Scottsdale’s in the Haüs

A while back I got a chance to meet Chef Payton Curry and try his cuisine at Welcome Diner his short lived concept in Downtown Phoenix, incorporating planned obsolescence. Post Welcome Diner, Curry could be found making guest chef appearances at various restaurants around town as well as throwing “Guerrilla dinners” with his merry bunch of culinary misfits. Over the past few months Curry has been keeping his culinary skills sharp in the kitchen of Chef Charlene Badman at Scottsdale hot spot FnB.

Fast forward to Today and the first service at Curry’s newest venture, Brat Haus.  Nestled in the space formerly occupied by Oregano’s Pizza, Brat Haus is spread out among two buildings with a “climate controlled” outdoor patio. (The 360 degree mister was a nice touch and quite refreshing on a hot day but I don’t know if I would go as far as agreeing with our hostess that the patio is climate controlled)

First up from the Haus, a stone hearth pretzel I have been drooling over on Facebook for the past week.  This rustic pretzel, served with grainy Haus mustard, is just what I had been hoping it would be (so much for maintaining objectivity).  A combination of hard and chewy, kissed with the perfect amount of salt, the Haus pretzel does not disappoint.  If I hear of anyone asking for cheese sauce to dip one of these happy little twists in, I may cry).

I’ve eaten my fair share of Bratwurst including a few while in Germany which were pretty memorable but over-all, i’ve just never eaten one and exclaimed “DAMN! that’s delicious.”  Well, I can no longer make that statement as the Spicy brat ($5.75) topped with my choices of spicy peppers (of course) and root beer onions nestled in a chewy french roll just plain rocked.  Juicy, flavorful and possessed of the perfect meaty texture, the traditional spicy brat is a winner. (there will be many more of these in my future)

Accompanying my brat were thrice-cooked belgian fries ($4.50/Large).  Lightly seasoned frites, crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside as they should be, served with choice of dipping sauces (in this case truffle aioli and Sriracha Aioli), the Hause fries are not only a perfect companion to a brat but a necessity in my humble opinion.

Last but not least, the ubiquitous hamburgers, or are they?  You will find a “regular” burger in the form of the Haus Favorite but that is where the “norm” ends.  There is a brat burger i’d probably want for breakfast every morning consisting of a 1/3lb pork sausage patty topped with a fried egg and swiss cheese ($6.75) and the 800 pound gorilla in the room, the “Pig Mac.”($7.25)

What’s this you say? The Pig Mac? Let me get this straight, Curry thinks it’s a good idea to combine a 1/4lb pork sausage patty with a 1/4lb ground beef patty topped with caramelized onions, bound with something called “Hush Hush sauce?”  Well it’s a good gawddamned thing Curry has the twisted mind he does because there are few things pork can’t make better and apparently a juicy, well seasoned hamburger is one of them.  I don’t know why I haven’t thought of doing this before but it works.  This mingling of textures and flavors going on here is like the crossing of the proton streams in Ghostbusters except I didn’t end up with marshmallow goo on my face.  I must say, I would have rather had a traditional spicy brat split and perched atop my burger a bit more as I preferred its texture and spiciness to the patty but again, this is a winner.

It’s about time someone broke the mold and opened a restaurant that didn’t fall into line with the current trend of cookie-cutter concepts, frozen yogurt, cupcake shops and gourmet burger joints come immediately to mind.  Curry and his Brat Haus have brought something simple, fresh and different to the Scottsdale culinary scene. (I’m sure others will follow in short order).

PINK’S! The house hot dogs built!

The humble hot dog is one of those things everyone eats as a child and debates rage over what city makes them best.  Is it Chicago?  Is it New York City? The simple answer to that question is “no.” Having grown up in Hollywood, California, my opinion on the matter is simple, the best hot dog in America is served up at Pink’s Hot Dogs in Hollywood, California.  Some may say this is merely an opinion and they would be right, except for the fact Pink’s has been continually serving up tasty dogs in the original location, owned and operated by the Pink’s Family since 1939!!!

 

 

 

In 1999 Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordin proclamed Pink’s Hot Dogs a “Monumental Family Business,” for at that time, they had been feeding Angeleneo’s cravings for SIXTY years.  I don’t know what criteria you judge

your restaurants by but at this point, they’ve been in business for 73 years so they must be doing something right.

