When I was a lad, Mom used to take us to the neighborhood Shakey’s Pizza Parlor where we’d feast on pepperoni and double cheese pizza. I can still remember the slices of pepperoni being curled up from cooking and the tomato sauce being sweet, tangy and addictive. The first time I walked into Spinato’s Pizzeria the familiar smell of cooked pepperoni filled the air and transported me back to that time when I was just a little pizza loving fat kid. Family owned and operated and with several valley locations, Spinato’s Pizzeria has been making some of the Arizona’s tastiest pizza for more than 30 years. Each location is comfortable, welcoming and with menu items including salads, sandwiches and pasta it was easy making them our anytime go-to pizzeria. Getting started I have to say that there is nothing like carb on carb action and Spinato’s nails this with exemplary performance by way of their Baked Spaghetti Calzone. This one might sound kind of strange but trust me, after one bite you’ll wonder why oh why you didn't come up with it first. Pizza dough is wrapped around cooked spaghetti and mozzarella cheese then it’s baked until the crust is golden brown. Then once they pull it out of the oven, they drape the top with their homemade marinara sauce. Optionally you can add ricotta and meatballs but really it’s not necessary since the half moon is already chocked full of tasty goodness. I just love the contrast between the toothsome spaghetti and the light and crispy crust, like it was always meant to be. In a valiant attempt to keep our meal balanced we ordered the family sized Mixed Half and Half Dinner Salad. This means a heaping bowl over flowing with a combination of half crispy iceberg lettuce and half spinach leaves topped with red cabbage, cucumber, sliced tomatoes and croutons. Dressing is served on the side so be sure to order the garlic ranch and the house Italian and try mixing the two on top of your greens, makes for a creamy tang. While some might disagree with me, I have to say that pizza is one of the most perfect foods ever invented. I mean seriously, if you visit the USDA website you can see the Food Pyramids replacement, MyPlate, looks just like four slices of pizza on a plate. Kidding aside, Spinato’s makes a serious pie that has had me coming back since my first taste years ago. Their pizza comes in two versions, either thin crust or the more bready thick crust. While I’ve had both many times over, it’s the svelte version that I crave. Most times when we order we share one large pizza topped with sausage, extra cheese and extra sauce. Crumbles of juicy Italian sausage are blanketed with stringy mozzarella then get a squeeze of tomato sauce on the top. The one thing that really sets this pizza apart is their sauce, it’s slightly acidic with a nice sweetness that meshes well with all the ingredients and it's this that reminds me of my boyhood pizza memories. Plus I love that they cut their pizzas into square pieces rather than pie slices, this means the center contains the most sought after slabs. It’s funny; while I no longer wipe my mouth on my sleeve, I’m still that same fat kid who just loves pizza. Check Website for hours and locations www.spinatospizza.com
Id love to share with you my new go-to date night spot. It’s filled with so much charm and romance we both were simply glowing with post dinner elation. The place, Vincent’s Market Bistro is the scaled down version of the fine dining classic Vincent’s of Camelback. It’s funny that a place like this is so well hidden without even a hint of signage beyond a sandwich board on the street. Just look for the main Vincent’s sign and follow it around back to the Market Bistro entrance, they're housed in the same building. Chef and owner Vincent Guerithault keeps the menu decidedly French with hints of Southwestern flare that he’s so famous for. You should look this guy up; he’s got some accolades including a James Beard award under his belt. Does kudos translate to good cookery, you bet! For one of my favorites, be sure to look for the Curly Endive Salad with mustard dressing, bacon, and a poached egg. I saw it, I ordered it, I swooned over it. A well balanced ratio of salty, sweet and sour then fresh cracked pepper completes the equation. Pizza offerings are done well with a tender pale crust that seemed more akin to pastry then to your typical chewy crispy offering. Tarte Flambée was topped with a light cream sauce, bacon, onion and thyme. Another pork laden pizza was the Caprese topped with pesto, arugula, mozzarella and prosciutto. I just wished that the greens were put on after cooking instead of