Category: Dining on a Dime (Page 1 of 2)

It was a cold, foggy San Francisco morning and Heidi and I wanted a hot meal before the Fancy Food Show. I know what you’re thinking:

“Wait–you wanted food before a FOOD show?”

Well, YEAH! Trust me, the first 5-10 samples are a lot of fun, but pretty soon you’re very thirsty and regretting your decision to chase that truffle-butter crouton with the newest Jelly Belly flavor. We wanted a meal that required silverware–not toothpicks.

We walked out of our hotel and were suddenly overwhelmed by the scent of maple syrup, bacon, and all things greasy. As we crossed the street, we realized that this lovely aroma was coming from Lori’s Diner, a kitschy lookin’, 50s-style joint. We walked right in and sat right down in a red-vinyl booth. Our waitress, Karen (from Tennessee), greeted us warmly and gave us top-notch service.

I could eat breakfast any time of day, so I opted for the Sauteed Spinach Omelette. I eat (and make) a LOT of omelettes, so I’m a pretty harsh critic, I couldn’t find a single thing wrong with this one. The eggs were fluffy and tender, the the sauteed spinach and garlic were full of flavor, and the cream cheese added a burst of tang and creaminess that I couldn’t resist. Forget that calorie-counting nonsense! I ate it ALL. Besides, the spinach makes it all healthy, right?

Heidi went for the Cadillac Burger which included a big, greasy beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion. She added a little mayo, and ketchup and ripped into it like a champ. She claims it was one of the best burgers she has ever had, and from the looks of her plate and the pile of napkins we had by the end of the meal, I believe it.

So next time your travels take you to San Francisco, keep Lori’s Diner in mind. Who knows? You might even get that VIP-seat next to the Cadillac. Don’t forget your cool-guy shades and leather jacket!

Click here for menu and location info. on Lori’s Diner!

“Hey, do you want to get Dim Sum?” Julie asked as we walked back to our cars feeling slightly defeated and very hungry. You see, our original plan for lunch had fallen through, so there we were, racking our brains for an alternative eatery that would make us (and our thin-wallets) happy.

“I’ve never had it before,” I replied. “What is it exactly?”

“It’s like ordering a bunch of appetizers—lots of dumplings and stuff. Come on, I know a good place,” said Julie.

Minutes later, we arrived at C-Fu where I had my first Dim Sum experience, which for those of you who are unacquainted with this style of eating, is like having the buffet come to you. Servers walk around pushing carts full of various hot plates of food. You select whatever dishes you would like to share (or not), and he or she tallies what you ordered on your bill. The servers cruise by with carts throughout your meal, so you can order more food at any time. I have never felt happier or lazier as I sat there, sipped my green tea, and ordered plate after plate of dumplings, sweet buns stuffed with barbecued pork, sticky rice, and other delicious Chinese “bites.”

By the time Julie and I were finished grazing, we felt like happy little Buddhas. Our bellies were full, the fortunes in our fortune cookies were positive, and our check was well under $30.

For delicious Dim Sum, wonderfully cheerful service, and a great atmosphere for families and friends, we recommend C-Fu Gourmet any day of the week. And don’t forget the soup-dumplings! They’re the best!

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Sometimes I forget that we live in what used to be “the old west.” New, gorgeous restaurants seem to be opening each week featuring frou-frou drinks and trendy food. While I enjoy the “latest and greatest” as much as the next person, it can become a bit exhausting. So much effort goes into dressing up, applying make-up, fussing with hair, and finding a place to park where my dirty, old car won’t be such an eyesore.

As the newest member of the DOD cast, Abbie, and I tried to come up with our next destination for Dining on a Dime, we decided that it must meet the following criteria: 1.) The prevailing demographic must believe in belt buckles and cowboy boots, and 2.) A BMW should look out of place in the parking lot.

Well, we had to head up to New River to find it, but the Roadrunner Restaurant and Bar turned out to be the diamond (of the rough) that we were looking for.

Don’t expect a hostess to seat you—this is the kind of place where you belly up to the bar or seat yourself at a table. Abbie and I chose a high-top under an assortment of neon beer signs. Before we knew it, our friendly server and bartender was sliding menus under our noses and taking our drink orders. Inspired by the weathered wood and rough-riding atmosphere, I ordered a Jack and Coke, and Abbie went for the Coke straight-up (she’s very hardcore). With our whistles whetted, we were ready to order some hearty grub.

