Another Food Run-down.
Alright so last time it was Des Moines and now we're headed west - to Phoenix. Some highlights of my 'culinary adventure' in the Sun State:
Padre's: This place bills itself as 'modern Mexican' and it is fabulous. The lazy enchiladas are a tasty blend of cheeses wrapped in soft corn tortillas and smothered in a sweet'n'spicy green chile salsa. A glass of the Lagaria Pinot Grigio is the perfect compliment. One thing I'd pass on - the fried ice cream. The ice cream is tasty but the fried outside was not and by that point you're so full anyway the additional food just makes your stomach uncomfortable.
Pizzeria Bianco: When you call ahead and there's a 2 1/2 hour wait for a party of 5 you can think two things. Either the place is ridiculously overrated OR it's going to be the gastronomical experience of a lifetime. When the rest of the group ditched, I only had to wait 1 1/2 hours for a seat at the restaurant bar of this intimate pizzeria with the wood fire stove in the back corner. I fully intended to save some of my pizza for the ditchers - but not a single bite remained. The Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella (made daily) and fresh basil (picked daily) and a light, slightly sweet tomato sauce, was probably the best pizza I've ever had. You wait in another building - the actual bar - and a glass of Olivet Lane Chardonnay and a good book passed the time just fine. A glass of a Pinot Grigio whose name I can't remember (for shame!), the good company of the pizza-loving strangers around me and the warm, yeasty crust... I completely understand the wait. And I would wait again.
Check back - I have one more night to find something else yummy...
Padre's: This place bills itself as 'modern Mexican' and it is fabulous. The lazy enchiladas are a tasty blend of cheeses wrapped in soft corn tortillas and smothered in a sweet'n'spicy green chile salsa. A glass of the Lagaria Pinot Grigio is the perfect compliment. One thing I'd pass on - the fried ice cream. The ice cream is tasty but the fried outside was not and by that point you're so full anyway the additional food just makes your stomach uncomfortable.
Pizzeria Bianco: When you call ahead and there's a 2 1/2 hour wait for a party of 5 you can think two things. Either the place is ridiculously overrated OR it's going to be the gastronomical experience of a lifetime. When the rest of the group ditched, I only had to wait 1 1/2 hours for a seat at the restaurant bar of this intimate pizzeria with the wood fire stove in the back corner. I fully intended to save some of my pizza for the ditchers - but not a single bite remained. The Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella (made daily) and fresh basil (picked daily) and a light, slightly sweet tomato sauce, was probably the best pizza I've ever had. You wait in another building - the actual bar - and a glass of Olivet Lane Chardonnay and a good book passed the time just fine. A glass of a Pinot Grigio whose name I can't remember (for shame!), the good company of the pizza-loving strangers around me and the warm, yeasty crust... I completely understand the wait. And I would wait again.
Check back - I have one more night to find something else yummy...