Organic Paleo Cherry Cobbler

I can use all organic ingredients. Rough recipe-
Filling: cherries and honey, pinch of salt cooked on low till syrupy.
Topper: cashews (raw organic) blended till it's "butter" about 4 handfuls, 2 eggs, salt and honey.
Prepare like a cobbler. 350 for 15 mins. Pretty tasty!

OTRO

We love this place. We've been over and over again, bringing friends left and right. BUT the big damper is the service, especially when we bring others. It started out fantastic when the Gallo Blanco staff were running things for the opening. But sadly it has gone far, far from that. If there is more than 4 of you forget it. It never fails. on our last...yes it was the last visit and the last straw, we brought a group of new friends, about 8 of us. we were greeted and as we were seated I asked for chips and salsa, as it is not complementary you must order it. Its totally worth it we love it so we always get it. Our drink order was take 15 mins later and served. No salsa. about 20 mins in we asked the bus boy and he brought it.  We were ignored for the next 20 mins and our waitress finally took our order. What seemed forever later, probably about 30 mins we finally got our food. And I might add there were only a few other two tops in the restaurant, they weren't packed by any means. It is very awkward when you bring new friends to a restaurant you raved about and at this point we are full of chips and they are looking at their watch looking at each other. Well, I decided this was ridiculous and sought out the manager and told him. He was unbelievable! He had the nerve to day "It wasn't that long" and that she took our order in 15 mins. I said really it seemed much longer than that. Then I realized, yea, she took our drink order. They must have been married or something. Only reason I can possible think of that a manager doesn't care about the customer and defended  incredibly poor service. We finally got our food, ate, it was delicious. The food always is.
Then we had the gall to ask her to split the check. How dare us. I was even afraid to ask but it had to be done. SHE ROLLED HER EYES and sighed. Then she looked at us square and said, "Its much easier if you tell me before I ring it up".  Then she very irritatedly said "It will take longer for me to do that", making it known she knew about our time complaint.  By the way it is the same girl every time. I cringe when we get her, she is slow and rude every time.
My husband on the way home was so mad he turned around and went back, asked for her, and asked why she is so rude, especially since we are regulars. She seemed completely aloof and said she sees us come all the time, and had to idea she was being rude. That was our last time and it has been about 8 months. Some close friends of ours had a very similar experience where they talked to the manager and he was defensive of their bad service. They haven't been back either. It is such a shame since there are not enough restaurants that serve organic food.

Tree House Vegan Bakery

Pane Bianco

If you are in the mood for an amazing sandwich this is the place to try in Central Phoenix. Owner/Chef Chris Bianco has a delicious seasonal menu including soups, salads, and of course sandwiches. The bread is delicious and the flour its made from is milled on site. They are even growing their own wheat. Can you get any more hands on than that. It isn't hard to tell ingredients are very important to Chris Bianco and that's why they stand out above the crowd. Don't forget to grab a loaf of bread for later.

Tacos Atoyac

Hands down my favorite fish taco, And for only $2. You will want to order more than one just because they are so delicious. I would also highly recommend the churro for dessert.

Phoenix Public Market Closed-Sad News

Read it here. I was so disappointed to see this happen. Especially since not many places cater so well to Vegetarian and Vegan food. The food they made on site was really delicious. I was never disappointed. The good news is we can still visit the farmers market during their regularly scheduled times.

***UPDATE****

Re-Opened!
It is now the Cafe at the Phoenix Public Market. Check it out.

Short Leash Hot Dogs

These puppies are amazing. Let's hear it for gourmet food trucks everywhere... but zero in on this one.
They are located at the Downtown Farmers Market on Central and McKinley on Wednesday nights from 4-8, Friday lunch 11-1:30, and Saturday morning 8-12 during the weekly Farmers Market among a number of other food trucks. However this is most likely the only one with a line, but believe me its worth the wait! They have a great selection of dogs, I get the veggie dog, (can you believe you can get an amazing veggie dog!!!?) and you can pick one of their creations or...even better, create your own! For just $5 add whatever you desire on your dog, sauerkraut, jalapeno's, green chili's, beans, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed onions...the list goes on. Then they wrap it up with a delicious, fresh, soft, tasty flatbread and top it off with a pickle slice. The perfect Hot Dog. To make the experience even better the people that run it are super nice!
They travel and can also be seen at Smeeks and Stinkweeds at other times so check out their Facebook page and check out their calendar for all times and locations.

