No holiday this weekend for Taiko. The Japanese restaurant on the southwest corner of Ray and Cooper in Chandler has a couple of events going on.

On Saturday, Taiko hosts another of its popular sake-tasting parties at 7 p.m.

Seating is limited, but if you can’t reserve a seat there’s another tasting June 1. RSVP: 480-855-8388.

On Sunday, Taiko continues its holiday tradition of offering an all-you-can-eat sushi deal. It includes appetizers and costs $19.95 per person. It’s available from noon to 8 p.m.

com tam tau hu ky

The the location is just two blocks east of the 19th Avenue / Camelback light rail station. The shopping center has no official bike rack, but there are plenty of metal gates that will work as an ad-hoc security solution. There’s no official host station in the hectic dining room. Staff will often direct customers to seats and do their best to control traffic, but it’s usually okay to seat yourself during less busy times. The service isn’t fawning, but it’s not rude either. Expect a prompt invitation to order and quick delivery of the food. After that, anything beyond water refills requires flagging down staff.

exterior

To start, tables can share cha gio, Vietnamese egg rolls that come two to an order. They’re filled with a crumbly mixture of ground pork, finely julienned vegetables, and spices. Take them to the next level but wrapping them in the companion lettuce leaves and fresh herbs served on a separate platter and then dip them in the bowl of nuoc mam cham, a sauce served with many of the foods at Pho Thanh. Banh xeo, a large folded crepe, is stuffed full of crisp bean sprouts with bits of pork and a few shrimp mixed in. It also comes with greenery and sauce, so don’t be afraid to use your hands.

improvised bike rack

Although the restaurant’s name incorporates “pho,” the expansive menu is really more of a cross section of Vietnamese food. There’s plenty of noodle soup, but there are equally large portions of the menu devoted to mi egg noodles, bun vermicelli dishes, com tam broken rice platters, bahn mi sandwiches, and even hot pots and entrees grilled at the table. There’s a lot of offal on the menu, so not everything here is for beginners. The again, it’s easy for novices to like pho filet, made with tender beef and listed somewhat confusingly among the house specials rather than the pho dishes.

cha gio

The myriad varieties of pho, available with various cuts of beef as well as chicken, seafood, tofu, or vegetables, are in all cases based on an aromatic beef broth accompanied by a plate of basil, bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeños. Half of these soups are listed in the specials section. A more surprising option are the udon noodle soups. They’re made from banh canh, a type of thick noodle similar to, but not exactly the same, as Japanese udon noodles. These soups have a lighter broth and tend to rely on pork and shrimp fillings more than beef. The garnishes are the same as with pho.

banh xeo

Other soups display regional touches. Bun bo hue, a dish from central Vietnam, is bowl of intense broth with both beef and pork, as well as cubes of congealed pork blood. The last ingredient also plays a role in bun rieu, a noodle soup with sieved crab meat in a tomato-tinged broth. If the red cubes are too scary, they can be dodged easily. Canh chua, literally “sour soup,” is one of the few without noodles and achieves its tangy flavor as the result of the pod-like tamarind fruit that flavors the broth. Catfish or shrimp are the choices of proteins, and rice is provided in lieu of noodles.

banh canh tom

Although Vietnamese soups are often defined by the complexity of their broths, Pho Thanh also does well with seemingly simple stir-fry dishes. A mixture of chicken and broccoli in a garlicky sauce and served with white rice is a straightforward dish for any diner looking for something completely non-threatening. The broken rice dishes are a little more adventurous. Com tam tau hu ky involves ground shrimp formed into patties and wrapped with tofu skin before being placed over short, fragmented grains or rice. Variants of the dish add grilled pork to the already lively mix of flavors.

bun rieu

The myriad creative uses of shrimp in Vietnamese cooking also play a role in some of the dry noodle dishes, or bun. These are made with rice vermicelli but rely on toppings, condiments, and dipping sauce rather than broth for their flavor. Bun chao tom thit nuong features shrimp wrapped around a bit of sugar cane. Just as with a lemongrass stalk, the sugar cane is not meant to be eaten but instead imparts a bit of flavor to the other ingredients it touches. The result is an example of how southeast Asian cooking often combines sweet and savory tastes in one mouthful.

