Notorious Porker Ingesting Groupies

Notorious Porker Ingesting Groupie. It sounds like some kind of bad sci-fi movie, doesn’t it? Actually it’s what my overactive imagination came up with on hearing that the Notorious P.I.G All American BBQ  didn’t have any words to go with the P.I.G. acronym. I thought they should have a contest and whoever came up with the best name would win a free dinner. So that’s my entry.

The Notorious P.I.G is a new BBQ restaurant on the corner of Thunderbird and 32nd St. where Carmella’s Italian Restaurant used to be. Now that Carmella’s talented former chef is cooking at Gino’s (see below) this is an even better use for the building. The interior hasn’t changed a lot, in fact they still have the same uncomfortable chairs (new ones are on the way), but the simplicity works well for a BBQ joint. For sports fans there are two flat screen TVs in the dining room, and more in the busy bar. It was a little past lunch time and the dining room was almost empty so we had lots of time to talk with our server, Torry. He moved to Phoenix a few weeks ago from Cincinnati, and this is his first restaurant job. We really enjoyed his enthusiasm. Ken asked a question about the chili, and Torry got a sample from the kitchen (with two spoons - smart man). When I said I had heard that the hushpuppies were overly seasoned with cayenne pepper, he went back again to make sure I could get some that would be to my liking. He checked in on us frequently, and later brought other staff members over to meet us.

 Before our entrees, we were served a little loaf of piping hot, sweet cornbread, still in the dish in which it had been cooked. It was accompanied by honey butter. I was already being won over.  There are three kinds of BBQ sauce - a mild tomato based one, the mild kind spiced up with pepper (I combined these two to make a slightly hot sauce), and a North Carolina mustard based sauce that captured Ken’s heart.

I “ingested” a pulled pork sandwich ($8.99) topped with delicious coleslaw that had a blue cheese dressing. The pork, nicely moist and flavorful, combined with the slaw (I would have liked a little more of it on my sandwich) and a decent roll was very satisfying. One side comes with the sandwiches, so I chose the hushpuppies. There wasn’t a trace of cayenne, which I appreciated, but they were a little lacking in corn flavor. The texture, however, was fabulous, they were so light they were almost airborne.  Ken had ribs and beef brisket ($16.99). Be forewarned - the ribs are dry cooked, not falling off the bone and swimming in sauce. The dry rub was nicely balanced and the meat was perfectly tender, as was the brisket. The mac & cheese side needed a slight flavor nudge. We suggested adding truffle oil.  We were too full for dessert, but Torry told us that there are several homemade pies ($3.99 including pecan and sweet potato), cobblers, and cookie sundaes (both $4.99).

Get this - on January 29 (I think that’s the correct date) there’s going to be a FREE

pig-pickin’. You can bet this Notorious Porker Ingesting Groupies will be there.

The Notorious P.I.G.

3230 E. Thunderbird Rd.   Phoenix  

602-992-3700

www.thenotoriouspig.com (website still under construction)  call for hours of operation

Curiouser and curiouser

“Surely I have fallen down the rabbit hole” thought menumaven as she entered the dark, dingy empty front room of Al Mostafa grocery and restaurant. A turbaned cleric was braying prayers from the TV high on the wall. Dark, slightly ominous “art” looked down at her. A few brightly colored polyester blankets were sitting on cartons on the floor, perhaps for sale. Some tables, covered in plastic, were pushed against two walls, and on the back wall a counter, with some photographs above it. “Would the Mad Hatter have taken me here if it wasn’t safe?” wondered menumaven. A man appeared behind the counter. When asked if there were any menus, he pointed to the photographs. Were these pictures of food? There was something that looked vaguely like a lamb shank. It turned out to be a whole fish. The thing that looked like a giant shrimp was actually a chicken leg. The heap of small brown pebbles on a plate were bits of lamb. The Mad Hatter, who had survived his first visit here a few weeks ago, pointed to the photograph of brown logs and declared that they were actually delicious kefta kebabs. We ordered the pebbles and logs.

While we waited we were served water from a stainless steel pitcher, poured into stainless steel cups. It tasted interestingly metallic. Several dark men floated in and out of the back room, including one wearing a flowing black bisht. All smiled as us politely.

After a fairly lengthy wait, during which we watched more prayers on the TV, we were brought large servings of our meat choices, two plates of chopped salad vegetables with lime wedges , a basket of pita bread and another basket of a larger, dryer flatbread. After a few minutes a different man brought out two plates of humus. Yet a third, with a plate of sliced tomatoes. I pulled off a portion of flatbread, spread it with humus, piled on some salad, and added a few pieces of lamb. Although the texture of the lamb did bear some resemblance to pebbles, it was very tasty, especially the pieces of fried onion that were mixed in with it. The humus was light as a feather, probably the best I’ve had. All together, it was a delicious mouthful. The kefta was even more enjoyable than the lamb. It, too, was light, not densely packed like many versions of this dish, and nicely seasoned. 

As for dessert, a sign on the back wall read “We have ice cream”. It was above a rectangular box that may or may not have been a freezer. I really didn’t want to know.

We drove over to Luci’s Healthy Eats and bought some cake.

The Mad Hatter had promised me an interesting experience, and indeed it was. In fact, I’d go back just to look at the photographs some more and sample some “who knows what”. The food really was quite good.

Al Mostafa Grocery and Restaurant

7144 N. 35th Avenue  (North of Glendale)  Phoenix

602-526-7544

no website

Going bananas

It’s so exciting when a new cuisine comes to town!! Today we had lunch at El Coquito, a Puerto Rican restaurant that opened in June. This is a small, unpretentious “pop and girlfriend” place - Puerto Rico by way of the Bronx. In a scruffy strip mall on N. Granite Reef near McDowell, you actually feel transported to the island. The walls are painted navy blue and yellow, with a colorful striped border separating the two. Salsa music is playing, and you can see potted plants outside flanking the windows. There are photos of Puerto Rico on the walls. The menu is written on board up front.

The food, called Cocina Criolla (Creole Cooking), has evolved from foods produced by the original inhabitants, mostly seafood and fruits, added to by the Spanish who came with Columbus, then layered with flavors brought by the African slaves. Plantains, both sweet and green are ubiquitous, Golden rice with pigeon peas is a national dish. The only spicy hot note comes from the bottle of hot sauce on each table.

There are a number of appetizers. Pastelillos are thin, flaky pastry filled with hamburger or cheese, then deep fried. Bacalitos ($3.99), my favorite part of the meal, are cod fish fritters. If you rub each one with a lemon slice, then spread it with the accompanying minced garlic, it’s pure heaven. To avoid the deep fryer you could get pasteles, green banana dough filled with either beef or chicken, wrapped in a banana leaf and boiled. Or empanadillas: ground yucca or casava which has been stuffed with chicken or pork, then rolled in - you guessed it, a banana leaf - and baked.

