By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

I hope by now dear blog reader, you have figured out that I have pretty simple tastes. I like hearty, delicious food without pretention. I am not a fan of restaurants or ingredients that overwhelm the mind or the palate.

I would not describe myself as pedestrian by any means, however, relative to my business partner Jay, I am pretty vanilla. He likes rabbit and all sorts of random birds and game. He also loves beets and egg on pretty much anything. Give me pork tenderloin or crab legs any day. Simple girl I am. I also like cheese curds and sauerkraut. These are things Jay won’t touch.

There are however, many things we do agree on in the world of culinary. We love champagne, bacon and a perfectly cooked medium steak. We love restaurants with ambiance and that special cozy feeling that makes us feel welcome. Most importantly, we value and frankly, we expect, fabulous service.

Through our features and restaurant reviews, we’ve experienced varying degrees of quality ambiance, food and service.

Upon stepping into our latest review spot, 5th and Wine, I knew immediately, that we would both give it top ratings for interior and ambiance.

I arrived a few minutes after Jay did and he was already propped up on the leather couch, sipping champagne and playing on his laptop. “Good sign,” I thought as I approached him.

I settled onto the couch and took in my surroundings. The place had seen quite a transformation from the dark and cavernous prior occupant “Fine’s Cellar.”

5th and Wine, a brainchild of Rich Sullivan, Patrick King and Tom Kaufmann, does “comfortable and affordable” really well.

There was a great bar to saddle up to and take advantage of 5th and Wine’s outstanding happy hour prices ($5 wines and $3 appetizers).

There were several constellations of red leather chairs, coffee tables and couches to relax, and sip wine.

There were tables for dining and eating a full dinner or lunch.

There was a gigantic outside patio that would be perfect to take in a beautiful desert sunset with friends.

I also really liked the brightly colored dog paintings that grace every wall. It gave the space a really unique feel that was warm and bright. Each table also had fresh and brightly colored flowers in a sleek vase in the center.

I was sold on the décor alone. Now, on to the food!

With my $5 glass of Scharffenberger Brut in hand, we invited Assistant Manager Scott Von Gullbrantz and Manager Scott Yanni (or the Scotts as I like to call them) to sit with us to explain the concept behind 5th and Wine.

Executive Chef Stephen Butler pulled up a chair as well to round out our interview.

These men have a world of experience at various five-star steak places in town from Mastro’s to Fleming’s. It’s these fine dining restaurants that shaped the service expectations for 5th and Wine, but also encouraged them to try another approach to dining.

“This is a fun, relaxed and approachable place. We wear jeans to work and run it at a very different pace,” explained Yanni.

Von Gullbrantz said, “We really wanted this place to be an easy drop-in destination.”

The value and menu pricing was almost shocking. The most expensive item is $19.95 but the average ticket is only $12.

“People are tired of staying at home—they want options and that’s what we are providing,” said Butler.

They explained the food to me as “Straight forward cooking with not a lot of fluff.” Hmmm…sounds right up my alley!

The menu will continue to evolve, but for now it included many plates for sharing including 8 varietals of bruschetta, cheese plates and spicy chicken drumettes.

There are also paninis and salads. The new weekly specials menu boasts chicken pesto pasta, an agave bourbon glazed salmon and a rib eye. All for less than $20.

At this point, I was sick of hearing about the food—I wanted to taste it!

Von Gullbrantz brought us a selection of their greatest hits. Speaking of hits, Von Gullbrantz also hand crafted the overhead music and created a mix that includes John Mayer, Jason Mraz and other mainstream and comforting artists. It was soothing and I always enjoy when I can sing during my supper.

We sampled 6 different bruschettas, the crispy French fries (of Humble Pie fame) and the chicken pesto pasta that featured scratch made pesto sauce.

The French fries were served with garlic aioli and were crisped to perfection. Topped with chili flakes, they had a searing kick. (We returned 2 days later for these fries; they were that good!)

The chicken pesto pasta was tasty, but did not overwhelm. The pesto was strong but I would like to see different pasta other than farfalle.

The bruschetta was varied in flavors and content. The fig, prosciutto, mascarpone and tomato jam was an outstanding flavor combination of salty and sweet.

The apple, Brie, fig jam, honey and agave bruschetta reminded me of a grown-up peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Strange since there was no peanut butter in sight, but the creamy Brie and fig jam were a nice stand-in.

The hummus and saffron oil brushetta was slightly disappointing as the hummus was bland.

I was downright surprised by the delightful roasted peppers, goat cheese and garlic combination as I typically do not like roasted red peppers cold. I will return for this one.

Overall, we enjoyed the food and look forward to sampling more of the bruschettas and sandwiches on the menu.

I think Yanni summed up 5th and Wine pretty well, “It can be your local wine bar, it can be a restaurant, it is versatile will change to fit whatever is appropriate for you.”

For Jay, and me 5th and Wine had great ambiance, stellar service and good food. We most certainly will be found chillin’ in the back on the couches. Champagne in one hand, bruschetta in another, all the while appreciating the value and of course, the fact it is only a few blocks from our office.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

A few months ago, Jay turned around in his chair (our office is pretty miniscule) and said, “Hey Susie, have you ever heard of Oakville Grocery? It’s opening up this winter at the Scottsdale Quarter.”

My response was a combination of a scream and squeal of joy capped off with a big leap out of my chair.
Jay was unaware of my longstanding affinity for Oakville Grocery in the Napa Valley.

On my honeymoon, my husband Eric and I did a wine-touring day via limousine. We had a few requests for our driver: don’t take us anywhere they make white zinfandel, sell wine in boxes, and make sure we have a very authentic experience.

After a few hours of wine-ing it up, we were famished. Our driver pulled a harrowing maneuver, crossing the highway and we bailed out into the parking lot of Oakville Grocery.

This tiny store has evolved much over the years, but we were delighted to find a gourmet market that featured so many local Napa foodstuffs and had a fantastic prepared foods counter.

We gathered supplies for our picnic and headed out to Fleury Estate to enjoy our lunch. That lunch left an indelible impression in my mind and it was mostly due to the quaint little grocery that provided our lunch.

On my 30th birthday tour of Napa, I made sure we stopped at Oakville again so I could introduce my friends to it. On this trip, I purchased a magnet with their signature bunny logo on it. The magnet resides on the side of our wine refrigerator as a constant memory of those fabulous wine country tours.

Needless to say, my scream of joy was warranted when I found out Oakville was going to foray into my own town!

I made it my personal mission to visit Oakville soon after it’s opening and to interview the Chef Walt Sterling and Sommelier, David Johnson.

My foodie dream came true last week as we ventured north on Scottsdale Road to check out this gourmet wonderland.

Sterling and Johnson have a wide array of experience working in local gourmet restaurants and the Oakville folks to launch this new desert southwest version of the original, tapped their knowledge.

