January 8, 2017 - Mastro's - Scottsdale, Arizona

I visited on January 8, 2017 with Sandy Wilts and Heinz Baumgaertner.  We were celebrating Sandy’s birthday.  Heinz ordered a Dungeness Crab Cocktail.  I did taste a couple pieces.  I loved the cocktail sauce. It had a little bite to it. I also tried the tartar sauce but my favorite was the cocktail sauce.

Sandy and I each ordered the Petite Filet – 8 oz.  of 28-day aged filet mignon …both of us like it grilled medium well…just a little pink. It was so tender..and the taste was so full…I like to describe the whole filet experience as “smooth”.  Sandy ordered Grilled Asparagus as her side..and I ordered the Caesar Salad.  Heinz ordered the Bone-In Rib Eye – Kansas City Style.  He gave me a piece…a large piece to taste.  Delicious…and this steak was “hearty” but ever so tender and “smooth”.  His side was Mushrooms…OMG!...dripping in butter and sautéed to perfection.  What an absolutely filling and delicious meal.

They server brought out a birthday dessert for Sandy….Mastro’s Signature Warm Butter Cake.  I could have sworn that it was soaked in rum but the server told us that it wasn’t but was often mistaken as such.  There was a huge scoop of ice cream and on top the cake along with strawberries …plus this silver dish of wonderful whipped cream.  “Happy Birthday” was written in chocolate sauce script on the plate.

Heinz handed me the knife to cut and serve the cake.  I decided that as long as I was the “Mom” serving the tea the other day at the tea room I should also be called the “Mom” since I was the cake cutter and cake server.  It was delicious..and of course buttery with a sugary crust. 

The service was perfect.  I can’t complement that enough.  But what I really liked was the dining room was separated from the bar with glass. Lovely!  The dining room was quiet…made dinner visiting very relaxed and easy.

Mastro’s City Hall

Camelback Executive Park

6991 E. Camelback Road

Scottsdale, Arizona  85251

(480) 941-4700

Hours:  Sunday – Thursday 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

             Friday – Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. 

January 7, 2017 - Culinary Dropout - Tempe, Arizona

I visited on January 7, 2017 with Loy Chvilicek, Jeanne Stecher, Mike and Carol Thompson, Jack and Judy Svendsen, Jody Hayes, and Sandy Wilts.  All of us had just toured the Tovrea Castle at Carraro Heights.

We started off with Bacon Bloody Marys…our server

 Bacon Bloody Mary

told us that the bacon is infused with vodka overnight…were they ever good!  I did, however, limit myself to only one.  Then the baskets of homemade potato chips arrived with the most delicious homemade onion dip.  I liked them.

Homemade Potato Chips with Onion Dip

Jack ordered the Paperbag Special…we call it Beer in the Bag.  They served him an IceHouse Beer in a brown bag.  You just never know what you are going to get in the bag.

Sandy Wilts and I shared a Beer Battered Fish and Chips…yummo!  It was served with cole slaw…and that was fantastic…had a very delightful apple taste to it…but I feel that the dressing was most likely made with an apple cider vinegar…or a few drops of apple juice but I think that would have been too sweet.   The fries were perfect…crispy and coated.  I also thought the tartar sauce that was served with the entrée was delicious and fresh.

Beer Battered Fish and Chips

Jody, Jack, Judy, Jeanne and Loy Ann had the Fried Chicken served with a homemade buttermilk biscuit. 

Most of the group ordered the Fried Chicken.  It was served with a buttermilk biscuit, mashed potatoes and gravy and cole slaw.

Mike and Carol Thompson split a Shaved Prime Rib Deep with fontina cheese…and au jus.  Carol also ordered Yesterday’s Soup. She loved it.  So good that she ordered a container to take home…Chicken and Gnocchi…

Yesterday's Soup - Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

I will be returning here soon.  I also loved the atmosphere of the college town.  Go Sun Devils!  We could take the light rail here…and stroll the streets…eat…drink and be merry!

The building is huge…the décor is very industrial commercial.  I really liked it because people weren’t crowded together…plus we could visit.  They did, though, have live music.  That at times overpowered the table conversation.  “Cool, British Pub gastro-pub chain with quirky décor serving inventive cocktails and comfort food.”

