Noshtopia

ARW 2010: Prado Italian Nosh - Slow, Sustainable And Local

Say hello to Executive Chef Claudio Uriciuoli of Prado at the InterContinental Montelucia, one of the most beautiful and relaxing resorts in Phoenix metro. Chef Claudio was born in the Southern Italian region of Campania, and he is an active supporter of the Slow Food movement - a big deal in my book.

Chef Claudio is very down to earth and friendly with a beautiful Italian accent. Listening to him talk about the food and cooking, I almost felt like I was in a scene in Italy in Eat, Pray, Love.

I picked Prado as one of my six Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 choices because they are one of the few restaurants in town - resort or not - who has their own active blog, Life at Prado. This place doesn't just tweet and Facebook, they also blog which is a big deal in my book because it shows that they enjoy storytelling and are not just another restaurant in a ginormous hotel. The Prado blog is enticing.

Before we get to the delectable food, here's some quick factoids about the cooking style at Prado:

• Cooking has Mediterranean influence so no butter or cream. Olive oil is primarily used. We love this at Noshtopia because you can cut down on the fats and there is more options for those who are avoiding dairy. The only place Prado uses butter is in the desserts, and in some dishes where butter is called out like in the ravioli shown later in the post.

• For seafood, Chef Claudio chooses sustainable seafood and follows ocean-friendly recommendations from places like the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

• Chef Claudio has a hookup for Controne Beans imported from a small town in Italy.

• Produce comes from local farms. In fact, InterContinental is so supportive of local farms that they also do a Community-Sourced Agriculture (CSA) program from Oct. 6 - Dec. 22 with local farm Maya's Farm where you can get a weekly basket of fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers. Awesome!

Now for the food. Here is Prado's official Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 menu. Let me show you a few of the selections.

For starters you can get this Wild Sylvietta Arugula salad which comes with shaved parmigiano and flat bread. We all know how much I love arugula, in fact, I eat the stuff for breakfast now. Yes! Greens are a great way to start off the day.

I was blown away by this Gazpacho. In fact, when I first saw the soup I didn't even think it was Gazpacho because it looked more like a thick and creamy tomato bisque. I assumed there was dairy in the soup but oh no!

This soup is vegan without the cheese sprinkles on top. Believe it or not the secret to the "appearance" of thick & creamy is blended cucumber with roasted peppers. I could eat bowls and bowls of this soup. In fact, I think Prado should sell this soup at markets, it would be a seller!

Here is the Porcini mushroom ravioli with brown butter, sage, and fresh parmigiano. I was ready to be serenaded by an Italian crooner when I saw this dish. You can smell the crispy brown butter rising from the plate. I am a big Porcini fangirl. I use the mushroom quite a bit in my own cooking and love it as a pizza topping.

For a main course, here is the Flat Iron Steak with grilled potatoes, Shishito peppers and a splash of a 6 year-old balsamic vinegar. If you get this steak, you must cut a small piece of the Shishito pepper and pair it with a bite of the meat with a swipe of the balsamic. OMG! The combo of the three flavors was incredible.

We didn't get to dessert because the choices were Gelatos or an Almond Biscotti, all nice but nothing as exciting to photograph as the first two course choices. You'll definitely leave Prado very happy and content.

What's really nice, if you have dinner at Prado and finish early before the sun totally goes down, you can stroll around the InterContinental property and walk off some of that meal. The place is gorgeous with some picturesque views of the redish mountains.

I really love the desert feeling of the terrain out here in Phoenix.

As a quick side note, for the spa goers, the restaurant, Joya Terrace at the InterContinental Joya Spa has a really cool healthy menu. In fact, the menu lists out for each dish the nutritional information and the food ranges from 90-450 calories. There is one dish at 560 calories - the salmon. It's awesome to be able to eat light after a relaxing day at the spa!

Visit Prado on Facebook, and @prado_mbar on Twitter.

ARW 2010: Monti's La Casa Vieja, Amazing Arizona History With "Steak For The People"

 
Right away, the story I love most about Monti's La Casa Vieja Steakhouse that owner Michael Monti shared with me was how one night a young man proposed to his girl, and on the same night another couple was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and guess where that guy proposed...that's right, in the same room as the young couple.