bun chao tom thit nuong

Despite all the abundance of organ meats and pork blood on the menu, there are also about half a dozen vegetarian dishes. Many involve tofu, but the vegetarian summer rolls, bi cuon chay, contain not only julienned vegetables, but also shreds of mock pork instead of the more familiar cubes of bean curd. The meatless rolls are accompanied by the ubiquitous nuoc mam, or fish sauce, so strict vegetarians may want to think twice before dipping. Other condiments present at every table, such as sriracha sauce and garlic-chili sauce, are more likely to be plant-based.

lemonade with club soda

The restaurant is open every day except Tuesday. There’s no liquor license, but fresh squeezed orange juice or salted lemonade with club soda are some of the more refreshing choices on hand. Desserts, as at most Vietnamese restaurants, are an acquired taste for most customers raised on American and European sweets, but there are plenty of options involving tropical fruits, coconut milk, and mung beans. While the stretch of West Camelback Road outside the restaurant’s doors struggles to redevelop, it’s hard not to feel good about the success and expansion of Pho Thanh.

1702 W. Camelback Rd., Phoenix AZ 85015
(602) 242-1979

View Pho Thanh in a larger map

Chompie’s Arizona New York Deli is partnering up with Playworks Arizona in an effort to end bullying. On Wednesday, June 5th, Chompie’s is inviting you to Eat Like a Kid as they introduce their new kid’s menu, normally available only to patrons 10 years and younger. For every meal that is purchased, by adults and tots alike, Chompie’s will make a donation to Playworks Arizona. Playworks is a nonprofit organization that is seeking to transform schools and end bullying by providing play and physical activity at recess and throughout the school day.

Chompie’s revamped Kid’s Menu includes 19 menu favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner, like their famous Jewish Slider (made famous due to an appearance on Man v. Food), Long Island French Toast and their Checkered Cab Cheeseburger. Recently added is a tasty gluten-free section with options like High Five Mac and Cheese or a Staten Island Flatbread Cheese Pizza. Prices for Kid’s Meals start at $3.79 and top out at $7.79.

The ‘Eat Like a Kid Day’ will be valid from open to close on June 5th at all four Chompie’s locations. Please note that no substitutions will be allowed and only one kid’s meal will be available per diner (not valid with any other offers, coupons, discounts or promotional gift cards).

Please visit Chompie’s online for more information on locations and hours.

DownUnder, the Australian-themed bistro and wine bar in Gilbert, has closed, according to a notice posted on its door.

The eclectic bar and wine shop – originally called Red Kangaroo – was launched in a strip mall on the north side of Chandler Fashion Center. Owners Roger Carpenter and Phil Roberts gained renown for their stock of, and expertise about, Australian and New Zealand wines.

The wine list was paired with a small-plates menu featuring exotic meats like ostrich, kangaroo, and crocodile. The cozy venue’s decor included boomerangs and Aboriginal prints.

In 2010, DownUnder moved to bigger and nicer digs at McQueen and Warner in Gilbert and added new partners. By the end of last year, neither Carpenter nor Roberts were involved in business.

This gorgeous, ruby red tea originates from the leaves of the hibiscus flower. In health food stores you’re likely to find this tea labeled “hibiscus”, and in mainstream grocery stores common brands are Raspberry Zinger® and Passion®. If all else fails, search ingredient lists of other teas for “hibiscus.”

Research shows that hibiscus is high in antioxidants, including vitamin C and anthocyanins. Animal studies indicate that it may be helpful in lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, fever and pain. No matter the benefits, hibiscus tea is deliciously refreshing and contains zero calories, making it a welcome substitute for water. Another great mocktail can be made by mixing hibiscus tea with plain coconut water–one of my favorites so far this summer.

The fruit used in this recipe can be easily interchangeable. Feel free to use almost any fresh fruit that you have on hand.

Virgin Hibiscus Raspberry “Sangria” with Orange & Mint

3 3/4 cups (881 ml) water (1 3/4 cups hot and 2 cups cold)

5 hibiscus tea bags (such as Raspberry Zinger® or Passion®)

1 tablespoon (21 g) agave nectar

1 cup (125 g) raspberries, halved (or used diced strawberries)

1 orange, peeled, sliced and then cut into eighths

1/4 cup (37 g) sliced red grapes or cherries

2 good-sized mint sprigs

Bring 1 3/4 cups (411 ml) water to a boil. Place tea bags in a glass pitcher or large jar. Once water has come to a boil, remove from heat for 1 minute. Pour hot water over the tea bags and steep covered for 5 minutes. Stir in agave nectar and cool tea to room temperature. Add 2 cups (470 ml) cold water, raspberries, orange, grapes and mint. Chill for at least a few hours, preferably overnight. Pour tea and fruit pieces over crushed ice.