Lets get to the dogs.  Pink’s serves up a hot dog made to their specification by Hoffy, with a natural casing and prepared to order start to finish by ONE person.  Regardless of time of day, you will likely wait in line somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes but when you get close enough to spy the menu, your mouth will water at the choices you can make.  There are literally hundreds of hot dog combinations, many named after various celebrities who have partaken of a fast dog.

Regardless of my hunger level, I will always order two hot dogs, fries and two drinks at Pink’s, this trip the winning dogs were the Brooklyn Pastrami Swiss Cheese Dog topped only with mustard and my old stand-by, the Bacon Chili Cheese Dog topped with tomato, cheese, mustard chopped raw onion and of course, three strips of bacon.

 

First up, the Brooklyn Pastrami dog.  A big, juicy mound of pastrami draped lovingly over a weiner whose casing just pops when you bite into it flooding your mouth with it’s juicy deliciousness.  I have a soft spot in my heat for New York City and this dog gave me just the right combination of two of the City’s signature delicacies.

I have a professed love of bacon that has been well and exhaustively documented so topping that perfectly made weiner with three slices of crispy, porky goodness and then piling on beef chili, tomato and onions must be a hit right? ABSOLUTELY!  This hot dog is visually appealing and doesn’t disappoint when it hits the mouth.

 

A half pound order of golden french fries really put the meal far over the top, caused me to take a deep breath and loosen my belt a bit. There was no way I was getting through even half of the fries but I wouldn’t have dreamt of not ordering them.  If you get the chance, hey know a thing about onion rings as well.

Though Pink’s will make you a hot dog virtually any way you want it, the one thing they will not do is take any form of payment other thank cash (there is even a set of instructions on how to order and pay that you had better follow lest you piss off the long line of people behind you and leave hungry.)

Uricchio’s, a Trattoria in name only

So, I’m in Bakersfield on business for the day and in need of sustenance. A friend recommended Basque cuisine at Hotel Noriega but since they’re closed on Monday, I turned to Yelp to fill my belly.

The number one rated restaurant appeared to be Uricchio’s Trattoria so Italian it was going to be! The restaurant itself wasn’t really much to get excited about, shabby furniture, plain tables and an overall unremarkable atmosphere.

Let’s get on to the food since that’s what it’s all about. The Mozzarella marinara ($7.95) sounded good as an appetizer I mean really, breaded, deep fried cheese and tasty marinara sauce…how could this go wrong? Well, I’ll tell you, leaving that poor defenseless cheese in the deep fryer too long and bringing it to my table over cooked is how. The marinara was good and the cheese itself had a great molten texture. (if served golden brown it would have been perfect).

I’m a fan of a simple Caesar salad($5.75), there’s just something about crisp, cold romaine lettuce, shaved Parmesan crunchy croutons and a nice, creamy dressing but unfortunately that’s not what arrived. My Caesar consisted of room temperature, soggy romaine. With a liberal dose of salt and pepper, the dressing was palatable and I placed my hope in the main.

Well prepared Veal saltimboca ($17.95) is one of those dishes that just makes me smile so the hope was that a place calling itself a Trattoria would deliver. Again, I was disappointed as what I got was flaccid over cooked, un or under seasoned green beans, a “baked potato” that looked like a sliced loaf of McDonalds hash browns, veal with a soggy, “off” breading and Madeira in name only (somehow the flavor was just not there).

Was this the worst meal I’ve ever had, well, no but it kinda sucked and I’m in no hurry to return nor recommend.

(side note, I’ve never been to a restaurant that made me leave the building and walk through a parking garage to get to the restroom but now I have…what a strange design)

The Maine Lobster Lady

Ok, about a month ago I came across a picture of a new food truck posted by Local Foodnik Joel LaTondress, known to the Phoenix food community and the twitterverse as @AZHotdish.  Not often does a simple picture cause so much commotion, but since the snapshot in question was of a food truck focused on Northeastern seaside cuisine namely Lobster rolls and other such briny delicacies, foodies began buzzing, posting queries clamoring for further details.  Further information about where to find this culinary treasure or whether it actually existed was thin and the discussion seemed to end.

A quick check of the URL www.mainelobsterlady.com got me a contact number to call which led to a rather pleasant conversation and information as to scheduled appearances.  Today, after almost a month of waiting, I went into stealth mode to get into the Arabian Horse Show (who cares about the horses when there’s lobster to eat?) and get myself a lobster roll.

The Maine Lobster Lady operates out of a very tidy, well equipped trailer.  As you approach you can almost smell the salt air and then theres the menu… Two different styles of Lobster roll, shrimp puffs and lobster chowder to name a few.  Barely able to control my glee, I ordered a tradiditonal lobster roll and an order of shrimp puffs.