Soup and salad is available, but we moved right on to the main course. We shared a canu, a whole fried sweet plantain (do you sense a theme here?) filled with ground beef, olives and peppers, with melted cheese. You could go for the mofongo, twice fried plantain mashed and mixed with broth, pork cracklings and garlic, topped with steak and onions ($6.99 at lunch, $9.99 at dinner).  Roast pork, served with rice and beans is a speciality.

Lots of fresh fruit drinks ($2) are available, but we decided to try the drink that the restaurant is named for, el coquito ($2.75), which means “little coconut”. Made with coconut milk, it’s thick and sweet like eggnog, served with a cinnamon stick for stirring. There’s no liquor license here yet, but you’re invited to go across the street and bring back some rum to put in it. That would be sooooo good. For dessert there’s flan and tembleque (which is coconut pudding) both $2.75. We were too full.

The place was crowded when we arrived, we snagged the last table. As a result, our server, who was most pleasant, was overwhelmed, and it was a long, slow meal. But worth the wait. Especially for the bacalaitos. I realize that what I’ve written will not sound very tempting to a lot of you, but really, it’s worth a try, if only for the novelty.

El Coquito

1617 N. Granite Reef Rd.    Scottsdale

480-947-0680

elcoquito.net

Tuesday - Sunday   noon - 9      closed Monday

Put a cork in it

It would be a real kindness if someone would come along and put Uncorked, “the unpretentious wine bar”  out of its misery. I think despondent would be a better word for it these days rather than unpretentious. It opened in the heyday of rising real estate values and hasn’t changed a bit since. The prices are still high and the furnishings - untouched - are hitting a new low. But what has really bottomed out is the kitchen.

Four of us arrived for lunch at 12:30. The place was empty, and stayed so except for one other party of two. When we sat down, Rob started to disappear under the table. The banquette had become unsprung. The laminate tabletop was peeling off in chunks. There was a sign on our table advertising summer specials. I’m wondering now why we stayed.

Ken and Rob ordered the soup of the day ($ 5), which our waitress said was chicken and corn chowder. I asked for a pulled pork sandwich ($10) and mac & cheese($9), which I was going to share with Ken. Rob also wanted the pulled pork, and Sue ordered a chicken salad sandwich ($9). The sandwiches are served with a side of 5 grapes?!?!. A bag of chips cost an extra dollar. A side salad is an additional $2.50.

Sue asked for a salad with a sesame dressing. The dressing that was served was an unidentifiable oil mixed with a touch of sesame oil - no vinegar or seasoning. It was awful. When she asked to exchange it for honey vinaigrette, she was served something orange flavored instead. The chowder contained no milk or cream. The bread on Sue's sandwich was inedibly stale. But the biggest gaffe of all was the

 pulled pork. Both sandwiches arrived at the table stone cold. Like just out of the refrigerator cold. The person in the kitchen, I wouldn’t call him chef, couldn’t even bring himself to put them in the microwave (which is a sin anyway). Ken, who is a bit of a conspiracy theorist, thinks that the kitchen staff is trying to sabotage the operation. Could be, except for letting a good mac & cheese slip out of the kitchen undetected, they’re certainly succeeding. 

Uncorked

16427 N. Scottsdale Rd. (in the Promenade)   Scottsdale

480-699-9230

azeats.com

The King Kong Burger

You may recall my moaning about the absence of New York style diners a few blog entries ago. Today I stopped complaining. I had seen an intriguing ad in the Savvy Shopper coupon magazine which showed a man with what looked like an eight inch high hamburger in front of him, and the message  “Home of the King Kong Burger”. This was something I had to see for myself - and luckily we didn’t have to go far. Gino’s NY Home Style Restaurant is just south of Thunderbird on 32nd St, a lot closer than Phil’s Restaurant out in Fountain Hills.

It’s in a free-standing building that used to house a greasy omelet place. Gino has been working at cleaning up the place, but there’s still a way to go. Open for only about two months he’s busy changing the menu and the decor. The menu, or I should say menus, are a lengthy read. All the dishes have names such as Memphis Mo Jo and Yo! Adrian Philly. At breakfast there are “Rappers” like the Patti Labelle Peppa, eggs, spinach mushrooms bell peppers onions and avocado wrapped in a tortilla and served with hash browns or home fries (made from scratch) for $5.25. There’s a number of Big Bangin Omelets in the $6 range, and a Breakfast Bonanza at $3.99 (with the purchase of a beverage) which includes 2 eggs, sausage or bacon, potatoes and toast, or pancakes, eggs and potatoes, or French toast, egg and potato. How about the Big Bopper breakfast sampler for 3 to 4 diners ($17.99). It includes “a bunch of scrambled egss” or a big Denver Omelet, plenty of bacon, sausage and ham, pancakes, French toast, home fries, corn bread, biscuits and gravy. Then you go home and take a nap.

The dinner entrees include many Italian specialties. Gino makes the sausage himself, and also grinds the beef (no Costco patties or meatballs here). The lasagna includes both beef and sausage, plus 4 cheeses and made-in-house red gravy ($9.75). There’s ravioli, baked ziti, chicken parmesan, or spaghetti with meatballs or sausage. These are served with garlic bread and salad. Keath’s North Westerner is a grilled balsamic 16 ounce Rib Eye with caramelized onions and mushrooms, served with seasonal veggies, smashed garlic-onion potatoes and cornbread all for $15.99. One day a week BBQ ribs are the special. Family style dinners are also served. The Capone Family consists of loaded baked ziti made with fresh ricotta, mozzarella, parm, meatballs and sausage. Served with salad and garlic bread ($33.99 to serve at least 4). The Gotti family has lasagna, chicken cutlet, and ravioli covered with mozzarella and baked ($39.99)

Lunch. There’s a selection of sliders ($7.99), “Weenies and Wings” and some main course salads. The sandwiches include hot and cold Italian subs, pastrami and corned beef, tuna and egg salads. Burgers are $6.75 - the Maui Wowwee is made with grilled ham, teriyaki seasonings, pineapple, red onions, peppers lettuce and tomato. Here’s the description of our King Kong Burger ($9.99): “If you’re brave enough, have good arteries and health insurance this one’s for you. This one pound gorilla has bacon, ham, fried onions, two cheeses, lettuce and tomato on a grilled bun”. You even get to have your photo taken with it and put up on the Wall of Fame. We got ours (we shared one) with some of Gino’s homemade cole slaw as our side. Both the burger and slaw were delicious. You could tell that the meat had been freshly ground. The funny thing is, this burger wasn’t big enough for some folks, so Gino came up with King Kong’s Ma-Ma, a “12 inch tower that will put you on top of the world, it almost has as many floors as the Empire State Building, ask Fay Ray: 1 1/2 pounds of fresh beef, bacon, ham, fried onions, 4 cheeses (instead of the meager 2 on King Kong), lettuce and tomatoes. Tums not included - Circle K is next door.” $14.50. Gino’s a funny guy.