The market is about 4 times the size of the one in Oakville, but it features a sit down bistro, free Wi-Fi, an extensive wine selection, and over 150 varietals of cheese.

We toured the grocery just a few days after their soft opening, so the shelves and cold cases were a bit empty, but Sterling assured us, “Next week we are getting more crazy imports from Spain, France, and Portugal, all over the world!”

Eventually, the market will boast an expansive selection of oils, mustards and other hard-to-find products in Arizona like Serrano ham. Oakville also has house made pickles and hand pulled mozzarella.

Another unique element to Oakville Grocery in Scottsdale is how they combine imported items from all over the world, Napa Valley staples and local Arizona treasures.

Currently they carry MJ Bread (who bakes specialty breads for Oakville), Julia Baker confections (our FAVE!) and Fossil Creek Goat’s Milk Fudge. Coming soon: Fairytale Brownies!

The bistro features made to order sandwiches, pizzas, and salads. We loved that we could literally shop for our lunch and eat it all in one place.

They also have an expanding and changing prepared foods case.

“Right now, the prep food case is focusing on a lot of vegetables. For example we have whole artichokes that have been braised off and then taken out marinated in lemon zest, garlic and herbs. Many people are intimidated by artichokes but they can come here, pick those up, throw them on the grill to warm them—lots of fun things like that,” explained Sterling.

Johnson calls Oakville Grocery an “indoor picnic” and said, “you can put it (your meal) together and we are the park rangers who facilitate, we will make sure you are eating well, we want to feed the bears.”

Sterling and Johnson were elated about the sheer diversity of product and Sterling commented, “we’ve got stuff in here for people with a high-end foodie palate and there’s also things here for people who want mac and cheese, chicken and rice soup, garlic mashed potatoes. We have a good spectrum that is intentional.”

Johnson noted, “We will always keep classic and artisanal side by side because we don’t want to alienate anyone.”

Oakville is also focused on top-notch catering and can cater any event, large or small all over the valley. They hope to elevate catering to a new level in Phoenix Metro.

“We can execute highly customized catering anywhere,” said Johnson.

Both Johnson and Sterling love the customer interaction portion of their new gig and seem to also enjoy the freedom to do things differently than in a restaurant environment.

“Here, I can grab a product off the shelf and improvise—we can be creative and fly-by-night with our recipes,” said Sterling.

Paying homage to the Oakville Grocery logo, Johnson called Sterling’s improvisational style, “Iron Bunny Chef.”

The bunny logo is an iconic feature of Oakville Grocery.

Johnson added, “Everybody knows the bunny. It’s hypnotizing in a way, we are big on branding. I even wear bunny slippers with a plaid robe,” he joked.

Sterling is also creating a resource guide for hard to find local and international fish, meats and other products.

“If our clients want turbo from France in 36 hours, we can get that done,” said Sterling.

Wine is another aspect of Oakville Grocery that sets it apart from other grocers. They feature mostly Napa Valley wines, but do offer a selection that is imported.

The wine prices vary but are priced at a retail markup versus a restaurant markup that can sometimes be 3x the price.

“Everybody is not a top tier, prestige wine drinker in Scottsdale, people might want a $17 bottle. We are in the era of affordable luxuries which is really what Oakville is all about,” said Johnson.

He continued, “a lot of people have never bought a premium bottle of Napa wine because it’s out of their discretionary income level—come in here and get a great pizza, great sandwich at a decent price and get the same bottle of wine at 1/3 the cost.”

As for the Napa charm that helps make Oakville Grocery a fixture in wine country?

Johnson said, “It’s important to deliver local and the codifying sense of Napa that holds so much nostalgia for so many people. But, you don’t have to go to Napa to experience a little taste of it.”

Johnson and his “highly talented, provincial wine stewards” will host monthly wine seminars. Johnson is leery of dry and boring wine education.

“We do wine seminars with enlightening shtick. Typically the wine does 90% of the job, cornball one-liners does the other 10%,” he added.

As we walked through the store, I could not help but be very excited about this new addition to the gourmet scene in Scottsdale. I was also impressed with how accessible and inviting the grocery really was.

Sterling summed up our interview and said,  “we’re cooking for our clientele, and providing a great service for people, so they can have fun relax and enjoy this without being intimidating—want to appeal to general public.”

It may not be in the middle of wine country, but the newest incarnation of Oakville Grocery in North Scottsdale will indeed bring back my fond memories of Napa Valley

Oakville Grocery is located at 15015 N. Scottsdale Rd in the Scottsdale Quarter shopping center. Their espresso bar opens at 7 am daily and the grocery is open at 10 am.

Their formal grand opening festivities kick off January 16 & 17, 2010.

www.oakvillegroceryarizona.com

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

Local, neighborhood restaurant with longevity. In this economy, those words’ combining to form a sentence is fairly rare.

Through our various culinary travels, we were introduced to John Henry’s in Tempe. This restaurant has served up classic, continental Italian cuisine since 1992.

The manager, Adam Selden was the very first waiter owner Neven hired all those years ago and this duo is still cranking out simple and tasty food with consistency, almost 18 years later.

Jay and I checked out John Henry’s last week (located on the corner of Elliot and Rural) and heard the story behind this venerable institution Tempe.

We were seated in the dining room and Adam gave us a walk thru of the menu the chef had prepared.

They printed out a lovely course by course description with wine pairings. I was quite impressed at the time and effort the staff put into making us feel welcome. We observed how they treated other tables throughout the evening and were pleased to note that everyone received the same outstanding service.

Adam spoke to us about the dishes that John Henry’s prides itself on, namely the Lobster Bisque. We were salivating to try it after his description!

We settled into our first wine course, the St. Suprey Sauvignon Blanc and I perused the menu. Most of the entrees averaged $25 and they offer a very wide variety of beef, veal, lamb, pork and seafood. Not to mention pasta, chicken and duck. It was truly one of the most comprehensive menus I have seen in a long time. I also liked that it was simple, elegant fare that even the pickiest “non-foodie” would find something to satisfy their taste buds.

Our first course arrived: a sampler of Oysters Rockefeller and crab cakes. The oysters were baked with bacon, spinach, herbs and crème and were different from some of the Rockefeller we’ve had in the past. We prefer this dish with a golden and melty crust of cheese and breadcrumbs on the top of it, but the flavor was still quite nice.

The crab cakes on the other hand were remarkable. They were made with lots of crab, minimal “filler” and the lemon aioli dipping sauce was tart and very creamy. We thoroughly enjoyed the crab cakes, and the Sauv Blanc paring worked very well with this course.

Next, came the much-hyped lobster bisque. Made with brandy and sherry, it was buttery smooth and the creamiest and rich bisque I have ever tasted. The flavor was very consistent with each bite. There were nice chunks of lobster meat in the soup and it was paired with Ironstone Chardonnay, which was also creamy but the acidity of the wine was a nice contrast.