before. For dinner you’ll find classics including the cooked in its own fat Crispy Duck Confit with lentils and bacon, sensing a porky theme here? The tender mallard leg was succulent and intense in flavor while the lentils performed well by countering the richness of the meat. For something a little bit lighter, I use that word loosely, order up the Coq au Vin. Red wine braised chicken served atop gratin potatoes were hearty and comforting. Vincent’s Market Bistro also offers a nightly 3 course Prix Fixe menu. On my last visit delights were abound with the likes of creamy Butternut Squash Ravioli, Rainbow Trout and a scrumptiously sour Lemon Tart. This has to be one of the best deals in town that I know of. I mean really, food from a James Beard award winning chef at these prices is unheard of. Great food, low prices and excellent service all set in a romantic atmosphere, well; there is one caveat, the hours. Vincent’s Market Bistro closes at 8pm, so plan on eating early. We arrived around 6pm on a Saturday night and by 7pm the place was completely filled. Be sure to check their website for times including breakfast, brunch and lunch. 3930 E Camelback Rd Phoenix, AZ 85018 | (602) 224-3727 | www.vincentsoncamelback.com/bistro
Walking into La Fontanella you'll be instantly transported back to a time when the Facts of Life was still on prime time television. In a way this place kind of reminded me of the dining room at Eastland school where Blair, Mindy, Tootie and Jo would work, complete with old style wall sconces, hanging plates and antique looking furniture. While certainly dated to another age, this restaurant was impeccably maintained and cleaned. After being sat we were quickly greeted by our waiter for the evening, who didn't seem to happy to see us. While he was forcibly polite, he quick short answers told another story. We just shrugged this off and went out back to the reading our menus. With no explanation, large slices of bread and several pieces of focaccia arrived; accompanied by a bottle of herb infused olive oil, being hungry we just dug in. I enjoy hearing where things come from, is it baked in house, a bakery? I was able to pull some information; apparently these were both made in house. The focaccia was amazingly tender and delicious with just a smattering of tomato sauce over the top. Eating one piece just wasn’t enough. The sliced bread was nice and light and covered with sesame seeds which imparted a toasty nutty flavor. These also worked well as a vehicle to enjoy their flavorful herb infused olive oil. We started with an order of Supplì which are Italian snacks consisting of a ball of rice with tomato sauce around a piece of mozzarella, the balls are surrounded by breadcrumbs and then fried. Great creamy interior and crunchy texture, these disappeared quickly. Up next the Escargot were brought out and to our surprise, were room temperature at best. Apparently the waiter wasn't so happy about us bringing this to his attention since he raised his eyebrows and quickly snatched the snails away. I’ve never seen snails move so quickly and a few moments later our snails returned and were hot enough to enjoy. La Fontanella does make their pastas in house, including the pillowy Gnocchi. The creamy bites were light and also very filling so we opted to save the rest for later. Asking one of the waiters for a box seemed to be a mistake, he whisked the plate away and returned with the gnocchi wrapped in a carry away in which he literally threw onto the table and sped off. I understand they were a little busy with a large party but I'm not sure what we did do garner so much angst from the wait staff? I felt standing up and having a mommy dearest moment, but showing them my continued respect, decided to keep those intensities to myself. Once the Chicken Piccata arrived I calmed down and purred with the first bites. Sautéed chicken with white wine, lemon, butter, capers and artichoke hearts was a delight. I wish I could say that for the evenings special, Lobster Ravioli which had such a strong lobster taste that was hard to get past. However the tender Chicken Alla Parmigiana more than made up for the short comings of the last dish. Desserts were in a class of their own. First the waiter brings out a tray that has wooden facsimiles of the plated desserts themselves. I thought this was kind of cool and did show attention to detail, actually some of them looked remarkably good. The Tiramisu gets a twist with lemon custard in lieu of the layer of chocolate custard. I felt kind of bad making the dessert disappear in such short order. Also being enjoyed was the Cannoli, a fried pastry tube filled with ricotta cheese, chocolate chips and dusted with powdered sugar. Yes the service was surly and a few of the dishes were off but I think over all we had a decent enough food experience to return. 4231 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix602-955-1213 www.lafontanellaphx.com