No desserts were listed on the menu, but I just knew there had to be New York style cheesecake. Sure enough, and it had just finished setting up, so we got the first piece. It was outstanding. I haven’t had cheesecake so smooth and creamy since Lindy’s went out of business - and I won’t tell you how many years ago that was!! Gino is planning to make a variety of fruit toppings to go with it.

This is a friendly New York kind of place, not surly. On December 12, Gino is taking part in an event at the strip mall where the restaurant is located to aid Sojourner Center of Phoenix, which provides shelter and support for victims of domestic violence. There’ll be old cars, music, food, etc. Donations of women’s clothing suitable for job interviews, food and new children’s toys would be appreciated.

Gino’s

13623 N. 32nd St.  Phoenix   602-923-2500

Get this - Gino is planning to stay open 24/7 - even better than a diner.
Mon.-Sat  7AM-9PM   Sunday 7AM-3PM

Ginoscoasttocoast.com

Indulge me

Before I began writing this entry I looked up the word “indulge” in the thesaurus. It said, among other things, “gratify”, “fulfill”, “revel in”, and “abandon oneself to”. I thought these were all apt words to describe our brunch experience at Indulge Burgers and More. Having sampled and written about the Burger part of Indulge (see below), we decided to try the “More”. I did this with a small amount of trepidation since I’m not a breakfast person. But Ken is, so I thought I’d indulge him (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

The brunch concept is presented the same way as the burgers. You get to build your own - in this case - omelet. For $6.95 you choose 2 cheeses, 2 veggies (I had grilled onions and avocado), 2 sauces (spicy sour cream for me) and 1 choice of toast (bagels and croissants are $1 extra). You can opt for a protein like chorizo, kobe beef or bologna, but these cost and extra $1.50) Ken decided to have one of the Benedicts, the classic ($9.95). There are 5 more, including one with lobster meat ($12.00) which was calling my name. There’s also French toast, pancakes and a cinnamon roll.

The omelet was quite large, at least a 3-egger.  The onions and avocado were in the fold, and the cheese was melted on the outside top of the omelet. This was my only complaint - I would have preferred the cheese to be shredded up and sitting on the inside so it would stay warm and melty. The onions were sweet and plentiful, and the avocado nice and fresh. The spicy sour cream was a great addition. My multigrain toast was thickly sliced and loaded with crunchy bits - it’s so nice to eat healthy.

Ken’s classic Benedict was the hit of the meal. The hollandaise sauce was so good I wished we had ordered an additional side of it. It was lemony and light. We suggested to the manager, Keegan (a very nice guy), that they serve it at lunch to go on a burger. Keegan really got into that concept and went in the kitchen to whip one up for his lunch. He was planning to top it with avocado. 

You know, of course, that we had to try the cinnamon roll. It was big and warm and a little gooey. Our waitress brought us a container of maple syrup to go with it. I’d never heard of that, but I was willing to try. I didn’t think it actually added much, since the roll was so good on it’s own. No wretched excess here. Maybe later.

So we reveled with abandon and went away gratified and fulfilled. What more can you ask?

Indulgeburgers & More

10392 N. Scottsdale Rd.  (SW corner of Scottsdale and Shea)    Scottsdale

480-998-2222

Brunch Saturday and Sunday - I’m not sure of the times

indulgeburgers.com

Competition

We were back out in Fountain Hills yesterday to drop off some jewelry at Style With A Twist, a fun ladies clothing and accessory boutique. Our friend Candy, the owner, enthusiastically told us about a new restaurant that she thought we’d like. She was especially happy because it was one we hadn’t yet heard about. It’s called MPJ’s Grill and Restaurant, and it turns out to be catty-corner from Phil’s (see below). We had, in fact, driven right by without noticing it when we ate there last week.

The chef/owner who used to work at Phil’s has put together a nice menu, much smaller and slightly more upscale but with comparable prices. There are 7 starters including crab cakes and seared tuna, each $7, two quesadillas, and a shrimp and avocado tower ($7). We shared a cup of corn chowder (a steal at $2), loaded with fresh corn kernels and subtly spiced. Since we were both very hungry we skipped the salads and sandwich portion of the menu and settled on meat - NY strip steak ($14) for me, with blackened spices and blue cheese. Ken ordered the marinated  center cut pork chops with melted gorgonzola ($11) which Candy had raved about. Each came with a side salad and choice of potato - mashed, rosemary roasted or fries - or rice. No veggies. 

The salad was disappointing. It was clearly made from bagged lettuce blend, and none too fresh. A few chopped tomatoes and cukes had been added. The thousand island dressing was quite good (it tasted very much like Phil’s), the blue cheese dressing was mediocre. We perked up when our entrees arrived. My steak was quite large, and spread with a melty blue cheese/cream cheese mixture. It was cooked medium rare as I had requested, and was tender and not fatty. The pork chops were the real hit. They were juicy as could be, flavorful, and well served by their blue cheese topping. Our rosemary potatoes were good too, although I would have liked them to be a little crisper on the outside. The one jarring note was the clump of lettuce mixture used to garnish the plate - it was useless, messy and certainly didn’t add to the presentation. That aside, we were very happy with our choices, particularly for the price.

MPJ’s has only been open since the end of June, but they have quite a following. We had arrived at 5 PM, and by 6 PM there were people waiting for tables. I hope that both this place and Phil’s will each survive the competition. Once they get a liquor license MPJ’s will likely be even more popular. They’re already expanding into the next store front. In the meantime, the decor is nonexistent. And the bathroom is outside around the corner. Their website stresses the notion that this is a “fine dining” restaurant, and shows a very misleading photo. But really, this is just a place to come to get a good solid meal at a remarkably good price.

So, let me finish telling you about the menu. There are 8 main- dish salads, most around $8. In the sandwich department there are 6 different burgers ($7 and $8) and they looked really delicious. Paninis, club sandwiches, and wraps round out this category. And finally, there are 8 pastas, from $10 to $13. Sugar spiced salmon with creamy spinach pasta and Romano cheese tempted me. The desserts sounded “corporate”, cheesecake, tiramisu and chocolate cake. We didn’t try any.

