Live it Up in Scottsdale--Roka Akor

"He wants steak, she wants sushi" is a typical argument of what's for dinner.  At the Roka Akor, why not have the best of both worlds?

We arrived shortly after they opened.  Very few people were there and we were seated quickly.  There are a couple of seating choices, including the patio, the bar, a table or at the robata bar.  A robata bar is basically a sushi bar that serves open grilled choices as well.  This is a great way to interact with the chefs in front of you and enjoy a great meal.  We chose a table but observed the chefs talking often with those who had chosen the robata bar seating.  The atmosphere was romantic Japanese with a touch of high class elegance.  I would recommend getting dressed up and not showing up in shorts and a tee-shirt.

Once we sat down, our server asked if this was our first time here and when we indicated that this was our first visit, he was able to explain the menu options and choices in great detail and without effort.  We first asked him what types of soft drinks were available,  he immediately recommended the"Honey Yuzu" lemonade.  He explained that the "Yuzu" was similar to a Japanese tangerine and it was mixed with a sharp lemonade.  He warned that we could become addicted to it and it was an incredible refreshing drink with a zing.  It was an amazing compliment to rest of our meal.

We started with a few choices off the "hot plate" appetizer menu.  The first one was a Roka Akor specialty "Kobe Beef and Kimchi Dumplings".  The tender Kobe beef with the tang and spicy kick of the kimchi was an excellent balance of the yin-yang of flavors.  When I first saw it, I thought it was going to be  crispy pan fried dumpling, but when I bit into it, it had the flavor of pan fry but had the texture of a freshly steamed soft dumpling.

Next came another specialty called "Robata Grilled Scallops with Yuzu Shiso and Wasabi".   We were served two perfectly grilled scallops, well garnished and sliced in half for ease of eating with chopsticks.  Even though there was not much there, these scallops will melt in your mouth and remain in your memory for days!

As this restaurant was named one of the top 10 Sushi spots in the United States, we had to order a maki roll.  We chose the Unagi (fresh eel) roll.  The eel was freshly grilled and also melted in your mouth.  It was well balanced with the cucumber and cool sushi rice.  Though the eel that was placed on top was well made, the remainder of the roll lacked imagination.  It was plain green on the inside and that was it. 

Next came the main course.  If you like what she's having and she might like what you are having, then this restaurant certainly does encourage the romantic sharing of meals.  The two entrees that we chose were based on the server's description of a tempura lobster tail and his recommendation to pair it with the "(12oz.) Rib Eye with Wafu Dressing" -kind of like a "surf and turf".  So let's start off with the Rib Eye steak.  It was cooked perfectly to a ruby red medium rare then cubed to save us the agony of cutting our own meat (with chopsticks-no less). The Wafu dressing was a ginger based sauce that did not overpower the meat in any way.   

The lobster tail meat was removed, cut into bite sized pieces, battered and cooked as a tempura then placed back into the tail shell and served with a creamy wasabi mayonaise and another sauce similar but different to a soy sauce.  To have the lobster tempura without any dipping sauce was fine.  But when you dip it into the wasabi mayo it was better.  Then I tried it by dipping it into the wasabi mayo as well as the soy-like sauce and experience a flavor explosion in my mouth!

Like I have said in the past, I don't normally like to order dessert from a restaurant.  But I was so impressed by the entire meal that when the server suggested a dessert menu, I simply asked him "what would you recommend to 'wow' me".  He asked a few questions about food allergies and we added some additional food preferences and he said "I will bring it out to you".  We had no clue what it would be until he placed it before us.  We waited with anticipation and speculated on what could possibly top off a meal like this.  He returned with the dessert plate called "Panna Cotta". 
On the left was a custard cup topped with pie cherries and resting on a mint leaf.  On the right was a Yuzu ice cream with honeycomb crisp.  The honeycomb crisp tasted as if you had pulled a comb straight from the hive and placed it in a toaster.  It had a sweet, flaky crunch.  The Yuzu ice cream was a mix of sweet and tang from the Yuzu fruit but not as strong as the lemonade.  The fantastic part of this was when you placed it on your tongue, you felt a fizz.  This was balanced with the creamy custard cup which by itself was a little on the bland side.  To have only have a part of this dessert would have left you feeling completely unbalanced.  The crunch of the honeycomb crisp, the fizz of the ice cream, and the smooth creaminess of the custard makes this one of the best desserts I've ever had.