I get into these wild food moods where I’ll wake up and have a craving for something. It’s usually pretty specific but this particular morning it was corned beef. Sounds crazy but once I get it in my head I won’t be satisfied until I give into my cravings. I wasn't hungry though for just any corned beef, it had to be Boar's Head brand, aside from a few grocery stores the only place you can get Boar's Head is a good delicatessen. I knew just where to go, Scott's! Situated between an Ace Hardware and a Basha's, they serve up massive tasty sandwiches with thick piled meat on your choice of bread and they have choices. Feeling helpless and at complete mercy to my urges I ordered Scott's Perfect Reuben-Reuben. So tall you can’t get your mouth around it! It’s stuffed with corned beef, swiss cheese and sauerkraut, then grilled to a crispy buttery goodness. When the server set my sandwich in front of me, my eyes widened. It was a thing of beauty and desire. As I managed my sandwich for the first bite, I felt the wafts of hot corned beef beckoning, eat me, eat me. Enjoying bite after satisfying bite, my morning craving was quickly becoming fulfilled like an ancient prophecy. Ordering a side of Russian dressing to dunk my fries into may sound slightly odd but after one dip I think you'll agree, it’s perfectly natural. For the health conscious who are rolling their eyes at my delicious choices, Scott's does offer lighter fare such as salads, soup and half sandwiches. However, I for one don't go to Scott's to eat light, I go to Scott's eat well. 5555 N 7Th St Phoenix AZ 85014 602.277.5662 www.scottsgenerations.com
Sierra Bonita is the sister restaurant of the fantastic Phoenix City Grille, which also spays homage to Arizona gone by. Outdoors Sierra has a wonderfully cozy patio area complete with fans for the warmer evenings and a fireplace for the cooler nights. There isn’t much of a better way to get settled into your evening than with one of Sierra Bonita Fresh Squeezed Margaritas. These tart and heavily liquored versions will take the edge off of any bad day you might have been having. I make a mean margarita at home so when I say I love these margaritas it really means a whole lot, it’s the fresh juice! After easing into your margarita, looking over the menu will be more of a challenge since everything sounds pretty good. Be warned, the portions are pretty large so big eaters will rejoice! Tacos seem to be on pretty much every menu these days. They are simple, tasty and easy to make, however all aren’t created the same way. Take the Carne Asaada Tacos for example; the beef is prime and extremely tender though the real difference is the use of pesto mayo, salsa fresca, shredded cabbage and penela cheese for an interesting play on flavors. After having these I swore Id order them again next time for my entrée. When I took my first bite of the Buttermilk Chicken I was taken back to the time of being a kid and loving my mothers cooking. Generously seasoned and sublimely tender this is some great chicken. Lightly pan fried then finished in the oven it’s so lightly crisp but even more juicy. Included is a pile of mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus spears all slathered in cracked peppercorn gravy just dreamy. What’s a cowboy place without something sweet to finish it all off? There's Bread Pudding and Apple Sun Dried Cherry Cobbler but the Buttermilk Pie was my favorite. The texture reminded me of a cross between cheesecake and flan with the flavor being something like the later. Doused in caramel sauce this one was rich, creamy and decadent. If you ever have a hunkin’ hankerin’ for some down home cowboy chow, Sierra Bonita Grill is the place. 6933 North 7th Street Phoenix, AZ 85014 (602) 264 - 0700 www.sierrabonitagrill.com