MPJ’s Grill & Restaurant

15225 N. Fountain Hills Blvd.   Fountain Hills     480-284-6767

Monday to Sunday  10:30 AM - 9 PM

mpjsgrillandrestaurant.com

A Perfect Patio

We just had lunch on the most beautiful patio this side of Provence. It’s at Petite Maison in downtown Scottsdale. The umbrellaed space is surrounded by a low terra cotta wall that’s topped with a colorful variety of potted plants and flowers. There was even a hummingbird flitting through the greenery. I wonder if he’s trained to do that. One wall is divided by an ivy covered trellis through which you enter the restaurant. The other contains a fireplace. The 8 patio tables are covered with white cloths. Sadly, the chairs are not the most comfortable. But the French never did want you to be completely happy. The menu is chock full of French goodies, the biggest concession to American taste being a hamburger, but that’s okay since it’s served with tomato confiture instead of ketchup. If not for the buildings across the street, you’d swear you were in southern France.

Could the food meet the high expectations created by the ambience? Yes and no. We started off sharing a cute tureen of Soupe a l’onion ($6). The stock was slightly over-salted and didn’t have the sweet undertones of the stock at Amy’s Baking Company. But the cheese was nice and nutty and a little more interesting than Amy’s. Overall, I gave Amy the win. Next we had Steak Tartare ($8). The mound of ground raw grass-fed beef had been mixed with lots of mustard, banyuls vinegar and something I could not identify, perhaps mayonnaise, which gave it, according to Ken, a kind of ham salad texture. It was topped by a lightly fried egg, with a nice runny yolk. This could be scooped up on the large pieces of thinly sliced and deep fried potato. I thought the potato planks were a great substitute for slices of baguette which is the usual accompaniment. Some black pepper would have been a good addition, but none was offered, nor was there any salt or pepper on the table. Next, and most disappointing, was the Crepes au Poulet ($8). The crepes themselves were nice enough, but the chicken, which was supposed to have been roasted, had no character. The braised mushrooms and the sauce soubise (which was almost nonexistent) were equally flavorless. I was leaning toward a negative verdict of Petite Maison, but I was still lulled by the wonderful patio and the lovely service.

Two desserts were offered, a chocolate creme brulee and a port poached pear served with creme fraiche and port syrup. Our waitress’s description of the pear ($6) struck our fancy. This was such a French dessert that it actually did make the buildings across the street disappear and we were sitting in the middle of a field of lavender as we savored it. I forgave the crepe au poulet and decided that I wanted to return and try some of the dinner offerings. The main courses range from $16 to $39 for bouillabaisee for two. Quite reasonable. I’ll write the other half of this entry after our next visit.

Petite Maison

7216 E. Shoeman Lane  Scottsdale        

480-991-6887

Brunch 10-2 Sat. & Sunday      Lunch 11-2 Mon-Friday   Dinner  5-10 daily

Staff meal 10PM-midnight  Thu.-Sat.

www.PetiteMaisonAZ.com

It ain't Kozy anymore

We stopped into Kozy Cactus the other day for lunch. It’s not one of our favorite places, but they have some interesting things on the menu, and they try hard to be “local” and organic. At least they used to. The menu we were handed had been cut in half and everything but bar food was gone. We asked the waitress what had happened, and she said that the management had changed but the name remained the same. Since we had our Restaurant.com coupon with us we decided to stay......not a great decision.

We ordered wings with sauce on the side, chili, onion rings and a patty melt. We waited and waited some more, and the place was not very busy. When our wings came they were slathered in sauce but we didn’t want to send them back and risk waiting another half hour. Silly us, the sauce was awful!! It seemed to be a mixture of marinara and bbq, to the detriment of each. Too bad because the wings themselves were decent. Ken said the chili recipe was totally changed - it had no seasoning other than “hot”. No onions or cheese were offered with it and our waitress was too busy chatting to come to our table for a request. The onion rings were dripping with grease, and like the hamburger, way too salty.

There are bars that serve way better food at much lower prices. I suggest you find one. And don’t be fooled by the name. Like I said, it ain’t Kozy anymore.

Kozy Cactus

4326 E. Cactus Rd.   Phoenix

602-569-5699

That was soooooo good!!

The size of my smile as I’m leaving a restaurant is a reliable measure of how much I enjoyed my dining experience. As I exited Luci’s Healthy Marketplace I could feel it reach from ear to ear. And even more, as we drove home from the 16th Street/Bethany Home location I kept murmuring  “That was sooooooo good!! That was soooooo good!!”.

What I was referring to was Luci’s chicken pot pie, which we had come specifically to try. When we arrived a little after 4PM there was a huge pan of freshly roasted chicken on the counter. Our pot pie was made from one of these, sauced and pastry- topped on the spot. A 9” take out container was loaded with big shreds of chicken mixed with a delicious almost sweet, slightly peppery gravy with a few vegetables and the crowning glory, an airy, flaky puff pastry hat. Perfection. It easily fed the two of us. If it hadn’t been so good, it could have fed three.

We decided to have a salad while waiting for our pot pie, and chef  Justin Wolter

came to our table for a consult. He said we could have pretty much anything we wanted on the salad, so we chose artichoke hearts, olives, cherry tomatoes, romaine, and feta cheese. Justin suggested we top it with tzaziki dressing, which was the perfect choice. Unlike most tzaziki, it contained more oil than yogurt, and lots of garlic and parsley (or some other green tasty herb) which added a light green cast to the dressing. Like the pot pie, it was huge. And totally fresh.

Since I was very full, I chose to take dessert home. The charming barrista, Lane (I should have asked how she spells her name) told us these come from two sources. Slade Grove, of Wicked Bakery once on Cave Creek Road, does truffles, mini cakes and incredible cinnamon rolls. Chocolate layer cake, carrot cake, and quiches are imported from New York. I tried the chocolate cake which was moist and light, with a nice chocolate flavor.

Luci’s is open 7 days, and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. On weekends there’s an omelette bar, which does a booming business. There are soups, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and wraps, and after 4PM there are dinner specials. Luci’s is also a miniature grocery store specializing in “good-for-you” items. Organic and gluten free is a common theme, but these aren’t dour health food things. We tried some chips made from hummus which were sensational, and the baba we got to go with them was top notch. The owners are great believers in local first, and the products reflect this. Prices are quite reasonable.

Luci and Ken Schnitzer live just around the corner from their neighborhood grocery/restaurant, which is a good thing considering how hard they work. Luci,a real dynamo (and a delightful person) has two small children and until just recently ran a day care center in her home. You really have to come experience Luci’s and feel the vibe. You’ll leave with a big smile too. 

