hohokam's Profile
Dim Sum in Phoenix/Greater Phoenix Area
I had a pretty good dim sum experience at Phoenix Palace in Chandler a few months back. I thought the variety and quality of the food were quite good, and the carts came by frequently.
Recommendation for affordable, very good group dining
For some reason I have it in my mind that FnB has only 29 seats total. The actual figure might be closer to 35 or 40, but at any rate, a group of 30 would pretty much take over the entire space.
"Restaurants" Database To Be Eliminated
As I see it, this amounts to a huge step backward for the site. Moving ahead with this kind of change without a viable replacement at the ready seems like a poor decision to me.
Perhaps starting on March 20 every post should end with the following auto-signature:
Find these restaurants via Google: http://maps.google.com
Find these restaurants via Yelp: http://www.yelp.com
I'm only being half facetious here.
California Foodie Visiting Scottsdale for Spring Training 2012
For those who might not be familiar...the foundation of a huarache is an elongated cake of masa (more or less the shape of its namesake footwear) that is then fried. It's more akin to a thick, crisped (but tender) corn tortilla than it is to naan or pita.
Mill Ave Options?
I suspect that the OP and his/her child fall outside of the Fat Tuesday's target demographic (i.e., 21-23 year olds looking to get hammered and/or laid).
Mill Ave Options?
A couple of my long-time sentimental favorites in that area are Restaurant Mexico (actually on Mill) and El Pollo Supremo (about 2 blocks west of Mill). Both are very casual and extremely inexpensive.
On Restaurant Mexico's menu you will see a lot of familiar offerings (e.g.,enchiladas, sopes, tacos). What sets them apart from a lot of places in town is their focus on D.F./central Mexico-style preparations. So, instead of everything being smothered in molten orange cheese, their food comes dressed with a tomatillo-based salsa (red sauce available upon request) and stuffed and/or topped with crumbled queso Cotija.
El Pollo Supremo is a bit of a hole in the wall with a limited menu, but I've always thought that their chicken was outstanding.
For a family with young kid, I'd guess that Restaurant Mexico would be the better of these two options.
And while you're in that area, you might want want to head over to Paletas Betty for dessert, though, I must say that I am partial to Restaurant Mexico's flan. :-)
California Foodie Visiting Scottsdale for Spring Training 2012
Late Breaking News: Cuocco Pazzo and Chef Peter DeRuvo have parted ways.
California Foodie Visiting Scottsdale for Spring Training 2012
I'm a part-time Bay Arean (living in Berkeland borderlands), so I think I have a handle the kind of place you're describing.
Noca, FnB, Citizen Public House, and any of Bianco's places would top my list of places to get good food in a non-stuffy atmosphere. Of that bunch, Noca is probably the most formal/polished in terms of service--more or less on par with a place like Zuni Cafe in that regard. This is not to say that the folks at the other places are slouches, or that you'll feel outclassed at Noca.
As you point out, good pizza (and good Italian food more generally) is easy to find in SF, so a stop at Pizzeria Bianco, Pane Bianco, or Italian Restaurant (Bianco's latest venture) maybe doesn't need to be your highest priority.
Are any of the Phoenix-area A&Ws still open?
The corporate site still lists 3 locations in the metro area--all are on the west side.
Need recommendaton for restaurant convenient to Phoenix Memory Lawn Cemetery, 719 North 27th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009
Oh good. I was thinking about District specifically when I was wondering about other downtown options.
Need recommendaton for restaurant convenient to Phoenix Memory Lawn Cemetery, 719 North 27th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009
I'm sorry for your family's loss.
As you guessed, there isn't much right near the cemetery, but its proximity to the freeways means many restaurants are within a quick drive, and the private room requirement makes things a little tricky.
The mezzanine at St. Francis is (I think) about the right size for your party. This space can be reserved, but I would advise you to call ASAP, if this looks like an option you want to pursue.
The way the dining area at Nobuo at Teeter House is laid out (several smallish rooms under the same roof), you might be able to take over a room that you can have to yourselves. Naturally, you will want to call ahead to make arrangements. Note, however, that Nobuo is not open between 4:00 and 5:30.
Comedor Guadalajara, which is also a short drive away, isn't in the swankiest of neighborhoods, but I've never felt unsafe there. They have also have private areas that you might be able to reserve.
There might be some other downtown options that have private rooms, but I'm not familiar with any.
what kind of cherries does CPH use in their Manhatten
OK. I thought you were asking for kind as in Marasca vs. Amarena, for example. I too would guess that they're using Luxardo brand.
what kind of cherries does CPH use in their Manhatten
According to the menu linked below, it's a Marasca cherry--the base for Marachino liquer.
http://citizenpublichouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Full-Table-Menu-v2.2.pdf
Question about Gallo Blanco and Barrio Cafe
Strictly speaking, the only burger options at Gallo Blanco are the Pica Rico burger and the cheeseburger, and the only appetizers are the antojitos.
