El Chullo is located in Phoenix and is known for its Peruvian food.
"Chullo" is a peruvian ancestral garment symbol of the andean culture made to protect themselves from the extreme cold in the Andean high places. In these towns, they fulfill a purpose, which is to identify the characters of the andean population. Depending on the place where they are made, colors, figures, motives and shapes are in harmony with the traditions and local uses, according to the website.
"When Esperanza Luzcando came from Peru in June 2011 for her son's graduation, she fell in love with Arizona. In December 2011, Esperanza and her husband, José RamÃrez Sánchez, decided to move to Arizona with her family and open a business. The idea of opening a restaurant was born and El Chullo Peruvian Restaurant was inaugurated in 2014.
'When we decided to open our restaurant, we always had in mind to offer traditional food with different recipes learned throughout our lives, as served at our home' says Jose Ramirez Sanchez.
'We are very happy that Peruvian food is becoming more widely known worldwide. And we always invite all our customers to visit our beautiful country and to learn about our culture and above all enjoy our delicious cuisine' says Esperanza Luzcando."
I ordered the chicha morada to drink, which is made with Peruvian purple corn, pineapple, cinnamon and cloves. I really enjoy this sweet but slightly earthy drink.
We had yucca fries, calamari, and a variety of proteins with red onion. What I really enjoy is that the beef or chicken take on a nice rich flavor from the marinades and spices.and, the veggies are cooked so that the sweetness is brought out.
What is your favorite Peruvian dish?
Grade: B
I fell deeply in love with Mexican fruit cups while visiting Arizona. And, the place that introduced me to them was Realeza Michoacana. Side note: Many businesses in the area are named similarly; "Michoacana" means someone or something from the state of Michoacán in western Mexico.
"At what is arguably the ice palace of Phoenix, there are frozen treats available in enough varieties and flavors to ensure that every child and adult will find a tasty way to beat the heat. The homemade paletas are made with fresh fruit, like the coconut packed with shavings, lime-infused mango chili, cantaloupe, strawberry, and 'cocktail,' which tastes like a margarita. If you’d rather use a spoon to eat your icy snack, try a raspado full of shaved ice, fruit, and flavored syrups. The Diabilito is a spicy-sweet drink jazzed up with chile powder, saladitos (salted plums), lime juice, hot sauce, and a chile tamarind candy swizzle stick. If you want a more American-style dessert, Realeza Michoacana also has pastries, fruit cocktails, and fourteen flavors of ice cream. This family-owned sweet shop is located along 16th Street in Central Phoenix, a hub for great Mexican eateries. After lunch or dinner, don’t forget to stop here for dessert," reads the Phoenix New Times.
Mexican fruit cups are essentially spears of fresh tropical fruit that have been topped with lime juice, chamoy and Tajin (chili lime salt). The result is a sweet but spicy and tangy snack that is beyond craveable.
It is so well balanced between the sweetness and the spice that it makes the whole snack so satisfying. The juiciness, the sticky sweetness, but then there's a zing that tempers it a bit and adds a new layer. At least, that was my experience at this lovely shop in Phoenix. I've since tried to recreat the fruit cup at home in a similar manner with limited success.
What's your favorite summer dessert?
Grade: A
"Culinary Dropout serves classic meals done right. With crowd favorites like our pretzel bites and provolone fondue, 36-hour pork ribs, and our famous fried chicken drizzled with honey you’ll want to taste everything. Thirsty? Wash it all down with an ice-cold craft beer or a killer house-made cocktail. And don't forget to stick around for games and free live music with a laid-back vibe. Culinary Dropout is for anyone who loves damn good food and drinks," according to their website.
This rebel, rock & roll gastropub is located in a renovated motorcycle garage and also features ping pong, corn hole and foosball on the lawn. There is this industrial meets modern vibe inside. And, it is very, very loud.
Because they are known for their meat, cheese, and snacks, we had to try some of those out. Here is a sampling of what they had available:
MOLINARI SOPRESSATA 6
HOT COPPA 7
PROSCIUTTO DI SAN DANIELE 9
BRESAOLA 7
PRAIRIE BREEZE CHEDDAR 5
TRUFFLE CRESCENZA 6
AGED MANCHEGO 5.5
DOLCE GORGONZOLA 5.5
PIMENTO CHEESE 6
The manchego and Gorgonzola were my favorites because I like a little funk on my cheese. And, we also had the deviled egg snack, which I think you just cannot go wrong with a deviled egg. I do like mine to be heavier on the vinegar scale, but these were creamy and tasty.
I tried one of the pretzel bites as well, though it was mostly that provolone fondue that I was after. I could take or leave the pretzels, but I will always take melted cheese.
For my entrée, I ordered the summer corn lasagna. From the outside, it looks like a standard piece of lasagna, but the summer corn adds some sweetness. It had some nice bold flavors, while also being super comforting. Two additional pieces of bread helped me stop up every last bite of sauce.
Overall, a tasty meal in a lively atmosphere
Grade: A
Lux Central in Phoenix is known for their coffee, but they don't skimp on breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or cocktails. Or beer. Or wine. Or...
There's a lot going on. And that translates to the physical space, which I think The Phoenix New Times summarized nicely: "For a first-time visitor to Lux Central, the experience upon entering the unmarked concrete building can be jarring. The room is bright, the electronica booming, and weaving one's way through rooms of funky and reclaimed furniture, such eclectic items as vintage typewriters and burlap sacks, and dressed-to-impress people drinking coffee, chatting with friends, and doing whatever it is they do on their laptops (Mac only, of course), can be tricky. My first thought was: People eat here?"