Luci’s Healthy Marketplace

1590 E. Bethany Home Rd.   Phoenix  (S.E. corner of Bethany and 16th St.)

602-773-1339         lucisHealthyMarketplace.com

Almost a diner

About the only thing that makes me nostalgic for New York is the thought of a Greek diner, open all hours, serving a huge array of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Phil’s Place in Fountain Hills almost fills the bill. Since this is “early to bed” country, Phil’s closes at 8:30. But I feel forgiving as I peruse the 6 page menu.

It was lunch time. Should I go for a 10” sub?  Meatballs? Steak? Philly Cheese? A salad? One with coconut crusted tilapia, or whisky BBQ chicken? There are 12 different half pound burgers to choose from. But there are also five 20 ounce burgers stuffed with various cheeses and veggies. Then on to the sandwiches: BBQ pork, pastrami, gyros, Jamaican jerk chicken. Pizza. Pasta.

I ordered a cheeseburger delux, no problem when I asked for medium-rare, and instead of the fries (sweet potato, cajun or regular, refilled as many times as you wish) I chose the add-on onion rings.  Ken was in a dinner frame of mind and got the 14 ounce cut of roast beef. Baked potatoes were not available, so our friendly waitress said he could have as many kinds of fries as he wanted. The dinner also came with a salad and vegetables. When our plates arrived, we were both surprised by how nice the roast beef looked, thick, juicy and served medium-rare, as ordered. The sweet potato fries tasted notably like sweet potatoes (this is a rare thing). The “special sauce” on my burger had a nice peppery bite. The ground beef was ordinary, but the sandwich as a whole was delicious. And the Russian dressing on the salad was fabulous.

There are house specials - BBQ ribs, liver and onions(!), chicken fajitas, greek souvlaki. Prices for these range from $9.95 for the fish fry to $20.95 for a full rack of ribs. The prime rib was $17.95. Burgers and sandwiches cost from $5.25 to $10.95. For breakfast there are eggs, omelettes, wraps, pancakes and waffles. I brought home a piece of pecan pie for dessert - it’s huge and looks very good. If it isn’t, I’ll let you know.

The ambiance is homey and retro, filled with Coca Cola memorabilia. But there are also lots of TVs scattered around for those who can’t leave the games at home.

Phil’s Place

16758 E. Glenbrook Blvd.  off of Fountain Hills Blvd. You might want to take your GPS.

    Fountain Hills

480-816-5620

Monday - Saturday 7AM-8:30PM   Sunday - we were there at about 1PM, but call for  

   hours

There doesn’t seem to be a website

A Sporty Burger

If you find yourself in downtown Scottsdale at lunchtime you might drop in at Don & Charlie’s, the sports memorabilia paradise which incidentally serves really good steaks, chops and ribs. The main restaurant isn’t open, but the lounge hosts The Burger Bar from 11:30 to 2:30 PM. 

The menu is small. There are a few appetizers - guacamole (not the best in town) and a Cabo style shrimp cocktail ($6.95) which I’ve heard is quite good. A few salads - chicken  

Caesar and Mediterranean with chicken, both $8.95. They looked tasty and were quite large. And a few uninspiring sounding sandwiches.

The real reason to come here is the burgers; big, juicy and cooked to order (even if the menu says differently). The basic burger is $7.95, and nine variations are listed (all $8.95), but you can create your own for the same price. Slaw is served alongside. But, get this, for $1.95 you can get a huge plate of delicious onion “strings”. I don’t know why they’re called strings, which are often dry and overcooked. These are basically onion rings which have been cut open so they’re not round (again, I have no idea why). Fries are the same price, or you can have half and half.

The other reason to go to The Burger Bar is the broasted chicken. This is half a chicken  deep-fried in a pressure cooker. According to the explanation on the menu, “pressure frying seals in the flavors and seals out the oil”. Ken will attest to this. The chicken was nice and crispy, not greasy and not salty. And the price was right - $9.95 for a serving size that runs at least $16 almost anywhere else. A word of caution. The chicken isn’t pre-cooked (thank heavens) so it takes 20 minutes to a half hour to reach your table.

There’s a mini creme brulee ($1.95) for dessert. This lone little offering struck me as very funny. 

While you’re waiting for your chicken you can walk around and look for artifacts from you favorite team. It’s a fun place and a most reasonable price for lunch.

The Burger Bar at Don & Charlie’s

7501 E. Camelback    Scottsdale

480-990-0900

donandcharlies.com

Lunch   Monday - Friday   11:30 - 2:30

Out of the Ordinary

The dining gods were kind today, At lunchtime they led us to La Mirage, a Mediterranean restaurant in the almost deserted Bell Canyon Shopping Center near Rt. 17. On entering, you’re in for a surprise - a stage set up for musical entertainment, a dance floor, catering style cloth-covered dining tables with upholstered barrel chairs on wheels. And not a customer in sight.

The extensive menu is a combination of familiar Greek dishes, more exotic Lebanese ones, and a great many dishes I had never heard of (which made me very happy). The owner is Arab, so perhaps that’s what these dishes are. There are many combination plates and family platters. You can even get a whole lamb with rice (called Quzy) for $225.

We ordered the deluxe appetizer platter ($13.95) which came with stuffed grape leaves (served hot), falafel, a large plate of hummus, and fattoush, a salad with pieces of fried pita bread. This was more than enough for a meal, but we had also ordered an entree of

Shish Kafta ($13.95), skewered ground beef with onions and parsley. The two skewers were accompanied by a mound of fluffy rice and a pile of raw chopped onions coated with sumac, a spice not used enough in restaurants in the U.S. A bowl of lentil soup came with the entree, and it was delicious, as were all the various dishes. Our very nice waitress also supplied us with a bowl of curry potato stew because the sauce goes well on the rice.

Here’s a list of some of appetizers and entrees. I hope it whets your appetite and curiosity: Quail, Foul Mdmass, Bajilla, Kibbe done three ways, lamb chops, kabobs and shawarma, chicken cream chops,

ghallaba, lablabee, fruit smoothies.

If you go to the website you can check out La Mirage’s menu, and also their entertainment schedule. There are card games on Sunday and Wednesday evenings, belly dancing on Saturdays, and Latin and Salsa dancing on Thursdays.

This is another place that’s barely managing to hang on. So if you feel like having a Middle Eastern meal, safe or adventurous, please give them a try.

La Mirage Mediterranean Cuisine

2734 W. Bell Rd. #1330 Phoenix

602-978-2800

lamirage.info

Tuesday & Wednesday 11:30 - 10, Thursday - Saturday 11:30 - 2AM

Sunday noon - 10

I’m not sure if they’re open on Monday

D'Vine Est Omnis Divisa in Partes Tres

This entry is about D’Vine Bistro and Wine Bar in Chandler. I wish I was more competent with my word processor, because I’d like to divide the review into three columns: Very Successful, Adequate, and Giant Flop. I think it would mean more if you could see side-by-side comparisons, but you’ll just have to try and visualize it.