The romantic in me is getting all happy weepy, as how many restaurants do you know have those kinds of tales to tell?...not many. In the picture above is one of the early menus when the elder Monti ran the place starting in 1954. See, you can get Filet Mignon for $2.50 and a martini for 50 cents! Son Michael started running things in 1993.

Here is Michael showing me how they have kept some of the original roof of this building which was originally owned by CT Hayden in 1866, and is one of the oldest standing buildings in Phoenix metro. The building was originally the home of the Hayden family, and a future senator was born in it.

Michael has also made it a point to keep as much of the original sturcture as possible. In fact, in the main dining room, which used to be an outdoor courtyard, the original water fountain is still there.

I love history and family-owned restaurants that have been passed down for generations, so coming to Monti's and getting an amazing history lesson from Michael himself was a great honor. Speaking of senators, one of Michael's favorite things to do is to crack open the doors of the Senator's dining room so people can see the glowing portrait of Senator Carl Hayden. It is pretty cool!

Now for the food, but first let's say a quick hello to Chef Jimmy Hernandez. He does indeed smile more, but I was too slow to capture that smile. Chef Jimmy is a very nice guy, so say hello to him if you get the chance.

Here is Monti's Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 menu. First, I'll say upfront that people do not go to Monti's for healthy fare. Nope and that's okay! This food is about comfort and memories, and I picked Monti's as one of my six choices because of the unique history.

People come to Monti's because they have for generations. In fact, sitting at a table next to me was a gentleman who has been a Monti's customer for 30 years. Trendy restaurants are cool and have a place, but so do places like Monti's who are true originals and have proven the test of time.

Here is a bread basket you are not going to want to pass up. This is Monti's signature Roman bread based on a foccacia recipe from Aunt Emilia (Monti) from Italy...okay you know it's already going to be good. This Roman bread has onion mixed in the dough and rosemary on top. I almost ate half the basket. I believe Martha would give thumbs up to this bread.

For a first course, what goes traditionally well with steak....yes, shrimp cocktail. We're about the basics here, and it's all good. My dad would be loving these shrimp as he is a huge shrimp cocktail fanboy.

For an entree, this dish is not on the ARW menu, but here is Monti's signature 9oz. large filet with mashed potatoes and seasonal squash. I loved how tender this beef was, and mashed potatoes is definitely one of my comfort foods.

Micheal used the term, "steak for the people," to best describe Monti's steakhouse, and what that means is that you are going to get a quality piece of beef for a very reasonable price.

For desert, this Peach cobbler is one of the ARW menu choices. On my own, I would probably eat every bite and lick the bowl clean so bringing friends to share is a good idea.

I told Michael that Monti's should do a, "History Dinner with Michael Monti" where Michael shares a story of Phoenix history between courses and sips of local wines.

Michael is really an amazing storyteller as you can see the passion exude from him as he shares his knowledge. I learned so much about Phoenix history in a short period, and was riveted the whole time...seriously, he's that good!

And speaking of good, here is an amazing social media deal. If you check-in at Monti's on Foursquare, their speical offer is a margarita for 5 cents...yes, a nickel which is even cheaper than back in 1954.

Guess who's going to be getting her drink-on!

Visit Monti's La Casa Vieja Steakhouse on Facebook, and @montistempe on Twitter. Michael's personal Twitter account is @100SMillAvenue. Be warned, after 10pm there may be mischievous tweets...but then again aren't those the best kind!

ARW 2010: Ko'Sin Tofu, Scallops, and Mesquite Crust Cheesecake Emphasizing Local Native American Flair

Say hello to Executive Chef Dushyant Singh of Ko'Sin in the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort who by the way is a very warm guy in person so do say hello if you the chance to meet him. Ko'Sin, means 'kitchen' in the Pima language.

Before some of you start going, "Ugh! I don't want to eat hotel food for restaurant week." I say hold up a moment. This week, Ko'Sin is one of three resort restaurants I'm reviewing because contrary to what many may think, some of the big resorts in town actually are really good on their own...and this is coming from someone who was once a corporate road warrior who dreaded eating at hotels because it all tasted the same after awhile.