If you ever watch Food Network's Diner's Drive In's and Dive's, you'll know that host Guy Fieri has been in the valley a few times showcasing local restaurants. His appearances and shows have taken successful eateries from popular to super stardom in one simple episode. This has certainly happened with last years visit to Matt’s Big Breakfast, good luck with that hour wait. Guy visited Over Easy earlier this year and business has been brisk since. Go to Over Easy anytime during peak weekend breakfast rush hours, and you'll more than likely have a hard time finding parking as well as a table. Early bird does get the worm as I had front row parking and sat immediately around 8am, though on the way out there were probably about 10 people milling around waiting for a table. Chef owner Aaron May has built a reputation on well executed high quality eats and continues to do so. Aside from the free publicity on the triple D, Over Easy is legit with many delicious, comforting and sometimes outrageous breakfast plates. The morning beverage line-up is what you'd expect, though it's what’s unexpected which draws my excitement. The deliciously tart Strawberry Lemonade with rosemary was a welcome surprise. If anything is going to wake you up, it’s going to be the drinks bright flavors with a wonderful rosemary finish. The Coffee for me was on the weak side, perhaps that's in part to my 2 shot a day espresso habit? Being dinner centric I decided to make one of the "griddles" a breakfast appetizer. Each tender syrupy fork full of the Caramelized Banana and Pecan Brioche French Toast was like biting into sweetened maple flavored clouds. The perfectly toasted crunchy pecans were a nice counterpoint to the warm chewy bananas. Over Easy isn't all great, the breakfast sammie, Loretta came out room temperature both times I had ordered it with the Swiss cheese being barely melted. Making up for this short coming, The Wolfpack is quite the breakfast love mound. 2 eggs anyway you like them, bacon and cheese all sandwiched between layers of crisp buttery hashbrowns. The eggs were ordered over easy as to enjoy the hot gooey yolks amongst the smoky bacon, deliciously filling. It's been a while since Guy Fieri featured OE on triple D but every time I catch that episode my mouth just waters all over again. Open Daily4730 E. Indian School Road Phoenix, AZ 85018 602-468-3447 www.eatatovereasy.com
Four Peaks Brewery: Four Heads Are Better Than One I love beer. No I’m not talking about the mass marketed, mass distributed stuff that supposedly tastes great and is less filling. I’m talking about the flavorful heady craft brews that are interesting and actually flavorful. I enjoy beer much like I do food; it’s a celebration of diversity, history and sensual stimulation, simply put, it appeals to all of your senses. One of the many cool things about beer is that it’s like a meal in itself. With so many varieties to chose from there’s bound to be one for every individual appetite out there. That’s where Four Peaks Brewery comes in. If you’re not familiar they are the makers of the ultra famous Kilt Lifter and 8th Street Ale. Great meals here begin with a great beer. You’ll notice a chalkboard up on the wall displaying which beer is available including its alcohol content. So be careful with the darker beers since not only will they fill you up but tend to get you snookered before the meal arrives. The Portero Chingon was an amazing Porter full of dark complexities with hints of chocolate and coffee. Those notes for me paired very well with the BBQ Chicken Pizza that was loaded with tender chicken breast and a sweet and smoky bbq sauce. To stand up to some of the stronger flavors of beer, the Bleu Light Special Burger was a thick juicy patty topped with hickory-smoked bacon and smothered with blue cheese crumbles. Just to let you in on something, Four Peaks makes amazing beer bread it’s similar to a really soft pita and makes for a great substitute to an ordinary bun. All sandwiches are served with your choice of beer battered fries, pasta salad or a garden salad; I went for the fries and couldn’t have been happier with my choice. The fries are so light and crunchy you might finish yours and eat off a friend’s plate and no I didn’t do that. Yes I did. Now some sandwiches are served natively on beer bread like the Grilled Chicken Beer Bread ($9). They start with grilled chicken breast then add sautéed artichoke hearts, mushrooms, green peppers, red onion, mozzarella and then top with a creamy cucumber sauce for a Greek/Mediterranean flare. Try ordering a Hefeweizen to accompany since the bright lemon notes tasted so great with the chicken and vegetables on the sandwich. Or, have a beer sampler with your meal so you can taste several and see which one is your favorite. Beer bread, beer battered fries and drinking beer, sounds like a beer fest right? It get’s even more interesting for desserts, you wont find a Tiramisu like this one. Called the Stoutamisu ($5) they take espresso soaked chocolate sponge cake and then layer it with Oatmeal Stout soaked ladyfingers and chocolate mascarpone cream. It was feather light and a mile high and is a must. My love of a thick frothy head could keep me coming back to Four Peaks often and at these prices it’s not hard to do. Open Daily 1340 East 8th Street, Tempe, AZ 85281 480-303-9967 www.fourpeaks.com