LUX

Need I say more. Having become a see-and-be-seen spot in central Phoenix, where folks are seldom seen without their Apple device, this is THE best cup of coffee in town hands down...well at least its my favorite. They roast their own beans and eat your heart out Starbucks, those perfectly roasted beans make a tasty cup of coffee. I only say this because I love a good Starbucks soy latte but I'd rather support the local guy, and unfortunately in this area Starbucks is hard to beat. Many a local guy will cut corners on the soy and the beans and those are important details...ahem..Copperstar (whom I want so much to love but the soy they use is very blah and ruins the whole latte for me). The espresso macchiato is small, and nothing like Starbucks macchiato, strong, and full of bold flavor for a tiny drink. But beware it really is small, little bigger than a shot of espresso with steamed milk. My bev of choice though is always a latte and they make the best. Located right next to Pane, they make quite the dynamic duo! Love Lux! Don't forget to get your punch card. You have to ask for it. Normally great service, unfortunately this morning was the exception, sad to say the cashier was super rude and snobbier than she should have been, and it took about 25 min to heat a slice of quiche. All we want is a good cup of coffee and a good experience.

Oakville Grocery Opened at Cityscape Downtown (New Owners Coming Soon)

Strawberry Lavender Scone. Delicious.

Check it out especially if you live or work downtown. They have a great selection of fresh food and baked goods as well as a wine bar and fresh prepared food selections. A bit pricey but convenient, and if you are looking for a healthy bite on your lunch break, I find that it is worth it. It can be fun to just peruse the aisles, scan the options, and observe the scene.  A valuable commodity previously lacking in Phoenix's Downtown area. Welcome Oakville!




**UPDATE**
Since this post Oakville is no longer Oakville. It has been taken over by new owners Sam Fox and Ashly Young and will be Cloey's Corner once completed. See article in AZ Central.

Gallo Blanco

Wednesday night dinner at Gallo Blanco is quite the festive occasion. Especially, if you like clanging dishes, a chatty dining room, and flamenco dancing.


Glad we decided on coming here for our midweek date. To be honest I wasn’t expecting the mid-week crowd that we encountered there. Though, restaurants have been adding some Wednesday night flare to attract the mid-week diners, such as Postino Wine Cafe on Central. I am told that is a great night to go, especially for a girls night out, because there is great live music. I plan on riding the cruiser there for my next Wednesday night outing.


We grabbed a table that was right next to the stage set up for the nights entertainment. Waiting in anticipation we ordered our food from the somewhat aloof waiter. I didn’t even realize he was the waiter, dressed in baggy jeans and an oversized T-shirt. He looked up like " Oh, there’s people at that table" and hurried toward us. But once he got wind of his guests (us) he was adequately attentive. I ordered the Huevo's Rancheros one of my favorite breakfast dishes but it must have the egg over medium, which I ordered, and my husband ordered the Fish Torta.

Then, the music started and the dancing began. It was really entertaining. One could tell there was some sort of story line, perhaps some love story where the girl comes up strong and victorious at the end, as she finishes up the show with a strong and emotional dance. No doubt we enjoyed ourselves. The food came out mid-show. The torta came out first, and looked amazing. And it was...absolutely delicious.


Mine came out a moment later, Huevo's Rancheros. It looked okay. The beans strongly resembled Rosarita out of the can, and there wasn't much else going on except for the salsa's the food was drenched in. As far as the flavor, I was not impressed, it was not the best Huevo's dish I have ever eaten. And it did not help that the food was luke-warm and the egg was NOT medium, it was cooked hard. I was so disappointed, because done well, this is an amazing dish. The salsa though that the food was drenched in was really good. It helped spruce up a so-so dish. Overall, I really liked the place, it was a fun night out and my husbands food really was great. I will be back, but will definitely order something else.

Fish Torta

Over Medium?

The Living Room Cafe and Wine Bar (Phoenix Location)

*CLOSED*

(Humble Pie now occupies this location)

(New Phoenix Location)

http://www.livingroomwinebar.com/phoenix/

2333 N 7th street

602.229.1289

Loved it. 