It was a bit chaotic waiting to see the menu and then hurriedly making a choice. But I went with a cappuccino, a slice of quiche and another savory bake.
Cappuccino was strong, but the milk foam helped temper it for me. Dark, roasty notes dominated, which would be ideal for true coffee fiends.
The quiche was tasty, but for my money, I want it to be cheesier. If I can avoid the actual egg flavor in the quiche, that's the sweet spot for me.
Finally, a spinach and feta dough wrap-up that was a tasty little treat.
Grade: B
Worth Takeaway is a small craft sandwich and coffee shop that is like the perfect neighborhood spot. It's cool, cozy and ultra local. They feature tons of other local businesses, like: Huss Brewing Co | Iconic Cocktail Co. | Myke’s Pizza | Noble Bread | Park St. Studios | Provision Coffee | Steadfast Farm | Stonegrindz Chocolate | SunUp | Simple Soda Co. | The Simple Farm | Think | Wild Tonic Kombucha | Wren House Brewing Co
There was a bit of a wait when we walked in the door, but, to me, that's just a good sign. As we stood in line to order at the counter, I took a minute to peruse the menu, which consisted of super craveable options.
Buffalo chicken dip, grilled cheese, spicy candied BLT, mac & cheese, and so much more. And to drink: They have local milk from Danzeisen Dairy. I ordered one of the mini glass strawberry bottles, which was so cute and delicious.
I ordered the roast beef sandwich with horseradish crema, giardineira, greens and cheddar on ciabatta. Plus mac & cheese.
The sandwich was great. It has the creamy, tangy and crunchy components down pat. I think some pickled red onions could've added a touch of sweetness. But, still, I loved the tangy crema. The mac & cheese was solid - extra points for the chives to give it a little freshness.
Good food, nice atmosphere and a great experience.
Grade: A
"In 2006, Bill and Ginger Sandweg brought great coffee to the Melrose District. At that time, there wasn’t any good coffee between their house and Phoenix College, where Bill was taking some Creative Writing classes. This spirit of “I’ll do it myself,’ permeates all of Copper Star Coffee. We bake all of our pastries in-house, and have since Day 1. You can’t find that at corporate coffee. When we couldn’t find a chai we liked, our team started making our own chai from scratch. Our House-made Lavender syrup won us a Phoenix’s Best Herbal Latte. Selling hummus was an early hit, but our supplier wasn’t consistent. So we started making hummus from scratch. When Bill couldn’t find a good BLT, he had to make one of his own. We sell thru about 150 pounds of bacon a week. Finally, in 2019, when our bagel vendor sold his business, we started trying our own bagels. Three months later we started selling Central Phoenix’s Best Bagel. Made from scratch, we are averaging 212 bagels a day!"
I went through the drive-through on my way out of town to get a little pick-me-up and bite to eat.
I went with the Hummus Bagel, which is s homemade bagel topped with Homemade Hummus • Roasted Tomatoes • Onions. To drink, I ordered a blended vanilla caramel frozen coffee.
Let's start with the hummus bagel. You can tell that the bagel and hummus are homemade. A touch extra toasty on the bagel. But they are just much fresher and much more flavorful than any others I've had. I like the bite from the tomatoes and a little crunch from the onion. oh, and did I mention that cherry almond muffin? Sweet, crunchy and everything I want in a muffin.
The coffee was extra frozen; so slightly more watery than others I've tried. But I enjoy this. It tempers any better flavors in the place of them with a nice dollop of caramel sauce.
Both made for a really good breakfast that was tasty and feeling.
Grade: A
Valentine in Phoenix focuses on local southwest ingredients and has received recognitiom from both Esquire Magazine and The New York Times for doing so.
"Dishes include the lauded elote pasta with Hassayampa asiago cheese. For brunch, try the steak & eggs, made with Rovey Farms grass-fed beef and Two Wash Ranch eggs. At the adjacent speakeasy Bar 1912, sip on cocktails that pay homage to the 48th state. Bone marrow and mesquite smoke distinguish the Cattle drink, while the Cotton boasts pistachio extract, pistachio oil, pistachio milk, and pistachio “cotton candy.” House-made pine liqueur crafted from foraged Arizona pine cones and tips is the base for the Forest. Save room for bar snack, including nuts, foie gras stuffed olives, and quail ramen eggs pickled with tamari, mirin, piloncillo, and sherry vinegar," according to Phoenix New Times.
This is one of the cooler restaurant spaces I've seen. There are a ton of large windows and it kind of reminds me of a drive-in restaurant (because of the awning) mashed with a super modern, trendy cafe. It was light and airy with greenery all around.
We ordered at the front counter, where they had a ton of delicious looking pastries and snacks. I ordered a scone with Sonoran white wheat, chorizo and cheddar. It was definitely on the dry side, but that's often to be expected with scones. Paired with a coffee drink, it was tasty.
Next up: hushpuppies with red fife wheat and cornmeal, Arizona Gouda, and jalapeño honey cabbage. these were just OK. There was more oil flavor than the strong cheese or pepper or anything else here.
I finished up with a little gem salad – need to get the veggies in. Sunflower vinaigrette, crispy sunchokes, and goatija (goat cheese + cotija cheese).
It was a fine salad, but the description hyped me up a bit more than the dish delivered. Overall, I think everything here was OK. But, there are so many other things I would love to try – including the Elote pasta they're known for. I do love how they incorporate local ingredients into their menu. So I think this will need to have another visit.
Grade: B
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