Dining with the fishes

Ever on the lookout for good fish restaurants east of San Diego, we decided to try Tiburon, out at the Wildlife World Zoo (and, now, Aquarium) in Litchfield Park. Actually it’s such a long ride it feels like you’ve driven to San Diego. A little past Luke Air Force Base, you may be treated to, or scared to death by, fly-overs from fighter jets.

The Zoo has been refurbished, at least what we could see from the now paved parking lot. Tiburon has a separate entrance. It’s a very attractive restaurant with high bamboo ceilings and a large shark tank - the sharks are small, the tank large - which if you’re lucky, you can sit near. Nice, comfy rattan and wood chairs, table cloths and cloth napkins. 

The menu is interesting, but pricey. The fish selection is actually fairly small, outnumbered by meat and poultry entrees.Appetizers ranged from $9.50 for calamari to $14 for crab cakes and shrimp cocktail. Salads were $8-$11.  The least expensive entree was a kobe burger at $16 and the most was $29 for either steak or chops (I don’t remember which). The fish dishes ranged from $18 to $22.

Ken started with a cup of clam chowder ($5). The soup was very tasty, but it was loaded with potatoes and almost no clams. My lobster bisque, which the menu stated had crab in it) was again very tasty, but light on the crab. The bread basket had really boring Italian bread which had been toasted some time in the past and left to sit until served.

Our friend Sue’s entree was shrimp tortellini. It was a large sized portion and she had some to take home. Luckily she enjoyed the pasta, and rated it a 9. Pat, visiting us from New York, had chicken in a tomatillo cream sauce. Her rating was not so favorable, in fact it was a 2.5. She said the chicken was undercooked and gamey, and the “crispy potatoes” were moosh. She did like the asparagus and the sauce, but noted that the serving of sauce was skimpy. Ken had stuffed flounder. The fish was quite nice, but the stuffing was very strange. There was way too much cornmeal in it, which gave it an unpleasant texture and taste. Ken gave this entree a 6. I went with the duck taco appetizer as my entree. This was supposedly a “famous” and “award winning” dish. I was expecting something out of the ordinary since the taco shells were actually slices of fried eggplant, and there was feta cheese and carmelized onions mixed in with the duck. Three small tacos were served on a bed of avacado salsa and there were two little piles of a black bean and corn relish on the side, as well as two puddles of a slightly sweet sauce that may have had tamarind in it. All together I didn’t find this to be award winning. Without the salsa and relish it would have been enjoyable as a novelty, but combined it just made no sense. I rated it at 3.5.

We didn’t order dessert after looking at the dessert tray. It contained the ubiquitous corporate desserts: chocolate cake, cheesecake, bread pudding and creme brulee.

The service didn’t get more than a 1. Our waiter never took away the soup cups, they remained on the table through the entire meal. He never offered to refill the bread basket or the drink glasses. On the fly-by he asked if everything was o.k. Lucky for him, he didn’t wait for an answer (maybe he knew what it would be). Ken said the men’s room was filthy. The ladies room was clean enough. After dinner we saw the manager and several of the wait staff hanging around the bar, chatting, even though there were still people dining.

While we will come back to the Zoo when we have out of town guests with kids (we think it’s much better than the Phoenix zoo), we won’t be dining with the sharks again.

Tiburon Restaurant

16501 W. Northern Ave.

Litchfield Park

623-935-5686

open 7 days, 10:30 - 10:30

Chinese Favorite

After only our second meal there, China Village has jumped to the #1 spot on our favorite

Chinese restaurant list. Lots of other people must feel the same because it's been in the same

spot on Indian School for 25 years, run, I think, by the same family. Unlike any other Chinese 

restaurant I've been in, regular customers are given hugs and kisses by the staff and newer 

customers are warmly greeted.

While the menu itself contains few surprises, the food does. Our twice-cooked pork didn't

contain the usual thinly sliced BBQ pork used over and over in so many dishes. Instead, this 

pork had been specially cooked (and was much thicker and of a different texture) in a spicy hot

sauce that was more complex and flavorful than we're normally served. It was addictive. The roast duck was on a par with most, but the accompanying sauce was fabulous. Rather than the thin soy based dipping sauce, this was nice and thick (I realize that is easily accomplished, but

nobody thinks to do it) and again, was beautifully spiced.