I know I have spoken very highly of the food.  But there is a down side to this restaurant.  Please look online to see if this is a restaurant you can afford, even with a coupon, we spent three times as much as we normally would.  But it is worth every penny and a nice option for special occasions.  For example I think this would be perfect for Valentine's Day but get reservations, they have a special 5 course meal plus dessert specially for that day.

It is located at 7299 North Scottsdale Road and according to their website also in Chicago.  So for that special occasion, if you haven't tried Roka Akor, try it now!

Bobby Q's

This week we are going where vegans fear to tread!  We are heading to a carnivore paradise.  This is where you can sink your teeth into many varieties of barbequed meat.  We arrived at 5pm and the parking lot was 90% full.  This is probably due to the number of patrons in the patio bar in the back.  We were seated right away and the dining room was about 50% full.  By the time we left (around 6pm) however, there was a wait for a table.  So if you go, go early!

Since they serve Pepsi products we naturally had our water with lemon.  For appetizers the only way to go is the heavenly Q-roll.  They are a flaky pastry stuffed with smoked brisket then deep fried and served with chipotle dip and a sweet barbecue sauce (the same sauce they put on their meat).  We decided on two orders as we don't like to share our Q-rolls even with each other.  They are THAT good.

Most barbecue places will limit your choices of meat, but here at Bobby Q's they have an entree called "Whole Hog Heaven".  It is perfect for those who can't decide.  And I recommend it as a sharing entree because even after sharing there are plenty of left overs to take home.  Especially if you got the Q-rolls too.

With the "Whole Hog" you choose 2 types of ribs from Baby back, St. Louis, or beef.  I prefer the Baby back and St. Louis.  Then you choose 2 types of meat from pork, brisket, sausage or chicken.  In the past I have tried each type and I prefer the pork and the brisket.  On top of that you also choose three side dishes.  Tonight we chose the shoestring fries and the grilled mixed vegetables, but were stuck for a third choice so we asked our server.  She recommended the mac and cheese. 

Bobby Q's is a sweet wet barbecue. The ribs were a smoky, moist, fall-off-the-bone, 'smack my mouth and call it heaven' good ribs!  The pork and brisket were also moist but I felt that it still needed a little sauce to kick up the flavor.   Along with every meal, they serve cornbread and butter.  It looks flat but it is full of flavor and I recommend that you eat it with your hands because it breaks apart more if you try to eat it with a fork.  As a rule I don't eat mac and cheese at a restaurant, but I hadn't tried Bobby Q's so we took a chance.  If you like good comfort food that is extremely cheesy and rich, this is your side dish.  The grilled vegetables were...let's just say lacking in any flavor.  The shoestring fries are not my favorite because they are skinny but these were well made with a nice seasoned flavor.  With that being said, do NOT go to Bobby Q's for the side dishes.  Go for the barbecue, especially the ribs!

I was so full and we couldn't eat any more.  When we boxed it up, it seemed like we had at least half of it still left.  This is the best part, because not only do I get a great barbecue for dinner tonight, I get great barbecue for dinner tomorrow as well.
We of course decided not to have dessert and asked for the check.  When she returned with the bill, she also brought us one last treat.  The freshly made, still hot, cinnamon donuts that they give complimentary to all.

So if you haven't tried Bobby Q's, try it now.  They are located at 8501 N. 27th Avenue (Phoenix).

Bombay Spice, Friday the 13th!...BOOM!

How many of you out there have vegan friends?  It is hard to find a restaurant that serves food for both the vegan as well as us carnivores.  I recommend Bombay Spice.  When we arrived there was only one other table filled.  Our host allowed us to pick any tables that suited us, there were no booths to choose from.  While waiting for Craig and Sheila to arrive, we looked at appetizers.  Our final decision was the Chickpea hummus, the seared eggplant, and the vegetable samosa.