Served on a hot, butter grilled roll sat easily a half pound of some of the best prepared, most succulent lobster i’ve ever eaten.  This sandwich is the epitome of simplicity with the barest hint of lemon aioli, chunky lobster tail and claw meat and a buttery sweet roll. I cant even begin to describe how tasty this sandwich was and the $18 price was well worth it.

To accompany my sandwich were an order of “shrimp puffs” ($8.50), think of hushpuppies stuffed with succulent bay shrimp, a crunchy exterior and soft, well seasoned, piping hot interior.  Oh yeah, this was just melt in your mouth delicious when dipped in creamy tartar sauce.

 

I dont know if you have any interest in horses but if you value your tastebuds and the happiness of your belly, get out to the horse show or find the Maine Lobster Lady at one of her other events this spring and indulge, If you arent able to find her, stay tuned as I eat my way through her menu.  You may live vicariously through my culinary adventures!

Follow the Maine Lobster Lady on twitter @TheLobsterLady1

Hana Japanese Eatery

I recently dropped by one of my favorite local, family owned and operated restaurants to warm my belly with delicious hot food.  Why do I emphasize the word hot here?  Well, This particular restaurant happens to be Hana Japanese eatery, my favorite place for sushi in Arizona.  On this particular night, the mercury had dipped into the forties and I was in the mood for for something to counter the chill.  I tweeted @HanaJapanese asking what was recommended and commented that i’d happily put my stomach into their hands.  What followed was simply perfect.

A large, piping hot bowl of Miso Ramen soup was first brought to the table.  Steam from the delicate, flavorful broth wafted into my nose causing my mouth to water.  Generous amounts of ramen noodles paired with scallion, subtle spices and pork absolutely hit the spot.  I thoroughly enjoyed the flavor, texture and warmth this lovely bowl of soup delivered and have since found myself craving more.

While doing damage to the aformentioned ramen, my server brought over a propane fired hibachi grill along with a tray of assorted vegetables and strips of raw steak.  The grill was lighted and I was instructed to add the vegetables (asparagus, pumpkin, okra, long beans and portobello mushrooms) and then grill the meat to my desired temperature.  Forget going to kitchy chains like Benihana or Sapporo where the show is more important than the food, grilling it yourself using quality ingredients and truly becoming a part of the experience is where it’s at!  (not to mention, everyone seemed to be ooh-ing and ahh-ing at what was going on at my table adding to the over-all cool factor).

While the miso ramen was warming and hit the spot and the Hana Hibachi steak couldn’t possibly have been better, it was the Hana Lobster sauté that really made my night.  Tender chunks of well seasoned, perfectly sautéed lobster served with pieces of chopped asparagus lay before me begging to be snapped up by my eager chopsticks. I just ate and smiled, you have to order this dish and enjoy it to understand how good it really is.

I simply must mention the dessert here, green tea mochi in this case.  I am at a rare lack of words to describe the texture of this little gem. Green tea ice cream encased in a flour and sweet rice dough that was firm, slippery, sweet and refreshing all at the same time.  I hate using word like “delicious” to describe food because it doesnt really tell you anything about the experience but I will here because this mochi is a little weird, fanciful and yes, DELICIOUS!

Stop by Hana Japanese Eatery in Central Phoenix for simple, quality ingredients prepared lovingly and skillfully by a knowledgeable staff and remember something else important, while they will tempt your palate with a plethora of flavors and gladly fill your belly, the restaurant is strictly BYOB so if you like beer, sake or wine with your meal you’d better bring your own.

Lux Central

So I have a bit of a crush on this place.  Lux Central happens to be about 20 miles away from home past about just as many coffee shops but I find myself making the trek here several times a week.

I find Lux to be a bit of a love hate kind of place.  Parking can be  a battle as though there are a lot of spots and on street parking, it can still be a battle finding a place to tie up your horse.  With free wifi and plenty of seating, Lux is a place you want to plop down for a while and do whatever it is you have to do but here it’s “coolness” works against it as even with plenty of seating, It can be a bit like the 101 freeway at rush hour trying to find a place to sit.

I wish I could say the coffee was what brought me in but to be honest, it’s average at best.  The service is pretty good and the staff friendly and attentive.  The food items i’ve had both baked and prepared freshly have all been adequate (the Mac n Cheese with bacon and Jalapeno was tasty, served in a large portion for the money and well executed but fire roasting the japapenos prior to adding them in would have elevated this dish to excellence!)

