molto e

Chris, The pork come from Kansas and all curing and prep is done at the store. The shop is a bit west from the I-10 but I think you can just hop on the 60 and go west and as long you are heading that direction anyway then maybe it would add 40-60 minutes of travelling time. Maybe Tom can give a better estimate since he lives out that way. Molto E

Tom, Their stuff is the bomb!! I need to make my trek out that way for provisions... Molto E

Doc, I do not think that they have a website or ship, but call them and maybe they would ship it. Next time you hit the dessert, I try to keep a stash of their product in the deep freeze. Molto E

I am suspending my opinion of this restaurant until further notice...

Painted Horse Cafe Sounds like I should give this place a try...

YT, Happy B'Day...anyway, back to my youth I seem to remember Maurice Lenell (pinwheel cookies ) doing tours at their factory on Harlem Maurice Lenell Molto E

The duck breast taco is great...I LOVE those Mexico City Quesadillas!

This does look great including the bread. I might like the bread just a wee bit thinner but it looks very good. I may link this photo to the thread on soft, squishy bread as a good example of non-Wonder, but not crusty bread! ← The bread was great...stop by Matt's next Phoenix trip!!!

Food Critic Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle had a meal at Alinea: Alinea: Is it food or is it art? In my experience, I would reverse what he said about El Bulli and Alinea.

Food Critic Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle stopped by Frontera Grill: The magic of Frontera Grill

Many thanks to Ron for all the time and effort that he has put in to the Society. Before I ever met the infamous Ronnie S., I had been an avid follower of the Alinea thread and now I count him as a good friend ( and supplier of top notch products of the swine, salmon, and wagyu). Eliot

Not sure if it is open on a Sunday but what about Canteen... or Terzo?

March 14, 2007, From the Arizona Republic: Jaspers Peak Bistro Bar & Grille...Food Critic Howard Seftel does not feel the love for the "timid, Louisiana-inflected" Jaspers Bistro Bar & Grille. Howard Seftel's Blog "Feeding Frenzy"...Keep up with Howard by reading his blog, "Feeding Frenzy". From the Phoenix New Times: Asia de Cuba...Food Critic Michele Laudig felt she had a "fun night out" but endured a wait of one hour and fifteen minutes and $15 rum drinks??? Vu at Hyatt Regency Scottsdale...Michele loved her experience at Vu located at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale. ( I firmly believe that Chef Brian Lewis is a top three chef in Phoenix) Michele Laudig's Blog "Chow Bella"...Keep up with Michele by reading her blog, "Chow Bella". From the Tucson Citizen: The Auld Dubliner ...Food Critic Tom Stauffer takes a walk on the Irish side at The Auld Dubliner. Pub Mania...Dina Doolen and Tom Stauffer detail the British and Irish Pub invasion. Meet The Chef: Matt McGee Montana Ave....Tom Stauffer performs a Q & A with Chef Matt McGee of Montana Ave. Restaurant Notebook...The Restaurant Notebook updates the the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. From the Tucson Weekly: Roma Imports...Jimmy Boegle loves the Italian fare at Roma Imports. Habanero's...Renee Downing reviews Habanero's, a new Mexican restaurant in the Foothills area. Noshing Around with Karyn Zolden...Karyn Zolden checks in with the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. Noshing Around with Karyn Zolden...Karyn Zolden checks in with the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. ( new installment ) Good Eating, Molto E

Doc, I can safely say that Cuy is not for me and I think your youngest may ask what cuisine that he can expect on future family outings. Did you see the preparation from whisker to plate?? What wine pairing was suggested with the Cuy ? Thankfully, you missed the headshots...will this be a dish that you will make at home ? My friend, you are a true gourmand...not sure what else to say other than that. Nevertheless, the trip looked great and your kids are lucky to have parents that will let them experience a WIDE range of things. I do have a suggestion for a place to take the family for dinner next time you make it to the city...Next Family Dinner Hot Spot For The Sconzos Molto E ← Eliot, Given that you enjoy things like this tuna head: as evidenced in this fine post, I'm surprised that you would be so squeamish! Seriously, I don't expect my kids to eat everything, but I do try to expose them to different culinary possibilities and to try to minimize any prejudices they may develop about food. ← Doc, I guess one man's bluefin is another man's guinea pig - eh?