I’ll be nice and start with the Very Successful column. (1)The menu: it’s full of innovative selections. There are a number of Tapas, such as fried plantain cakes topped with grilled mango poke, seared pork belly, and a habanero vinaigrette ($8) and salmon cakes with chipotle molasses ($7). Many of the entrees come with interesting sides and sauces, for instance grilled pork tenderloin with a pan seared goat cheese polenta cake and roasted peppers, finished with a chipotle, espresso and raspberry BBQ sauce ($18). Which leads me to the Most Very Successful item of the evening. (2) Ken ordered one of the specials, a New Zealand farm-raised venison 2 rib chop with a juniper berry marinade, accompanied by spinach and roasted potato hash and the raspberry espresso BBQ sauce. Given how far the deer had to travel, the $32 price tag didn’t seem too unreasonable. The chop was truly superb, moist and flavorful but not gamey. The sauce suited it perfectly. (3): portion sizes were quite generous. And (4): White anchovies were featured in several of the dishes. That’s it for the Very Successful.

On to Adequate. (1) The ambience is pleasant, if somewhat noisy. There’s a bar, with a television above it, high top tables, and those of regular height. The paintings on the wall are for-sale originals, some good, some not-so. There is a patio (this will also appear in the Giant Flop column). (2); Our dessert selection of chocolate mousse cake was “corporate food”, not made in-house, and nothing special, but certainly both edible and size-able. The coffee fell in this column, too. (3) The nicoise salad ($12) ordered by our friend Sena came with seared Ahi tuna rather than the canned variety packed in olive oil. This would have put it in the Very Successful category for me, but Sena likes the more traditional canned tuna.

OK. Here’s the column you’ve probably been waiting for: Giant Flops. I’ll start with (1) the above mentioned patio. The misters were on and it felt like London on a foggy morning. When we asked that they be turned off, nobody warned us that we would get dripped on, and our drinks would get dripped in. We soggily moved inside. (2) Sangria shouldn’t be offered unless the proper ingredients are available. The white sangria ($5 at happy hour) given to us had a few slices of lemon in a poor quality wine. When we told our waitress that it was unacceptable she brought us a little carafe of “berry juice” to add to it. This made it even worse. (3) Nobody should ever put slices of cucumber in drinking water. While it may look stylish, after about 5 minutes it tastes really strange, and after 15 it’s horrible. Imagine drinking it while eating chocolate mousse cake!! (4) My entree. I ordered one of the specials - fried chicken marinated in buttermilk, served with gouda mac & cheese, sauteed vegetables and a rainbow peppercorn gravy ($18).

I asked for all dark meat, and my plate arrived with two huge chicken legs. I thought the coating was good, although the crispness of the coating was quickly lost to the gravy. The first few bites were quite good, the chicken was moist, with a pleasant taste. But then I noticed how pink the chicken meat was getting as I got closer to the bone, and it was actually almost raw in the center. The second leg, which I had given to Ken was somewhat smaller, and he said it was adequately cooked. The mac & cheese, if it had a flavor, was drowned out by the gravy which was cough-inducingly peppery. The sauteed vegetables consisted of a few strands of bell peppers.

When our bill arrived, $6 had been deducted from the price of my entree, and we had not been charged for the sangria (which we had not drunk). As we were leaving the restaurant a woman whom I assume is the manager asked how our meal was. I politely listed some of our complaints and she seemed genuinely upset and was quite apologetic. While we were getting into the car she came out to the parking lot and gave us a gift certificate to use if we’d give D’Vine a second chance. Because of the items in the Very Successful column, I think we will. It’s not every place that has pork belly, white anchovies and venison.

D’Vine Bistro and Wine Bar

3990 S. Alma School Rd. (at Ocotillo) Chandler

480-782-5550

dvinewine101.com

Monday - Thursday 11 - 10, Friday and Saturday 11 - 10:30, Sunday 4 - 9

Thanksgiving Feast

We stopped by Amy’s (see below) today to make our Thanksgiving reservation.

The menu sounds delicious:

Spinach and Cheese Puffs

Choice of:

Waldorf Salad with Crisp Romaine Lettuce

or

Creamy Butternut Sage Parmesan Soup

Choice of:

Oven Roasted Organic Turkey with Cider Sage Gravy

or

Prime Rib with Horseradish Mustard Aioli

with

Oyster Brioche Stuffing or Sage Chorizo Stuffing

Dried Cherry Cranberry Relish with Cognac

Creamy Garlic Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

Corn Pudding Souffle

Freshly Baked Brioche Rolls

and

Pumpkin Cheesecake or Dried Cranberry Creme Brulee

The cost is $35 per person (not including tax, tip and beverages). And just think, no dishes to wash, no last minute shopping to do, no “I forgot to thaw the turkey!!”. There’s also a children’s menu.

We’re planning to go to the first seating (I think there’s 3). We’d love it if you’d be there too. Call Amy to make a reservation: 480-607-0677. Please tell her that you’ll be sitting with us, then give us a call or an email so we’ll know to expect you.

Hallelujah, Amy's Back!!!!

For more than a year Amy’s Baking Company has stood empty. Periodically the faithful would drive through the parking lot at the N.E. corner of Scottsdale and Shea, craning their necks to check for signs of life. It was a pilgrimage. And finally we’ve been rewarded. We thank our friend Anna for calling us with the good news.

In the time before Amy’s closed it garnered glowing reviews from the likes of Phoenix Magazine and the Arizona Republic. Everyone mentioned the upscale decor and the friendliness of chef Amy Bouzaglo and her husband/host Samy. But mostly they raved about the food - especially the desserts. I’m more than happy to say that nothing’s changed, or maybe it’s even better. They’ve added a pizza oven and a long list of designer pizzas. The dessert case was full of cakes and tarts, some of which seem to be new recipes.

We ordered fried calamari with a pesto aioli ($10 ), and the hummus platter with wild mushrooms ($10 ). I asked Samy to take a piece of chocolate-orange-raspberry-truffle cake out of the refrigerator case so it would warm to room temperature while we ate our dinner. The calamari were tiny rounds, very tender, lightly breaded with seasoned crumbs. The aioli was delicious, I could have eaten it by itself. But the real hit was the hummus. It’s texture was perfect, and it was most thoughtfully seasoned. A very large helping of sauteed mushrooms sat atop. But what capped it off was that it was served with a pizza pan full of Italian flatbread (which is also used for the pizza crust) fresh and hot from the oven, blistered and crunchy. It would make any topping shine.