This Sheraton is also a really beautiful property. I really loved all the Native American art around the hotel like the huge murals on the ceiling, and this painting which had real arrows embedded on top.

Pointing out some of the food at the resorts is also one of my ways of trying to help stimulate tourism to our state by featuring the awesome foods we do have here. With beautiful terrain, spas, golf, and noshing, Phoenix is a great weekend getaway trip! Okay, I'm off the sales soap box now :-)

A factoid that shocked me about Ko'Sin is that the bulk of their produce is purchased within a 20-mile radius of the restaurant, they get goat cheese from a local independent dude, and their meats come from local sources. You'd think that a large chain like Sheraton would be getting foods from a large food supplier. Not here!

Chef Dushyant has atonomy to get foods he wants, and it was absolutely wonderful to hear how much the Sheraton as a whole does business with local suppliers to help bolster the local economy. Their extra foods are even used to make composte for the local farmers to use...talk about full circle.

Now the food...

Here is Ko'Sin's full Arizona Restaurant Week menu. One of the first course choices is this Ratatouille with crisp onions, seasonal vegetables, pan seared mole crusted tofu, tomato, Ms. Burn's basil, and roasted garlic. I have to say I have never seen tofu used so creatively and elegantly. From a health perspective, it's awesome to have a first course that is not loaded with cheese and cream.

A second course choice are these Lion's Paw diver scallops with warm bacon, spinach salad, blue cheese, fingerling potatoes, and toasted corn puree. This dish is good for those who are cutting down or out the carbs. These are some meaty scallops folks. I'm trying to remember the last time I had scallops that were this juicy and abundant.

Now for desert, one choice is this Arizona style cheesecake with a mesquite fennel pollen crust. Yes, they take mesquite and grind it up really fine like a powder and mix it in the crust to give the cheesecake a Southwestern flair. My iPhone camera is not doing this cheesecake justice here, but you can get the gist.

Again, in my book, the use of mesquite is another thumbs up for creativity. You're not going to find flavor combos like this in other parts of the country. Call me simple too, but I thought it was really cool how the slice of cheesecake was standing up right...again imaginative!

Before or after dinner, in the lobby bar ouside of Ko'Sin, ask for Christine and she will make you this most amazing Rasbperry truffle cheesecake martini. It's a total chicktail loaded with sugary calories but what the heck, go for it! This drink is wonderfully decadent and not on the official bar menu as it's a Christine creation.

Again, I was thrilled to hear about all the local things this Sheraton does which also includes going to the local schools to teach kids about cooking and local fares. Awesome! You will definitely find me back again at the Sheraton enjoying more noshy adventures!

Visit the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort on Facebook, and on Twitter @WildHorsePassAZ.

 

ARW 2010: Fuego Bistro Pork Nosh Up Their With The Hawaiians

Say hello to Jeff Ward the owner of Fuego Bistro in the CenPho part of town. I have never been to this place before and honestly one of the main reasons they were one of my picks for Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 is because I really like their website. Yeah, sometimes I'm that simple.

Because I am a webster and a designer at heart, my first impression of a website does matter...to me. Their site is nothing fancy, but I love the simplicity and the stylish earthiness it exudes, and happily their food and ambiance match.

When I first drove up to Fuego Bistro, I almost thought Google maps sent me to the wrong place because the neighborhood is nothing fancy compared to most of the frou-frou places on the ARW list, and the place is hidden towards the back. What a gem! Here in their court yard they have live music on the weekends. I'm thinking romantic date night on the patio.

First, let me say that you will find some of the nicest and friendly people at Fuego Bistro. Right away I feel like I'm sitting in someone's living room, and everyone is all smiles...so welcoming!

I meet this fun couple and they are noshing and laughing with everyone in the room when I get there. They're sitting below this painting which I also happen to own. Happy coincidence for me to see the zesty passionate dancers.

Now the food...

One of the special ARW appetizers Fuego is offering are their Empenadas stuffed with pork angus, cheddar cheese, peppers and onions. Wowza these empenadas remind me of the kind one of my aunts make, which brings happy family memories for me of warmth, laughter, and yes good eating! These Fuego empenadas would rock with a cool glass of Sangria.