Doc, I can safely say that Cuy is not for me and I think your youngest may ask what cuisine that he can expect on future family outings. Did you see the preparation from whisker to plate?? What wine pairing was suggested with the Cuy ? Thankfully, you missed the headshots...will this be a dish that you will make at home ? My friend, you are a true gourmand...not sure what else to say other than that. Nevertheless, the trip looked great and your kids are lucky to have parents that will let them experience a WIDE range of things. I do have a suggestion for a place to take the family for dinner next time you make it to the city...Next Family Dinner Hot Spot For The Sconzos Molto E

Doc, Before I get to my QUESTION...looks like a fantastic trip and your ability to take great photos in altitude is amazing. Where are the shots of you eating guinea pig...my childhood pet Creamy was an exceptionally smart guinea pig and I would have not been able to share that course with you. How were they prepared...what did they taste like...did they COOK them to order???? Molto E p.s. I am not sure that I even want to know the answers to those questions

When I first discovered the culinary artistry of Chef Nobuo Fukuda of Sea Saw, my meals there were based on selections off the regular menu and a selection or two from the daily special card. Then one evening, I saw some diners being served some dishes that were not on the menu and I grabbed the Omakase menu and did not find those dishes there either. Nobuo explained that those dishes are on the Special Omakase menu that must be requested in advance so that he could special order the exotic components that make up that menu. At that point, I told him from then on when I come in that is what I wanted. But he was still judging whether I was ready for all the tricks up his sleeve. During this time, I did not realize that he was testing me to see if my palate was up to the "Full-On" Special Omakase, but soon enough he graduated me ( eating there 3 out 4 days did not hurt either ). I have eaten things at Sea Saw that I would never would have dreamed that I would and I look forward to what the future holds for me there. That is why when I dine there, I have an excitement because I have no idea where Chef Fukuda and his team will take me. What I do know is that the food will be tasty, thought provoking and something that I can not get anywhere else in Phoenix. I also know that the quality of the fish at Sea Saw is on the highest level to come into the United States! I will now report on my last two meals at Sea Saw: Hassun: Edamame soup, oyster with caviar, mozuku seaweed w / yama imo ( Japanese mountain potato ), Chinese longbean with sesame sauce and marinated / fried octopus suction cups Sashimi: From Back left to right: hamachi w / white truffle, gravlax, big eye tataki, wild tai, grilled tako, mirugui ( giant clam ), scallop, ceviche, wild hirame with yuzu kosho sudachi juice sea salt and yuzu zest This course is where the depth of Chef Fukuda's skills is displayed. I would love multiple orders of this course or a full order of any of these bites. Aoyagi Yuan: grilled surf clam with cucumber sauce and ume Jidori chicken egg slow poached with sauteed Chinese long bean in dried shrimp sauce with shaved white truffle Piercing the egg yolk to mix with the shrimp sauce with the addition of the white truffle really "gilds the lilly" on this dish. Spanish bluefin: grilled with sweet onion sauce and kimchee baby vegetables This is a decadent dish with the unctous Spanish Bluefin on top of the sweet onion salsa. I could put that onion salsa on anything, it is so good. Shabu Shabu: live spiny lobster and live scallop After dipping the lobster and scallop in the broth, Nobuo then made a soup with a piece of spiny lobster. Grilled Spiny Lobster Soup: dashi from Shabu Shabu mitsuba stem and leaves, yuzu zest Kobe Ishiyaki One of my favorites...sear your own slices of kobe on the hot rock. Foie Gras with Poached Pears This is actually the dessert course...nice! Now if you have a little more room for dessert then... Shiro Shoyu ( white caramel ) creme caramel, ginger creme brulee, yuzu tartlet, peanut truffles, jasmine and pumpkin ice creams, soy caramels, spiced sesame cookies I am a soy caramel addict Meal #2... Sashimi: hamachi with black truffle, gravlax, tataki, wild Japanese Tai, grilled tako, bluefin, aji, ceviche, okoze konbujime Sauteed chinese long beans, dried shrimp sauce, slow poached Jidori chicken egg, black truffle Delicious dish Japanese bluefin yuan with sweet onion salsa, micro greens with yuzu viniagrette, kimchee turnip and carrot Kobe Shabu Shabu with sesame sauce Kobe and Japanese bluefin Ishiyaki The only thing that could possibly top this would be a third hot rock with a slab of foie gras. Great Dish Now this is where a little surprise came in...a birthday was being celebrated in the group and HERE COMES THE CAKE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? Japanese bluefin head ( cake ) There were various tastes and textures that could be found in the fish head...some egg white like, some bone marrow like....GREAT FUN! Now something more traditional for dessert: white soy creme caramel, vanilla pavlova with yuzu ice cream, macaroons, soy caramel, balsamic truffle, lemon goat cheese-cheese cake with orange marmalade Nobuo is a magnificent teacher as evidenced by the skill that his crew displays in full view of the dining room. His Sous-Chef Geoff Reed is someone that I consider "one to watch". Geoff had formal French Training that Nobuo has culled into his progressive Japanese style. The interesting thing is that Geoff's Father, Marty, had been teaching Geoff some Japanese ways as he grew up. Geoff's Dad manufactures some of the tools that they use at Sea Saw. He makes the sashimi plating chopsticks out of titanium that not only the Sea Saw crew uses but Shinji Kurita, Brian Lewis and some of them can be found in use at the Park Hyatt Tokyo. His stunning craftsmanship also can be seen in Japanese knives that he handcrafts out of Damascus steel. His creations are not limited to knives and chopsticks as he has made bonito shavers and some champagne flight holders that are in use at Baroque.