Culinary Dropout

149 S. Farmer

Tempe, Arizona 85281

(480) 240-1601

Hours:  Monday – Wednesday 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

             Thursday and Friday 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

            Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

            Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

January 6, 2017 - English Rose Tea Room - Carefree, Arizona

I visited on January 6, 2017 with my cousin Loy Ann Patrick Chvilicek and my sister, Jeanne Rae Patrick Stecher.  This was my first visit because from the first time I ever saw the tea room I wanted to make sure my cousin would visit with me and have tea.  My cousin operated Lady Loy Ann’s Tea Parties for years in Montana.  She is one of these people who loves all things Victorian.  She lives in an Victorian home in Helena, Montana.

We were seated out on the patio…and it was cold but we were served a tea pot of Chocolate Rose Tea…the first offering of the Valentine’s Day season.  I really liked the taste of it.  Loy Ann told us that at a tea party the person who serves the tea is call “Mom”.  Guess who was Mom?  Just call me Mom from now on.  It was steeped tea and we used the lovely silver strainers to grab all of the loose tea.  I love drinking steeped loose tea.

Loy Ann ordered the Baker’s Jacket – a baked potato…and she could choose one of five fillings for the potato.  She chose the Cottage Cheese and pineapple. It was served with a side salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, celery and cucumber.  She chose the raspberry vinaigrette dressing. 

Baker's Jacket with a Cottage Cheese and Pineapple Filling

 Jeanne ordered the Soup & Scone.  The soup of the day was Creamy Chicken and Dumpling.  It was served with a homemade cheddar and dill scone.  It was large and looked so yummy. 

Soup and Scone - Creamy Chicken Dumping Soup with a Cheddar Cheese and Dill Scone

I decided to try the Cottage Pie – tasty lean ground beef, mixed with veggies and rich gravy, topped with a mashed potato crust.  It was served with a side salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, celery and cucumber.  I also chose the vinaigrette dressing.

Cottage Pie

We also ordered dessert – Loy Ann – the Christmas English Pudding with a custard sauce and clotted cream…it was a dark rich cake – it tasted so English.  I loved it.  Jeanne ordered the Petit Fours – lemon tart, carrot cake, chocolate dipped strawberry, chocolate truffle stuffed with a delightful strawberry cream, the cutest pink macaroon and a lavender shortbread cut out cookie dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

 Christmas English Pudding

Petit Fours - Chocolate Dipped Strawbery, Carrot Cake, Lavendar Shortbread Cookie, Macaroon and the Chocolate Truffle infused with Strawberry Cream.

The Lemon Tart is missing because Jeanne had already sampled it before I could take the picture. She is truly my sister.

English Rose Tea Room

201 Easy Street #103

Carefree, Arizona 85377

(480) 488-4812

www.carfreetea.com

Hours:  Monday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

             Sunday 11:00 – 4:00 p.m.

            Call for reservations

“The first cup moistens my lips”

“The second cup breaks my loneliness”

“The third cup searches my barren entrails”

“The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration”

“The fifth cup purifies me”

“The sixth cup calls me to the realm of the immortals”

“The seventh…I can take no more”

-          Unknown Chinese Poet from Teas from Around the World

January 2, 2017 - Copper Bistro - Globe, Arizona

I visited on January 2, 2017 with Joan Bershok. Both of us ordered The Jake – 1/ 4 pound all beef dog sliced down the center…stuffed with mozzarella cheese then wrapped in bacon and deep fried.  It was served on a bun.  The bun had been buttered and toasted on the grill.  I like that.   I ordered mine with fries…Joan ordered hers with sweet potato fries.  Very good!   I just wished that they had put more mozzarella cheese inside the dog.   That would have made The Jake perfect.

The Jake with Fries

Joan and The Jake with Sweet Potato Fried

Copper Bistro

2118 E. Hwy 60

Globe, Arizona 85501

(928) 473-4442

Hours:  Monday – Friday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

            Saturday and Sunday – Closed

December 17, 2016 - SanTan Brewery Company - Chandler, Arizona

I visited on December 17, 2016 with Jeanne Stecher....after we were at Chandler Park...peeking at the Tumbleweed Christmas Tree. 

First of all when they ask for your phone number…give them your cell phone number not your home phone number.  It took us a few minutes before Jeanne realized that when your reservations were ready, they texted your phone.  These kids nowadays just assume that everyone has a cell phone…the hostess never even explained it to us.  Leave it up to the Patrick girls though…we will figure it out…we never miss a meal.

We choose this restaurant because Trip Adviser on Jeanne’s phone said it was #2 out of 658 restaurants in the area.  Who could go wrong…we didn’t.   But I did wonder what all those other restaurants were like because Chandler is supposed to have a huge number of good restaurants.  I bet Trip Adviser bases everything on how many responses, comments, etc they receive.  I think it is still best to go with us eaters and writers. 