The hummus, served with roti bread, arrived first which had an excellent tang to it very unlike a store bought variety.  You can definitely taste the fresh ingredients in it.

 Next came the seared eggplant.  Be warned those of you with food texture sensitivities!  The texture was similar to a sauteed mushroom topped with a sweet plum sauce.  It was incredible and we fought over the last bite. 

Finally the vegetable samosa.  It is a crispy baked turnover, set of two, stuffed with spiced potatoes, peas and seasoned with cumin.  Served with a side of plum sauce as well.  It reminded me of what a burrito might taste like if served in India.  If you have more than two people, I recommend ordering more than one serving of the samosa.

Next comes your entree.  I really enjoy that it comes in a three step process which allows for multiple varieties.  Step one, choose your base: white rice, brown rice or noodles.  Step two, choose the sauce: curry, korma, spinach, or tikka marsala.  You also need to choose if your sauce is mild or hot.  I recommend medium.  And for the third and final step, choose your ingredient: vegetables, chicken, lamb or seafood.  If you can't decide there is always the chef's sampler which gives you a good sample of all.  I highly recommend it for the first time Indian food eaters.


I decided to go a little bold with the noodles, lamb and spinach sauce.  It was good but I think the chicken would have been better with the spinach sauce than the lamb was.  Patti and Craig chose the korma because it is the sweetest of the sauce choices.  Sheila always gets the tikka masala because she likes the mix of sweet and spice.

The entrees are served with Naan bread and papadum crisp.  We all decided that you can't go wrong when ordering any of the entrees at this restaurant.

Now, the ultimate reason for eating at Bombay spice, is not the appetizers, it's not that they server Coke products, and it is not just because of the entrees.  THE ultimate reason for eating at Bombay spice is...
DESSERT!  You may or may not have noticed, but we don't typically order dessert when we go out.  But we ALWAYS order dessert at Bombay Spice.
They have a sampler of all three but our favorites are  the mango sorbet and the carrot halwa.   The carrot halwa is made with fresh carrots, ricotta cheese, cardamom and topped with whipped cream and chopped pistachios.  It is served warm and you can see the steam rise as you dig in.

The mango sorbet is so close to eating a real mango right out of the fridge without all the work needed to remove the mango pit before eating.  It too is topped with a mango sauce and chopped pistachios.

This is the best secret of the restaurant, get both desserts and alternate bites.   You go from the warm carrot to a mango bang!  It is a party in your mouth!

So if you haven't tried it, try it now!

Diner's Secret

Pa Jun

This week I'd like to add in a secret that not too many people I know have tried.  It is the Korean barbecue.  A Korean BBQ is a meal that is cooked up at the table.  It is designed as a family style sharing meal.  My experience in Korea was that everybody sitting at the table shared the food whether you knew them or not.  This is exactly what I found at the Chuhgajib CGJ Korean Restaurant.  As we stepped into the restaurant we saw only about 10 tables, made out of a finely cut natural wood.

Mark and Rosemarie

We met our friends, Mark and Rosemarie, at the restaurant.  We decided to order drinks.  We started off with water all around, they do serve soft drinks, Coke products, but only by the can.  Our friends were fairly new at this type of eating adventure, so we wanted to make it as authentic as possible.  The place is basically a mom and pop shop, which has its pros and cons.   The pro is that it is run by a Korean family which gives the food a very traditional feel.  The drawback to this is that the service is a little slower than what most Americans are used to.  So when you come, make sure you pack your patience. 