No need to discuss this anymore...the doors have closed: Dual closes...

Matt's Big Breakfast 801 N. 1st Street ( 1st & McKinley) Phoenix, Az. 602-254-1074 When I see a line of people spilling out into the street waiting to eat at a restaurant in Phoenix, I know the food must be good. At Matt's Big Breakfast whether it is breakfast or lunch, the food does not disapoint. Matt and his wife Erenia serve simple food but use top-notch ingredients ( Chino Valley Ranch Eggs, Harris Ranch Beef, Terra Verde Farm Preserves, McClendon Select Produce, Wildflower Bread, The Pork Shop ). Upon entering Matt's, one can not help but think "this place is cool". The diner setting is something that harkens back to the diners of yesteryear. I have made my way around the menu a few times and everything comes out like that dream breakfast should. The option of hash browns or home fries is something that I appreciate because the art of the hash brown seems lost these days in most breakfast haunts. cheese omelette with HASH BROWNS French Toast with maple syrup waffles with pepper bacon from The Pork Shop Daily Special - ham, roasted jalapenos & cheddar cheese egg scramble The Chop & Chick - two eggs and a skillet seared Iowa pork rib chop The lunch offerings at Matt's are equally satisfying, highlights include: Big Butter Burger (need I say more) Chili Bowl I do not ever remember ordering or for that matter eating an egg salad sandwich but I saw one at Matt's pass me by and could not resist. Egg Salad Sandwich ( I added a couple strips of that Pork Shop bacon) Matt and the back of his wife Erenia Matt's Big Breakfast is a great spot for lunch or dinner and now with the opening of their bar Roosevelt Tavern, you can hang with the Pool's all day! Phoenix Best Bets: Vu at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Sea Saw Binkley's Restaurant Zinc Bistro Cyclo Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken and Waffles Kohnies-Coffee, Breakfast and Best Scones Pizzeria Bianco Pane Bianco - Chris Bianco's sandwich shop Matt's Big Breakfast Arlecchino Gelateria The Pork Shop Grazie Pizzeria

Kai, I ate there with one other person so there were a couple of courses that I got one thing and he got the other. There were no petit-fours...do you mean the tarts?? I received the same tasting as the group around the corner did. One of the dishes was new and they were trying it out ( tartare ) and I saw that go to other people as well. As far as portion size...I could of used a bigger piece of that Wagyu ...that was the first time I had the sliders so I could not tell you anything about those. Hope That Helps, Molto E

Kai, The tasting menu was $125 at that point but I think that it is $135 now. When I was there there was a group around the corner that made various substitutions to the tasting menu and they accomodated them without issue. As far as the time that dinner at L'Atelier takes, this is not the fine dining restaurant so 2 hours for haute bistro food is acceptable to me. Unfortunately, prices at restaurants in Las Vegas are affected by "Vegas inflation" so correlating price and experience there is skewed. Best, Molto E

Michael Nagrant's Podcast with Rick Bayless

That should be fine...let them know that you have a time issue and you will make it.

March 2, 2007 From the Arizona Republic: Howard Seftel's Blog "Feeding Frenzy"...Howard reports that Chef Christopher Gross has secured what may be the best location in Phoenix for his next restaurant. Eggroll Lumpia Factory / Island Roots...Food Critic Howard Seftel reviews two new east valley ethnic restaurants, Eggroll Lumpia Factory ( Valley's first Filipino restaurant ) and Island Roots ( Guamanian ). Carey Sweet's Dining Column...Carey details the changes that new owner Chef Robert Mcgrath is making at Pischke's Paradise. From the Phoenix New Times: Tesoro Ristorante Italiano...Food Critic Michele Laudig feels the love at the family run Tesoro Ristorante Italiano. Michele Laudig's Blog "Chow Bella"...Keep up with Michele by reading her blog, "Chow Bella". From the Tucson Citizen: Sopa Season...Tom Stauffer writes the first installment of the best Mexican soups to be had in Tucson. The first installment chronicles the best casuela in Tucson. Restaurant Notebook...The Restaurant Notebook updates the the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. China Phoenix Restaurant...Food Critic Tom Stauffer reviews China Phoenix Restaurant and finds the dishes tasty but lacking a bit of pep. Meet The Chef - Patrick Davis...Tom Stauffer performs a Q & A with Pastry Chef Patrick Davis of Fox Restaurants Concepts From the Tucson Weekly: Cafe Jasper...Rita Connelly feels that Cafe Jasper "holds it own in an area of with some of Tucson's finer dining choices." Noshing Around with Karyn Zolden...Karyn Zolden checks in with the culinary goings on in the Old Pueblo. Good Eating, Molto E

I thought Doc made his reservations a few days before...call them.