By Christa Oyer, Foodies Like Us

I’ve always been a big fan of Asian food. Even as a child it was one of my favorites. Perhaps I have positive associations from my childhood of our weekly family dinners at one of the local Asian restaurants. Needless to say, Susie and Jay didn’t need to twist my arm to join them for a lunch meeting at Ling and Louie’s in Scottsdale, so we could catch up while trying their new menu items.

I admit that I was expecting just another Asian joint, with the typical fare you can get just about anywhere. Wow, was I mistaken. I can truly say that Ling and Louie’s is a unique Asian experience. Ling and Louie’s GM John Banquil calls it “Modern Asian meets American comfort”. That statement couldn’t be more accurate (and it’s not often that I find a restaurant to live up to its slogan). The atmosphere is casual with contemporary Asian décor, in a very open space. And they’ve personified their cuisine with the love story of Louie, the baseball player from Ohio with mad bartending skills, and Ling, the bombshell chef from Shanghai.  They opened a restaurant at 94^th and Shea and the sparks that flew between the two of them have translated to magic in the kitchen. To see the full story and even join in the conversations happening between Ling and Louie, check out their website or find them on twitter!

We started our lunch with the Black Orchid Ahi Tuna appetizer. It was lightly blackened sashimi-grade ahi, Asian slaw, and spicy soy mustard. I’ve never had much of a taste for ahi, especially when it’s undercooked, so I left that to Chief Foodies Jay and Susie. They both agreed the mustard sauce with the ahi tuna was super fresh and flavorful, and the ahi melted in their mouth with its nice texture. It was seared to perfection.

Black Orchid Ahi

Next we tried the Thai Mussel Bowl (Ling’s family recipe): black Mussels simmered in a green curry-coconut broth with fresh vegetables and Asian spices, served with garlic-parmesan flatbread. The flatbread alone was worth going back for. We loved how crispy and crunchy the flatbread was, and it tasted amazing dipped in the Mussel broth. We had raves all around for the broth and flatbread combo.

mmmmMussels!

Then we tried the Drunken Chicken: crispy chicken wok’d in a sweet-and-spicy chili sauce, served with pineapple, peppers, onions, and broccoli. This dish had wonderful spice but it wasn’t overpowering. It’s a nice combo of sweet and savory, and the pineapple complements it perfectly.

Yes, the Drunken Chicken tastes as good as it looks!

Moving on to Louie’s Favorites, we tried the Meatloaf Sliders: sliced meatloaf, crispy shoestring onions, tomato, and spicy aioli, served with Asian gravy dipping sauce and garlic-parmesan fries. We were all pleasantly surprised by this entrée. It didn’t really taste like meatloaf, but was juicy, tender, and very delicious! The buns were perfectly toasted and yet super soft at the same time. And of course the thick cut parmesan fries were an added touch of comfort.

Foodie Approved Meatloaf Sliders!

Next up was the Mongolian Flatbread. This was a unique and brilliant dish that will be permanently etched in my memory. The freshly baked flatbread is topped with sliced filet, roasted red peppers, red onions, cheddar-jack cheese, and spicy aioli. It has a great mix of ingredients, and the spicy aioli sauce complements it wonderfully. It was really a superb fusion of flavors.

Mongolian Flatbread steals the show!

Susie said she would order any of these items again, and Jay and I had to agree (and considering all the food we tried, that’s a pretty bold statement!). They also have a very inviting bar, with happy hour daily from 11am to 6:30. It just gets better and better….

http://www.lingandlouies.com

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

I’ve been coming to Scottsdale on vacation since 1980 (and I’ve lived here since 1992) and I’ve seen Sphinx Ranch and their alluring “Famous Date Shakes” sign so many times that I became desensitized.

However, after Ron Vance, their director of marketing was kind enough to invite me in for a date (ha!) my ice cream endeavors will never be the same again.

The ranch's cuteness makes it easy to find!

Christa Oyer and I dropped in on Vance a couple of weeks ago to get the inside scoop (what’s with my puns today?) on date shakes.

Ancient folklore (ok Wikipedia) said date shakes came from California in the late ‘20s.

The folks at Sphinx Ranch have been cranking them out for decades as well.

Sphinx ranch opened in 1951 and their location on Scottsdale Rd just south of Oak has been there since the early 1990’s.

They have a Medjool date grove outside of Yuma and another one near Gila Bend. They also source the rare “black sphinx” dates from a grove in the Arcadia district.

Vance came on a little over a year ago to help the owner revamp Sphinx’s image as just another place for dates and to help promote the massive amounts of delicious dried fruits, nuts and other treats they sell.

Gift platters of dates, chocolates, and other dried fruits

Sphinx has a very impressive collection of local Arizona Wines as well as honey, salsa and lots of other specialty treats. They can put together fabulous wine and gourmet food gift baskets.

A vast array of local deliciousness

They have a modest walk-in business and a mail order following.

Sphinx has been actively marketing their date shakes in Old Town Scottsdale during the height of tourist season. I like to think they’re “pushing” shakes sort of like cocaine. Well, that might be a bit overdramatic, but these shakes are highly addictive!

During the high season, Sphinx has been known to churn 40+ shakes/ day. Vance said he has customers who come in multiple times/week to get their fix.

At this point Christa and I were thinking, “Ok man, bring on these shakes! Less talk more action!”

Vance scooped out some low fat vanilla and paired it with fresh dates and milk. He whipped it into a frenzy in their blender and voila! The date shake.

Where it all happens...

Vance said, “Dates work really well in shakes; they are perfect for the summer heat!”

Upon trying the date shake, Christa was very exuberant in her amazement at how yummy it was!

She’s normally a “chocolate only” person, but Sphinx has made a believer out of her.

Her reaction to a date sans shake was “meh,” but in the milkshake it was AWESOME.

Cheers!

I was also a big fan. The texture reminded me of an Oreo shake and it was sweet, but not overpowering.

Good thing Sphinx Ranch is located about 5 minutes south of my office.

A few other date factoids you may not be aware of:

• Dates are a great source of dietary fiber.
• They have the highest concentration of polyphenols (antioxidants) among dried fruits.
• Dates are a perfect energy boosting snack.
• Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium.

So the moral of this yummy tale is that date shakes are nutritious and that Christa and I are capable of rationalizing any behavior as healthy.

After trying their date shake, you'll want to hug the camel, too!

Get over to Sphinx, get yourself a shake. You’ll thank us later.

http://www.sphinxdateranch.com/