I.R.C.

I like to eat.  In the past I haven't been very adventurous - I've frequented the same few chain restaurants.  While these places are good, in the past few months I have gotten a bee in my bonnet and wanted to branch out. 

It all started with the Food Network.  I was watching Diners and Drive-Ins and Guy spotlighted a tiny Italian restaurant in Phoenix called Guiseppes.  Fast forward a few weeks - a group of us were attending a friend's art show and wanted to go out to eat afterwards.  We decided to try Guiseppes.  It was delicious!  The Independent Restaurant Club was born. 

I started a private group on facebook - inviting close friends and fellow foodies to join.  Once a month we get together and go to an independent restaurant.  We take turns deciding where to go.  My brother in law Brian was in charge this month and picked The Grind - a small burger joint in Phoenix.  I was particularly excited about The Grind because I had heard all about their donuts.  Warm donuts served with a salted butterscotch sauce.  Yum!!

16 of us showed up!   We had so much fun - and I'm thankful that my friends are all kind enough to let me try their food.  I might have eaten something off of almost everyone's plate.  To my credit I shared my donuts - which was not an easy thing to do! 

Sometimes I feel like my life is a little like Groundhog Day - same thing, different day.  It is so much fun to go out with friends and eat!  It was a great night.  I can't wait for next month!

Me Gusta el Padre

Last night we went out to dinner with Nate & Mandie to a little place in Phoenix called La Grande Orange. A few months ago Tiffany and I got gelato at the shop next to LGO. It was the best gelato I've ever had. I think about it all the time...anyway, the place is really cool - it's one long building where there is a market (which sells pastries, sandwiches & sushi) that connects to LGO (the main restaurant) and that connects to the gelato shop.

The menu was small and we all started off with a salad (portions are big enough for 2 to share). We all got the chopped salad, which was o.k. Nothing special. Then we asked our waitress what was good on the menu. And she let us in on a little secret - the best menu item isn't on the menu. It's called "El Padre" and it's a pizza (minus the red sauce) with prosciutto, figs, arugula & fresh ricotta. The waitress described it as "savory". I'll admit when I heard "figs" my gag reflex took over and I thought, "no thanks". But Nate & Mandie are adventurous and they ordered it. Ummm...it was heaven on earth. Soooo good. So much better than you can imagine. And the crust on the pizza was crispy yet chewy with a hint of a sourdough flavor. Yum. I am now a fan of figs.

Because I knew how good the gelato place was I had some before dinner (it was a 45 minute wait). And then I had some more after dinner. And then when Nate noticed that the pistachio flavor cost more than the other flavors because it was specially made I made Ian buy me some of that too. I am drooling thinking about it. I might go back tonight. For the pizza & the gelato.

In other news, Max has a 103 degree fever, Max needs more extensive dental work (apparently he grinds his teeth so hard that he cracked 3), Ben broke his pinkie and Evan LOVES puzzles. But more on that later.