The White Chocolate Grill (5 Plates)

It has been 7 years since I last visited The White Chocolate Grill at Scottsdale, AZ. Back then, I was dating a good friend of mine. I guess the date went so well and the food was really good, she ended up marrying me 4 years after. After dating for 4 years and married for 3 years, my now wife and I decided to revisit The White Chocolate Grill.

Now in our casual attire instead of a dress and a suit, we got a chance to enjoy and focus on the food, the service and the ambience of the place. I did remember one particular appetizer from their menu. They still had the Grilled Artichoke. I loved it so much back then that I tried to eat everything on the plate. Even the choke and the leaves ( just to be honest, I didn't know which part to eat. So I ate everything. I was trying to be cool. I WAS ON A DATE!!! Note: only eat the heart).

The Food: We had the Ahi Tuna Salad and the Grilled Chicken Madeira for dinner and the White Chocolate Brownie for dessert. Everything was fantastic! 

The Ahi Tuna salad was very light and refreshing. The sesame crusted Ahi Tuna was seared rare to perfection and served with field greens, mango, avocado, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers then lightly dressed with a champagne vinaigrette. The combination of the tangy and sweet vinaigrette complemented the salt water freshness of the ahi tuna. The sesame crust and avocado gave texture to each bite. The mango and cherry tomatoes gave balance to the dish while the greens and cucumber gave the fresh taste in your mouth that makes you believe that you are actually eating something healthy.

The Grilled Chicken Madeira was hearty and satisfying. A serving plate had 3 pieces of marinated chicken breasts grilled to order and then served in a savory mushroom sauce with a hint of tarragon and a choice of side. We decided to go with the Israeli Couscous topped with roasted pistachios. The chicken breast was very tender and juicy. It was also seasoned well enough to stand on its own even without the mushroom sauce. I did find the mushroom sauce a tad on the salty side (it can be overlooked since it compliments with the couscous).  The couscous was a winner! It was al dente to the bite and was seasoned well. The chopped mint leaves and apple slices cuts through the savory mushroom sauce that just complimented each other so well. The dried cranberry and toasted pistachio provided texture, contrast and balance for the dish. I wouldn't hesitate to order this again on my next visit. 

The White Chocolate Brownie was a warm blonde brownie with white chocolate shavings and topped with French Vanilla Ice Cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. It is sweet! Literally! I guess theres a reason why the menu says "Desserts for Two". Because the dessert is meant to be shared. It would be overwhelmingly sweet for one person to finish the whole plate. Just imagine the combination of the blonde brownie, chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings. Even the vanilla ice cream and whipped cream is not enough to cut through the sweetness. Don't get me wrong. It's not bad. I actually think it's a good way to end your meal while enjoying a cup of coffee and a good (or maybe sweet) conversation. Just take time enjoying the dessert.

The Service: Our server for the night was Angel. She was an angel. She recommended the Israeli Couscous over the Mardi Gras Rice for our Grilled Chicken Madeira. I think it was the perfect side for the savory mushroom sauce. She also kept our glass full. Which means she kept track of our meal the whole time. Since we mentioned that my wife and I were sharing everything, extra plates and utensils were always provided as each order was served. We never felt rushed and we never felt unattended. It is worth noting that it was a busy dinner service at the time we were there. Kudos to Angel!

The Ambience: The whole place was very cozy and relaxed. There was an area with a bar and the latest sporting event for the night on TV. There was also an area where you enjoy your meal with a good conversation. It is both classic and sophisticated.

Overall, it was a great meal experience. Good food, good service and overall nice and relax place. Now, why did I to wait for 7 years before the second visit? With this kind of a quality restaurant, maybe the third visit should be anytime soon.

Visit their site at http://whitechocolategrill.com

Zinc Bistro (5 Plates)

Visit their site at http://www.zincbistroaz.com

You gotta give credit to those who deserves it and Zinc Bistro definitely deserves all the 5 stars. If I could, I would even rate them higher.

My AZ restaurant week adventure took me and my wife to our second upscale restaurant in 3 days. Our taste buds took us to Zinc Bistro on a rainy Saturday night.

From the outside, the bistro looked very ordinary. A simple restaurant sign, glass and wooden door, and some patio seating for the romantics. Nothing intimidating and nothing too fancy.

Inside the bistro, it was different. You are immediately transported from AZ to NY. The place turns from ordinary to exciting. The vibe becomes alive. Unlike other upscale restaurants, this one is upscale but not a stuck-up. In fact, this one is quite inviting. I felt like I can laugh around my friends while enjoying my wine and enjoy some stories while not rushing my meals.

Ambience... CHECK!

