The Stockyards

The Stockyards

5009 E. Washington

Phoenix, Arizona  85034

Companion and I arrived at 5:30 to try the menu for Phoenix Restaurant week. While this is created by and supported by the Phoenix Restaurant Association, each restaurant creates its own special menu which has 3 appetizers, 3 main courses, and 3 desserts on it at a prix fixe. The idea is for people to try the food at a special price. Of course, some places provide less than their usual portion size or quality just to get customers in unfortunately.

We were seated immediately as we had a reservation (recommended). Our waiter was extremely nice and friendly. When we found that there was a problem with our table rocking, our waiter arranged for us to go to another table in a different section of a different waiter. This is true customer service. Our new waiter was just as nice and friendly as the first one was.

A basket of warm biscuits and corn bread muffins was brought to the table and was served with honey butter with a drizzle of honey on top of it. The first basket was emptied in short order. I ordered a Beefeater martini, and it was made to perfection with a double olive as I asked for and just a wave of the vermouth bottle over the glass. It was ice cold and really started the meal off nicely. Companion just asked for a Shirley Temple to start with and received it in short order.

Next were the appetizers. I ordered the house salad with honey mustard dressing. I was pleasantly surprised that the dressing coated all the salad and wasn’t just drizzled on top. The other surprise was the slices of ripe tomato on the plate instead of the requisite cherry tomato that most places put on their salads. Companion ordered the tomato soup, which was nothing like Campbell’s! It almost seemed to be made on a minestrone base and was definitely not something from a local purveyor. While companion felt the soup wasn’t what they wanted, I tasted it and found it to be delicious and well made.

At this point, companion decided to order an alcoholic drink that is old time and that is often used as a test of how good a bartender is. A Brandy Alexander was ordered, and other than being presented in the wrong glass, had the proper taste. A touch of nutmeg on top was all that was missing. It should be noted here that the drinks have a full pour in them – no skimping here.

For our main course, we both ordered the prime rib. Mine rare, and companions medium well. I ordered the veggies with mine instead of a starch, and companion ordered a starch. The slabs of beautiful beef came out cooked exactly as we asked for, and the veggies (Pattie pan squash, slivered carrots and baby zucchini) were perfectly cooked. No limp, soggy veggies here. They were delicious, as was of course, the meat. Everything came with the proper accoutrements and was nice and hot.

For dessert, we both ordered the cheesecake with berries. Companion asked for some whisky whipped cream as well and was happily accommodated. The cheesecake was tall, dense, and a large flavorful portion. Doggie bags were brought home, and if the dog touches it he’s in trouble!

The restaurant was clean and efficient though just a bit loud. My only ding is the use of serrated knives. With a beautiful cut of beef, one does not need a serrated knife which tears the meat apart. Just a nice sharp knife will do nicely.

5 stars for excellent food, great service, overall cleanliness, and an honest barkeep.

Baby Kay’s Cajun Kitchen

Baby Kay’s Cajun Kitchen
2051 S Dobson Rd
Mesa, AZ 85202

I had not eaten at Baby Kay’s since it was located at Town and Country Shopping Center a long time ago. It was time for a new review.

Companion and I arrived at lunch time and were seated immediately. Our waitress took our orders for drinks and provided the requisite menu’s for us to peruse. Most of the food on the menu appeared to be authentic Nola, at least if the taste held up to the descriptions.

Companion wasn’t up on Cajun food, and asked if she could sample one or two things she was considering. Because heat from spice was not something companion enjoyed, she wanted to make sure she would be able to eat what she ordered. Our waitress promptly brought out 3 small cups with etouffee, jambalaya, and swamp water (gumbo for you northerners). Companion tasted all 3 and decided on the etouffee. I couldn’t resist tasting them also. The jambalaya had some nice heat but no tomato in it, and the gumbo was true to tradition.

We each started with a cup of etouffee. We were brought plates with some excellent garlic bread on it along with a small bowl of the etouffee. Adding a bit of hot sauce to it and I was in New Orleans! A wonderful broth loaded with crawfish tails with a nice ball of white rice in the center. Companion ate her bowl without hot sauce and fell in love with it. This was the start of a wonderful lunch.

I got the combination basket which had fried shrimp and fried oysters in it along with the most unusual cole slaw I have ever eaten. There is no doubt in my mind that the chef who prepared this basket really knew what he was doing, as the shrimp and oysters were cooked to perfection. Companion had never eaten fried oysters before, and after one taste pronounced them delicious and decided to help me eat mine! The word thief comes to mind. The breading was perfect, and the oysters were a nice size and perfectly creamy. The shrimp, which most places overcook until they resemble something made from butyl rubber, were beautifully prepared, and were delicately tender. As for the cole slaw, what made it so unique is that it is prepared using green olives as one of the seasonings. It was highly unusual, and I still haven’t made up my mind whether I like it or not. I’ll probably have to go back a few more times to sample it some more.

