Lets just skip the bun

You know what, I am going to get fries with my Philly Cheesesteak anyway so I decided to skip the carbs on the bun and just get the Philly Fries, and guess what, OMG, that might be the second best decision I ever made. SO good, They use the cheez whiz on these and I will tell you why. The second try at these I had them use some white american cheese like I prefer on the sandwich and it just was not as good. It ended up a little to dry and did not spread nearly as well as the whiz. The whiz is a runny consistency from the start and on top of hot fries it melts around and gooes up the fries perfectly, with other real cheeses this gooeyness does not happen. And then there is the steak and onions on top which are just right and they serve cherry peppers on top with it. I do not get those on my sandy but on the fries they are great, adds some good heat, not too much and you can easily scoop a few off when you tire of them. Anyway they are terribly delicious.

PS They are getting to know me at Geno's and know my order on sight. Could be worse, right?

Stuffed Baker

Enough of Joe's Farm Grill already geesh. Ok, here is Joes Real BBQ! Joes Farm Grill is a sister restaraunt that followed what Joe did at his BarBQ. It is so good, for the BBQ I have tasted (some that have won BEST OF THE WEST awards) Joe's is my favorite. They have this stuffed Baker which is a monstrous baked Potatoe with your normal butter, sour cream, chives, bacon bits and cheese and your favorite BBQ meat. I usually get the pulled pork but it great with any of them. Donna gets the Hot links usually. They put on unsauced meat and you get to decide how much you want and I was amazed the first time I had it how good BBQ sauce is on a baked potato. I stir it all up so I get a real diverse bite each time. DO NOT forget pickles on the side.

Fat Burger

Fat Burger is a great Hamburger chain. They have a very solid burger. The meat is good and cheese is delicious. And the kitchen is open so you can watch them cook it, I just love this, no I do not know why, i just do. But where they excel is the amount of toppings they offer. They have bacon, relish and pickles, chili, fried eggs, yes fried eggs, several size patties and will stack them as much as you want, so you could get a totally different burger almost anytime you go there. And it still stays very consistant. They also have fat fries like you get at a steakhouse and normal skinny fries and curley fries, you can get onion rings so for your sides thye have many options. They have turkey burgers and I think chicken patties too. They are mostly in Ca but afew years back they started to spread out to other locations. Give them a try.

4B

Bar B Que-Bacon-Blu cheese-Burger or better known as 4b. One heck of a delicious Burger. This is from Joes Farm Grill, if the tin foil basket does not give it away. This is one off the best Burgers on the planet. Start with Joes usual local grown veggies and quality beef and buns like all their burgers and top it with Joes Bar B Q sauce, which is one of the best on the planet for the sweet smokey kick, add an onion ring with rosemary panko breading for a little savoryness, add Bacon for a big salty savory flavor and top it with some pungent strong Blue Cheese and you get this burger with delicious sweet-salty-savory-so delicious I could almost fall asleep mid burger and dream the best dreasm ever dreamed. It is that good. Side it with their deliciously salty fries and, well, i think you know by now. Enjoy.

Native New Yorker

I am guessing everywhere has the New Yorker moved there and opened a New York restaurant. Native New Yorker is one such here in AZ. Mostly they are Wings and a Bar but they have other fare too. I go there on Wednesdays cuz their strippers are half price, now hold on Donna, the strippers are breast strips lightly breaded and dipped in Buffalo wings sauce. Pretty much a bonelss wing. So much easier to eat. These however are Buffalo Style Chips. It is fresh fried potato chips smothered in blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumbles and scallions. It is really an apatiser but as a side with some strippers it is a super delicious combo, hot and spicy wings with the cooling pungent flavors of these chips is a great winning flavor. Certainly worth a try, stop by and get some. They have many Valley locations.

YCs Mongolian Grill

Make it yourself Asian Food. Apparently a Mongolian Grill is a big flat circle cooking top that the cooks stir the food around on somehwere between a giant wok and a hibachi like Benihana's. They have a big long salad bar with thinly sliced pork, chicken or beef and then all the vegtables common to asain cooking and you just pile what you want into a bowl and then they cook it. So far pretty simple, the hard part is the sauces. They also have the sauces like the dressing station at a salad bar and you dump what you like on. This is pretty ticky for some of us becasue we go to Asian food and order ther usual Orange Chicken or General Chow's whatever and we know how it should taste, coming up with a good flavor can be tricky. Mine turns out OK most times and I have never been grossed out yet, but teriyaki, and garlic are pretty standard flavors. They do have rice and some soups that come with it. It can be good and scary, if you are creative and not scared of asian flavors give it a try.