The service was great, the food was great, the ambiance was great! Check out the pictures from our visit.

Garlic Fries

Squash Soup

Mixed olives

Bruschetta. YUM!

Calamari

Viet Kitchen Phoenix Location

Lunch Break Trip to the new Vietnamese Spot

Last Friday I received an email that Viet Kitchen was opening that day. I was really excited. I have loved Vietnamese ever since we became regulars at DaVang.

I left my office and walked over to check it out over my lunch break. I recognized the building. It used to be a Mexican food place that I actually liked. Sad to see it go. The restaurant was packed, but there was no line at the register yet and I ordered the Shrimp Spring Rolls…and waited patiently….for a long, time.

There was no place to sit for to-goers, so I stood there, watching people come in and out. Watching the girl behind the counter become overwhelmed as she looked at tickets, and more to-goers flooded through the door. After about 25 min I scooted my way through the crowd that was waiting for either to-go food or to be seated. I asked the girl how much longer for my rolls, and she looked up at the to-go order that had been placed there over 10 min prior and said, “right there, its ready” and I smiled, paid my $4 for my 2 spring rolls and left. When do you say, “Really?! I have been standing here for 25 min waiting for a spring roll to-go order that has been sitting in the window for 10 min”? The disorganization really seemed to be the girls at the register taking the orders.

How was the food?

I was really hoping the food was going to make me feel better about enduring the whole annoying situation, but I was even more annoyed to see that the rolls were a little puny, that they had yellow lettuce, and were pretty bland. So, if you are in a hurry for lunch, or for some reason are in the mood for really good food, I would not recommend it. Perhaps it was just a bad day. They have only been opened for a week, but apparently their other store is doing great. Please tell me if I am wrong and I will give it another try.

Los Reyes De La Torta

When our friends told us about this place, and we followed them there we were nervous as we drove into the run down plaza housing a Mexican tienda, Salon, and a couple of hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and tucked in the corner of this old strip mall is our place. But once you walk in, immediately you are in a festive, clean, loud and packed restaurant watching huge Fresca's and large colorful plates of food being delivered to crowded tables. Ever since that moment we have been back who knows how many times. We are, what you call, regulars. 

The price? You cant beat it. Inexpensive appetizers could pass for a meal, and entree's  are split-worthy. The fresh fruit drinks are generous, and the fresh fruit plate, the small mind you, is big enough to share with 4 people. Word is out. They have been featured on "Man vs Food" and are worthy of the hype.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byYAmFxZl2Q

Watch Man vs Food Episode for Los Reyes De La Torta on You Tube.

(Last half of video, starting at 6 min.)

One of the large selections of tortas

Quesadilla Del Rey served on a thick chewy corn tortilla

Maize's Cafe and Bistro

We rode our bikes there for happy hour one evening. Grabbed a few glasses of wine and 3 appetizers. We were pleased with everything we got. I was especially impressed with the cheese dip that tasted exactly like buffalo wings, served with a basket of colorful corn chips. That one is a winner. I couldn't get enough of it and I thought about it for days after. The sweet potato fries and the hummus plates were both really good as well. The owner who came to check on us was very friendly and helpful with our selections. Any given night stop by and this place is bustling and packed with locals. Overall, a really great place to dine downtown, or technically, midtown. 

http://www.maiziescafe.com/

Nice Patio Seating

 Sweet Potato Fries

 Hummus plate

Buffalo Wing Dip

Hula's Modern Tiki

Definitely on my list of "likes", this newly renovated building has come to life, located right on Central Avenue next to Lola's Coffee and even a few Boutiques that are waiting to be checked out, now home to Hula's, complete with delicious offerings from the sea. I love the patio seating, very modern with a tropical flare. Wait staff is adequately friendly, but not over the top. The food, though, is really delicious. They know how to prepare some decadent seafood. I highly recommend the Blackened Fish Sandwich with sweet potato fries. They also have some tasty non-meat items on the menu such as Spicy Tofu Taco's. This is a nice spot to visit during daylight hours, then really comes to life with more of a party scene after dark. 

http://www.hulasmoderntiki.com/

Blackened fish sandwich served with Sweet potato fries and an aioli dipping sauce.