Both times we've been there, we've been treated to a little dessert. This time it was a macaroon.

While nothing special, it's a nice gesture and part of the really excellent service. The prices are

slightly lower than the average and the food way above. No wonder it's our favorite!

China Village

2710 E. Indian School Rd.

Phoenix  602-956-9840

Dining on Central

While researching restaurants in central Phoenix, I ran across a blogger's review of Switch

Restaurant.  It got a very positive write-up, and looked attractive in the photos. I went to

Switch's web site and looked over the menu.  Lots of interesting sounding sandwiches and

salads, and a small number of more expensive entrees.  Also a fairly extensive drink and wine

list.  The thing I liked best was the wide range of prices.

Switch is right next door to Durant's and they share a parking lot, so it might be hard to 

find a spot on weekends.  You can enter from the lot by going through a cute, narrow patio space

outfitted with both tables and chairs and cushier couches. There are misters, although they weren't in operation while we were there.  The interior lived up to the photos. It's very stylish and cool with lots of royal blue accents. Some interesting art pieces line the walls - they seem to be for sale. Bar seating fills one part of the space, tables, chairs and banquettes the rest. Ken said his chair was adequately comfortable.

I decided on a lobster and seafood crepe, while the rest of the table ordered burgers. Notably, the burgers are served with a Caesar salad, rather than fries. Ken thought this felt more "grown up".  Wedge fries are an optional add-on. Ken and I also ordered sangrias, a white and a red, which were priced two-for-one. Our server was pleasant and efficient.

The sangria was good, but nothing special, although I did like the white more than the red.  Food portions are quite large. My crepes covered most of the dinner plate, while nicely cooked asparagus filled the rest. There wasn't a whole lot of lobster in the filling, which I suspect contained "faux seafood", but it was really quite tasty.  Everybody liked their cooked to order burgers. Ken raved about the substitution of celery and carrots topping his burger rather than the ubiquitous lettuce, tomato and onion. I took a bite of his burger and was wowed by the bun. It was more like a crumpet (a tastier version of an English muffin) than a bun, and it had been grilled. The side order of potatoes got mixed reviews. I thought they were mealy and somewhat dry as well as over-seasoned, but our friends liked them a lot.

Since there was chocolate cake on the dessert menu, I felt obliged to put it to the test.  It seems to me that there's a dearth of good, moist chocolate cake, the kind that actually tastes like chocolate, in Phoenix. Switch's version wasn't bad. It was moist: of course the whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce that came with it helped. If I had closed my eyes I probably would have known it was chocolate (which can't be said for many).  Ken was less impressed than I was. Please, please, if anybody knows where I can get a really good piece of chocolate cake, let me know!!

One thing I noticed about the menu is that many of the ingredients are used over and over in various dishes.  For instance, there was smoked turkey in the mac and cheese and in three or four of the sandwiches. I'm sure this makes good economic sense for the restaurant, but it narrows down what at first glance is an extensive menu.

Switch is a sister restaurant to Ti Coz and Fez. I liked Switch the best.  All in all it was a very pleasant dining experience and we will go back. It's so nice that central Phoenix is getting more and more interesting places to eat.

Switch Restaurant

2603 N. Central Ave., Phoenix

602-264-2295

open 7 days  Mon.- Fri.  11 AM - Midnight, Sat. & Sunday 10 AM - ?

I apologize

   I'm still trying to figure out the mechanics of the blogger website. As you'll see from the

entry below, I have a way to go. The first few letters of each line are missing. For instance, 

the first line should read "Had lunch...". I tried to edit the entry, but was only partially

successful (it had been even more messed up). Then I tried to delete it so I could start over.

That didn't work either. So please try to muddle through. Pasta Bar is definitely a place

worth knowing about. Thanks.

Downtown pasta

Had We decided to give Pasta Bar a try for lunch today. It’s in downtown Phoenix near Matt’s Big Breakfast. We felt fortunate that chef/owner, Wade Moises, was in the kitchen. Chef Moises had run the kitchen at superfancy Sassi in North Scottsdale. I think he wanted to share his authentic Italian food with us less fortunate people, so he came to central Phoenix with a pared down menu of more affordable pasta dishes. There are around 10 of these o the menu, and 7 or 8 appetizers.