Geno's

Finally a pic of the Cheesesteak. Doesn't that look so good? Well, it was. Catch up posts are hard because I ate that so long ago and now looking at it (before lunch) I want it again. Those who are not familiar with CheeseSteaks they are most famously from Philadelphia so most store have all kinds of Philly memorabilia, usually sports themed, Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, 76ers, Rocky and the like. I have yet ot see one with the Declaration of Independence or a bunch of US history stuff but that's what I would do. Anyway, you take a foot long sandwich bun and stuff it with thinly sliced and gridle cooked steak and melty cheese (some say white American {me}, some say Cheez whiz, and some even say Provolone). The picture above is the white american cheese. Also the finer points, softened onions, muschrooms and some like peppers on top. Geno's has six different peppers to choose form, usually I skip the peppers. These sandwiches have such complex and delicious flavor I can not get enough. Now Geno's specifically is good but I would like a little tougher bun, theirs is quite soft. I can agree some might like that but I need a little tougher bun. In my post HCG enlightenment I just get the half sandwich, you know less calories and all. Geno's Cheeseteak is delicious but it's not the best around. What gets me back thereis the fries they have. I have already written about the Bacon Ranch Fries (super tasty) and had the garlic fries (seen above). These fries are a Large portion smothered in a garlic, parmesian, herby oil mixture. The flavor is Italiany super good. I do not know how but they do not get soggy, they stay kind of crisp and they are so delicious. Go to Geno's for the Fries and definitely get a Cheesesteak.

Filiberto's

It does not matter where you live there is a 'berto's there. I have been to Umberto's in Fountain Valley, CA and know of other 'berto's in Southern California too. A friend of mine says there is a 'bertos in Saint George and another kind in Las Vegas. Diberto's, Roberto's, Rigoberto's, Alberto's, and Filiberto's are all nearly the same. I think they are all supplied by one company and whether the name thing is mandiatory I just don't know. The food is pretty consistant and simlar at all these places but it is usually pretty good. Here in Phoenix there is Filiberto's and it is a pretty large chain. Maybe 30 or so. Some of the other berto's are one offs or a few but Filiberto's is really making a push.

If you are familiar or unfamiliar they usually have the same little mascot mexican and the salad bar with salsas and the very important pickled carrots and onions. Super delicious, and it's these extras that we know they care.

Anyway, here is the Carne Asada Taco. It is so stuffed that I fork eat half the meat before I even pick it up. The meat is marianted and has great flavor, plus some pico de gallo and runny guacamole. Two are pretty much too much and one can never leave me full. They are delicious. Go to the 'berto's where you live.

My wife likes the Asada Fries, they are good. The other food is pretty good too.

Ted's Hotdogs

A line out the door at lunch time and you know it's a hot spot! Don't run away though you can get in and out in 45 mins When you are in line they yell at you when you are about 10 people from the counter, "Hey! What do you want" so there is not dilly dallying THIS place means busniness!
This is an all time favorite for my coworkers and I. You name the hotdog and it is amazing! I actually got a polish. And my friend Carlos got the footlong. The onion rings are to die for! If you are in Tempe it is a must!

1755 E Broadway Rd
Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 968-6678

Joe's Farm Grill

I could write about Joe's all day long. The food is sooo delicious. There are many things about JFG that make it a favorite and all those things added up make it the Favorite.

1. The cool 60s sapce theme bathroom with action figure dispaly windows, sounds wierd written out to but you have to see them. I know, do you really want 60s space action figures watching you Pee? Well these are pretty cool.

2. Hand washing stations outside of the Bathrooms. I get messy sometimes.

3. Drink Fountain station. This makes it so easy.

4. Condiment Station next to Drink station. I like to mix and make my own Condiment.

5. The recycled house turned into the Restaurant where Joe actually lived as a kid.

6. The Outside eating area. Big grassy area with lost of benches and tables.

7. The Farm next door where the produce comes form.

8. Being on Guy Fieri's Diners, Dives and Drive thrus. The episode is always playing in the ordering area.

9. See into kitchen to watch them make the food. I Love to see it happen.

10. Sister restaurant to Joe's BBQ in Gilbert.

11. Free food on your Birthday.

12. Free food on Customer appreciation day. Why don't other places do this? so awesome.

13. Not a huge nationwide company.

14. Food in little baskets and tin foil

15. THE FOOD...here we go


Today for Lunch I had their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and a side of Sweet Potato Fries. These are very pleasant. There is a hint of sweetness unlike regualr fries. But they are not too sweet, they still need some salt on them and of course if you like ketchup on fries normally you will still like it on these. JFG give out some sort of Pineapple salsa with these which is very sweet and I would have tired of this if I was not alternating with my mixed ketchup, which had a hit or two of McIlheneys Tabasco in it. The Sweet Potato and spicy ketchup is a great mix of hot and subtle sweet.




The Buffalo Chicken sandwich is terrific. It has buffalo hot sauce on a breast butterflied and grilled, no breading here. The Bun has some Blue Cheese spread and chopped celery, normal parings for a Buffalo Wing. JFG always puts the lettuce, onions, tomato on the side and I like them so I add them too. Buffalo Wings in general are something I love, hot and spicy, although I can not eat as hot as I used to. Hot and Spicy mixed with that bitter pungent blue cheese flavor usually in a dressing mixed with a sour cream (or creamy whatever it is) give a good balance to the heat and cools it down. So Yummy.

So, if you are in Gilbert AZ make sure you stop by Joe's Farm Grill.