Adam came over to check on us and to tell us about another house special: grilled salad. This salad is half of a head of romaine lettuce, grilled for 30 seconds and served with feta, house made candied walnuts and chipotle vinaigrette. He paired this course with a peppery pinot noir.

We loved the structure and concept of this salad. It had a smoky taste from the char of the lettuce and the chipotle dressing but the feta and walnuts balanced that flavor nicely.

John Henry’s shot at surf and turf was next. They put together a filet mignon with brandy crab sauce and Orange Roughy Marechiara.

First the steak, we liked the idea of sweet lump crab atop of tender filet mignon, however, we were not fans of the execution of this dish. The sauce was clumpy and the presentation was unappetizing. We feel this dish could be improved upon by adding a salt and pepper seared crust and placing a simple topping of lump crap without the crème and brandy.

The Orange Roughy Marechiara, was a flaky and delicious serving of fish in a spicy marinara sauce with basil, white wine and red chilies, over cappelini. This dish had a very nice “burn” factor and good depth. We liked that the sauce did not overwhelm the delicate flavor of the fish. We would drive back to Tempe for this fish.

The final course was dessert and it was paired with a Croatian Marsaka Cherry Wine. Daniel showed us on the label where he used to live in Croatia.

They served an orange flan with berries, which I found refreshing and loved the orange flavor as well as a silky tiramisu that boasted a rich coffee flavor.

We spent quite a bit of time talking to our server about his life in Croatia and his obsession with roasting meat. He was attentive to our needs and incredibly personable.

Also, the owner Neven came by and spoke with us about how much he respects his staff, and the sheer longevity of his employee retention. It was quite obvious that he truly cares about his employees and he has immense passion for his restaurant.

Jay and I do recommend the restaurant consider a remodel, as the interior is quite dated and we think a cozy ambiance could be created with just a few tweaks.

We enjoyed the food, we loved the personalized service and we really understood the loyalty the employees and owner felt to each other and to making their repeat customers happy.

We were delighted to experience this restaurant and we look forward to watching it continue to thrive in the years to come.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

A really cool (or should I say sweet?!) part of our business that is growing rapidly is the whole “people sending us cool stuff” part. Who knew? Start a food blog and people want you to taste their food, product etc.

We got a message from a gentleman named Ryan asking if he could send us a “must have” sweet ingredient: Wisconsin Natural Acres Honey.

Being from Wisconsin, I was immediately intrigued. Of course, because I am from Wisconsin, I probably would say “yes” to trying any local product from my home state. I was also intrigued because we are often skeptical of anything people call a “must-have.”

A week went by and the Wisconsin Acres honey arrived.

I whipped up a batch of biscuits (no, not from scratch—I am NOT a baker…) added some butter and drizzled on the honey.

Ok. Ryan was correct. This honey is a “must-have.” Hands down. The very best honey I have indeed ever tasted.

The flavor was so pure and clean tasting. Some honey has a strange aftertaste that is almost chemical. Not Wisconsin Acres.

They told me, “WNA is a place that some very lucky honeybees call home, and it’s where beekeepers are using centuries-old beekeeping secrets to produce the most pure and best-flavored honey in the world. Besides using no chemicals, the hives are “smoked” only with local organic applewood, and are placed in chemical-free fields of sweet-white clover and deep-purple alfalfa. Additionally, the honey comes from a single source without any blends from abroad such as China or Mexico.”

So THAT’S how they do it! They were also recently featured on the Food Network’s Unwrapped.

Happy bees make happy honey. Or delicious, and pure honey at the very least.

Chief Beekeeper and owner Doug Schultz has been honing his craft since he was a teenager in the 1980’s.

Next time I head back to Wisconsin for a visit, I will make a point to head to Chilton to see these bees in the flesh. Er…in the fuzz?

I look forward to using this ingredient as a natural sweetener in my cooking and who knows? Perhaps it will inspire me to bake.

www.wnacres.com

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

When my husband and I bought our house, we were very excited about its proximity to several cool places. Whole Foods Market, Paradise Valley Mall, and of course Z’Tejas Southwestern Grill.

I have been known to celebrate happy hours, birthdays and various fun occasions with the famous (and very infamous) Chambord Margarita. This drink is so potent they cut you off after 3. Even better that it’s “Stumbling distance” to my house if I get too carried away.

Z’Tejas started in 1989 in Austin, Texas, but soon after moved 2 more locations to Scottsdale. It’s been a permanent fixture in my “scene” for the past 17 years.

Needless to say, I was pretty excited when I had the chance to sample their New Year’s Weekend dinner menu earlier this week.

My newest dining buddy recruit Christa, joined me for lunch at the Scottsdale Fashion Square location.

We were seated in the middle of the very busy restaurant and settled in for a multi-course dinner. For lunch.

Z’Tejas’ corporate chef was in town and he came by the table to introduce himself and explain he was going to cook us the entire menu and let us share each dish.

We checked out the menu while we waited for the first course and I was shocked to see their New Year’s Weekend menu (Goes from December 31-January 3) costs only $25.99 for three courses (or you can order each item a la carte).

Christa decided to try the Winter Berry Cocktail (after hearing my stories about the Chambord Margarita, she decided to opt for something less potent at 11:30 AM) it was a very berry blend of berry puree, vodka, St. Germain, lime and mint. It was very sweet, but the mint offset the sweetness well. The raspberry sugar rim was a nice addition as well.

Our serve put down the signature Z’Tejas cornbread and I dug right in. I love how consistent the taste is over the years and was delighted to pair it with our next course: seafood gumbo.

The gumbo was chock full of shrimp, fish, andouille sausage and chicken. It was spicy enough to make my nose run and I found it to be a great warming soup. Next time I am sitting across the street in my office freezing cold because our landlord keeps the AC at 60 degrees, I now know I can warm my body and soul with the gumbo from Z’Tejas!

As we were finishing the soup, our salads arrived. The Z’Side Salad is fairly simple as salads go combining greens, peppers, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and topped with house-made fry bread croutons. For us, the key differentiator was the ranch vinaigrette dressing. This dressing was phenomenal as it kept the creamy goodness taste of ranch without being overly thick and goopy.

Next, they presented both entrees offered on the New Year’s Weekend menu. Chilean Sea Bass and Prime Rib.

The sea bass was prepared “en papillote” which means its steamed inside a paper wrapping with poblano peppers, salsa fresca, white wine and butter. It was creamy, very moist and delicious. It was served with asparagus and a cheesy potato cake

I typically don’t order sea bass so I don’t proclaim to be a connoisseur of it, but I found it to be satisfying and tasty.

Next, we dug into the prime rib. Here’s my general prime rib thoughts: Prime rib for me over the years has been a few things. Over cooked. Under cooked. Waaaay too fatty. Not fatty enough. Meager portions. Cold. Congealed. Etc.