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time

Cook time: 5 minutes

Makes 4 servings, 10 ounces each

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 53 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 7 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 13 g total carbohydrate (3 g fiber), 1 g protein, 2% DV iron, 2% DV calcium, 2% DV Vitamin A, 42% DV Vitamin C.

You might also enjoy:

Strawberry-Mint Sauvignon Blanc White Sangria

Creamy Ginger-Orange Smoothie with Almond Butter

Banana Coconut Cream Bars with Almonds Crust

This Saturday, May 25^th, Dishcrawl is teaming up with the Beer for Brains Foundation, group that raises money for brain cancer research through beer events. At Dishcrawl, you check in at one location and walk from stop-to-stop enjoying samples from each place. In this case, the samples are beer!

Here are the stops and the beer you’ll be drinkin’:

Brat Haus … Krombacher
Salty Senorita … SanTan Brewery
American Legion … Shock Top (you know you’ve always wanted to see the place that across from RnR…)
Rehab Burger Therapy … Four Peaks
Praying Monk … Monk Brew and Blanch de Bruxelles

The entire crawl will dish out 12 5-ounce beers, so it looks like you’ll get a couple half-beers at each stop. It all kicks off at 2pm. Tickets are $40. And use ticket code “beer4brains10” to donate $10 of your ticket purchase to the Beer for Brains Foundation.

Info & Tix: http://www.dishcrawl.com/azbrewbenefit/

The post This Dishcrawl Is A No-Brainer appeared first on EaterAZ.

District American Kitchen & Wine Bar

Arizona Restaurant Week Special

3 courses, $40 + tax/gratuity

Price includes a glass of Chalone Vineyard Chardonnay or Century Cellars by BV Cabernet Sauvignon.

Restaurant Week Dinner Menu

First Course (choice of):
Fried Green Tomatoes
crispy pork belly, arugula, shaved radish,
tarragon and avocado cream fraîche

“Sweet Corn” Soup
grilled corn, crispy Fritos, cotija cheese,
sweet smoked paprika and chipotle lime crema

3rd Street Spinach Salad
strawberries, Marcona almonds,
golden beets, Crow’s Dairy peppercorn feta and honey mustard vinaigrette

Second Course (choice of):

Pan Roasted Salmon
roasted cauliflower, sautéed greens, fennel, Arizona citrus, and
rooftop herb salad

Hudson Valley Duck Carbonara
fettuccini, sugar snap peas, pancetta,
charred pearl onions and shaved locatelli cheese

Braised Chicken & Buttermilk Biscuits
baby heirloom carrots, sweet peas,
roasted corn and mama’s gravy

Third Course (choice of):

Salted Caramel Chocolate Bar

Arizona Citrus Mint Gelati

Berry Cheesecake Brulee

Highlights of the Meal:

Located in the Phoenix Downtown Sheraton, District American Kitchen redefines the term “hotel restaurant.” District is rolling out their Spring menu in time for Restaurant Week, and it’s definitely worth checking out, as some of the best dishes are featured on their AZRW menu!

We started out with the 3rd Street Spinach Salad. I wasn’t expecting much, and I must admit, my dining companion and I were pleasantly surprised, as it may have been one of our favorite dishes on the menu. The golden beets and Crow’s Dairy peppercorn feta stood out in the mix of spinach, strawberries, and honey mustard vinaigrette, and the Marcona almonds added a nice crunch to the mix. I was excited to dig into the Fried Green Tomatoes—the tomatoes were sliced thinly and fried crisp, served with crispy pork belly, arugula, shaved radish, and a generous smear of avocado cream fraîche.

Time for the main course! The Hudson Valley Duck Carbonara was rich, but not heavy. The sugar snap peas were crisp and added a lightness to the dish, perfect for warmer weather. We then moved on to the Pan Roasted Salmon, which may have been my favorite part of the meal—I believe we battled for the last bite! The salmon was pan roasted, served over roasted cauliflower, lightly sautéed greens, herb salad, and an Arizona citrus sauce that was lightly drizzled over the plate. If you like salmon, this is the dish to get. Thank me later.