Geno's Cheesesteaks and Deli

Yeah, I had a cheesesteak with these but I will write about that another day (since I will be going back). Today I will be writing about those Bacon Ranch Fries, or BRF for now.
How do you describe a seasoning's flavors? It is difficult, anyway Bacon is so slaty and I think that is why it makes a great addition to almost anything. Add bacon to a cheeseburger and it's better, add bacon to a salad and it's better, dip it in chocolate and they both inprove, it is like a physics paradox somehow, bacon makes everything taste better. Back to the BRF, Ranch has this creamy sourey taste from the buttermilk or sour cream or whatever they make it with and then the seasonings, I am guessing dill and other scrumptious green stuff giving a different kick to the creamy stuff. Add...wait for it.....Bacon and BOOOM even more delicious. Then take some medium chedar cheese(strong would be better, but not for everyone) and pile it on top of French (I prefer Freedom) Fries and you get this amazing master piece of Culinary deliciousness. Again with the mixed flavors firing multiple taste buds. So good! Last week I had their Garlic Fries, me oh my, but that is another post too. If you arein Gilbert AZ stop by Geno's on Williamsfield west of Val Vista.
-Brit

Thursday Lunch

Today I went to Sonic for lunch, nothing special you say, well then you'd be wrong. Most of the menu is pretty normal and tame, but they recenetly started doing this Premium Hot Dog thing and they are delicious. Honestly, I try to steer away from actual fast food and try to hit what I call medium Food, that is places a little slower than traditional fast food, places like Rubio's or that speed. Generally they are $7-10 per meal as opposed to $5-7 but they food and care is usually much better.
Back to the Dogs, Sonic has 4 (arguably 2) of these Premium Dogs, New York, Chicago, All American and Coney. Sonic always has a Coney that is a foot long so why did they do a normal size one is beyond me, the All-American is that mustard, ketchup, sweet relish and onions, so normal it doesn't really need to be on the menu as special. But those last two, oh my gosh, they are amazing. The New York has sauerkraut, sauteed(?) onions and deli mustard(darker with more seeds, generally a stronger flaovr, but not as much as Aunt Kelli's homemade stuff). It is a bitter sharp tasting Dog with that sour sauerkraut flavor and biting mustard combo, the onions give a litte extra hit of something, combining to a wonderful flavor erupion in my mouth, so tasty. Even better is the Chicago Dog. For my Money the Chicago is the king of all dogs, tomato slices, pickle spear, mustard, sweet relish ( i know pickle spear and relish?), sport peppers (little hot ones, not fire hot), onions, poppy seed bun(very important) and sometimes celery seeds. In the Movie Ratatooie the little chef Remmy discribes to his brother rat how each flavor is unique and delicious and when you combine flavors you get entirely new flavors. It is like that, you add sweet to salty and a little bitter and it just multiplies the tastiness in your mouth with all those tiny taste buds and the real tasty food fires all the buds at once, boom flavor explosion. That is why Chicago dogs rule, so many subtle and not so subtle flavors expertly mixed. 10 minutes after the dog I could still feel the heat and taste flavors in my mouth, so delicious.

PS, eating hot dogs takes me back to years ago eating dogs at Champ's in Los Al with my Dad and family, hot dogs and those big baskets of fries. If you are ever in Los Alamitos make sure you drop in there, otherwise go to Sonic and get a dog or too.
-Brit

Hash House A Go Go

I hope you are hungry! We went here for Brit's Birthday and didn't even think about sharing food... We never do. We saw that is was a little on the pricey end of things $$-$$$ but figured it must be a little fancy. Not only was it fancy but it was 4 servings per plate!
This is the Meatloaf and Potatoes, it had a white gravy poured on top. It had a little zing to it because it had leaks on top. Maggie and I enjoyed it!
Brit got the Chicken and Waffles. This was not your ordinary fried chicken leg with waffles this was a quality chicken breast and the plate was so big it towered over us. But the most amazing part was that there was strips of bacon inside the waffles!
Here is Brit's take on the food... I love the more normal soul food Chicken and waffles Ala Roscoe's in LA or Lo-Lo's in Phoenix but this was sage fried chicken and waffles, after all HHAGG's tag line is farm food with a twist, so comfort food plus a little more. The waffles were fluffy and nice all by themselves but they were stuffed with Bacon and drizzled with a Maple reduction. What this means is they were slightly sweeter than any "normal" syrup and contrasted with the salty bacon made it this mixture of great flavors. Also it had some slightly baked or fried shavings of Leak adding a little more saltiness but a vegetable saltiness and was such an amazing complex flavor mix. The Chicken was delicious and crispy crunch and added just another batch of flavors when eaten with some of the waffles sweet salty goodness. It was so big it lasted more than two meals. So delicious. If you are in San Diego go there, period! Or Las Vegas, there are a few there too.
Of course Zoey wanted a kid's meal. I did not want to deal with the argument so I let her order the Mac and Cheese. It was very tasty and that is a lot to say because I do not like homemade Mac and Cheese. I'm a Kraft girl but this was really good Mac and Cheese and just ask Zoey she had 4 days of leftovers too!

Definitely a GO GO! http://www.hashhouseagogo.com/