It was close to where we were.  It was lunch.  It worked.

Jeanne ordered the Blue Bayou Burger – Cajon seasonings, blue cheese sauce, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion on a split top bun.  You had a choice of fries, salad, potato salad, etc.  Both of us chose the house salad with blue cheese dressing.  Jeanne doesn’t do a lot of spicy things.  They were more than willing to cook it for her without a heavy dose of Cajon seasonings.

 Blue Cheese Burger and Salad

She choose a Diet Coke to drink…plus she was the driver.

I ordered the Mac+ Cheese Burger – you know – I just had to try it.  It was a mac and cheese cake with beer cheese sauce served on a pretzel bun.  I paired that with a glass of the American Amber. Perfect.

Mac+ Cheese Burger

I would probably not ever order that again…and not because it wasn’t tasty…but it was messy to eat.  I finally did take my fork and just eat most of the mac and cheese cake…the I ate the burger.  It was, however, a fun adventure.  Who cares that I used 20 napkins.  I didn’t get one drop on my clothing.  I thought that was a big success.

See that mac and cheese cake...I had to eat some with my fork..couldn't get a bite of the whole thing in my mouth.

The salads were fresh…the dressing was delicious…it was served with cucumbers, red onions.  I just couldn’t complain.  I would return…but next time I want to try the Fish and Chips.  I watched those come out of the kitchen.  They looked wonderful.

SanTan Brewing Company

85 San Marcos Place

Chandler, Arizona 85225

(480) 710-6603

(480) 917-8700

www.santanbrewing.com

Hours:  Monday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

             Friday and Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m.

             Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

December 9, 2016 - Sweet Cakes Cafe and Bakery - Mesa, Arizona

I visited on December 9, 2016 with Irma Heasley.   We were returning home on the light rail from visiting the Rosson House in Heritage Square.  Irma and I shared a Pecan Chicken Salad on a croissant…they gave each of us a cookie…and I also bought a peanut butter cookies…huge cookies…very good.

This small bakery is just perfect little lunch spot.  It is very casual…but what is important is the food…and what we ordered was large and tasted good.

I love peanut butter cookies…and I really liked the one that I ordered.  It was quite large.  It was crisp but not crisp because it was thin.

Sweet Cakes Café and Bakery

21 W. Main Street

Mesa, Arizona 85201

Hours:  Tuesday – Friday  9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

              Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

              Sunday – Monday - Closed

December 7, 2016 - Chelsea's Kitchen - Phoenix, Arizona

I met  my friend Kellie Jo Welk for dinner.  We decided just to order the soup of the day – Pozole with Tortilla Chips – it was a thin red, spicy broth with the pozole and chips. Fresh cheese was scattered over the top.  It had a bit of a kick but was delicious.  I was busy visiting…but I think there was a touch of kale in the soup. This restaurant seems to use a lot of kale.  I thought it was the perfect soup.      

Both Kelli and I decided to order the Corn Bread with Green Chile starter and the Chicken Nachitos starter.  The chips were very good as was the homemade guacamole.  The salsa was served on the side. Sour cream and slice jalapenos also were served on the platter.  The pieces of chicken were large.  I thought the plate was delicious when served hot.  So we must have really been visiting because I didn’t think it tasted that good once it was cold.  I don’t know if I would order this particular starter again on another visit.

The Homemade Corn Bread with Green Chile was served hot in a square shaped pan.  The top of the bread was really crusted and all the spilling over and dripping down batter was baked onto the side of pan…just yummy!  I thought there was too much green chile in the bread as did Kelli.  I decided to take the leftover home and try it in the morning which I did.  It was delicious…still very moist and the green chiles were not a dominant taste in the cold bread.  I would try this again.

The service was very nice.  I arrived early and was able to be seated at the table by the fireplace.  This was perfect because I have been freezing lately in the evenings.  It is a small restaurant but very put together.  I liked the way we really couldn’t hear any of the people sitting around us.

As one leaves, feel free to grab a chocolate chip cookie with sea salt on the way outside…grab a bunch if you feel like it.  I just took one…and Kelli tasted a piece of my cookie.  Nice touch!

I also would like to return for another visit and try the Short Rib Tacos.  I would also like to try one of the hamburgers on the menu.  I will be back.

Chelsea’s Kitchen

5040 N. 40^th Street

Phoenix, Arizona

(602) 957-2555

Hours:  Monday – Friday 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

             Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

             Sunday 9:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.