We have been good about cooking at home lately and on Thursday Joy was not feeling that great and I did not want to screw up in the kitchen (Read: Forgetting to put the pan on the right burner. Please PLEASE tell me I am not the only one this has happened. Right?) After coming home, relaxing a bit, and watching some interesting TV, we decided to grab some eats. Since it was getting late on a weekday, our options were limited, especially where we are located.

There’s a place in North Scottsdale that has suffered the same fate as other restaurants in the area. Joy and I saw a place change from Ippei to Spicy Tuna. We did not want to return to Buffalo Wild Wings if we could avoid it on Thursday night so we knew where we wanted to go. We pulled up to the place late at about 10PM. Here is my take on the new place.

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Next to the local movie theatre, there is a strip mall. Logic would say that with the proximity to the movie theatre, a resturant should be sustainable. This location in particular has changed 3 times since the area has been open. There is a lot of competition around the area, especially with Buffalo Wild Wings directly across from this location, but the latest resturant to reside is Cafepino.

Joy and I decided after watching Cloverfield if it was still open, we would visit. We crossed the threshold just shy of 11PM.

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I found myself looking for another great dining experience in Phoenix. In the same shopping center where you can find Delux, there was a place that gave the impression of an Irish bar. Looking further at the name of the place, I decided to spend my lunch hour there.

The place is Keegan’s Grill and Taproom. Please read on if this experience can be enjoyed by anyone in Phoenix.

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Phoenix has become a new battleground for the Chicago Style vs. New York Style pizza. Joy and I have visited one of those places where the Chicago thin crust is the main draw, Spinato’s. The rest is my take of this Chicago original.

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There has been a trend that I have noticed in the Southwest. An increasing number of these fast food places who tack onto their name, “Mexican Grill.” Recently, I visited the recent addition to the Valley, Qdoba Mexican Grill.

The moment I entered the place I noticed that you approach the counter the same way you would the other chains like this place. You have a menu at the door, you pick your burrito, taco, or bowl, your meat, and your fillings. Still more of the same. The first thing I noticed was that the price for 3 soft tacos was about $2 more than that of 4 hard tacos at one chain and $1 more for the other. I bit my tongue and proceeded.

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It’s a fresh idea for the Valley. Fresh in both new store experience and in the quality of the food you get there. Dish, located on Scottsdale Road and Doubletree in the Gainey Village shopping center, offers freshly prepared food for home cooking or you can dine in the Bistro and be served some of the finest dishes around Scottsdale.

We didn’t get anything from the grocery side but by the time we left the Bistro, the grocery was closing. Joy ordered the herb chicken with saffron rice and I ordered the pork roast with the saffron rice as well, albiet slightly different from the intended side from the menu.

The chicken was perfection, as Joy dove into her dish. The same can be said for my pork roast as well. Perfectly seasoned and even though by the end of the plate the temperature I wanted was darker than I wanted, but even with that, the pork was still just right.

Dish is a fine addition to Scottsdale’s fine dining experience but you don’t have to break your wallet to get it. Perhaps next time, we’ll get a take-out dish or something from the grocery and see how well those stand up. Eat hearty!

A classic TV ad once said one of the most popular cheaper burgers is nothing more than bun, burger, bun, burger, bun. That was then. The burger has been reduxed a lot since then. This is one of those ways it has been redone. Delux Burger Bar, located on 32nd st and Camelback next to Safeway, is one of those new ways to have a burger. From french fries to sweet potato fries and an array of burgers and sandwiches, Delux does it very well. However, they suggest you take it medium rare.

If you do get an order of fries, they serve it to you in a shopping-cart basket and they give you ketchup and dijon dipping sauces. You don’t need to just order one type of potato, you can also order 1/2 orders, or even combination of the two.

The burger I ordered was the Delux burger: cibatta roll, medium-rare 1/2 pound burger, arugla, 2 specialty cheese, and carmalized onions. This is a superior burger. It was big, juicy, and prepared perfectly. The website may have a medium-rare burger on it, but it’s nothing compared to what you’ll get in the restaraunt.

The only drawback to this process, the price. Expect a 20 bill for a full meal. Don’t let that stop you from going, though. This reviewer suggests bringing a date so you can share this divine burger.

I hope to see you there soon!