So what keeps me coming?  Well, I can’t think of anyplace i’d rather to go hang-out, MacBook in hand, to get some work done and people watch.  The atmosphere here is GREAT!  A mixture or modern and retro furniture, exposed beam ceilings, varied work spaces, and locally produced art are on par with and in my opinion rival similar concepts in NYC, Seattle or San Francisco.

Did I mention the full bar?  Fancy an adult beverage to take the edge off of that paper you need to write or the power point you’re putting together for the “big proposal” at work?  You’re in the right place.  The bartenders here will gladly mix you up anything from a classic coctail to a trendy CenPho treat to whet your whistle.  I’d give Lux 4 stars if it were a bar that served food and happened to have coffee.

If your looking for great coffee i’d recommend Press Coffee Roasters, Cartel Coffee Lab or Echo Coffee. Lux is definitely my choice if you’re looking for a place to socialize, sit and get a little work done, plow through homework or just hang out and people watch.  If the coffee were better i’d rate it 4 stars but as it stands, they only get the third from me because the whole package is so appealing.

 

The Rose and Crown Phoenix

When Trusty Pal Mikey mentioned that The Rose and Crown had won Best Fish in Chips in the Valley at some point in the recent past, it was time to jump into the car and head on downtown for sustenance.

Arriving at the restaurant was kind of anti-climatic as on a Monday night during football there didn’t seem to be a lot going on (except for a pretty cool DirecTV trailer showing the game which was a nice touch)

There were several tables of mostly intoxicated patrons, to be expected of a bar/pub during a sporting event but the guy sitting ON the table next to ours stretched out in Cincinnati Bengals gear should probably have been asked to call it a night.

It took a while to get a server to clean some unidentified stickiness off of our table, bring menus and take a drink order and about then the table next to ours got LOUDER w/the addition of an off-duty server (confirmed by asking our server) wearing a Rose & Crown shirt and another woman identified as “the girlfriend of one of the owners.”

Loud, rowdy, employees enthusiastically dropping F-bombs didn’t make for the best dining atmosphere.  Fail there.

Then the starters arrived…The Sausage roll was mostly cold, the puff pastry which should have been light and flakey was gooey and undercooked although the pickle relish condiment was delicious.

The Scotch egg was served cold (the server confirmed this was as intended) which seemed odd to me as I’ve always had them hot (the British version), the flavor was good but the texture of cold sausage just didn’t work for me (this is a personal preference not a knock on their version).

The Fish & Chips Main arrived and I must say, the Chips were superb, well cooked and just the right size.  Then things went a bit pear shaped.  The fish, while piping hot was EXTREMELY greasy and devoid of seasoning.  Luckily the homemade tartar sauce was tasty (though the size of the pickles prevented dipping).

I LOVE a good order of Fish and Chips but was sadly underwhelmed by the offering here and was forced to grab something on the way home to satisfy my hunger.

(note:  The table next to us was joined by a patrons Dalmatian and even though we were on the patio, there are just some places that aren’t appropriate for the little furry people.  He was nice enough to lick my leg a few times during dinner though)

For future fish & chips fixes I will save the 40mile round trip and get it closer to home, very sad that this wasn’t as good as i’d hoped it would be.

 

The Coffee Shop at Agritopia

It is certainly no secret to anyone who knows me, reads my blog, or follows me on Facebook or Twitter, that Im a foodie at heart and will go to great lengths to try new restaurants, dishes or types of cuisine I’ve not previously experienced.  All of that having been said I have a HUGE food crush on a little gem hidden in Gilbert, Arizona at a place called Agritopia, I’m speaking of course of “The Coffee Shop.”

With such a simple name you would be tempted to assume this was a mere coffee shop slinging run of the mill or even above average coffee drinks and you would be WRONG.  While The Coffee Shop does in fact serve up coffee drinks as expected, it is not caffeine which drew me in or keeps me going back.

Lets begin with how I found them and what has brought me to today.  A few weeks ago Joe’s Farm Grill was having their 5th Annual customer appreciation day (they served in the neighborhood of 4000 free cheeseburgers but more on that later) and trusty pal Mikey and I dropped in to have a burger and fries.  As we were leaving, I decided I wanted to stop by The Coffee Shop (which is on the same parcel of land) to see what It was all about.

Upon walking inside, the salivation began.  There, arranged before me was just about the most mouthwatering display of cupcakes and whoopie pies I have ever seen.  The first thing that caught my eye were the Coconut creme whoopie pies, seemingly very plain but with the promise of greatness if done well…and they were!