_If you never been to downtown Glendale, it has a certain untouched-by-progress charm that's worth seeking out. There are many antique and gift shops, historic homes and your choice of interesting places to eat. Owned by chef Justin Piazza, La Piazza is all about comfort Italian. The menu might be small but it packs a wallop when it comes to choices, offering a range of pizzas, pasta and a handful of salads. So it was no surprise that I went completely hog wild. There were so many things that I wanted to try and at their low prices I indulged. Might as well start with some light and fresh like the Spinach Salad which is covered in a warm bacon vinaigrette then topped with feta cheese. The spinach was super fresh showing the commitment to the best and freshest ingredients. Considering the meager cost of this huge salad; shared between 2 hefty eaters, there is some some serious value to be had here. Antipasti offerings are kept simple, with only a handful of choices but one caught my eye. So I was elated with each bite of Fried Ravioli. Breaking through the crispy pasta revealed an inside filled with a molten cheesy heaven. These come with a side of tomato sauce for dipping and once you get started with these bad boys, it's hard to stop. Anything called Spaghetti Pie is worthy of ordering based on it’s name alone. So when the massive slab resembling a brick was set onto the table I was tickled. Spaghetti was layered with cheese and finished with a tomato sauce cream sauce that was so rich, creamy and satisfying. Pizzas rocked and are all roasted in a wood burning oven for maximum bubbly crispy goodness. The Italian Stallion in all of it’s meaty goodness is covered with fresh mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, prosciutto and sopresseta. For some, all of this meat might sound like excess but for me I wanted more. Rubbing my filled belly I couldn't help but think, I wish I were Italian. 5803 W. Glendale Ave.
Glendale, AZ 85301(623) 847-3301 www.lapiazzaalforno.com
In all of it’s beefy glory, America's carne asada is set apart by any competition by using high quality well trimmed meat. In fact I tried each conception on the menu twice and not once did I bite into any gristle or fat. America's Taco Shop
"Home of the Greatest Carne Asada in the Valley" is a pretty bold statement considering we live where there is practically a taco shop on just about every street corner. Good carne asada for me is all about the quality of the meat, marinade and cooking method and natch the tortilla. These are exactly the points and some that separates America’s carne from others around the valley.
Located in a charming little old house along 7th Street, you'll find that this place is just cute as a button. In front there is a fairly large outdoor patio and covered bar stool seating on the porch. Outback there is parking as well as along Monte Vista to the north, but do not park in Coronado Cafes parking lot, they'll have you towed. Inside are hard wood floors, an old fireplace and all painted in a cheerful yellow. Definitely a homegrown feel like some of the other homes turned restaurants, it's so Phoenix. Ordering is all about counter service, so you place your order, they hand you a number card and then you find a seat.
While the beef centric menu only has a handful of items there are also a few vegetarian options for the meatless eaters. These include a Bean and Cheese Burrito, America's Corn and a Vegetarian Quesadilla. When available America's corn is a cob of sweet white kernels slathered with mayo then sprinkled with cotija cheese, chili and lime. What a great way to get whole grain fiber! Chips and salsa ($1.50) were good with a nice balance of salty crunchiness and a little kick with the house made salsa.
In all of it’s beefy glory, America's carne asada is set apart by any competition by using high quality well trimmed meat. In fact I tried each conception on the menu twice and not once did I bite into any gristle or fat. The whole point of visiting America’s is for the Carne Asada Burrito. A flaky grilled flour tortilla is filled with chopped beef, guacamole, pico de gallo and caramelized onions. It’s that perfect mix of fresh chewy flour tortilla and tender meat, which truly makes this one of the best carne asada burritos I’ve had in a very long time. _There are other meaty preparations using America's meat but trust me on this, have the burrito.
