Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
Nourish-ing difficult diets
I don’t eat dairy. My friend gets stomach aches if she eats gluten. There’s often a vegetarian or vegan in any given dining mix.
Dining out with a multitude of dietary restrictions can be challenging at best — and downright annoying at worst.
Nourish, a new healthy restaurant near Scottsdale Fashion Square is a destination for picky foodies.
“Do you have any dietary restrictions?” asks our waitress as soon as we sit down.
The menu clearly lists what’s vegan, dairy, gluten-free with liberal notes about how a menu item can be changed to fit your particular dietary needs.
As to be expected, many menu items smack of healthy eating. An air-fried egg? Really?
But I must admit, my air-fried Eggs Benedict on a gluten-free bagel was pretty good.
Nourish
On Highland Ave. west of Scottsdale Road
New Phoenix restaurants: Windsor & Churn
I’ve been waiting a long time for Windsor – both literally and figuatively.
I’d heard word that the Postino people were opening a new restaurant across the street from the Central location.
I watched construction on aforementioned location for months, but I didn’t let myself believe it until I saw cars in the parking lot and signs saying it was officially open for business.
Last Monday, Craig Demarco’s new restaurant Windsor, named for the Windsor neighbor where it resides, and dessert destination, Churn, opened for business.
The atmosphere is cozy meets funky. The space is small; Leather booths line the wall, old-school brass fixtures are combined with cassette tape wallpaper.
The patio is open and airy (a model of how I’m hoping to remodel my own patio) with a cool wooden fence, lots of potted cacti & succulents, strings of over-head lights: basically the perfect easy breezy outdoor eating and space.
It’s great to see a good looking restaurant — but there have been a lot of those opening recently, with a lackluster menu.
Would this place be more of the same?
In a word, no.
Windsor’s menu is right up my alley: lots of sandwiches, simple appetizers (corn dog bites!) and some delicious drinks (and cocktails).
On our recent visit, my husband and I started with the corn dog poppers ($6), because who doesn’t love a good corn dog? They were as expected, bite-sized hog dogs in a sweet breading with a yellow mustard dipping sauce (see above). Mmmmm.
For lunch, I had the Halibut Banh Mi ($13) with was made with sanbal mayo, carrots, and cilantro.
My husband had the Porkwich ($12) and we marveled at the three different types of pig — pulled pork, ham, and bacon — which were joined by slaw and sweet mustard.
Each sandwich has a choice from one of several sides: the more typical fries and chips, but also a bevy of beans, okra, or cheesy potatoes.
Even though our meal was totally filling, I had to check out the dessert spot next door, Churn.
Their offerings: several flavors of ice cream (I wish I did dairy so I could try the peanut butter flavor) and plates of cookies, cupcakes and sweets.
I did wish that the sweets were available on the Windsor menu. I’ll walk for a sweetie, but it would be easier just to put it all on one bill.
The Windsor & Churn
5223 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Bianco DiNapoli Tomatoes
Chris Bianco added lunch hours to Pizzeria Bianco, dinner hours at Pane Bianco, and has consulted on new local restaurant projects. If that wasn’t enough, now he’s in the tomato business.
Chris Bianco is working with fruit and veggie canner, Rob DiNapoli to create organically grown and hand-processed tomatoes.
It’s not likely our pizza sauce will taste like a Bianco’s pie, but with the right tomatoes, we’ll be a step closer.
The giant 102 ounce cans are $15 and available at Pane Bianco.
Pizzeria Bianco’s does lunch
Pizzeria Bianco has won awards from critics, readers and fellow restauranteurs alike. It was voted the best pizza in the US. It’s been featured on Oprah…
…and it has the lines to prove it. Three hour lines.
“If you come on a Tuesday or Wednesday after 9, the wait is much less,” I was told by a person in the know. My husband and I took the advice and ventured to the restaurant late on a Tuesday… and waited a mere an hour and a half . Still plenty of time to get drunk on wine in the bar next door.
Because of the enormous time requirements, Pizzeria Bianco’s has become a non-option for locals who want to have dinner in a relatively timely manner.