 

These Coconut creme whoopies are just about the best things I have ever eaten (and Ive eaten a LOT).  Unlike many of the whoopie wannabe’s I’ve eaten in the past, the pastry chef here achieved the perfect balance of sweetness, moisture and density with the most pleasant, light crunchy outer texture.  So flavorful was the shell that I was almost taken aback by the creme filling that was obviously made with absolute care and devotion to the craft.  Simply incredible (I feel like there should be a new Food Network show called “Whoopie Pie Wars!”)

On to the next bit of tastiness in the form of a tray lined with cupcakes whose sign read “Chocolate chip cookie dough,’ YES please.  They looked simple, well decorated but not overdone and I was keen to try one. No flaccid, tasteless frosting here, there’s butter creme on that there cupcake.  Sprinkled with chocolate chips and what looks like chocolate Disco dust was the best tasting buttercream I can remember having eaten.  They’ve somehow been able to create the essence of cookie dough in cake form, a bit of gooeyness, great flavor and yes, i’d eat a whole bag of them.

The PB&J cupcake found its way into my mouth next and took me back to my Grandmothers kitchen with her homemade bread, peanut butter and preserves only BETTER (sorry Grandma), it was deliciously dense, the peanut butter buttercream (say that 5 times really fast) was sweet, creamy and perfectly accompanied but a little dab of jelly on top (along with a generous squirt in the middle of the cupcake.) I highly recommend this one.

 

I did grab a few other cupcakes before lapsing into a sugar induced coma including cake batter, coconut and a strawberry one I got pictures of and ate but whose clever name I cannot remember (terrible journalist…oh, wait, as a Blogger I admire recently wrote, I’m not a “professional journalist!”).  Everything i’ve had so far has caused me to make the 40 mile trek from home to The Coffee Shop for a treat I just can’t find anywhere else in the Valley.  If you desire a creative, perfectly made treat, get into your car and make the trip from wherever you might be to THe Coffee Shop at Agritopia.

 

Check out the Chefs responsible for the creations I’ve mentioned and more on their recent winning episode of  Cupcake Wars on the Television Food Network.

Welcome Diner, Guerrilla Gourmet style!

For some time now I had heard rumors of an absolutely MAD Chef by the name of Payton Curry brewing up a wickedly delicious seasonal menu in a slightly seedy section of Downtown Phoenix. In a tiny restaurant (and I use that term generously) called the “Welcome Diner,” Curry breaks from the constraints of working for someone else (Caffe’ Boa in Tempe, Arizona), and boldly does food exactly the way he wants to.

Sit at the counter (as you truly must), and you become a part of “The Payton Curry Show” where you as a guest are treated to masterful culinary creations while Curry entertains himself, his wife and everyone within earshot with his sharp brand of humor that keeps you wanting more; “He’s Payton F***in Curry” she says, “NO! She’s F***ing Payton Curry” he replies!” The repartee between Chef Payton Curry and his beautiful wife, Shantal Alessa Abdo-Curry is quick, often blue, hilarious and sincere. The food being prepared three feet away is elegant in it’s simplicity and flavorful beyond words.

Open only Sunday thru Tuesday from five until “there’s nothing else to serve,” with fluidly changing offerings based mainly on availability of hand selected local produce and Curry’s sneaky three am calls to his fish monger (more on that later), Welcome Diner puts on a culinary showcase of color, flavor and textures normally reserved for the very best of restaurants in the country.

First before me, a salad pairing impossibly juicy watermelon and Dungeness crab tossed with Nepitella, olives and salty capers which Curry says he came up with when “baked out of his f***ing mind!”  ”Watermelon and crab, RIGHT?” he says, “it just doesn’t seem to make any sense but it’ll change your life,” and so it has.  Splashed with citrus in the form of grapefruit juice, this dish is just plain amazing.  It’s simple, colorful and allows each individual flavor and texture to be conveyed both singularly and as part of a larger whole. (it needs to be said, I generally avoid watermelon as I just don’t like it but in this one dish, my outlook has been completely changed).

Next up, Curry’s breathes life into what has become a culinarily mundane, often overly fussy dish beloved by residents up and down the Eastern seaboard.  I speak of course of the crab cake!  I don’t know what’s gotten into him here…There’s scarcely any breading, doesn’t Curry know his profit margin will be much better if he stuffs his creation with bread rather than lusciously flavorful jumbo sized lumps of crabmeat??  Crunchy bits of fresh celery, capers and herbs make this dish a poor choice to skip to the protestations of your straining belt.