So that being said, when I see it on a menu, it is extremely RARE that I would order it because although it seems simple enough (slab-o-beef) it is very easy to screw it up.

They set down a plate with enough prime rib to serve 2 large males. Or Fred Flintstone.

It was a nice pinkish red in the middle and brown around the edges. It had a small amount of visible fat and served with au jus and horseradish cream.

We each cut off a piece and tasted. It was “wow worthy” for certain. Tender, moist and the “crust” was seasoned just enough to flavor the whole piece. Even the more rare portions were warm and juicy.

At some point I had to cut Christa off by reminding her that meat-coma level 5 would surely ensue before 2 pm if she kept eating it.

In the mood for prime rib, I would easily recommend Z’Tejas for this superb dish.

Finally, they brought out the Chef’s special dessert: chocolate mousse with raspberries.

The prime rib reigns for me as the afternoon’s best dish, however the mousse was a close second.

It was spiked with a coffee flavored liqueur and it was rich and decadent. However, unlike some mousses, it was not so rich that it was impossible to finish it. Christa and I unanimously decided “there’s always room for chocolate mousse.”

Crazy cocktails, great happy hours, excellent corn bread and prime rib—who knew? Z’Tejas may be a venerable Scottsdale institution as it’s been in business here for 17 years, but their new menu options and affordable prices make it a must visit this winter.

The menu I reviewed is available from today through January 3, 2010. Get it before it’s gone! Happy New Year!!!

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie
The anticipation for my trip to Caffé Boa was high. It was a “girls day out” with my good friend Christa that would cap off with a trip down to Tempe to sample this Mill Avenue institution’s new menu.

I have heard many, many reviews of Caffé Boa over the years. Of late, I have heard a lot of buzz about Chef Payton Curry’s arrival and the changes to the menu.

I typically don’t read what other people are saying about a restaurant before I eat there, but for some reason I was compelled. I spent about an hour pouring over Yelp!, Chowhound and Urban Spoon. The anticipation grew.

Christa and I spent the day catching up and in the late afternoon, we decided to head down to our old ASU stomping grounds.

My business partner Jay decided at the last minute to join us for dinner and we arrived about 40 minutes before our reservation.

We took a seat in their cozy bar and took in the scene.

We saddled up on the long community style bar table and checked out the drink menu. I was immediately impressed by the variety of inventive cocktails.

Christa and I opted to taste the red delicious martini and Jay chose white sangria, a personal favorite of his.

We observed the interior of the restaurant whist waiting for our cocktails. The hardwood floors, brick walls, paned windows and painted murals gave Caffé Boa a very urban feel. It stood out ten fold among its peers on Mill Avenue on décor and classy interior design alone!

Our cocktails arrived. My Red Delicious tasted like a little bit of fall in a glass. It was topped with foamy goodness, reminiscent of childhood trips to Orange Julius. And I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. I heart Orange Julius.

Jay’s white sangria was not the favorite beverage he tried that evening as he said it was a bit too “bitter.”

We sipped on our cocktails and were shown to our table around 5:30 PM.

We were seated between the kitchen and the enclosed patio.

Our server Nick arrived and gave us a little background on the restaurant since the arrival of Chef Payton.

He said the last three months has held a strong focus on sustainability and local produce. Evidently Chef Payton plants many of the crops they purchase from McClendon farms. They receive sustainable produce daily and make all their pasta fresh in house.

We were starving at this point and told Chef Payton to “go to town” and present us with whatever what on his culinary mind that evening.

Which is another interesting aspect to Caffé Boa. Chef told us the weather was rainy and dreary so he decided to change the menu at the last minute. He’s adaptable and sustainable—great combo! ☺

We did ask him if there was one dish we “had to try.” He said, “Order the fried chicken, and sign a waiver because it will change your life.”

How’s that for dish anticipation?

Jay and Christa decided to try another couple of their signature cocktails. A strawberry and basil muddled martini for Jay and a coffee martini for Christa.

Both were incredibly fresh and delicious. Our server described the strawberry martini as “taking a nice shower.” Hmm…interesting. (Side note: I later tried to conjure up memories of that martini in the shower and it just wasn’t happening…)

The joy of the evening arrived next. The charcuterie plate. Or should I say “pate heaven on a wood cutting block?”

Holy charcuterie goodness Batman! Chef Payton sampled for us the pork country pate, the turkey pate that he said was their ode to Thanksgiving, and the rich and creamy garlic and lemon zest turkey pate. There were multiple “wows” being thrown out left and right by all of us at the table.

The plate also contained fresh bread from MJ Bread, house made pickles, pickled radish, house made quince and house made mustard.

I am going to go on record stating, “Payton Curry has a curing and pickling addiction.” Lucky for Caffé Boa!

This stands alone and the best charcuterie we’ve had all year and the creamy turkey pate has officially toppled BLT Steak’s pate for best we’ve had in our lives.

At this point in our dinner Jay remarked that he previously only had visited Mill Avenue to sample Atomic Cherries at Fat Tuesday’s or to shake it at Club 411. (Ok, he really didn’t “shake it” but I really had to write that.) Who knew what culinary delights that Caffé Boa held for us?

Next we tried the Mayas green garlic and potato soup with caramelized onion. It was served with a crostini topped with a tangy goat cheese and a Thumbelina carrot top.

The soup was rich, creamy and thick. Paired with the crostini, it had the perfect combination of salt and tang. Magnifique. I was quite grateful that Chef was inspired by the rain.

Next they brought us Washington mussels with leeks, lemongrass, yellow curry and coconut milk. It was served with a grilled flatbread. Typically, I run screaming from curry (the powder, not the man), but this had a very mild flavor, and frankly, I tasted the lemon more than the curry flavor. Christa had never tried mussels before but we think we made her a believer.

Next came a panzanella salad that hand everything from duck confit, to mushroom broth vinaigrette, to three types of mushrooms, to orange blossom honey.

The three of us were not big fans of this dish mainly because it had waaaay too much going on in it. We would have liked it more without the duck. The layers of flavor did not combine in a way that suited our taste buds.

Next we sampled the gnocchi and sweetbreads that reminded us of an “adult pot-pie.” The gnocchi was incredibly delicious and we could really taste the potato. Some gnocchi comes out gooey or mushy. This was crispy and light with a strong and structured taste.

The autumn maccaroncello arrived next. This dish is made with butternut squash, fresh pasta, honey and pumpkin oil topped with pecorino cheese. We found the flavors to be overwhelmingly “squashy.” To interpret, that means we thought it was far too sweet. It had a beautiful color and presentation, but we are salty people. (in so many ways!)

Finally, the evening’s showstopper arrived. The “payt-n-bake” Fried Chicken. Chef Payton told us the chicken itself stays “similar” on most evenings, but that they mix up what they serve it with almost nightly.

The chicken was made-to-order and was served over sausage gravy and mashed potatoes. The skin was peppery, crispy and not at all greasy.