While we ordered from the antipasti section of the menu, there’s lots more to try. Salads, like Caramelized Pear ($12) and Vanilla Bean Coconut Shrimp ($16).Sandwiches: the MonteCristo ($17) is a house specialty, dipped in a French beignet batter and served with homemade raspberry preserves. Butternut squash ravioli is one of my favorites from the pasta selections. And then there’s the pizza: fig, pear and prosciutto ($16 for a 12 inch) is my next must-have. While the prices may strike you as on the high side, the portions are big enough to share and the ingredients are top quality.

Then, the cake. It’s time out of the refrigerator case had softened the buttercream and accentuated the flavors. Amy is master of the buttercream - it’s never overly sweet. The play of orange and raspberry was intriguing. We also shared a “creamy iced coffee” ($4) which went perfectly with the cake. Choosing a dessert isn’t easy. Everything looks beautiful - lemon curd tarts, cupcakes, bread pudding, cheese cake, creme brulee. Now that Amy’s back we can try all of them.

A note: Amy and Samy will be serving Thanksgiving dinner. There will be three seatings, and reservations are being taken now. You’ll find us there.

Amy’s Baking Company

7366 E. Shea Blvd. Scottsdale 480-607-- 0677

amysbakingco.com

alt="Amy's Baking Co. on Urbanspoon"

Dim Sum without Fear

A few days ago my favorite restaurant blogger, Seth Chadwick, wrote about a dim sum place with a twist - no carts. Instead you check off items on a printed menu, much like those in many sushi places, with an accompanying page of photos of the various dishes. I thought this was a great idea since I’ve always been intimidated by the servers who push the cart up to your table and try to force unwanted dishes on you.

China Chan is at the Metro Center, a place we seldom go. The freestanding building is unprepossessing, to say the least, as is the interior. A few sad lanterns hang from the ceiling. That’s about it for ambience. But the servers are very nice, and those who speak English are happy to make suggestions and give explanations of the various dishes. There are 28 dim sum dishes at $1.80 each including spareribs with black bean sauce, baked BBQ pork buns, and tripe with ginger and scallions. At $2.85 you can get steamed lotus flavor rice, pan fried rice noodles with dried shrimp, and 7 others. Next are those at $3.55; steamed shrimp filled rice noodles, beef tripe, chinese broccoli and shrimp roll steamed rice noodle. Finally, the chef’s specials, eight of them, are priced from $5.99 to $8.50. From this last group we chose roast pork and roast duck. We also selected daikon cakes (I know these as turnip cakes) at $1.80. Lastly, from the regular menu we ordered eggplant in garlic sauce. Our waitress, licking her lips, suggested we add beef to the dish and that we pour lots of chili oil on top.

The roast pork and daikon arrived first. Chunks of moist, slowly roasted pork were generously sprinkled with the cracklings of skin. Decadent. And the portion was huge. The daikon cakes, three large rectangles enough to serve 6 as part of a meal, were the silkiest I’ve had, with just enough pan fry crust to satisfy. A small bowl of hoisin was served alongside. Then the duck and eggplant were served. The eggplant sauce was quite mild (our server was right about the chili oil) but beautifully flavored and the beef slices were a great addition. Again, the serving was huge. I don’t recall how much this cost, but the dishes from the menu are remarkably low priced. The only thing not stellar was the roast duck. The skin wasn’t crackly, and there was lots of fat.

Both menus contained dishes you don’t often find, and there were lots of Asian diners, so China Chans felt like the real deal. I suggest you go there with lots of people so you can sample a great variety of dim sum. Give us a call - we’re ready to go!!

China Chan Restaurant

10227 N. Metro-Parkway Phoenix

602-331-1315

Closed Wednesday

dim sum served Monday-Friday 11-3, Saturday & Sunday 9:30-3

no website

Warning!!! Bad Food Ahead!!!

Don’t be fooled by a pretty face. Every review I’ve read about Takeda Thai raves about the fancy facade and upscale interior of this small strip mall restaurant. I think belief is suspended at the door, as most reviewers go on to praise the food. Phoenix Magazine even rated it one of the 23 best new restaurants in its October issue. That actually is my reason for writing this entry - to give a dissenting view.

For lunch today, we ordered pad thai ($7.95 from the lunch menu, $13.95 at dinner), garlic mini pork ribs ($10.95) and angel wings ($11.95) from the appetizer section.

Our very nice waitress brought us two bowls of soup instead of the one we were entitled to. It was a mild chicken soup with a few vegetables and some tofu floating in it. OK, certainly not notable. Then the rest of the dishes came out. I was truly shocked by the plate of riblets. There were 6 tiny riblets on a bed of wilted lettuce. Remember, these cost $10.95!!! They had been fried to death and had no garlic taste. I looked closely at the lettuce and noticed a few bits of overly browned garlic sprinkled on it. These clearly had never touched the ribs. This was downright insulting. The portion size of the angel wings was somewhat better. Angel wings are large chicken wings which have been boned and stuffed with vegetables, minced chicken and glass noodles, then fried and sliced. Like the riblets, these had been overcooked and were totally dried out. The insipid “sweet and sour chili dip” tasted only of sugar, and dunking the slices of wing in it did not revive them. Somehow the “chef” even managed to turn out dry pad thai with a horrible fishy back taste. When our waitress came over and asked which was our favorite thing, the only answer I could give was “the service”. Our cost, even with a 10% discount coupon, came to $40.

I guess I could give the restaurant and its reviewers the benefit of the doubt and say that perhaps since it was lunch time a talented chef was not on duty. However, if that’s the case, and no one better than the person who was in the kitchen could be found, then lunch should not be served

The only review I read that got it even partly right was from AZ Central. It said “the kitchen assumes you don’t want to play with fire, so everything here is mild enough to feed a newborn.”

I hope you won’t think I’m a grouch, but I did want to warn you.

Takeda Thai

10271 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale

I’m not even going to supply the rest of the info.

Smiling Soul SORRY THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED (6/2010)

We’ve had several excellent meals since our misadventure at Eddie’s House, and these led to an epiphany. When I’m really happy with what I’ve eaten, I leave the restaurant with a smile on my lips and a smile in my soul. Which is the perfect segue to Fat Daddy’s Down Home Kitchen.

Fat Daddy’s is a fairly new soul food restaurant near South Mountain at the corner of 32nd Street and East Baseline in The Shops at the Raven Plaza, a mundane strip mall. Who could guess that big smiles are just an order away. Armed with a Restaurant.com gift certificate, we had to struggle to make our $35 mandatory expenditure. Ken went for the Southern Fried Chicken dinner ($10.99) and I decided on the 3 Meat Combo with brisket, pork ribs and beef ribs ($14.99). I had to settle for pork rib tips instead of the beef ribs since only one type of rib is allowed on a combo plate, Each entree came with two sides and cornbread. We ordered an additional side ($3.49) to up our bill, and we knew we’d be trying one of the desserts ($3.49). We even ordered two ice teas ($1.59). With all this we just squeaked by at $35.50.