We finished off lunch with their bread pudding in a puddle of whisky sauce. The bread pudding was dense, covered in pecans, and had coconut in it. I was so full that I could only eat a small amount of it, and companion asked for a box to take it in.

There was only one downer for the lunch, and that was a Sazerac that was ordered from the bar. Unfortunately, it just didn’t make the grade and had to be sent back. My understanding is that they used to have a bartender that made a terrific one, and when she left they stopped making the drink. I’m hoping in the future they get a bartender that can make a proper Sazerac cocktail.

The place was clean, airy, with excellent service. Those who wish to can eat outside. Each table had a selection of hot sauces, mostly from Tabasco. I would suggest that they have some Louisiana Hot Sauce available also, as it has a totally different flavor than Tabasco.

For those who might be inclined to say that this is an expensive place to eat, may I remind them that this is the desert and sea food has to be brought in and is also costly. It all adds up in the end.

4 Stars

Defalco’s Italian Grocery

Defalco's Italian Grocery

2334 N Scottsdale Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85257

Defalco's reminds me of many Italian deli's in New York. Racks of Italian foods that are often hard to find, and a long line to get waited on.

The sandwiches are food of the Gods. Well stuffed with premium ingredients, some are so big that they consist of more food than many third world countries eat in a month! Their hot sandwiches evoke wonderful memories of sandwiches eaten many years ago in New York, and the wonderful aromas made my stomach rumble in anticipation of the food it was soon to receive.

If you find that a sandwich is too much to eat, you can get a half sandwich for a few dollars less. Several selections on the menu are vegetarian, including an excellent eggplant parmigiana and an outstanding grilled portobello mushroom sandwich with goat cheese.

For those from back east, they serve a terrific sausage, pepper and onion sandwich which will bring back memories of places long gone. They also have sausage and meatball sandwiches that i was hard pressed to try and finish. However, leave room for dessert. Traditional Cannelloni,  Cheesecake, Tiramisu, Napoleons - all wonderful. Of course, its even better with a cup of cappuccino or espresso or a latte to help wash it all down.

Lest I forget, they also have a selection of calzones as well as pizza's and pasta's.

They stock a wonderful assortment of Italian food stuffs ranging from olive oils to boxed pastas along with an excellent wine section. In addition, Defalco's produces some of it's own pastas as well as it's own homemade sausages.

While there is not an abundance of tables, you can eat on the premises if you wish. Defalco's is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. so you can eat lunch or dinner there. Be prepared for portions that are large - in fact many of them could easily be split between 2 people.

To be honest, nothing about Defalco's is cheap, but then again, you are getting premium ingredients in large quantities for that premium price.

Other than it is hard to find parking and the sometimes a long line one has to wait in to get service I can't really find anything to complain about. Good food, good service worth waiting for, and good attitudes all add up to a solid 4 star rating.

Crazy Chicken & Crab - CLOSED

Crazy Chicken & Crab - CLOSED
1825 W Chandler Blvd
Chandler, AZ 85224
                                                                       
I and two companions arrived promptly at six for dinner, and entered a mostly empty restaurant. We were seated immediately and ordered assorted soft drinks.

We all started off with the egg rolls ($2.99), which were provided with a dipping sauce of sweet chile, a usual Thai ingredient and not at all Korean. I must say that none of us were impressed by the egg rolls. They were properly cooked, but were lacking in flavor.

Next, companion #1 ordered the calamari ($7.99). This was a high point of the meal. Done in a fashion I had not seen before, they were long strips of thicker calamari (perhaps cut from the tubes of larger ones?), lightly breaded and lightly fried. I'm not sure just how they were cooked, but they were perhaps the most tender calamari I have ever eaten. It was served with a mayonnaise based spiced dipping sauce that was nicely complementary to it.

Companion #2 ordered the sweet and spicy chicken ($9.99) along with the egg fried rice ($3.99). She pronounce the rice to be excellent.

Companion #1 made the mistake of ordering the shrimp for $12. For the price, companion got 8 shrimp that when the head and tail were removed were no more than a U-30. Fortunately, I had ordered a bowl of egg fried rice to share with companion and that became most of companions meal.