I didn't catch the OP's need for a spot that would be appropriate for a business dinner. If that were a need to be met, I would probably steer a person away from Barrio Cafe too, given that, in general, the noise level there can make it difficult to have a quiet conversation.
Question about Gallo Blanco and Barrio Cafe
In case anyone is confused by this post, I'll point out that Gallo Blanco does actually offer several non-burger, non-appetizer options. Whether or not they are appropriate for dinner, is in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.
Pizza a Metro?
I don't know what was going on when you went, but they appeared to be open for service today (Fri, Jan 13). The posted hours are the same as what I've always known them to be (11am-9pm Mon-Fri; 4pm-9pm Sat; closed Sun).
Where can one buy duck confit?
If you have access to duck legs and a little rendered duck fat (and/or some nice clean lard), it's super easy to make your own.
I'm not sure if it's possible to buy legs separately around here, but it's not like the rest of the bird would have to go to waste once you removed the legs. :-)
Birthday dinner in Scottsdale area
Choosing to eat out on a Monday, which also happens to be the day after Christmas, cuts down on the options available to you in this area. Three of the five non-Citizen Public House options that came to my mind (Posh, Nobuo, Binkley's) are closed on Mondays year-round.
Noca, which I love, is open daily at this time of year. I'd suggest you check out their menus online. They are doing some special holiday menus right now (Feast of the Seven Fishes theme; Chanukah theme). These might or might not be reflected accurately on their website; I'd suggest looking at their Facebook page for the most current and detailed information.
As a sidebar, I'd note that the wait times at Pizzeria Bianco have dropped considerably since the introduction of lunch service earlier this year. Also, the Bianco group just expanded dinner service at the Pane Bianco location. Unfortunately, both the pizzeria and Pane Bianco, which are normally open on Mondays, will be closed on the 26th.
Blood sausage
OK, after some searching I found one (near) East Valley option: Robbie Fox's in Tempe serves a blood pudding and mushroom starter. Credit New Times for that find.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2011/02/where_to_find_blood_sausage_in.php
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bella/2010/10/black_pudding_blood_sausage_at.php
EDIT: Looks like someone needs to add an entry to the places database for Robbie Fox's.
Blood sausage
I don't know of any places in the East Valley. If you'e willing and able to venture west of the 101, you can try Christopher's, which serves a delicious boudin noir. Tapas Papa Frita in Old Town Scottsdale lists a morcilla tapa on their menu. I haven't eaten at TPF in many many years, so I can't comment on the quality.
Decent Mexican near downtwon Sheraton?
Gallo Blanco, which is a short cab ride from the hotel, does a good job with modern Mex, but the options themis suggests are definitely more convenient.
Moderate-bargain southwestern/Mexican restaurants
Indeed. As I found out on a recent dinner run to Flagstaff, the *post-dinner* trip back down I-17 starts to feel a whole lot longer than the 2 hours it actually takes. By the time we hit New River, I was wishing for one of those things they used to hold open Malcolm McDowell's eyelids in A Clockwork Orange.
Moderate-bargain southwestern/Mexican restaurants
Because the geographic scale of the state is not always obvious to first-time visitors, I'll note here for the OP that Sedona is roughly 2 hours from the Whittmann/Surprise area and about 2.5-3 hours from Chandler, depending on traffic conditions.
McCormick & Schmicks for Thanksgiving?
A couple of observations from a quick scan of Opentable:
(1) there appear to be quite a few restaurants serving tomorrow
(2) both of the M&S locations listed have tables available, albeit on the later side (8-ish) relative to when folks generally eat T-Day dinner.
And here is the AZ Republic's list of T-Day dining options:
http://www.azcentral.com/thingstodo/events/holiday2/articles/2011/11/15/20111115thanksgiving-restaurants-dine-take-out-phoenix.html
Recs for dinner near Camelback Inn?
I know that pizza wasn't on your list above, but Pomo Pizzeria is reasonable near to your hotel (just shy of 3 miles away), and IMO, does a very good job with Neapolitan-style pies. If my memory is accurate, their wines by-the-glass are a little on the pricey side (most are $10+), so you might have to limit yourselves to 2 glasses apiece (or maybe 5 total) if you want to keep the total tab, with tax and tip, south of the 100-dollar mark.
The Grind is a bit farther away, but their focus on burgers cooked in a coal-fired oven and their classic cocktail menu would seem to be right on target, given what it seems you are looking for.
Sunday pre-concert downtown dinner recommendation.
D'oh! I forgot that Nobuo was open on Sundays. That would definitely be my first choice.
Seoul Korean Grill (Glendale): Has anyone here been? Thoughts?
I just ran across this place while scanning a list of Groupon deals and was wondering if anyone here had given it a try. The menu isn't exactly extensive, but it does have dishes (japchae, haemul pajeon, mandu, dolsot bibimbap) that interest me enough to give it a shot.