After a reasonable wait our platters arrived. The BBQ had a nice sweet/tangy sauce already on it (there was no container of sauce on the table). The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender. I think they had been simmered before being put in the smoker, a practice which seems to be more common in soul food places than in those which specialize in BBQ. I like them either way. The brisket was nice and juicy, as were the rib tips, which can often have a leather-like texture. Ken’s chicken also was succulent, with crispy skin, a little too salty. Sides came in ramekins so we could put them in the middle of the table for easy sharing. Two were outstanding: coleslaw had a delicious lemony dressing, and fried cabbage with chunks of bacon was surprisingly crunchy and not overly salty. Made -from- scratch yams had a light cinnamon syrup which, happily, didn’t cling to the potatoes, but merely flavored them. The mac and cheese was better than most, but Bobby Q restaurant still has the winner - it’s so buttery rich and cheesy you can only eat a few spoonfuls. Our cornbread was tender, with a touch of sugar. The only disappointing side was corn on the cob, which Ken felt had come from the freezer. The smile was already on my lips, but when the pecan pie arrived my soul did a jig. A tender cookie-like crust held an inch and a half high layer of filling which was nice and boozy and not too sweet. IMHO, this is the best purchasable pecan pie in the Valley.

Fat Daddy’s also does breakfast, which Ken is determined to try on a return visit (it’s available all day). He was salivating at the sight of the waffles which passed by our table. They’re big and golden brown and come with a choice of chicken and gravy, or catfish or whiting, plus eggs and grits ($6.99-$11.99). Of course, you can always order them on the side and then add steak ($11.99), pork chops ($10.99), chicken fried steak ($9.99) or southern grilled ham ($9.99). All these come with eggs, homefries and biscuits. The side waffle is $2.99. Lunch, which starts at !!:00 AM, offers BBQ sandwiches, hot wings, burgers, hot links, and Po’ Boys, most costing $6.99. I suppose I have to mention the other desserts even though I’ll probably never make it past the pecan pie. There’s peach cobbler, sweet potato pie, Momma Carol’s carrot cake, red velvet cake, and waffles with ice cream.

I’m all smiles just thinking about it.

Fat Daddy’s Down Home Kitchen

3220 E. Baseline Rd. Phoenix

602-438-7454

Mon.- Sat. 8AM-9PM Sunday 8AM-6PM

no website

A House is not a Home

It may be obvious from my enthusiasm for Restaurant.com that I can be pretty tight-fisted when it comes to spending a lot of money for a meal at a restaurant. That explains why, despite my curiosity, I hadn’t gone to Eddie’s House, chef Eddie Matney’s latest venture (now about a year and a half old). That particular gift certificate is always out of stock when Restaurant.com is having a sale, but last week Ken scored a coup and managed to snag one at $4. In order to realize the $25 savings we had to run up a bill of $50, but I didn’t expect we’d have any trouble doing that.

Eddie’s House is in Old Town Scottsdale, on Indian School - a high rent district. It’s a fairly large place (a storefront, not a house), with a bar on one side, separated from the dining area which is somewhat old fashioned, formal and clubby. Hanging on the wall were family photos and sketches which would have been more at home in a diner. The chairs are big yet strangely uncomfortable. This was to be the theme of our meal - things that ought to be good were not.

According to the website, Eddie’s House “boasts a menu that expands your boundaries”. It struck me more as glorified home cooking, which can be a wonderful thing. We skipped the appetizers which ranged in price from $8 for edamame (outrageous!!) to $14 for baby lamb chops or beef tenderloin kebabs. The entrees come in full or half portions. The most expensive dishes were a roasted Chilean sea bass and “the Famous One-And-Only, What’s-In-This Steak” (we never did find out). These were $29 for a full portion and $15 for half. I ordered the “East-Meets-West Sesame Tuna and Parmesan Encrusted Halibut with bok choy and asparagus risotto”, $25/13. Ken had the “Braised Pork Pot Roast, sweet potato gnocchi, chorizo bolognese” $19/10. Each entree listed its accompanying sides, and many of them sounded quite interesting. For

instance there was an apricot and goat cheese risotto baklava and a pear chili tapenade with parsnip puree. There was an additional list of sides, each $7, from which we ordered Brussels sprouts with bacon. We did this in order to reach our $50 quota.

Our server, who was very pleasant, brought us a basket of regular and flat bread and a dish with a scoop of cheese spread covered in pesto. The cheese spread tasted strongly of mustard, but surprisingly it went well with the pesto. We were later told that it was a combination of butter and blue cheese. Could have fooled me.

While waiting for our entrees, Ken watched the chef performing in the open kitchen. He looked quite competent, and Eddie was there to supervise, so what could go wrong? Plenty.

My Parmesan Encrusted Halibut was cooked beyond recognition. The halibut’s texture had changed so completely I wouldn’t have know it was fish if I hadn’t ordered it myself.

It was more like a cheese wafer. The risotto, which should have been nice and creamy, was a solid lump. To be fair, I will say that the flavors of both these dishes was good. There’s lots of seasoning in Eddie’s food. The tuna with bok choy was more properly cooked, but the tuna flavor was pretty much drowned out by its coating of sesame seeds and spices. Ken’s Braised Pork Pot Roast was slightly dry, but that’s hard to avoid when cooking relatively lean pork. The chorizo sauce was good - nice and spicy, not too hot. But the gnocchi was the real bomb of the night, and I do mean bomb! Talk about high specific gravity, these were the heaviest gnocchi ever. Once again, the flavors were good, but the technique was awful. As for the brussels sprouts, although they had been quartered, it couldn’t hide the fact that they were almost big enough to be called cabbage. Slightly undercooked, hard to cut through and hard to chew. Still, they were tasty.

But at these prices, tasty just doesn’t cut it. There’s no excuse for the lack of competence in the kitchen, especially when the chef/owner is in the house.

Because the full entree servings were quite large, and the fact that our bill was already over fifty dollars we decided to just read the dessert list. Also, I was pretty leery of trying anything else. There was a strange over-use of cookies, they appeared in almost every dessert including a chocolate cake with oreo cookie ganache. Each dessert was $10. I’m still trying to get used to paying $8.

Now that my curiosity has been satisfied (I guess satisfied isn’t the correct word), Ken won’t have to try snaring any more Eddie’s House gift certificates.

Eddie’s House

7042 E. Indian School Rd. Scottsdale

480-946-1622

eddiematneys.com