The chicken was also the MOST tender fried chicken I have ever had in my life. I had to ask how they got it to fall off the bone. They said they slow cook the chicken itself before frying it. Ahhh, I love culinary secrets! I am going to try that at home!

The mashed potatoes and gravy reminded me of a restaurant in Fon du Lac Wisconsin my parents used to take me as a kid. I absolutely adored them.

A few other notes, our server was pleasant however a bit inattentive. We asked multiple times for fresh silverware, plates etcetera. We even ate an entire course sharing one fork because it (the food) was getting cold and our server had disappeared.

We can tell they are really trying to improve the service, and we do expect it to match the quality of the food very soon.

Overall, we enjoyed our experience thoroughly. Chef Payton Curry is an excellent addition to Caffé Boa and we are proud and willing recipients of his pickling and curing addiction.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie
Ahhhh Elements at the Sanctuary Resort and Spa. Thinking about this restaurant warms my heart. I have been a loyal fan for over 6 years and counting.

My husband and I went to elements on our first date. Then, my husband proposed to me at elements. When Jay and I needed a place to do a photo shoot for our business—we chose (big surprise!) elements.

There’s really so much to love. The view, the patio, the martinis and most importantly to the Foodie Crew….the food.

The man behind that food is of course, Chef Beau MacMillan.

This valley chef has been quite a busy boy in 2009. He has managed to design his dream kitchen, film 6 episodes of a new show on the Food Network that premiers on January 3, 2010 called “Worst Cooks in America,” not to mention finding time for dating and his 6-year-old son.

Needless to say, Jay and I jumped at the opportunity for a private kitchen tour and interview with MacMillan.

We started out with a tour of the almost finished brand new kitchen.  This expansion increases the kitchen’s current square footage by over 2500 sq feet. They are also creating a beautiful outside patio addition that features a fantastic view of the Praying Monk on Camelback Mountain.

The excitement was palpable in the air as MacMillan told us about every aspect of the new space.

“We’re in the home stretch, it’s (the kitchen) really starting to look good!” he exclaimed.

In 2001, when the Sanctuary resort was given a $55 million dollar makeover, elements’ kitchen did not survive the budget cuts.

With booming success over the past 8 years, it was time to put the kitchen project on the front burner.

“The old kitchen was no longer efficient. We knew we would have to face it (the renovation) sooner or later. We said ‘let’s do it in a recession’ where we can get labor at 1/3 the cost,” explained MacMillan.

The hotel owners enlisted two local designers to tackle the renovation. MacMillan was given carte blanche to design his “dream kitchen.”

“I sold the designers the dream of what I wanted, and they made it happen,” said MacMillan.

To say he is excited about it would be a huge understatement. I asked him if he lies awake at night dreaming about his new kitchen.

“Are you kidding me right now? I have goose bumps just thinking about it. Guys here are so re-inspired to cook. If we are going to spend all this money, we are going to show everyone what we are made of in that kitchen,” said MacMillan.

A few of the major highlights of MacMillan’s new digs:

*A private dining room called “12” that seats a dozen hungry foodies. This VIP table will feature tasting menus of up to 12 courses, a 50 inch TV to satellite in wine makers for tasting classes and the coolest feature: a curtain that opens into the kitchen. Behind the curtain waits a custom made chef’s counter that can present a raw bar, cooking demos or anything else MacMillan can envision. (We would be more than happy to test this out—hint hint!)

*1800-degree char broiler that allows him to make “Dry-aged rib eye steaks like Mastros.” (We can’t WAIT!)

*Custom plancha oven from Spain that will allow whole fish grilling

* 6 burner ranges

*Custom made hot line with plenty of prep room, soup wells and lots of other luxuries most kitchens don’t have.

*Asian-style meat smoker

*Massive prep and pantry area to do large batch cooking, piles of cold seafood and sashimi

*2 huge walk-in refrigerators. One that has a glass window that will display farm fresh fruits and vegetables for diners to gaze upon. “We left a glass window that allows us to have floor to ceiling window so guests can see beautiful vegetables and fruits thru the window on walk in. It’s going to look like a fresh garden, it’s sexy. I love seeing food lit up. Will be very, very cool,” exclaimed MacMillan. (We really love sexy food too….)

*A custom made bake shop where MacMillan will hire a pastry chef for the first time in his tenure. “A good pastry chef was our missing link. Now we will have the ability to improve our dessert product. We will bake breakfast muffins, breads, amenities and gourmet items for the in-room mini-bars,” said MacMillan.

After our walk thru, MacMillan said, “This kitchen is a beast. A Ferrari engine right here!”

We couldn’t agree more.

This kitchen machine will be up and running mid January with some test dinners and an entire re-vamping of the menus.

“There’s new food from floor to ceiling. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Pool & Room Service. And then I get to start work on the menu for “12.” Said MacMillan.

“We’ve always said at elements you get popular American cuisine that’s farm fresh w/ Asian accents. You can get calamari in the restaurant, we just hope we make it better than other people,” said MacMillan.

After our tour, we hung out in the restaurant lobby and shifted topics to his new show premiering on the Food Network.
MacMillan was approached in 2007 about “The Worst Cooks in America” and flew to NYC to audition.

“I flew out, did an audition. They asked me to stay for four more days. I did another audition. After that, the show was mine,” said MacMillan.

He filmed the show in 2008 in 24 days. On location in NYC, he worked 15-hour days about which he said, “Shooting the show was a blast. I can’t believe all the things I learned. The people I got to meet.  It really was a different phase for me as a cook—it was so new and exciting every day.”

He continued, “ Those days filming had long hours like being a chef, but different. A minor portion of the show was scripted. I had to deliver lines. When they let me be myself and ad lib, which they did a lot, I come across so much better.”

The show’s main premise is taking 12 of the “Worst Cooks In America” and having them compete for a $25,000 prize.
MacMillan and his team competed against Food Network Chef Anne Burrell. MacMillan is the captain of the Blue Team competing against Burrell’s Red Team.

“I was trying to out teach Ann—we had a little battle working. You see how the format of the show works and everything comes together,” said MacMillan.

I asked him just how bad these cooks really were?

“The way I was trained, these guys would have been, unfortunately, under the firing range by some of the French Chefs I worked for. But you know I learned a lot of patience and that was a key attribute. Their whole basis on being a cook comes down to flavor and there’s so much more involved. We put them in situations where they had to rely on their memory or they had to hone their skills on timing, multi-tasking, they had to do every day things that go into being a cook…organization and cleanliness. It was completely overwhelming,” said MacMillan.

He also remarked about how these bad cooks had no idea how much goes into being a chef, including time, stress and learning curves.