I don't eat pork very often because I tend to stick to lean meats like turkey, but OMG! you gotta try this Pernil Asado which is marinated for 24 hours and slow roasted for 7 hours. I sware this pork ranks up there with pork I've eaten in Hawaii, and the way they cook pork in Hawaii is unlike most things here on the mainland. The pork is served with an orange habanero mojo, carrots, green beans, and corn tortillas.

I asked for a to-go box because I wanted to eat every morsel of this dish, and my oh my this meat was still awesome the next day.

Lastly for dessert, is a Key Lime cheesecake, which is a recent menu change from the dessert list posted on the ARW website. I didn't eat any of the cheesecake because this was actually the dessert of the couple in the photo up above lol! The couple did rave about the cheesecake, and really how wrong can you go with thick cheesy goodness on a graham cracker crust.

Jeff rises early every morning and goes to local markets to get foods for the day. You won't find a big food truck rolling up to their place. Almost everyone who works there has been around since day one which is going on four years now.

If you want a low-key warm place that feels like hanging out at your fun neighbor's house, definitely check out Fuego Bistro! They are so friendly there. And for the locals who love this place, they are opening a second place called Fuego Cantina at 24th and Camelback in the Esplanade at the beginning of 2011.

I joked but was serious with Jeff that he needs to get a Twitter and Facebook page going. How about we encourage him ay!

AZRW 2010: Restaurants With Gluten-Free Menus

From the list of restaurants participating in Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 from September 18-26, here is a list of the places in the Phoenix metro area that have a Gluten-free specific menu - on the regular menu.

The restaurants participating in AZRW have set courses for the special week, and only three of them (Landmark, The Melting Pot, and True Food Kitchen) are offering a gluten-free options on their respective special AZRW menu.

I thought it would be helpful to just point who has gluten-free options (at all) if you or someone in your party wanted to enjoy gluten-free dishes. This list is also a nice reference for those coming into town for a visit or vacation and are looking for some good gluten-free places. This info will be helpful when restaurant week is over. Here's the list:

Tried Something New For Lunch: Fresh Coconut Water In The Coconut With My Veggie Sammich

I walk into @WFMRaintree aka one of my local Whole Foods, and right in the front is this display of fresh coconuts in ice. There was a very fit woman about early 30's standing at the display picking out a coconut.

As she saw me gander over the coconuts she said to me, "the water in these coconuts are awesome! When you're done drinking you can scoop out the meat and eat it. It's so delicious...it's one of my favorites!"

This woman was so genuinely excited about the fresh coconuts that I got sucked into her enthusiasm and decided that for $2.49 why not try it. The blogger in me is thinking, "Hmmm, this will make for a good blog post too :)"

I've never had fresh coconut water still in its coconut shell here in the States. Whenever I have visited the Philippines with my parents, we will enjoy fresh coconut water in shell because it's everywhere especially from street vendors.

So with my 1/2 veggie sandwich on ciabatta bread, I enjoyed some fresh coconut water and I have to say that in the shell the water tastes so much better than canned coconut water. Plus, many of those canned coconut water drinks are about $1.99. For 50 cents more, I get the real stuff. That's a no-brainer sale for me.

Although, if I were working in an office, I bet it would be quite hysterical to bring back a coconut shell to my cubicle.

On a quick side note, speaking of fitness, here is an interesting article at U.S. News & World Report Health that compares coconut water to Gatorade because coconut water has been called, "nature's sports drink." The one big thing that article forgets to mention is that coconut water does not contain High Fructose Corn Syrup or artificial colors. I still don't understand the concept of "fitness" drinks that are fluorescent yellow-green or purple. Just seems counter healthy to me.

Anyway, if you have the chance to drink coconut water straight from the coconut shell, do so! I agree with that woman, it's delicious.

ARW 2010: Talavera - Figs, Sunsets and Smiles

Say hello to Executive Chef Mel Mecinas and the chefs that create the marvelous food for both Talavera and Crescent Moon at the Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North aka @FSScottsdale on Twitter.