For myself, I ordered 1/2 garlic soy sauce chicken ($9.99) and 1/2 sweet and spicy chicken ($9.99). The garlic chicken was acceptable though the only dark meat I could find was a single drum stick. The sweet and spicy chicken was so drowned in sauce as to be almost inedible.

True Korean fried chicken is an experience that you never forget. The chicken pieces are given a light coating of either cornstarch or rice starch and are then deep fried. Allowed to rest and cool, the chicken is then deep fried a second time, which removes any fat from under the skin and makes it super crispy. Unfortunately, this is not the case here.

The chicken is chopped into relatively small pieces, then battered and fried. With so much batter on it, the sauces coat the entire piece of chicken and becomes overpowering. I took a doggy bag of the sweet and spicy chicken home, and rinsed it in the sink to remove most of the sauce. Tomorrow I will briefly refry the chicken and put an acceptable Korean sauce on it.

Companion #2 ordered Mochi for dessert. Since mochi is Japanese, I was a bit surprised to find it on the menu. Based on the flavors available and based on looks and taste, I was quite sure the mochi came from Mekong Market or LeeLee's.

Inspection of the restroom was a very unpleasant affair, as the aroma made it impossible to stay in there for any amount of time.

Service was fair though a few things were not correctly served. I would have expected much better food for a bill of $54.90 plus tip.

2 stars for service and appetizers.

Habbouz Tunisian Cuisine - CLOSED

Habbouz Tunisian Cuisine - CLOSED
7816 N. 27th Avenue
Phoenix

Sometimes we come across a gem in the rough, and this is Habbouz.

Companion and I arrived for a 5:45 dinner and were promptly seated. The rough part of this restaurant is that it is sparsely decorated and looks more like a little nook than a restaurant. It is located in a strip mall with a number of other ethnic places.

Companion started with a soft drink, and I ordered hot tea. The tea came in a small cup with a number of mint leaves in it. Not being the biggest fan of mint in the world, on a personal level I didn’t care for the tea, and it was removed from our bill at the end.

The menu has a fair number of lamb dishes on it. Deciding on what to eat from such a delicious looking menu was difficult, but we both settled on the lamb shank. When places offer lamb shanks I usually order them as cooking them properly takes lots of time and seasoning them properly takes a good hand. With the exception of the lamb shanks which must be cooked in advance, everything else on the menu is cooked upon ordering. While this might take a little extra time, it is well worth it.

In short order, two beautiful plates of lamb shank were placed in front of us. The shank was nestled in a bed of what was perhaps the best couscous I have ever eaten. Also on the plate was a small salad with green olives in it that were wonderful. On the side, was a serviette of sauce to slather on the lamb and couscous. To say that this was delicious would be an understatement. The restaurant uses very little silverware, and gives patrons plastic ware to eat with. In truth, this is the real test of whether the meat is tender or not, as plastic is known for breaking on tough meat.

Touching the meat with the plastic fork resulted in it almost falling off the bone. Rich with flavor it was truly succulent. Some like their couscous dry, and some prefer it with more sauce on it. I ate it both ways and can honestly say it was wonderful either way you ate it. The portions on the plate were so large I was unable to finish the food. Companion took a doggy bag home.

We had an assortment of dessert items including some truly wonderful baklava that again, is made on the premises and was similar, yet different from any I had ever eaten before.

Companion also ordered a second meal just to take home for the next day. I noted that on the menu they sell merguez sausage. For those not familiar with this, it is a lamb sausage that is nice and spicy. Not with heat, but with flavor. It does have a small amount of berber seasoning in it which gives it just a tiny bit of heat. I ordered a portion of it to take home and it was excellent the next day.

Were this food to be served in any fancier place, it would be packed with patrons and would be a top pick for any food critic.

4 stars for friendly, excellent service, wonderful food, and a wonderful experience. I highly recommend this place.

Valley Plaza Tempe Food Truck Festival

Valley Plaza Tempe Food Truck Festival                                                                                2/21/2016

3115 S. McClintock Drive

Tempe, AZ  85282

I arrived at the festival at about 5:30. A large crowd of ASU students had shown up, and were queued at each vendor.

I started with Aioli Burger. On the good side, they cooked my burger (white truffle swiss burger) medium rare as I had asked for. Also on the good side, the burger was of a good size, had good flavor, was juicy and was on a nice bun. However, all is not necessarily good in whoville. The first ding was that there is no price list to be found anywhere – not on their web site nor on the truck nor on any sign near the truck. Patrons have no idea what they are paying for anything, and the vendor is able to change prices at will. The second ding was that when you present a credit card, they present you with a portable screen on which are listed various tip amounts. Only upon reading through the screen did one see the small print that said “No Tip”. Tips are for service rendered, and after 18 years of this type of work, I’ve yet to understand why some people just put their hands out and expect a tip for taking an order and nothing else. There is also a large tip jar on the counter which people were stuffing with bills. Personally, I just don’t understand this.  