What would you do with 144 grams of grade A Foie Gras? Well Curry (clearly having had a serious case of the “munchies”) would and has pan seared it with Rosemary, paired it with a bright, rustic and slightly tart jam between two pieces of buttery Essence Bakery brioche and called it his “FB&J sandwich,” elegant concept, simply executed.

The main course arrived in the form of Duroc tenderloin served over heirloom sungold tomato, a cold bean salad and a splash of salsa verde.  This is the best pork dish I have ever eaten, period, end of story!  As a card carrying member of the Pork Lovers Society of America, I’ve eaten more than my fair share of pork but there is nothing that prepared me for the tender, well balanced combination before me.

On a subsequent visit Curry threw together a little Halibut and crab Ceviche, light, delicate and perfect with the addition of a sprinkle of sulphur rich Hawaiian black sea salt that was almost too beautifully presented to eat.

Next, a decadent Summer Bolognese with fettucini and Salmon Belly Raviolo that absolutely must not go un-mentioned…Beautiful, texturally perfect and put together with flair, this pasta dish is a must eat!

A salad of yellow heirloom tomato and “a type of mozzerela” with nepitilla and a little saba (who knew tomato could taste so good?), again display Curry’s ability to elevate simple, honest ingredients to food worthy of praise.

Lest I forget the show stopper….Sitting at the counter on my second visit, enjoying the “Payton Curry show” and drifting ever so slowly into a food coma, I noticed a plate of pastel pink Langoustine that looked out of place both in the Welcome Diner and in the Arizona desert in general.  Asked where he came across fresh langoustine, Curry grinned and said “there’s a funny story.”

Apparently Curry, having had a spontaneous spark of brilliance, slipped out of bed around three in the morning (told you I’d get back to this) for a clandestine phone call to his fish monger, clandestine because his wife was unawares until she awoke to find him whispering into the phone and demanded to know who he was talking to.  Curry, like a young boy caught with his hand in a cookie jar meekly replied “baby, it’s the fish guy” to which she responded “yeah right” and promptly grabbed the phone, after a brief exchange, she said “she sounds pretty rough” and went back to sleep.

Succulent langoustine, smashed baby fingerlings, fresh chopped herbs, onion and tomato all brought together with a broth I’m almost ashamed to admit, caused me to lift my bowl and slurp loudly like a heathen to make sure I didn’t miss a drop. (Sure, I looked around like a drug fiend about to have a fix, making sure no one was looking my way first, but in the end, I could have cared less as it was so decadently delicious).

In the end, if you blink too long you will have missed one of the most important things to have happened on the Arizona culinary scene as Curry, wife Shantal and the show that truly makes you feel a part of what’s happening rather than a mere customer, will be no more. Welcome Diner goes dark after the Independence day fireworks fade from view. If you love food, make it your sole mission in life to get a seat at Curry’s counter before he’s done, tell him Tony sent you!

www.PaytonCurry.com

www.skilletdoux.com/welcomediner

Check Please! Arizona

I recently appeared on an episode of the Arizona PBS ei8ht show “Check Please! Arizona.”  The concept is quite simple, three diners are sent out to each of three different restaurants and then gather with host Robert McGrath to share their experiences.

Scottsdale’s Posh Improvisational Cuisine, St. Francis and Tee Pee Mexican restaurants of Phoenix were chosen and meals were eaten.   I must say that getting random people together to dine and discuss makes for an interesting cross section of culinary opinion.

As I’ve written before, St Francis is a great neighborhood restaurant with exceptional service and tasty food.  I have enjoyed each of my visits to this local Phoenix spot and would wholeheartedly recommend a visit to anyone looking for a well rounded local dining experience.

By all accounts, Tee Pee Mexican restaurant should have been great but my experience just wasn’t very impressive.  The food was good but not special, the service was adequate but didn’t impress and the ambiance was typical kitschy family Mexican.  It’s unfair to negatively judge a restaurant on one visit so I intend to return and do a full review in the future.

On to Posh Improvisational Cuisine.  As always being at the counter at Posh is an exceptional experience.  The food is stellar, the service is on par with some of the best restaurants in the country and sitting at the counter immerses you in a culinary ballet that unfolds before your eyes.

Over-all appearing on Check Please! Arizona was an interesting experience that i’d recommend to anyone interested in broadening their culinary horizons, sharing their experiences with the public at large and participating in the process of making “television.”

 

 

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