We were greeted at the door, then the receptionist led us to our corner table. The usual. Nothing extra ordinary. Soon as we settled at our table and our server (Dylan) greeted us and gave us the menu, from there on, the service was quick, efficient and VERY attentive. I can't even remember when and who filled our glasses with water. I usually measure service by how attentive the staff is, if your glass of water is always full and ice cold, that means someone is always looking after your table. At Zinc, my glass was never empty. For me, that says a lot about their service. Our server (Dylan) was also at the top of his game. He made sure we our enjoying our food and also made sure we enjoy our experience by offering the best that they have. You always feel comfortable when servers approach your table with a smile. Service was simply EXCEPTIONAL...

Service... CHECK!

Ever had a meal that made you nod your head every time you take a bite? As if telling yourself that you made the right choice and you did a good job choosing the right meal. That's Zinc bistro food for you. You know you made right choice on every bite. We ordered the Smoked Duck Terrine and Pastrami Cured Salmon Burrata. The smoke duck terrine filled my mouth with all the texture you would look for. It had both a crunch and velvety bite from the terrine and pistachio. Also gave the salty flavor from the duck while balancing it out with the apricot and vinaigrette. You also get the freshness from the carrot and arugula as you mix all the component in one bite. The pastrami cured salmon on a burrata did not fall short as well. There perfect balance of texture with the burrata and salmon while you get the freshness from the roast beet and butter leaf salad. The appetizers alone made me nod on every bite. The main course was just CRAZY GOOD! The flat iron steak was perfectly cooked. The crust from the outside complimented the tender and juicy medium rare center. Make sure though that every slice you take has some caramelized shallot or else it might be too salty for your taste. The caramelized shallots balances the flavor to the sweet, salty and partly tangy perfect bite. My wife had the confit lamb shank. The lamb was so tender and the meat falls off the bone easily. It was perfectly complimented by the Beluga lentils, medjool dates, roasted turnips and crushed almonds. Again, the texture and flavor was well balanced. We also loved the slight touch of the crema fresca that cut through the gaminess of the lamb. If you hate lamb, this meal might just change your mind.

Pastrami Cured Salmon Burrata 

Flat Iron Steak 

Confit Lamb Shank with beluga lentils, medjool dates, roasted turnips and crushed almonds.

Smoked Duck Terrine

Lastly, the dessert. I alway want my dessert to be sweet but not overly sweet. I want it to make me feel like it satisfied my sweet tooth without making me like I ate a whole box of cake. We had the brown butter cookie w/ peanut butter nougat and salted caramel. It was a very sexy Snickers bar on a plate. When eaten w/ small bites of mint leaves, it takes the sexy snickers over the top. 

We also had the grilled pineapple tarte tatin w/ toasted tahini and cardamon ice cream. The cardamon ice cream cuts through the tanginess of the pineapple. Since the pineapple was grilled, the natural sweetness of the pineapple comes out.

Oh and the chocolate soufflé ( their top dessert ) is a must have. How was it? It was so good that only tasting it on your own can explain the experience.

Food... CHECK!

Overall, it was a perfect experience. Which is worth the money you are shelling out. The food was awesome. The service was exceptional. The place was alive and inviting. Truly deserving of a 5 star.

Christopher's and Crush Lounge (2 Plates)

Visit their site at http://christophersaz.com/food.cfm

2 Plates .... I would have rated it higher, but as always... service either makes it or breaks it.

It was restaurant week in Arizona so my friends and I decided to try something new. First stop for the restaurant weekend was Christopher's and Crush Lounge.

Chic, elegant, and upscale were my first thoughts when I walked in. The tables were romantically lit (my other way of saying that it needs a little more light).

We were given bread while we decided what to order and everything was going well.. so far...

Then came Jose, our server. Since we are not usually offered a menu with the words Merguez, Boudin Noir de Schrieners, Vennoise and Gateau Marjolaine we decided to ask for recommendations. Our dear server simply said "all of them". Great! Now that helped a lot. We did ask for more details and even asked what each entree was. Jose did explain. It was chicken, steak, sausage and chocolate. Hmmm... very appetizing. After we rolled the dice on what we would get from the menu, Jose cleaned up the extra table and extra plate beside my seat. He then rolled a piece of bread sitting on the extra table to my plate. He then smiled and said "woohoo, extra!". Again, WOW for an elegant and chic restaurant.

The service was way below my expectation. Since my table is paying $300 for our meal, we at least deserve some good service. Not great, just good. Just the right type of dinner table service. 

Oh the food... it was original. It had so much flavor. Plating was pretty. Steak was great! Much as I want to talk about the good food and the FABULOUS dessert, I think I'm already at my word count quota while reviewing the BAD service. SAD! =(

Gateau Marjolaine

Pigs Feet

Place was too dark to take pictures without flash. Here is my Onion soup served with a piece of old menu

Thai House (5 Plates)

I have been a loyal customer since 2008. My wife and I were searching for a good Thai restaurant when we first visited Thai House. After our first visit, its been a monthly thing for me and my wife.