Unfortunately, tables were not exactly in excess, and most people either ate in their cars or standing up. The ding for this is upon the organizers, who should have made sure that more than 4 tables were available for a crowd this size.

Next was Cousins Maine Lobster. At $17 for a lobster roll, it was a bit exorbitant and I didn’t have my banker with me to foot a loan. I only saw 3 people in the line for this truck. In speaking to people in the area, it was almost unanimous that they were way overpriced. Currently, fresh lobster is going for $11.95 a pound locally, and I’m quite sure the rolls did not contain a pound of lobster on them. On the plus side, they had their prices posted prominently on a large electronic screen for all to see.

Right next door was Kick’s Frozen Yogurt. It seemed a bit redundant to have their truck there when the actual physical location of Kick’s is in the same shopping center. Unlike most of the other vendors, they only take Visa and Mastercard. Kick’s had a selection of flavors available.

Continuing around, I next came to Modern Tortilla. They had a good sized sign out front with the prices on it, albeit in small, but readable printing. Polling those who were eating there, most of the people were enjoying the food and felt that it was properly priced. In fact, a number of people felt that it was actually a cheap place to eat at. Portion sizes were nice, and while I did not have room to actually taste it, it smelled quite good.

Last but certainly not least was Bang Bang Dumpling, a truck that came in at the last minute when Bites Donuts was not able to attend.

A small menu was posted outside with some of the prices, however, more food was available than was on the menu, causing people to have to ask prices or worse, ordering food without being aware of how much they were spending. While I only was able to speak to 5 people who had the food from this truck, they all liked the flavors, but felt the portion size was a bit on the skimpy side.

The trucks certainly attracted a good crowd from ASU, and I certainly hope they will continue in the future, but please – post your prices as well as what credit cards you accept. The customer behind me in line wanted to pay with cash and was actually worried that they might not accept it!

3 stars for a good effort.

Salt Cellar

Salt Cellar

550 N Hayden Rd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85257

Companion and I arrived for a 5:00 dinner reservation just a bit early. We were asked to wait in the bar, which would not have been a problem except that every seat was already taken with people waiting. After a short wait, we were seated at our table.

The bar waitress arrived quickly and took our drink order – 20 year old port for myself and a pink squirrel for companion. The port was a Graham and was excellent, and companion loved the pink squirrel. It is notable that the bar has a large stock of premium single malts, ports, and other spirits. Best of all, they have a bartender that has knowledge of what is being served and knows what he/she is doing.

We started our dinner with a bowl of chowder – Manhattan for companion and New England for myself. The chowder had lots of chubby clams and potatoes in it, and instead of being thick and goopy (is that even a word?) it had a nicer, thinner texture that was very enjoyable.

Next came an order of Steamed Mussels. They were satisfactory except that many of the shells did not have a mussel in them. Our waitress made things right very quickly by bringing us a steaming hot new order to replace those. The mussels were cooked perfectly and came with a broth and a melted butter cruet to dip them in. Best of all, the mussels were totally clean with not a drop of foreign material in them.

On with the salad, perhaps the only weak point in the meal. Two problems presented themselves – first was that the salad itself was either torn into small pieces that were hard to get on the fork, and other pieces were too big to be put in ones mouth without being cut up. The second problem was that we selected the house vinaigrette, which just really wasn’t to my personal taste. Not wanting to be a complainer, I ate the salad and accepted it as part of the experience.

The main course arrived next – baked stuffed lobster. Each lobster was stuffed with a mixture of crab meat and scallops, then covered in bread crumbs and baked. The lobsters are smaller ones – about 1 ¼ pounds I would guess, but after the appetizers and the salad they were more than adequate. The lobsters come with a candle heater with drawn butter in it. I prefer a good salt butter to eat with my seafood, and somehow, miraculously, a small packet of Maldon Sea Salt appeared from my purse to help with the butter. The lobster was delicious and nicely cooked. Our waitress, when serving it took the hard parts apart for us so the eating it was simple and non-messy.

Our only unfortunate part of the evening was that we were seated next to a buffoon cardiologist that insisted on recounting his latest surgery experiences to his table in loud enough tones that the entire dining room found out about his sutures. I did not allow that to affect my appetite though.

Service and cleanliness were excellent as was the food.

5 Stars