Phoenix, Arizona - Barrio Cafe Gran Reserva

Friend Paula recommended that we try Barrio Cafe Gran Reserva after the Art Walk at the Home and Landscaping Show. The cafe is on Grand Avenue around 13th Avenue. Street parking only and the walk was well worth the effort. Planters and trees were festively decorated. The building has an elegant facade and it was a surprise to see white tablecloths and a formal setting. We started the meal with fresh guacamole made table side. For the main course I was interested in the mole sauce (different every day). I eventually selected a stuffed pepper with a white sauce. We shared sample bites and every selection was equally good. One of the other diners ordered a mole dish so I was able to sample it.  I ordered flan for desert. 

The restaurant is small and filled quickly. Reservations recommended. 

Oh, and "mole" is pronounced mo-lay. It is a generic term for Mexican sauce made with chilis. I like the ones made with a little bit of chocolate. This sauce is not related to a ground rodent. 

Phoenix - Phoenix Art Museum

The Phoenix Art Museum has been growing over the years and brings in great traveling exhibits. The theater department has also done a great job obtaining films pertaining to art subjects. The latest one, "Leonardo Live", depicts the Da Vinci exhibit that was at London's National Gallery.  This was one of my reasons for attending the museum.  See the Events list for this and other scheduled events.  Many of the show times were sold out (great!!!) so I think that this has been a huge success.   I also went to see the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit, as I am a huge fan.

My day started with a nice lunch in the onsite restaurant "Palette at the Phoenix Art Museum".  If you are planning a meal, be sure to check the website for the closing times.

Be sure to look around the outside of the Museum for interesting architecture, fountains and statues.

The restaurant was the first stop of my day.

The entrance.

Interesting piece in the front lobby.  I asked an attendant about the photography policy. She told me that there were signs (and indicated about a six inch square with her hands).  I picked up my ticket from will call and proceeded in to the Museum.  I saw a lovely poster of the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit next to his model of a mile high building and took a photo BECAUSE I did not see a sign.  The guard came running up to me and told me that I could be sued for taking it. I calmly asked for the location of the "no photographs" sign and he pointed to a tiny 1/2 in stamp on the description of the art.  Who can see that without glasses????

So, I put the camera away so that I wouldn't get in any other trouble (and I'm NOT posting the photo!)

All in all, the Museum has a nice collection and is very kid friendly (see the red dinosaur on the front lawn!)

Phoenix - Beckett's Table

Beckett's Table has been open for a few months and I finally had an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful dinner.  We had reservations so our table was ready when we arrived. I have noticed driving by in the past that the parking lot is full, so I recommend reservations so that you won't have to wait.  We made reservations a week in advance because it was "Phoenix Restaurant Week" and this place was bound to be full (and it was!)

We split appetizers so that we could have some of both.

This was chicken meatballs and smokey tomato sauce, roasted onions, eggplant & peppers, bread crumbs and basil.  Very tasty.

We also had a vegetable chop salad, razz cherries, pepitas, cucumber, carrot, fennel, potato, tomato, green beans, celery, red bells, corn, champagne basil vinaigrette.  This was good too.

For our entry we both had the same thing: Steamed white bass with farmer's market organics.

 The other choices were Fire Roasted green chili pork stew with corn bread, cotija cheese or J's Meatloaf, cream yukon mashed, green beans, mushroom gravy.

Included in the $30 fixed price was a glass of house red wine (or white or beer).

Dessert was a choice of "award winning fig and pecan pie, with cream cheese citrus zest ice cream. (Yes, cream cheese ice cream...rich and creamy.)

You could also have Chocolate dipped bacon s'mores, caramel, house-made marshmallows, whipped peanut butter, graham cracker.  Sounded good.

I highly recommend a dinner here.  The service was good and timing of the courses allowed plenty of time to relax, chat, and enjoy good company and good food.

Click here to go to Beckett's Table on the web.

London - Ebury Restaurant and Wine Bar Meal #1

The Ebury Restaurant and Wine Bar is next door to the Lime Tree Hotel, right on the corner of Ebury and Elizabeth.  The restaurant opens at 6:00 PM and is full by 8:00 PM. I highly recommend reservations.  Prices listed below are in euros.  

Ebury Restaurant, on the right.

Portland's Restaurant and Wine Bar - Phoenix

The dinner started with an icy flavored martini.

Portland's is a favorite stop of mine for a leasurely dinner before a play at Phoenix Theatre.  It is located on Central Avenue in Phoenix.  The Light Rail stops right in front of the restaurant, and also in front of Phoenix Theatre, which makes this a good choice for a night out. I prefer going on Saturday night to get the Fixed Price menu and a bottle of wine at a reduced price.  The fixed price meal includes an appetizer, main course, and a desert. Here is a sample of what was available on one of the nights.



Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus
Prosciutto di parma with Dijon cream sauce



Add a nice bottle of wine.
This is not included with the "fixed price" but is normally
a reduced price and good value.

Wonderful Sterling Silver Angus Steak
with creamy au gratin potatoes & demi-glace.
Very very good.

Claire's flourless chocolate torte
Dense chocolate cake made with Guittard
chocolate served with strawbetty coulis

This will satisfy any and every chocolate craving.