In my five years of blogging, I have to say that taking this shot ranks as one of the most heart-warming moments of my career, seriously. When I asked Chef Mel if I could take his picture he said, "Sure, but I want everyone else in it too." In my book, this is classy. Right away, Miss Team Builder in me is getting teary.

So, we went to the kitchen and Chef Mel gathered everyone. I happened to come in on a special day when all the chefs were in because they were training for the new Fall/Winter menu which debuts today actually.

They didn't know this at the time, but I had a lump in my throat. I was so touched by the display of leadership, warmth, and big smiles. The Talavera kitchen definitely has a very positive feeling in there, and I can't say enough how honored I felt to be able to spend time there with these wonderful people.

I picked Talavera because at Phoenix Cooks, a Phoenix food event featuring the talents of local chefs, I tweeted that Talavera had the best dish at the show - a gnocchi with garlic shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil in a lobster sauce.

I don't know what magic they put in that gnocchi, but I went to their booth 5 times...I'm not ashamed to say because every morsel made me that much happier. Talavera saw that tweet and invited me over, and I was so there!

I love this place so much, I don't even know where to begin, so how about we just start with a first course that is offered on Talavera's ARW Menu - Salmon Tartare and Semi-Carpaccio with Citrus and Arugula.

It was fun to be in the kitchen to watch Chef Mel make the dish.

A second option for a first course is this Corn Bisque with Snow Crab, Bell Pepper, and Fennel Pollen. There is just a hint of cream in the bisque. Chef Mel places the snow crab in the middle of the bowl and then pours in the bisque. I'm feeling really spoiled at this moment so everything is tasting fabulous. I want to take a bowl of this soup and curl up in a plush blanket in front of a fireplace.

For a second course option, here is a Cedar River New York Steak with Mushrooms and Marsala. For me, they paired the steak with a Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, California. I haven't had steak in a long time, and boy was this a fine piece of meat...forgive my dating innuendo, but it's true, the meat was a hottie...for beef that is.

For $39 for a 3-course meal/person at a $$$ restaurant with a <3 view of some mountains and sunset, I'm thinking this is a perfect date night idea.

Okay enough meat talk and onto something much sweeter...dessert! Pastry chef Brianne Maggiore came out with two of the most interesting looking desserts I've seen since moving to Phoenix.

The first dessert has wait for it....bacon and Jack Daniels in it. Yes, I said bacon and JD! Okay ladies, I'm thinking it's not going to be that hard to convince your man to go to Talavera. We have here a Malted Waffle with Caramel Apples, Candied Bacon and Jack Daniels sauce. I was truly fascinated by the long bacon stick on top!

 
Another dessert option is this Fig Tart with Citrus Salad, Ricotta Cream and a Honey Sauce drizzle. The second I see figs, I'm doing cartwheels. Okay not literally but in my head because I LOVE figs. Any dessert or dish that has figs or dates in it, I'm loving it.

I've been to a few Four Seasons hotels back in my road warrior days, and typically you get frou-frou which you should because well it's Four Seasons. This Four Seasons in Scottsdale Troon North is equally eloquent but it has a warmer and more down to earth feel to the place. Perhaps it's because the property is surrounded by cactus, desert terrain, and mountains.

I was shocked to discover that their happy hour drinks and dishes were pretty cheap, so if you want to cocktail before dinner at Talavera or just in general, definitely check this deal out.

I'm always expecting Four Seasons to be high-priced, but the happy hour in the Onyx bar from 3-6pm has plenty of beer and nosh options for $5 like Jicama Crab Tacos which are dairy-free and gluten-free because they use jicama as the taco shell. Brilliant and back in skinny jeans type nosh. On Monday nights, it's Industry night. If you bring a business card, it's happy hour all night.

The deal gets better with a spa special

Last but not least, this is the most amazing deal of all. It just so happens that it is Spa Week this week 9/13-9/18 which overlaps with ARW 2010 9/18-9/26 by two days which is this weekend. In this sweet deal you can get a massage for $50 at the Four Seasons spa called, "The Spa," and then go to Talavera for dinner for $39 as mentioned above.

I'm in heaven just thinking about what a wonderful weekend that would be! So go now!