For dessert, we enjoyed the cool and creamy Arizona Citrus Mint Gelati. Served in a tall sundae glass, there were alternating scoops of citrus-mint shaved ice, and a rich, creamy gelato. The flavors melded beautifully

Best Part of the Value: 

The portions are large and every offering is mouth-watering. Even better? You get a glass of wine with your meal, which makes it an even better value.

Service and Ambiance:

District Kitchen is warm and welcoming, and the service was stellar.

District Kitchen & Wine Bar
320 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004

http://www.districtrestaurant.com/

Twitter: @DistrictKitchen

Girl Meets Fork is the official blog of Spring 2013 Arizona Restaurant Week. Meals for First Bites previews were paid for by the participating restaurants.

Have you seen the new movie, The Great Gatsby, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carrie Mulligan, and Tobey McGuire?  Set during the “Roaring Twenties” or the “jazz age” as F. Scott Fitzgerald called it, the movie characterizes the decadent lifestyles of New York City’s upper echelon, where every night was an extravagant party.

The “Roaring Twenties” was also the time of prohibition, when the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages was considered illegal.  Without legal liquor, what was a “hiphound” (boozer) to do?  The rich had their liquor imported from France and other European countries, as well as purchased illegally from bootleggers (Gatsby).  Those who could not afford to have imported liquor had to settle for the occasional illegal purchase, or more frequently, bathtub gin.  Bathtub gin was liquor made homemade, often in one’s bathroom, from cheap grain alcohol and other flavorings, just as juniper berry juice (which gives gin its flavor).  This form of alcohol was called bathtub gin because the size and shape of the bottle could not be topped off with water from the kitchen sink; it had to be filled at the bathtub.  Sometimes this homemade liquor was also mixed and fermented in the bathtub.  (Sounds gross, doesn’t it?)

Since bootleg and bathtub liquor was lower in quality (and taste) than real booze, prohibition era mixologists resorted to using fruit juices, herbs, and sweeteners to make drinks palatable, and mask the smell of alcohol.

Clubs called speakeasies, private clubs that served illegal alcohol, were all the rage in the 1920′s.  Famous clubs, such as The Cotton Club, The Stork Club, Chumleys, and The Colony, operated behind locked doors, admitting guests only by secret password or speakeasy card.  Patrons to these clubs could dine, catch a whangdoodle (jazz show), and drink without prying eyes. Some of the more famous and unique cocktails to arise from this era, came from speakeasies.

The Bees Knees

Cute pet names and phrases were all the rage in the early 1900′s, and “the bees knees” was one of the more popular slang phrases used in flapper culture, meaning, the ultimate or most excellent.  It is said this phrase became popular because of dancer Bee Jackson, who made popular the Charleston dance, because of her fast-flying legs (and knees).

• 2 oz of Gin
• 2 tsp. Honey
• 2 tsp. Fresh squeezed lemon juice

Fill a shaker glass with cracked ice, and add the gin.  Put the honey in a microwave-proof container and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds.  Mix the honey and lemon together, until the honey is melted, then add to the shaker of gin.  Shake well, then strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lemon twist.

*The original recipe did not call for melted honey, but in updating this recipe, I thought the honey would mix better if it were thinner.  Heating the honey thins it out nicely to mix with the lemon juice.

The Colony Cocktail

The Colony was a prohibition era speakeasy, frequented by socialites such as the Vanderbilts and Windsors, as well as movie and stage celebrities.

• 2 oz Gin
• 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
• 1 tsp Maraschino syrup

Fill a shaker glass with cracked ice, and add all the ingredients, shaking until frothy.  Pour into a cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry or grapefruit peel.

The Mary Pickford

Named for silent movie star, Mary Pickford, this cocktail was created by bartender Eddie Woelke, who moved to Cuba during prohibition, and ran the famous Jockey Club.   For those who could afford it, a quick flight to Cuba was an easy (and legal) alternative to the speakeasy.

• 2 oz Light Rum
• 1 oz Pineapple Juice
• Dash of Maraschino syrup
• Dash of Grenadine

Fill a shaker with cracked ice, mix in all the ingredients, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

*Cracked Ice is the preferred type of ice for mixing cocktails, as it melts faster, and adds just the right amount of water to the cocktail before straining.  Also, cracked ice chills a cocktail faster than cubed ice will, because the liquid of the cocktail can move amongst cracked ice better.

