Dmnkly's Profile
Mekong Plaza Food Court [Mesa]
Ach, too bad. Com Tam Thuan Kieu is pretty weak, in my estimation. It's particularly evident if you do a head-to-head on one visit.
I say sneak out and go back :-)
Salt (or even vinegar) packed anchovies in East Valley
Not East Valley (so potentially not helpful at all), but Andreoli always has salt-packed. It's a big commitment (the tins are huge), but I know there are some guides online for cleaning and repacking them so they last a while.
Italian Restaurant?
La Fenice? That would've been rather nice, actually. 'Course, it could be argued that that's inviting all kinds of bad mojo. Keep the fire insurance paid.
Italian Restaurant?
Wasn't trying to beat you up... just couldn't tell if that was an intentional shot at the name or not :-)
Italian Restaurant?
Are you being coy, Bill? :-)
Bianco's "Italian Restaurant," of course.
(If he's trying to make it impossible to do a web search for his restaurant, mission accomplished, BTW.)
romantic restaurant
Quiessence. Big time. The brick oven table is fabulously romantic, provided it's early enough in the year that it isn't too hot. Not sure that I'd use the word "trendy," but I generally don't think of "trendy" and "romantic" going together either, so perhaps we're working with differing definitions of the former :-)
best pizza?
I've been to La Piazza al Forno a couple of times, and it's a similar style to 'Pomo (straight up certified VPN), but while it's good I wouldn't choose it over 'Pomo unless it was a whole lot closer to me. And then I still probably wouldn't because I don't mind driving. I usually dislike calling one "better," but in a situation where it's such a direct comparison within a narrowly defined style, I don't mind saying that 'Pomo has come out solidly on top for me.
Looking for a restaurant with great whole crabs
Nee House is kind of hit and miss, but they have tanks with live crabs and the Kowloon-style crab is pretty fabulous... fried up with tons of garlic and chiles.
4 Nights in Mesa - Good and Local
Where do you hail from, Doc? Always helps to know the strengths and weaknesses of the city you're coming from so we can steer you towards stuff you lack or away from stuff you can do better back home.
Shanghai Next Week - Too Late for Hairy Crab?
Hello, all!
I'm going to be in Shanghai for all of 22 hours next weekend, and I'm trying to cram in as much as possible. One thing I'm considering is hitting the hairy crab pretty hard, but I'm having a hard time getting good info on how long the season runs. I'm told it'll be available next weekend, but given how little ground I'll be able to cover in a day, I don't want to blow a meal on them if they won't be up to snuff because it's so late in the season. Is this still a worthwhile endeavor in early January, or should I focus elsewhere?
Thanks!
Looking for smoked fish for a party in Tempe vicinity (not Chompie's)
Fish market, no. This is a sore spot :-/
Contigo Peru [Mesa]
Finally got to Inka Fest, and see no reason to return. No contest. Not even close. Detailed in the Inka Fest thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/756594
Inka Fest in Mesa--New Peruvian Restaurant, Delicious!
Reporting back on lunch today.
It's authentic, all right, and some of what we had was.. okay, but unless we caught four off dishes, I see no compelling reason to go here with Contigo Peru a mile down the road.
First up was the Causa Rellena de Camaron, lime and aji amarillo spiked mashed potatoes layered with egg salad and topped with a poached shrimp. Setting aside that substituting a lone poached shrimp for chicken added two dollars to the dish, it just wasn't done with nearly the precision of Contigo. Very loose egg salad, messily plated, underseasoned, unbalanced... if this had been my first taste of causa, I might not have bothered to try it again. And I dig a good causa.
Ceviche was a little more successful (we actually ordered the tiradito, but were okay with the ceviche and didn't bother to send it back). Catfish today, though I don't know if that's the norm. A generous helping, long slices heavy with lime and hot with chiles, topped with slivered onions and set next to half a boiled sweet potato. No cancha or any other accompaniments. It was rather one-dimensional, and didn't have the depth that I've had in good Peruvian ceviche. Not a bad dish, but a disappointment compared to other local offerings.
Aji de Gallina was the best of the day, a solid rendition, creamy with a little zip, though I'm suspicious about when it was made. But not to play on suspicions, this still isn't in the same league as Contigo's, its only advantage being that it's available all week rather than only on the weekends (though if my suspicions are correct, that's actually a disadvantage).