Visit the Four Seasons at Scottsdale Troon North on Facebook.

ARW 2010: Stingray Sushi - Gimme Some Bass and Gluten-Free

To kick off my showcase of Arizona Restaurant Week 2010 or @azrestaurantwk on Twitter, say hello to Andrew Nam aka @tweetthekorean who is the Executive Chef at Stingray Sushi which has two locations Biltmore and Old Town and a third coming to Scottsdale Quarter.

I picked Stingray because I like their swanky and zestful style.

Seafood, in general, quite frankly has not been that great of an experience for me here in Phoenix, at least in my 11 months here so far, but again, I am from the Bay Area in California and I have been spoiled rotten, not just by freshness, and flavor, but choices like people don't eat giant clam here, salmon is the standard fish, and rolls seem to be the common fare for sushi.

However...

Andrew let me try some of their Chilean Sea Bass with Yuzu sauce topped with petite greens and wow! I now have my first positive fish experience in Phoenix. This dish is not on their special AZRW 2010 menu, but Andrew said, "try this" after I went on about how I've been underwhelmed with fish since moving here. I've been eating more fish in general to get the health benefits from Omega-3.

I loved this Sea Bass dish because it was light, tender, and the petite greens was a nice touch to the health nut in me.

Next, I tried their Cabo Blanco Roll which has spicy crab, salmon, halibut, cucumber, and avocado topped with ponzu sauce and pico de gallo....which was a first for me, but a cool way to inject some southwestern flair into sushi. I ate half the roll at the restaurant, and took the other half home and ate it for breakfast believe it or not....it was better than eating a bagel or McSomething.

Again, this roll is not on their AZRW 2010 menu and I will say upfront that I didn't try any of the dishes showcased for AZRW, but don't let that stop you from trying out the place this week because $39 for a 3 course meal here is an amazing deal and great way to try something new. Here is Stingray's AZRW2010 Menu.

I rather enjoyed that Andrew got my to try some new things to help me see that seafood can be a good experience in Phoenix, and that we are not deprived out here in the desert. Stingray gets their fish delivered fresh every single day, and one thing to point out about their tuna, Andrew uses Big Eye for its richer red color and flavor.

Healthy flair for those  gluten-free and who are pregnant (but not necessarily one in the same)

On the health front, one very BIG thing to point out is that Stingray offers a gluten-free soy sauce. Yes! Try finding that in your standard sushi place - it's so uncommon which is why I bolded it in 24pt font. The great thing about a sushi place is that there will be more options for those who are gluten-free because we're basically talking rice, seaweed, and fish on a simple level. When you get to the rolls which can be filled with multiple things, you'll have to ask the server.

Another nice health thing, Stingray offers a selection of dishes for women who are pregnant and are worried about what seafood they can and cannot eat. I was impressed with that detail to attention.

If you happen to see Andrew at one of their locations, do say hello to him because he really is a cool guy with a great sense of humor. I feel very lucky to have gotten to spend some time with him and indeed he did help shift my perception of seafood in Phoenix.

Besides Stingray, Andrew has a new Chinese restaurant called Jimmy Woo's opening in less than a month so guess where I will be very soon!...and not just because I think Andrew is cool but being Asian there is like hardly any Asian food in Scottsdale other than chains PF Changs and Panda Express. I'm looking forward to trying another option!

Visit Stingray Sushi on Facebook.

I'm Back! Refreshed With Some Changes

Hola everyone! Yes, I am back to my noshy blogging adventures after a longer than expected but MUCH needed blog/tweet break. I also got some new headshots as you can see a few taken by my most talented friend @bmok.

I wasn't completely offline as I launched my new personal blog StephanieQuilao.com "The Art of Living Authentically," and I was actively tweeting @skinnyjeans.

Not only did I need a break from Noshtopia for awhile, I needed to clear my head about this blog and get focused. I actually started Noshtopia back in 2005 when I started Back in Skinny Jeans, but my relationship with the food blogging has honestly been up and down. I joke too that this blog is like a cat in that I have changed its life about four times already, and this will be the fifth time. Guess that means I get four more chances after this one!

So, for Noshtopia's fifth life, here's some of the changes: