hours.   Judson thought his was a 3 on a scale of 1-5.

Jonah liked his burger which came with the string fries…and they were crisp and delicious.  We brought half of Jonah’s home which he ate tonight for dinner…and the fries still tasted good…that’s a rare experience.  He ate the other whole half for dinner.  Another rare experience.

All of the servings were large…our two sandwiches contained a huge amount of meat.  It was a real sandwich…plus the buns were buttered and grilled.  This restaurant does everything the way I like it.

As we left the restaurant they gave us small brown bags of hot out of the oil tiny doughnuts dusted in sugar.  Those were really delicious…and I know that Judson liked them because he ate almost all of them.


I liked the ambience inside the restaurant…I liked the outside…and the wait staff was excellent.


Bobby Q’s
1610 S. Stapley Drive
Mesa, Arizona 85204
(480) 361-7470
Hours:  Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00  p.m.
             Monday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.