Check the website for a location near you!
www.americastacoshop.net
_When I hear the words dim sum my ears perk up much like a dog when he hears someone approaching. Then a certain caution sweeps over me since so many dim sum places around the valley don't even come close to those found in other cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. So when a friend of mine and local ice cream guru, Helen Yung from Sweet Republic, told me about a dim sum joint that reminded her of Hong Kong, I was elated to try it as soon as possible. Phoenix Palace is a jack of all trades sort of restaurant. During the week they have seafood and Chinese buffets, a full menu with free delivery and on the weekends rolling cart dim sum as well as a take out BBQ section. While carts only roll on the weekends, dim sum can be ordered any day of the week off of a smaller menu. We came just for the weekend cart dim sum, the BBQ section in the front of the restaurant looked amazing. In the window wrapped onto stainless steels hooks were selections of whole roasted duck, pork spare ribs and roasted chicken. I haven't seen a display like this one since being in Chinatown in San Francisco, very impressive. Come early or call ahead if you want to enjoy a roast duck to-go, when we left the display was pretty much wiped out. Walking into the Phoenix Palace you'll immediately notice that you're not in Kansas anymore, the clientele is mostly Asian who have very discerning palates. You know you're in the right place when the target market is ethnic and not American. No worries about communication break down, the staff speaks English, even if it is a little broken. Though all you really need are your senses to guide you through the dim sum experience. After being sat, the carts will start rolling by your table to peddle their vast variety of dumplings. Each cart person will open a steam basket for you to take a look inside and along with a brief explanation, usually consisting of only one word, they stamp your tally card and move on. The carts don't come in any sort of order so just have fun and order away. If something looks even remotely good go ahead, it's really inexpensive. One of the main difference between Phoenix Palace and the other dim sum restaurants, is the fact that not only do they offer 75+ different items, but here it's not only fresh but made in house. One of the carts that come about is a fry cart which at first seemed unusual. It's a stainless steel ride with a built in cook top where some items are crisped and heated table side which made perfect sense after one bite. In all of the places I've had dim sum, here and in other cities, I have never seen or heard of this before. Helen told me that she hadn't seen something like that since having dim sum in Hong Kong. If Helen is impressed, I'm blown away! We started with an order of Green Leek Gow, with a translucent skin showing a silhouette of diced leeks and chopped shrimp, then crisped up on either side for a textural symphony. We also ordered the Pan Fried Pork Bun which had a slightly crisped edges filled with tender chopped pork, each bite was simply sublime. These were so good we ordered an additional plate of those chubby meat filled pillows. The standards are done extremely well here, such as the Steamed BBQ Pork Bun, as well as the baked version with its covering of sweet sticky glaze. If you've never experienced a BBQ Pork Bun in either incarnation, you really should. This is the all about savory, salty and sweet, dip in some chili paste for an added spicy dimension. Chinese Broccoli is slightly bitter, slightly sweet and has a crunchiness that pairs well with the softer noodle dishes like the Beef Rice Noodle Roll. Long sheets of rice noodles are filled with sliced tender beef, rolled and then steamed. When delivered to your table, a lightly sweetened soy sauce is poured over the top. Shui Mai is as tender and flavorful as it was meant to be, porky and delicious. Dessert dim sum is as much fun as its savory counterpart. Sesame Balls filled with sweetened red bean paste, surrounded by sticky rice, then rolled in sesame seeds and deep fried were pretty much a crowd pleaser. The Snow Bun was a new one that I've never seen or tasted before. A cloud of pure heaven filled with creamy custard, served warm, blew away any doughnut that's graced my lips. I also ordered a box of them to-go so they could be enjoyed again later. The tall and billowy Brown Sugar Rice Cake reminded me more of a yellow cake but instead of baked its hot and fresh out of a steam basket. There aren't too many places where you can try so many different textures and flavor in one sitting. So it really is an experience to have dim sum with a close group of pals because food always seems to bring us just a little bit closer. Open Daily2075 N. Dobson Road Chandler, AZ 85224
(480) 855-4047
www.phoenixpalacerestaurant.com
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