Pescado a lo Macho was a bust. No zip, no life, flat and underseasoned. The fried fish (catfish again) was limp and lifeless, and the accompanying squid was tough, rubbery and cold. Nothing redeeming about it at all.
Unless I caught a remarkably off day (and the norm would have to be a *lot* better for me to change my mind), don't bother. Drive a couple of minutes down the road and go to Contigo.
Inka Fest in Mesa--New Peruvian Restaurant, Delicious!
Dropping in at 11:30 today. Will report. Anybody who wants to join, jump in!
Cannoli Filling: Mascarpone vs. Ricotta
No, it's a good illustration of how these are big countries and the "rules" don't always apply everywhere. I'm especially surprised about Verona... I knew a couple of Italian pastry chefs who had worked in that region for years and mascarpone was anathema to both of them. Thanks, that's interesting to hear. And a first for me. I've had plenty of cannoli with mascarpone filling, just never in Italy... and it's not my preference :-) But I understand why some prefer it that way.
Cannoli Filling: Mascarpone vs. Ricotta
Hey, Mariposa, where was this, precisely? I've never seen a mascarpone-filled cannolo in Italy. Exceptions to the rule always exist, of course, but I'm really curious about where this was.
The Sicilians might have a beef with the Northerners over this one. Not that that would be a first :-)
Carne en su Jugo
Woo! Toss something out there and you never know when it'll come back. And the weather's even soup-appropriate, now!
I'll see if I can get down there to check it out this week.
Hunt: Any breakfast and lunch "restaurants" at the airport that aren't vomitoria?
They have not.
Best BBQ within 30 minutes of Tempe?
"I may be the resident wet blanket when it comes to BBQ in Phoenix. OP, if you're thinking Phoenix might have some great BBQ, it hasn't been my experience."
FWIW, you're not alone.
NOCA or Binkley's
Don't sell yourself short. There are a horde of pedigreed places I'd trade away for La Teresita and Ted Peters in a heartbeat :-)
Have a great trip!
NOCA or Binkley's
OpenTable diners also gave Buca di Beppo a 4.2 and Z'Tejas a 4.4.
Just sayin'.
To address your question, DEVO, they're different. Binkley's is very laid back and casual for a fine dining restaurant, but the food's fine dining all the way with playful sensibilities, complex presentations and an endless parade of amuses. Noca is a little more urban and energetic (though by no means a scene - and I mean that in a good way), less fussy in its presentations, but still extremely creative if less overtly so. There's a reason Kevin Binkley is one of the most respected chefs in this town. And though Matt Taylor's new over at Noca, early word from the food nerds is that he's absolutely killing it. Binkley's is, I think, more of a traditional "occasion" restaurant, but personally speaking, I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to spend an occasion at Noca either. I've had killer meals at both.
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Binkley's
6920 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, AZ 85331
Noca
3118 E. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016
My new favorite Italian restaurant - Cuoco Pazzo
Couldn't be less surprised. He was doing some great stuff over at Prado. I'm very, very anxious to get over here.
Good Sources for Hot Sauce around Phoenix?
AJ's has its good points and bad point. I agree that the hot sauce selection is pretty decent. Certainly not like a shop that specializes in hot sauces, but surprisingly good.
Carne en su Jugo
Suddenly, I have carne en su jugo on the brain. Haven't seen it around town, though I have to believe SOMEbody serves it. Anybody seen it on a menu anywhere?
Buffalo Mozzarella
Andreoli at Via Linda and the 101 almost always has it. Pricey, but good stuff.
BBQ in PHX? I'm from Texas
Well, as I mentioned in my response over there, I actually started off by asking if they did burnt ends, or if I could get an outside cut, and the woman at the counter looked at me like I was speaking Latin. But I certainly intend to get back and will try again :-)
Hot Pot Coming to Mekong Plaza?
I think you'd ordinarily pay extra for that at some of the resorts in town.
Herb Box Old Town Scottsdale
Carrying out from the market downstairs was a hit and miss experience, though I don't remember what we had. I've been wanting to get to the restaurant proper for a while. Glad to hear you had a good meal.
Hot Pot Coming to Mekong Plaza?
Criminy, if I have to sit outside in July to get good shabu shabu, I'll do it.