Since I’ve been following a low-glycemic diet for a few months, I asked my dietetic intern to write this post based on the information I’ve discovered. For those of you who suffer from acne, I hope you find it helpful. Stay tuned until next time when I will reveal the biggest contributor to my complexion woes. Hint: There is a happy ending.

- Michelle

Can diet cause acne?

By Courtney Krieger

I recently visited my dermatologist hoping for a miracle to fix the embarrassing skin breakouts I’ve experienced for years. After trying every type of skin regime, I was begging for an answer. I left each appointment with various creams, scrubs, ointments and prescriptions, with never a whisper about diet. But what if there is a solution right in your own pantry, a much cheaper, more natural route? Sound too good to be true? Research is showing it might be possible.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recently reviewed research concerning the relationship between acne and nutrition. What they’ve compiled is very promising, and has the possibility of saving you big bucks for the clear skin you have always desired. They discovered that following a low glycemic load diet may clear up your skin.

From Michelle: When I asked my dermatologist friend Dr. Jessica Wu about this, she agreed, explaining how high glycemic foods can cause increased oil production, and a low glycemic diet can decrease oil production after just one week. More oil can lead to more clogged pores, hence more acne.

You may be asking yourself what glycemic load is and how it differs from glycemic index? The glycemic index measures how quickly a particular food is broken down into glucose. This is based on grams of carbohydrates in the food being tested. The glycemic load ranks food according to its place on the glycemic index given the average serving size that you would typically consume. Factoring in serving size helps foods that may appear high on the glycemic index, such as watermelon, have a low glycemic load. A good thing.

Foods that have a low glycemic load include any with a rating of 10 or under, as classified by the Harvard School of Public Health. These foods include bran and bran cereals, legumes such as chickpeas, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, and lentils, most high-fiber fruits and vegetables, most dairy products, and foods that contain very little or no carbs like animal proteins. Following a low glycemic load diet means limiting or avoiding foods that have a medium to high glycemic load including oatmeal, breads, many types of pasta, candy, rice, most baked goods, white or refined cereals, and certain starchy vegetables.

The researchers at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics believe that although the idea of eating foods that have a low glycemic load has the potential to affect acne, more research needs to be done to prove this theory correct. Potentially clearing up my skin by eating foods that help maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle sounds like a great idea to me – definitely worth a shot!

References:

Burris, Jennifer, MS,RD, William Rietkerk, MD, MBA, and Kathleen Woolf, PhD,RD,FACSM. “Acne: A Potential Role for Medical Nutrition Therapy.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 113.3 (2013): 416-29. Print.

“Diabetes Care.” Online-Only Appendix. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013.

Wu, Jessica. Feed Your Face: Younger, Smoother Skin and a Beautiful Body in 28 Delicious Days. New York: St. Martin’s, 2011. Print.

You might also like:

Tomato & Avocado Quinoa Salad with Cumin & Cilantro (and the skin and diet saga continues)

Michelle Talks with the Washington Post About Healthy Spring Eating

Michelle Shares Tips for Staying Healthy with the Cooking Channel

It’s Tuesday, which means taco deals…

Today’s taco specials:

• Lucky Break: $5 pulled pork, chicken, cod or ahi taco plates
• Devil’s Advocate: $1 tacos; $1 domestic pints from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Dos Gringos: $1 Tex-Mex tacos, $2 shredded beef or chicken tacos and $3 monster tacos; $1 happy shot; $2.50 Corona; $3 Gringorita
• El Palacio: $1 tacos & $2 Mexican draft beers after 3 p.m.
• Los Taquitos: $1 tacos
• Mad Dog Saloon: $1 tacos
• Gallagher’s: $1.49 shrimp tacos; $2.75 Coronas; $3 margaritas
• Lulu’s Tacos: 99-cent tacos (meat filling changes weekly)
• Sandbar: $2 tacos; $2 Dos Equis; $4 house margaritas
• Secreto: $2 tacos; $2 Dos Equis drafts
• Tavern on Mill: $2.50 tacos; $3 Mexican beers; $4 margaritas
• 24 Carrots: Buy 4 tacos, get the 5th one free