Patti and Frank

the BBQ sides

We started off with two Korean pancakes as appetizers.  The first one was Kimchi Pa Jun or pickled cabbage pancake.  The second one was a Dalk Pa Jun or chicken pancake.  Both appetizers were good but I believe the Kimchi had more authentic flavor with the little zing that I enjoy.  Everyone at the table decided to order the Korean Barbecue entrees, the Bulgogi, the Dalk Bulgogi, the pepper steak and the ribeye.  Since we had four people at the table, there was not enough room to cook it directly at our table so they cooked it in the kitchen for us.  Before the meat was served they brought out eight different sides to accompany it.  There was marinated potatoes, marinated bean sprouts, white radish, pickled cabbage, kimchi cucumbers, sliced mushrooms, sea weed, and of course the main staple of every Korean diet, kimchi.  Most of these sides are suitable for most American tastes.  Some people have a hard time with the kimchi due to the red pepper kick that it has.  I consider it one of my favorites.  The one I would not recommend but think you should still try, is the sea weed.  It reminded me of eating kelp directly out of the sea.  Each person received an individual portion of white steamed rice.  The idea is that you take a piece of meat, a little bit of a side, drop it in your rice and take your individual bite.  This is where the sharing comes in.  It is fun to try other people's meats as well as trying different sides with each bite.  You can get a wide variety of textures and flavors from one single meal.

Peppered steak entree

Korean BBQ is always when shared with good friends, do don't hesitate to bring someone along who hasn't tried it.

Here is the best secret of this restaurant.  Come early to get a table as they fill up fast at dinner time.  Limit two people per table so you can cook your own meat at the table.   It makes for different experience all together.  I know that everyone can't go to this particular restaurant, especially if you don't live in the Phoenix valley, but there is a Korean BBQ near you, I'm sure.  "So if you haven't tried it yet, try it now!"

Grand Opening

Many times I have gone out to eat, and I couldn't decide a good place to eat.  I would ask my friends and I would get mixed reviews of different restaurants.  But nobody pinpointed the details of what makes a good restaurant good.  So this year, 2012, every Friday (when possible), I'm going to try a new restaurant and blog about it so you have an idea what the establishment is like.  I am not a professional critic.  Andrew Zimmern is my hero and in some cases (but not many) braver than I am.  His motto is "If it looks good, eat it".  My motto is "If you haven't tried it yet, try it now".

This first "Fun Frank Friday", hereafter known as "FFF", on 1/6/12, was held at "California Pizza Kitchen" on Camelback in Phoenix.   As we entered we noticed the place was half-filled with customers at about 5pm.  My wife and I always prefer a booth and we were seated quickly.  The restaurant has booths, tables as well as a patio.  As we sat down, the doors were open to the patio, my wife did smell cigarette smoke but that quickly passed and did not linger through our meal.  We were about to order drinks but they only served Pepsi products and as you know, I am a Coca-Cola man so we decided on water.

We received a small starter appetizer menu, the craziest thing that jumped out at me on it was the "Korean BBQ tacos".  The tacos came quickly but there were only two on the plate.  They are quite small and it only took me two bites before it was gone.  The strong Japanese, yoshida sauce influence and the tortillas overpowered the flavor of anything else.  This is where I broke my cardinal rule: "If you go to a specialty restaurant, DO NOT order something that is not their specialty."  That is why I will never by tacos from a pizza joint again.

We each ordered a pizza.  I had the "Original Chicken BBQ" with smoked gouda cheese.  Patti had the "Thai Chicken" pizza.  The BBQ pizza was exactly what you order.  There was a sweet BBQ sauce layered with a smoke gouda cheese and chicken.  I recommend this pizza for the non-adventurous eater.  The Thai chicken pizza blew my mind!  It was incredibly well made.  The peanut sauce had a small spicy kick.  The cheese and chicken were topped with bean sprouts.  The crusts on both pizza were ideal, neither too thick nor too thin.  There is an option for thin crust pizza that we did not order as I am not a fan of thin crusts at all.

Each pizza prices out to be about $13 and is about 10 inches diameter.  I at my entire pizza and was feeling very full.  Patti ate half of hers and took the other half home.  And now for the real test.  Left-over pizza!  We reheated it up in the microwave for 45 seconds and it was just as delicious as when they first put it on our table.

Those who are in the mood for a change of pace from the mundane pizza, I recommend the California Pizza Kitchen.  This is the first time I have ever tried Thai pizza.  So if you haven't tried it, try it now!