Tiramisu
Light and creamy layers of mascarpone cheese
& espresso-soaked ladyfingers

A light dusting of chocolate on the top makes this a great finisher.

I recommend calling for reservations and asking for a window seat.  There is outdoor seating, so depending on the weather that is a great call also.

Portland's Restaurant and Wine Bar

New Orleans -25 cent Pear Martini's at Antoine's

New Orleans is filled with music, all the time.  This is our favorite corner, as the performers here are unique and colorful.  (Watch for the unique and colorful character at the end of the video and notice the toe tapping foot action.)  If you like the music, you can purchase a CD for $10.

Choice of Pear or Lemon Drop Martinis today

What a way to start: 25 cent martinis!!! We had a choice of Pear or Lemon Zinger.  I will add more food photos later. I'm going to have the $20.11 fixed price luncheon special: cup of gumbo, [another martini], Antoine's Louisianna Gulf Shrimp Creole [plus another martini] and Pecan Bread Pudding for dessert.  Note that this price does not include the 9.75% tax, a well deserved gratuity for Austin, and 25 cents for each martini.

This restaurant is huge and seats 1300 people. It is a museum with walls of photos of all of the past Mardi Gras queens. There are party rooms that have been reserved by the Mardi Gras "teams" for over 75 years, a huge wine "hall", and delightful memorabilia capturing moments in New Orleans history.  I added the photos of the other places in the restaurant at the end of this post.

Seafood Gumbo - A classic preparation of rich Louisiana gumbo with blue crabs, oysters, and gulf shrimp

Pear Martini #2

Choice 1: Antoine's Louisianna Gulf Shrimp Creole
Fresh Louisiana shrimp in the classical Creole tomato sauce, served with steamed white rice

Choice 2: Veal Burgundy
Lightly floured Veal with a burgundy mushroom sauce served with pecan rice.

Pear Martini #3 - they are so smooth!

Bread pudding - tasty sauce, dallop of whipped creme with a mint leaf
Pudding de Pain de Noix de Pecan
A cinnamon and raisin bread pudding topped with warm Rum sauce

Antoine's is a museum...a collection of goodies from yesterday, and today.  Be sure to walk throughout the restaurant to see all that they have to view.

Photos of some of the earlier Mardi Gras queens

Jewels and necklaces from past Mardi Gras festivities.

They have a HUGE collection of liquor.
This is only one of the cases.

This is only one of the large dining rooms.

One of the Pope's visited!!

Collection of ashtrays and plates

Click to view Antoine's website
Info about Absolut Pears Martini (must be 21 years to view)

Cafe du Monde and Jackson Square Musicians

How did this get so HUGE??

Wow. I remember when this was a quant little coffee shop. This place is HUGE. Who are all these people? Who told them about my quiet little place? It grew so fast. The last time I was here was, hmm, when was that? Before Kalen. 1983? Ahhh!! Almost 30 years ago!!!

Double order of Beignets (powdered donuts), Cafe au Lait,
Chicory coffee, and hot chocolate.

Cafe du Monde serves one edible item: Beignets.  The fried donuts are freshly made and covered with powered sugar (you will be covered too!)  They offer a variety of both hot and cold drinks, and the chicory coffee is well known. You can buy your coffee in a souvenir mug, which is a fun reminder.

TIPS: Make sure that you are in the correct line.  There are two lines - one is for the take-out window and the other is to be seated.  Most times the staff will try to get the take-out line to enter from the back of the shaded outside area. The seating line is to the front of the building, off of Decatur.  The outside patio may be closed in the morning until there are enough people lined up to warrant all of the extra seating and staff.  If you see an open table, take it. No one is going to seat you, but someone will be around to clean the table of the coffee cups and powdered sugar. Then you can  make your own mess.

We walked past Jackson Square.  The square is surrounded by a beautiful iron fence, and ornate gates on each side. The outer perimeter of the fence often holds artwork from local artists and the open plaza holds fortune tellers and tarot card readers.  And, as always, musicians selling CDs, entertaining, and adding to the overall ambiance of the French Quarter.

Rome, Italy - Trattoria Antonio

We found the restaurant on the last day in Rome...go figure.  We were walking around the city, looking for a new undiscovered place to eat lunch.  The street we were on had restaurants with the waiters at street side, inviting you in, giving you deals and discounts. We read (Rick Steves) to avoid these places and look for the ones filled with locals.  Trattoria Antonio was it.  We think that we were the only non-Italians in this crowded little restaurant. The food was incredible.  I didn't get an itemized bill, but the total came to 86€ plus tip, so we spent about 21,50 € each.

The entrance...no one standing outside begging us to enter.

Ristorante Antonio
Garbini S.a.S
Via Dei Pastini, 12 Roma
Tel: 06/67.90.798

Penne Bologna. Yes, also wine and bread. (Ladee)

Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Kalen and Karl)

Pasta Carbonara (Sara)

Wide pasta noodles with meat slices and yummy sauce. (Kalen and Karl)

It was a good meal in a small family owned trattoria.

AND, to my amazement, the owner Papa cut the prosciutto right at tableside. In fact, he moved that ham bone around as he needed it. He would cut a few pieces off, and then put it on the plate.