But all that might change.
Pizzeria Bianco’s is now serving lunch – Tuesdays through Saturdays at 11 a.m.
Line up…
5 lunches for $5 and under
Lunch is my favorite meal of the day. I love little more than meeting friends for a midday meal — however such practices can get spendy day in and day out. Here are 5 spots around town where you can get lunch for $5 or less.
1.) Banh Mi Thit Nuong sandwich and an iced tea @ Da Vang, $3.25
Made with barbecued pork, carrot, cucumber, jalapeño peppers and fresh cilantro on a loaf of French baguette, the sandwich combines sweet and spicy into one delicious, fresh-tasting sandwich. Add in an ice tea for a dollar and you’re still well under the price of a typical deli-lunch.
Da Vang
4538 N. 19th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85015
602-242-3575
2.) Hot dog & a drink @ Costco, $1.50
Usually, you have to be a member of Costco to even enter the warehouse. But in a strange design quirk at Spectrum (formerly Christown) Mall, the snack center is right out in the open, which means anyone, even Joe (or Jane) Non-member, can partake in the inexpensive goodness: a giant hot dog and a fountain drink.
Costco
1646 W. Montebello
Phoenix AZ 85015-2557
3.) 3 tacos @ Two Hippies Beach House, $5
Tortilla (bread substitute) is wrapped around a variety of tasty fillings. Choose 1 kind — or sample a variety: green beef, cactus, fish. For a little extra, get one of their giant flavored lemonades.
Two Hippies Beach House
501 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85012
4.) Sub sandwich @ Jimmy John’s, $4.50
Get an 8-inch sub sandwich in options like B.L.T., roast beef, or a traditional Italian sub made with fresh-baked bread.
Jimmy Johns
Locations around the Valley
5.) Half sandwich and side @ Boston Market, $4.99
For those looking for a home-style sandwich with more waist-friendly portion-sizes, Boston Market now offers a half of a sandwich with a side for $4.99.
Boston Market
Locations around the Valley
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Any other suggestions for a cheap lunch? We’re listening.
Phoenix ethnic food: Chuhgajib Korean Restaurant
Korean BBQ is one of my all-time favorite kinds of food. It might actually be THE favorite. All of those little unknown dishes paired with rice and meat and sauces — what’s not to like?\
For this week’s Eating the World, I headed to west Phoenix’s Chuhgajib Korean Restaurant and found a huge selection of Korean fare — and some amazing lunch specials.
Phoenix ethnic food: Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli
Haji Baba has been one of my favorite middle eastern restaurants for years — but Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli has a better market and amazing fresh pita bread I’ll totally go back for.
Phoenix ethnic food: Ikea cafeteria
I’m in the process of assembling a baby room — which has meant quite a few trips to Ikea.
After about the third trip past the Ikea cafeteria — I realized that Swedish meatballs might be a pretty good Eating the World. So, off to Scandinavia we go!
Valentine’s Day concession: Kookaburras
I’m not a lover of Valentine’s Day.
I like basic undergarments and I don’t like being told to “be romantic,” and flowers sent to my place of business lost their verve when my mom sent me some after my cat died several years ago…
Coworker: Oooooh — who sent the pretty flowers (wink, wink). What’s the big occasion?
Me: My mom — dead cat.
Awkward pause.
Luckily, my husband feels pretty much the same way, so we rarely make a big deal about Valentine’s Day.
This year, however, I’ve decided embrace the chocolate sweet part of V-day and retried the Kookaburra recipe I did for a New Times challenge a few weeks ago.
During the making of those cookies, I made the mistake of putting a caramel layer in the cookies, which turned into something akin to concrete. The cookie around the tooth chipping layer, however, was pretty good…and it’s pretty simple.
Phoenix ethnic food: Salvadorano’s
I was in no mood for this week’s Eating the World, but it’s definitely a spot I’ll put on my usual dining repertoire. Delicious tortillas, plantains, some amazing egg and chicken dishes — just a few reasons to check out Central American restaurant, Salvadorano’s (Restaurant #3 — there are even 2 more!).