“My goals on the show are just like little league baseball, I can’t teach them how to be good second basemen, until they love to play the game. My goal was how to take 6 people and inspire them and get them to love what they are doing. I’m a believer. I think you can turn people into good chefs. The key ingredient for success is desire. My real goal was to make everyone in that boot camp love cooking,” said MacMillan.

MacMillan said he feels confident the show will be a success. He said Food Network has warm and fuzzy feelings about it being one of the most watched shows in the beginning of 2010. He was really excited about the “relate-ablity” of the contestants.

“I do think that people can really identify w/ contestants. They were very real. They say flat out, ‘I Suck, I need help!’ You attach to the characters. A lot of people can relate to it. It will be entertaining, just because of the situations that these guys spin around in and are faced with. There’s drama, action, comedy and tragedy. Everything. Boom,” said MacMillan.

The Worst Cooks in America debuts directly following an Iron Chef “Master Battle” that First Lady Michelle Obama is scheduled to appear on. This is great news for MacMillan as he says the viewers will, “follow from Iron Chef into my show, and the Food Network expects viewership to triple for that episode of Iron Chef.”

Throughout our entire interview, I was stuck by how incredibly grounded MacMillan seems.

It is quite evident that the past year has been filled with travels and he has been out of his kitchen a lot. “However,” he said, “I am rooted in the fact at the end of the day, I want to be a chef. If I get the best of both worlds, I am great with that. I can be a chef and not have TV career. I can’t be a TV chef and not have a kitchen career.”

I asked him what happens when his fame catches up with him at the restaurant and throngs of screaming women stake him out?
“I will pass my number out,” he quipped.

“The people that know me know that I have been described as larger than life, I am very passionate about food. (I’ve) Worked here for 11 years, my goal is to work with beautiful people, in beautiful places and cook beautiful food,” said MacMillan.

Through the stresses of the restaurant renovations and the TV show, the experience has been very consuming for MacMillan, but he said, “It’s in my blood.”

If the show goes as planned, he’s contracted for two more seasons.

For now, MacMillan has a few wants, “I want to showcase the restaurant, make ownership and my team proud. I want to see happy faces, 2, 3 times a month. It should be right portions, right pricing, right ambiance and right food. I want people to say that about elements.”

“I think people are going to like the show. It’s the icing on the cake,” said MacMillan.

Catch our hometown boy on Sunday, January 3 on the Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America,” at 8 PM Arizona Time, 9 Central.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie
I spent part of my weekend trying to figure out what Twitter is all about. In the process, I learned that it is pretty fun and a fantastic way to learn about new cocktails, foods, restaurants etc at lightning fast speed.

Saturday night, I got a tweet from Marianne Belardi from Cowboy Ciao asking if I had tried the “Meat and Potatoes Martini” at Cowboy Ciao.

Here’s how that conversation on Twitter went:

Cowboy Ciao  @Foodieslikeus (Foodies Like Us) Susie-Q…new martini at Cowboy Ciao screaming your name: “Meat & Potatoes Martini” | Carlsson’s potato vodka | drops of aromatica | chilled & served up | topped with cooked-to-order, deep-fried bacon. $11 *Uh-huh*

@ciaomari I think you are trying to kill me with food temptations tonight! Meat and Potatoes Martini @cowboyciao eh? I feel a blog coming on!

The temptation of that martini gnawed at me all weekend and of course on Monday, I headed into CC to give it a shot.

I was not exactly sure what I was getting into—some of you may remember I reviewed the BLTini at Digestif earlier this year. It was like a BLT in a glass. I wasn’t certain that could be topped, but I have learned not to doubt the cocktail prowess of one Peter Kasperski…

I took my place at the counter and Eric took my order.

“A meat and potatoes martini please—oh and a glass of Guntrum,” I said.

He gave me a quizzical look, I assume, because I was double fisting alcohol at 1 pm.

“I am going to review the martini,” I explained. He looked relieved.

I also ordered one of my most favorite things in the world, their world famous Stetson Chopped Salad. It’s beautiful and one dish that I start craving and cannot stop craving until I eat one!

I tapped my fingers in anticipation of the martini and ignored my wine.

Finally, the martini arrived. Made with Carlsson’s vodka, Worcestershire, and bitters, this creation is topped with egg washed, battered and deep-fried BACON!

Oh My! I was actually pretty stunned. I took a few food porn pics and then it was time to taste.

I put the bacon aside as it would be pretty hard to drink with meat on top of it. My first sip surprised the hell out of me!
It was so incredibly smooth, smoky and had such a subtle flavor. Then, I took a bite out of the bacon. The two flavors combined and truly tasted just like crispy bacon topped mashed potatoes.

I allowed myself 2 more sips as I felt that getting lit-up at 1 pm was not a very bright idea. And trust me, if I drank the entire thing, it would go down perfectly and I would want another. Susie+2 martinis=bad.

The moral of this vodka and meat-filled tale—I had no idea that Twitter could be a cocktail conduit of information. I eagerly anticipate my next trip to CC for a Meat & Potatoes Martini. Most importantly, I know if Peter is inventing a meat cocktail, I will be first in line to try it!

Frankly, I might run in there later just for another piece of deep-fried bacon! Yowza!

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

As a college student at Arizona State University, I frequently looked up at the Buttes resort off of 1-10 and 48th St in Tempe and wondered if I would ever head to the top of those beautiful rocks and gaze down at the city below?

It only took 12 years, but indeed, I have finally made it to the top of the rock. Top of the Rock restaurant at the Buttes, a Marriott Resort that is!

This glass enclosed wonder features stunning wrap around views of Tempe and Scottsdale from one of the highest points in the Valley of the Sun.

I had the opportunity to dine at Top of the Rock for Sunday brunch and for a weekday dinner within the past month.

Both experiences highlighted the superior customer service, stunning vistas and quality ingredients that make Top of the Rock a destination for many marriage proposals and romantic evenings.

I have heard mixed comments and opinions about this Phoenix institution over the years. Jay and I were excited to formulate our own critique.

Our brunch experience was filled with good service, a beautiful ambiance and tasty champagne. We were not overly impressed with the food choices and got the sense the staff was not overly impressed either. We have had better brunches in the Valley, but we have a lot of faith in Top of the Rock’s new Chef James Hildebrand. We will be back in a few months after he has tweaked the menu a bit more!

Dinner however, was a whole different experience.

We arrived as the sun was heading down and were able to appreciate the shadows and light on the mountains and the purple and orange hues created by a classic Arizona sunset.

The restaurant opens at 5:30 PM and we were the first table to be seated. We chose a table to the left side of the restaurant and Joe, our server arrived and reviewed the menus with us.

Hildebrand has paired classic steakhouse fare with some standout ingredients and options. I was quite impressed by the menu.

We decided to let the Chef serve us an array of small portions so we could taste thru much of the menu.

The menu features simple, quality dishes including appetizers, salads, soups, 6 different steak preparations, two fish choices, lamb and pork chops. The average entrée price is $35 and it includes a starch and veggie.

