While in Arizona, I wanted to get a taste of the local food.



I definitely did that through the local restaurants, but I was excited to try some of the local goods, too.



At A.J.'s Fine Foods, there were lots of products marked as local and I picked up all the ones that intrigued me.



Here are some of my finds:

Cutino Sauce Co. - habanero-inspired hot sauces

Queen Creek Olive Mill - olive oils, vinegars and other sundries

Carolina's Chocolate - dark chocolate with latin flavors

Kettle Heroes Artisan Popcorn - unique Southwest flavors



The Simple Farm - goat's milk caramels

Hayden Flour Mills - stone milling and ancient grain flours

Do you have any other Arizona favorites?

The Habit Burger Grill is a Santa Barbara, California-based burger chain: "Inspired by this coastal town’s laid-back vibrancy and passion for culinary exploration, a simple idea formed: THE LOVE OF THE CRAFT - This means always chargrilling our burgers over an open flame. It means using only the best ingredients we can find. And bringing everything together through our genuine, world-class hospitality. In the end, it all comes from that first idea. A vision that became our Habit."



The regional chain offers burgers, salads and sandwiches with steak, chicken and tuna. Plus fries, onion rings, and shakes. One of the most unique side items they have is tempura fried green beans with ranch dipping sauce. These weren't bad! I liked that they were different, but I think I would have preferred a soy-based sauce.



I went with the portabella char, which has a freshly chargrilled beef patty, portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions, melted white american cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and garlic aioli on a bun



The mushroom pieces were a bit unwieldly, and I think I'd nix the veggies next time so the umami shines through. Not bad overall.



Grade: B

"Republica Empanada is located in the Southside Heights Neighborhood of downtown Mesa on the NE corner of 1st Avenue & Hibbert. The mid-century architecture is a unique contrast to the brick row showcased along Main Street. Arizona’s largest selection of South American-style savory empanadas. Our empanadas, as well as our dishes, represent the different regions and tastes of Latin American comfort food," according to their website.



Empanadas are a Spanish/Latin-American pastry turnover filled with savory or sweet ingredients and then baked or fried.

"From the Spanish verb empanar, which means to coat or wrap in bread, the empanada is said to originate from Spain, although many countries claim empanadas as their own, including Mexico, Argentina, Portugal, the Caribbean, and the Philipipines," according to the Farmers Almanac.



Kaitee, Josh and I stopped here and started with yucca fries with crema and ranch. They are pretty similar to potatoes, but maybe a little lighter, a little chewier.



My first empanada was a Cubana - Pernil (slow roasted pork), ham, mozzarella, & dill pickle. This was a fun take on that familiar cuban sandwich - just all wrapped up in this fried handpie.



The dessert empanada had powdered sugar and cheese and fruit, and it was delicious.



The space was a bit warm, but quiet and cozy. That, plus comfort food with a twist made for a delightful meal.



Grade: B

Adalbertos Mexican Food is a 24-hour restaurant that offers tacos, burritos, breakfast items, and a drive-thru window.



I stopped here and had the most bomb breakfast burrito I've ever had. You can get all the standard proteins - like bacon, sausage, and even steak. Then there's ham. Potato. Jalapenos. Pico de Gallo. And my answer was yes, yes and yes.



And this was all wrapped up in this giant flour tortilla. It was just full of goodies, but still sturdy and didn't fall apart.



Everything was fresh, which is the key to me with eggs. No fake eggs or dried out eggs. It was moist and flavorful and filling.



Grade: A

Boulders is not necessarily a restaurant that we sought out, but it was nearby, convenient, and quick when our tummies were rumbling while out and about in Mesa.



we were the only ones in the restaurant at the time but service was still a little slow. The atmosphere is bike & climbing themed, and the menu reflects that too.



we started with something called "pizza nuggets," which instantly drew, our attention. But really, it was more like a flatbread with marinara sauce on the side. I guess if you rip off pieces they could be considered nuggets? A little bland.



For my entree, I went with a mushroom swiss burger, which was pretty average. Patty was a little dry; a sauce could have done a world of difference. I went with sweet potato tots on the side, which were fine, but again, could have benefited from a good complementary sauce. I didn't really want to use ketchup or ranch, but a sweet and tangy sauce would've been a nice pairing.



Grade: C

Fired Pie is a "fast, casual, rich in flavor customizable pizzas and salads made from scratch using fresh ingredients, just the way you like it" and found in 16 locations in Arizona.



The menu starts with two options: pizza or salad. Then, do you want a specialty type or custom. First is your crust, select sauce, then choose cheese, move onto meats, pick your veggies and finally garnish with fresh herbs. I went with a regular crust, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, mushroom, garlic and artichokes. I love all these ingredients separately, but maybe not the best together. I think a sweetness would round out the flavors, and it was a bit mushy - maybe because of the ingredients I chose. Not bad enough to stop me from devouring it.



Grade: B

Dutch Bros Coffee is a popular coffee shop mainly with locations more west. While I was in Phoenix, I stopped a few times to try a few different drinks. The drive-thru chain always had a line wrapped around the building.



They have coffee drinks, fruity drinks, teas, energy drinks and snacks, too. I first tried a frozen strawberry lemonade, which was beautifully tart and sweet, too. I also tried the Caramelizer - a blended caramel mocha. This was equally as tasty if you're going for the roasty, caffeinated pick-me-up.



Grade: A