I have recommended the restaurant to many of my friends, colleagues and even strangers. So far, all of them loved it and have become regulars as well.

The service is fantastic. Tables are always clean, food is served fast and hot. Even take-outs are always served complete with napkins and utensils.

What I love to drink? Soon as I get a table, my first order is always the Thai Iced Tea. Some may find it on the sweeter side but my taste buds says its just right. It is a traditional iced tea with what I believe is full cream milk. I had similar drinks when I visited Thailand and it is at par to the local thai drinks. 

What I love to eat? Pad thai is my favorite. They offer choices of shrimp, chicken, beef and tofu. I usually mix and match but whichever protein I choose, I have never gone wrong.

What else to love? Just recently I tried the seafood soup. It was the bomb! It had fish, scallops, muscles, and a variety of fish cake. Also had some lemongrass, ginger and other asian spices. The serving was big. Maybe 3 people can share it. Well it depends on your appetite, I guess. But it is a must try. I also love the panang, curry dishes and their fried rice. So many options and Have never gone wrong.

Overall, one of my favorite in the valley. Cheap, good service and good food. Certified yum for the buck!

Visit their site at http://www.thaihouse-az.com/Main.html

Chelsea's Kitchen (3 Plates)

Free cookie!!!!!

My wife and I decided to try Chelsea's Kitchen for our Sunday brunch date. I think we got there just in time since we didn't have to wait for a table.

I ordered a french pressed coffee soon as I got to the table. It was perfect to start my brunch. 

Since we didn't have an idea on what to order, we just asked for recommendations. The server was so knowledgable of the menu. She gave us recommendations on every part of the menu. We decided to order tuna tartare & guacamole for starters, Chilaquiles and Short ribs for our entree.

The tartare & guacamole was big enough to share. The guacamole was placed on top of the tuna tartare. I would have wanted a little more seasoning on my guacamole and maybe a little bit of a kick. Maybe some chili peppers would do. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad. I just had better tuna tartare and guacamole.

The short ribs at $20+ was tender, juicy and full of flavour. It was served on top of mashed potatoes and some grilled carrots. Again, it was around $20+... I can have the same good meal for $12 and still get the same satisfaction.

The chilaquiles was a different story. I think it's appropriately priced for the size and the flavour. I enjoyed the crunch of the corn tortilla, the balance of the chicken flavour and the compliment of the spicy sauce. It was original. At least it was the first time I had a mexican lasagna made with corn tortilla, chicken and spicy sauce.

Overall, Chelsea's kitchen had its pros and cons. The pros outweighs the cons. It may be pricey, it may have an ordinary menu but if you dig in just a little bit more... you might find some good food.

I will still come back to Chelsea's. Maybe next time i'll try the short ribs taco. The next table ordered it and it looked amazing.

By the way, they give free cookies on your way out. It was really good. Maybe the best thing I ate at Chelsea's that day were the cookies. Take note, THAT DAY. Maybe it would be different the next time I visit.

Visit their site at http://www.chelseaskitchenaz.com/

Yoshi Bento (3 Plates)

Spiderman! Spiderman! ... It was our Friday movie night with a friend. Since it was only a little over an hour before our movie schedule, we decided to grab our dinner near the movie house. We decided to try a bento restaurant beside our favorite phoa spot.

We got a patio table (seemed like everyone wanted to dine at the patio tables). There were 5 tables. When we arrived there were already 2 occupied tables. It didn't look very busy at that time.

I guess we got the rookie server. He just stood beside our table and did not ask us if we wanted to start with something to drink. We ask for a glass of water and he again waited for our order (I guess it really wasn't that busy. If he could wait and watch us drink water while we decide what to order, then he must really have some time to burn).

We started with dumplings and their crunch tofu. The dumplings were... hmmm... dumplings. For me, it was nothing special. Had a good combination of crunch and chewy dumpling wrap but it was just ok. The crunch tofu, now that's a different story. It was different. Good different. Correction, very good different. The wasabi mayo sauce on top of the lightly fried tofu was a perfect match. The sauce had enough of the wasabi flavor but not too much of the wasabi nose wrenching effect. It was sweet, spicy, tangy, soft and crunchy. All in one bite. Yum!

For our entree, we ordered chicken yakisoba, tempura roll and salmon/tuna sashimi which took a little over 30 minutes to get to our table (take note: there were only 5 full tables at that time. With 2 guests per table). Back to the food... well... ok... It was worth the wait! The yakisoba was very tasty and just had the right kick. Sweet, salty, spicy and yummy! It's worth coming back for another visit. Sashimi was fresh. Slices were generous. Plating was really clean as well.

Would I come back. Yes, when there is less people. When I have enough time. When I am craving for a good... correct that... very good tofu and tasy yakisoba.