First, we were served an Amuse Bouche of duck on top a crostini. It was salty, sweet and an excellent indication of how the rest of the meal might turn out.

Next, we were offered a cold appetizer platter including shrimp cocktail, the jumbo lump crab and the ahi tuna.

Holy cold seafood goodness! The shrimp were huge, the lump crab fresh, sweet and delicious—and the ahi tuna, wow, just amazing.  The ahi tuna was crusted with smoky sesame seeds and served with wasabi cream sauce. I would drive to Tempe to eat this appetizer any day! It was simply outrageous!

This course was followed by a taste of the homemade gnocchi that is pan seared and served in a chunky marinara sauce and covered in Parmesan. Jay, who doesn’t typically like gnocchi said it was the best he had ever tasted and made a lot of happy “mmmmmm” noises. I agree wholeheartedly!

Next we were served a taste of their classic Caesar salad and the Top of the Rock salad. The Caesar was simple, peppery and had a nice parm crouton. It also had large anchovies on it! Jay was happy, as he is an anchovy fan. I only like them if I can’t see their fuzzy backs…

The Top of the Rock salad included poached pears, and the blue cheese crumbles offset candied walnuts and the sweetness from those two ingredients nicely. All topped with champagne vinaigrette. Not my favorite dish that evening, but still a nice flavor combination.

The evening’s true surprise dish was served next.

The “She Crab” soup was a savory crab bisque with lump crabmeat topped with chives and sherry. It was spicy, brimming with crab and had a zing that warmed the back of my throat.

Jay and I decided that soup would be perfect on a cold day after lighting a fire in the fireplace and curling up with a good book. Perhaps while wearing a Snuggie? Not sure, but I do know that soup is damn good!

Next, we were served two platters featuring small portions of lamb chops, steak dianne, salmon and halibut.

On the meat platter, I enjoyed the classic flavor of the lamb chops over truffled mushrooms. They were tender and minty! The steak dianne was cooked to perfection and served over mustard-y potatoes.

The salmon was by far our favorite entrée as it featured cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor and capers. The halibut was served over a smoked corn relish and it was creamy and flaky.

For dessert, we tried their bread pudding—eggy, caramel flavored French toast delight, and the chocolate lava cake that was crunchy and rich.

I am truly happy we tried the dinner at Top of the Rock. It was a very memorable experience and we will add it to our list of “Top places to take your Valentine’s Sweetie.”

We recommend dinner at Top of the Rock for it’s simple but elegant menu, beautiful views, shining service and romantic ambiance.

It might haven taken me 12 years to try it, but I will certainly return before another decade passes!

Top of the Rock is located at the Buttes, a Marriott Resort at 2000 Westcourt Way in Tempe. It is open daily for dinner at 5:30 PM. Reservations are recommended but not required and the attire is casual.

Like this review? Check out what we’re cooking at www.foodieslikeus.com!

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie
With his “culinary gansta” chef skull tattoo, signature bleached blonde locks and bowling shirts, Guy Fieri has rapidly become a foodie icon that represents the All-American chef.

I have been watching Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Guy’s Big Bite on the Food Network since both shows began airing. To say I am a fan is an understatement. There’s just something about Guy Fieri…

This year, we were offered the opportunity to promote Fieri’s Roadshow at the Mesa Arts Center and we decided to host the pre-party that features 11 of the restaurants in Arizona that have been on Triple D. These events will take place on December 18, 2009.

Imagine my elation, when I was offered the unique chance to speak to Guy on the phone and to ask him some burning foodie questions!

The day before Thanksgiving, as Fieri was literally loading his truck and heading to the mountains to celebrate the holiday with 10 other families, smoked turkey and prime rib, he and I had our chat.

First, I asked him what he thinks of the term “foodie.”

“I think that ‘foodie’ is a misunderstood word. I haven’t thought of a better one yet and I am not sure how I feel about the ‘ie’ on the end of the word. I think people assume ‘foodie’ means ‘food snob,’ which it clearly does not. I guess we could call them ‘foodtastic people,’” Fieri laughed.

Fieri does enjoy making up words and terms that may be pedestrian in the purist of culinary circles (think chocolate-y, money, bananas, real deal holyveal); however, I think he is incredibly amusing and easy to relate to. Foodtastic is another gem that I will credit to him each time I repeat it!

I asked him when he knew that he was destined to cook and if he had an “ah-ha” culinary moment.

He replied,” When I was ten years old, I was complaining about food to my parents and my mom said, ‘if you don’t like it, you can do the cooking.’ I went to the store, picked up some steak and cooked it up. At that moment, I figured out that if I did the cooking, I got to pick what we ate, make people happy and I didn’t have to do the dishes.”

Hey, I have that same arrangement with my husband!!

At this point in the year, Fieri has been to seven stops on his 21 city whirlwind Roadshow tour. (find out where’s he’s off to next at www.guyfieri.com)

“This tour has been amazing, and overwhelming so far, but one of the best experiences of my life,” Fieri explained.

I asked him if he was excited to hit up Phoenix again on the tour as he’s been here to film Triple D 13 times.
“There’s just something about those places that are either very hot or very cold. I think you guys spend so much time inside perfecting your food. Every time we are looking for a new place I suggest we head down to Arizona. There’s some really special brothers and sisters I have met in Arizona, we’ve had some great success there,” said Fieri.

When I told him all about the pre-party before his Roadshow in Mesa, uniting all the chefs who have been on the show in Az, he said he “literally have chills,” and “I am so excited to hear you are doing that, you made my day.”

He would not pick a favorite city or restaurant featured on Triple D saying, “it’s like a concert, you can go, love the music and say ‘this is the best concert I have ever been to,’ but the next week you can go hear another performer who sings a different style and say the same thing again. These restaurants—it’s all in the moment—every one is great in the moment.”

About the different chefs and owners he has met he said, “My favorite chef is the All-American Chef –I am most impressed, blown away even by these restaurateurs on the road.”

I could hear in his voice that he genuinely loves what he is doing each and every day, from the cooking show to the Roadshow to Triple D. I asked him if he had a favorite project and he said, “each one feeds a different need for me.”

His favorite part of his job is, “The positive impact the shows have had on people. When people tell me I’ve changed their business, then I know I’m doing this right,” he said.

He said he would believe he would more likely “be on the moon,” that to have had the wild successes since he won the second season of the “Next Food Network Star” in 2006.

I was curious what essential kitchen item he would recommend to foodies and home cooks.

“First and foremost good knives—or a good knife. They are a huge necessity. It’s also important to sharpen and hone your knives. You don’t have to have a knife block, but a good chef’s knife and a paring knife for small work is where it’s at,” said Fieri.

Stranded on a desert island with his favorite meat, pork, Fieri would opt for garlic to flavor the meat and a Jack Daniels cocktail.

I am a huge fan of pitting foods against one another and asking the inevitable: If you only could choose one, which would it be?