I chose Chitarra alla Carbonara ($14) - fat spaghetti with Italian bacon, eggs, and pecorino cheese. Very rich and yummy with a noticeable al dente chew. Ken ordered Fettucine e Finocchio with fennel pesto, raisins, pine nuts, lemon and anchovy. He asked that the dish be prepared without the hot peppers normally included. No problem, and in addition, the side of greens we ordered, usually made with these peppers was prepared, without them, and we didn’t even have to ask.

The dining room/bar was very pleasant - sleek and modern, with a European feel. Since we were the only customers (very worrisome) I can’t comment on the noise level, but my guess is that it would be high. The restroom was very unusual. It is European style with unisex washbasin and a lockable room with toilet on each side. Most un-European, the toilet paper was of strikingly good quality.

We’ll definitely go back. Watch out, the big parking lot beside the restaurant belongs to ASU and you’ll be ticketed. There’s a much smaller lot in back of the building, but it’s hard to find.

Pasta Bar

705 N 1st St. Phoenix

Sunday - Thursday 11AM - midnight Friday and Saturday 11AM - 2AM !!pastabaraz.com

Barbeque in Cave Creek

I had hoped to have good news for BBQ lovers, but regretably, Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue was a disappointment. It’s up in beautiful Cave Creek in a nice strip mall, and the restaurant itself is cute, but most of what we ate was only so-so.

One of the best things about the place is that they project old cowboy movies on a screen high up on one wall (the sound is turned off). There are lots of movie posters featuring Tom Mix and other golden oldies. Lots of wood and brick, and a big jackalope skull. But the chairs are uncomfortable.

You go up to the counter to order. The menu is fairly small so it’s easy to decide. We shared a Rib and Meat combo ($12.95 with two sides). The half pound of meat can be pulled pork or chicken or beef brisket. Vegetarian “Pulled” squash is another option. There’s only one kind of ribs. Sandwiches, served with one side ($7.50) are also offered.

The ribs were somewhat dry, chewy and salty. There were three good-size ribs on our combo. The half pound of brisket was quite good, not overcooked, with a pleasantly smokey flavor. Neither of the meats was helped by the sauce, which reminded me of Stubb’s BBQ sauce, thin, tomatoey with lots of vinegar and pepper. Of course, this is a very subjective opinion. Ken loved the Baked Potato Salad with it’s chunks of skin-on baked potatoes, a little dill, and lots of mayo. The “Famous Olive Coleslaw” was downright weird. Very salty olives competing with somewhat vinegary slaw.  Two desserts are offered, a homemade Ice Cream Sandwich and a Sarsaparilla ( sic ) Float. Meats, chicken and sides are also sold in bulk.

While I wouldn’t refuse to go back if somebody suggested it, I wouldn’t return on my own. Too bad.

But my favorite thing was the great big wet-naps that are available on the counter!!

Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue 

6130 E. Cave Creek Road #2

Cave Creek AZ 85331

bryansbbq.com

Starting Up: May13, 2009

After great hesitation and much procrastination, here is my first blog entry. I'll

be writing about the restaurants Ken and I visit, good and bad, and probably throw in

some recipes too.

I should have started writing on a day when I had a fabulous find, but I'll go with

where we ate last night. It was Buffalo Wild Wings at 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. (at the 101

and Scottsdale Rd.). A pre-movie dinner.

The place was packed, as usual, and noisy. It's a sports bar, so all the TV's were

on. We probably should have eaten outside, but it was a little warm. Service was prompt

and friendly.

It took a while to decide what we wanted, as the menu is quite large and packed

with lots of my bar-food favorites: flatbreads, salads, wraps, ribs and much more.

Since we ate wings on our last visit, I opted for a burger, one called Big Jack Daddy.

It's a weirdly wonderful thing - a burger topped with pulled pork and onion rings. Ken

couldn't resist and ordered the same thing. I asked for my burger to be medium rare,

but they only do medium well. It actually turned out to be still juicy with a nice 

charcoaly flavor. My fries, which I wanted extra crisp, were perfect. Our friend ordered

wings, which he seemed to enjoy.

The food is reasonably priced give the portion size. Our burgers were about $9

and Walt's dozen wings were around $5. We'll come back again, especially if we're 

going to the movies.

The website is www.buffalowildwings.com. There are 5 restaurants scattered

through out the valley.