Here’s what Fieri had to say:
Chocolate vs. Peanut Butter: Peanut Butter—I don’t like chocolate
Wasabi vs. Horseradish: Horseradish—that kills me—I own a restaurant called “Tex Wasabi’s!”
Steak or lobster: steak
Cherry or strawberry: strawberry, you realize there’s like 17 facets to each of these answers?
Guacamole vs. salsa: Salsa—my head is close to popping off my body with these questions, you know that right?
Chips or Ice Cream: Chips
BBQ or Chinese: ahhh Chinese!
Red Wine or White Wine: oh yea red wine
Mojito or Mai Tai: Mai Tai

At this point in the interview, he complimented my, “unique and interesting questions,” and so I decided, “what the hell” I am going to ask him about his ink.

As a tattoo fan, I wanted to know if he had any “food themed” tattoos.

“I have my culinary gansta tattoo that my buddies and I all have of a skull chef. I have my monkey wrench tattoo hand holding a fish knife. My newest tattoo coming next will be the culinary scorpion—his whole body will be made of kitchen utensils,” Fieri explained.

I found Fieri to be charming, funny and 100% sincere. What you see is what you get.

He took the time on a holiday weekend to give me an interview. That in it self will resound with me forever!

After the interview, I was on a serious high. Lucky for me, Food Network played the Diners, Drive-ins and Dives marathon all day on Friday.

I was inspired to try a couple of Triple D restaurants out this weekend. For lunch today, Eric and I went to Chino Bandido in North Phoenix.

This unique restaurant features Chinese-Mexican fusion—all served up in an aluminum pie plate!

Now I certainly know why this joint was on the show! To quote Fieri, It was “OFF THE HOOK!”

The owners, Eve and Frank Collins sat with us as we sampled Jade Red Chicken, Emerald Chicken Quesadillas, Cuban Black Beans, Jerk Fried Rice and Machaca Burritos.

The regaled us with all sorts of tales about their Guy Fieri experience and how much he has meant to their business.

“He was genuine and so easy to work with,” said Eve, ”The whole experience was amazing for us.”

Eric and I hung out at Chino’s for over 2 hours and although we really wanted the Collinses to adopt us, we reluctantly went home and started on our Triple D marathon.

After 9 hours of Guy Fieri and Triple D episodes, we saw many of the Arizona featured restaurants and of course, I cannot wait to try every single one!

Now on a Triple D Arizona roll, I called up Richard Bock from Giuseppe’s on 28th and we tried it out Saturday night.

I had pork shank osso bucco. It was heavenly. The very best I have ever had. One of the best things I have ever tasted.

Jay tried the pasta Bolognese and Eric had meat lasagna. All completely different yet all stunning flavors. The tiramisu was also light, creamy and one of the most delicious I have ever had.

About halfway through our dinner, I finally figured it out. Guy Fieri, the restaurants on his show and the chefs he features are just quite simply: real.

There’s not a hint of pretense. Most likely if you show up to 99% of the places on his show, you will meet the person who was featured in the flesh.

Like the Collineses who work the line and sample their foods to hungry customers with a smile. Or Bock who takes names down on a clipboard with a sharpie, holds the door for waiting foodies, refills waters and generally makes comical wise cracks to regulars and newbies alike.

Just real. Normal, kind and extremely passionate people.

“Some of the chefs in this town cook how they think people want to eat, I cook from my experiences. I cook from my heart,” said Bock.

It’s this attitude that earns these chefs the well-deserved recognition they get from Fieri and Food Network.

Guy Fieri is the epitome of an All-American Chef who has true admiration and respect for his fellow restaurant owners and their passion for real and delicious cuisine.

My glimpse into his world was truly one of the most fun experiences I have had.

***NOTE****As of today, November 30, 2009, There are currently 70 tickets left to the Pre-Party and Roadshow on December 18 at the Mesa Arts Center. These special tickets are ONLY available to Foodies Like Us Fans and you can purchase them for $48 (plus handling fees) by calling 480-644-6500, mention promo code “Foodies”. Click here for more information. Don’t miss out on the chance to sample food from 11 of the restaurants who have been on Triple D in Arizona and then watch Guy Fieri live and in person as he wows us with his cooking prowess!!

Here’s a couple of local Triple D Recipes you should try!
Pollo Diabo, Courtesy of Eve Collins, Chino Bandido
Ingredients
* 12 cups corn oil, for deep frying
* 3/4 cup egg whites
* 4 quarters skinless chicken, boned and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* Garlic salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 3 cups cornstarch
Garlic Mixture:
* 4 tablespoons minced garlic
* 1 teaspoon minced yellow onion
* 3/4 tablespoon minced green onion
* Pinch dried crushed red pepper
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 minced Serrano pepper
* 1/2 minced jalapeno pepper
* Pinch garlic salt
* Pinch garlic powder
* 1/2 cup hot chili oil, divided
* 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
* 2 cups freshly chopped green onions
* Pinch garlic salt

Directions
In a Dutch oven or deep-fryer heat oil to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a handheld mixer until frothy. Place the chicken pieces into the egg whites, mixing until each piece is covered. Sprinkle with a pinch each of garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to distribute.
Dredge the chicken pieces in cornstarch, draining most of the egg white from chicken by picking up a handful and allowing the egg white to drain while moving to the cornstarch. Cover the pieces completely by turning in cornstarch.

Pick up the chicken in handfuls and transfer from hand to hand to shake off most of the starch. If using a deep fryer place the pieces into a fry basket. Lower into hot fry oil and shake basket after 10 to 15 seconds to make sure the pieces separate as they cook. Fry until the pieces float on top of the oil and are light brown, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. The chicken should appear somewhat dry, not oily, when the basket is lifted. If frying in a Dutch oven place pieces of chicken in hot oil and fry until light brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
For the Garlic Mixture:
In a small bowl, add all the garlic mixture ingredients and toss to thoroughly combine.
Place 1 tablespoon of hot chili oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil into a hot wok or sauté pan over medium to high heat. Immediately put 4 tablespoons of the garlic mixture and 1/3 cup chopped green onions into the oil, stirring with a spoon to lightly cook the garlic mixture, being careful not to brown. Add approximately 2 cups of the fried chicken and toss to cover with the sauce. Finish them with a pinch of garlic salt. Toss once more and serve. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Emerald Sauce, Courtesy of Eve Collins, Chino Bandido
¼ cup finely minced peeled fresh ginger
¾ cup finely minced green onion
2 tsp. kosher salt (can be adjusted to taste)
1 cup vegetable oil

Combine ginger, green onion and salt in small bowl.  Add vegetable oil, stirring to combine and dissolve salt.  Strain mixture thru cheesecloth to drain most of the oil. Oil can be reserved for other recipes. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
This recipe is great on chicken, shrimp, pork or as a salsa!