Every item on the menu looked delicious (no rabbit food here!). Abbie chose the breaded tenderloin sandwich, and I got my barbecue fix with the pulled chicken sandwich. These sandwiches were HUGE. And darn good! Even though he was jumping between the bar and the restaurant, our waiter kept our water glasses full and the napkins a-comin’! By the time we finished our meal and got our bill, we couldn’t believe how well we’d done: Two beverages and two giant meals cost us just under $22. You can’t do that well at some fast food joints!

As we walked out of the restaurant and said our goodbyes for the night, we couldn’t help but pat ourselves on the back; we dined for under $30 AND we avoided getting into a bar fight!

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For our most recent DOD, we decided to switch up our lunch routine a bit and give happy hour a chance! Our inspiration for our selection this month actually came from our experience at TASTE Chandler a few weeks ago. There we were, wandering around the VIP tent during a torrential downpour, when we noticed a sample table that was staffed by some seriously hot dudes. We grabbed a business card and vowed to make an appearance for the great happy hour these gentlemen were boasting.

Fast-forward to a few weeks later: We finally met up for our “date” at The Living Room in Chandler. As we approached the building in the waning light of the late-afternoon sun, the bright-orange curtains made the funky joint look as though it was on fire. Inside, we were greeted by comfy-looking couches, a shelf stocked with board games, and other homey touches that made us feel as if all of our driving was for naught, and we were back at home—that is, if a bunch of unfamiliar people just happened to show up in our homes with martinis and glasses of wine.

The lively crowd noshed on snacks and enjoyed the crisp, November breeze that was blowing in through the huge, open doorways (we realized later these were actually garage doors! Pretty cool, huh?) It also happened to be a friendly crowd, because as soon as we sat down and busted out our sweaters, a man approached our table offering us jackets from the other guys in his party. We politely declined because we weren’t sure if he was being chivalrous or creepy.  Either way, that’s an offer you don’t get every day!

Always looking for a deal, we did a little research on The Living Room’s happy hour before actually making our way out to the farms and fields of Chandler. A brief search on the trusty internet revealed $5 martinis and very affordable appetizers, so we knew it would be worth the travel-time.  The ever-adventurous Julie, ordered the root beer martini, which tasted like a grown-up root beer float–YUM! Emily went for the new/old standard, a pomegranate martini which was refreshing and delivered her daily dose of antioxidants.

After a few sips of our martinis, we were ready for some snacks, so we decided on the antipasto board, which came with sliced prosciutto, salami, coppa ham, white cheddar, goat cheese, parmagiano-reggiano, roasted olives, and sliced Ciabatta bread. In addition to the antipasto, we ordered a couple of bruschetta plates to share. While all of the combinations looked tasty, there were two that we found particularly enticing: The first order was topped with apples, brie, fig jam, honey, and an Agave drizzle,   while the second batch consisted of Prosciutto, figs, Mascarpone cheese, and tomato jam.  As we stuffed our faces with our delicious appetizers, sipped our martinis, and chatted away, we completely lost track of time. Before we knew it, we had been there for about two hours!  I guess you could say it was a happy “couple of hours” for us, but we were definitely not alone. The traffic in the living room never seemed to slow-down. Clearly, this is Chandler’s “it” spot—a place to see, be seen, and maybe play some “Scene It” on those comfy couches.

When ITS suggested we go to Village Coffee Roastery for our next DOD, we thought… “really? Coffee?” We had been to coffee houses before, heck there seems to be one on every corner now, and having a pastry and a cappuccino for under $30 seemed at once easy, unfulfilling and uninspiring. Boy, were we wrong. Village Coffee is NOT your typical coffee joint.

 When you first walk in, you notice the difference at Village Coffee. Of course coming out of 114 degree weather into a cool, air conditioned environment is enough of a relief; but once your eyes adjust from the bright sun outside, you see that the folks who come here are regulars. Not “regulars” in the sense that they come in, grab a latte and leave. These people come in, sit down and spend the day together. They work here, they socialize here, they eat here, and they get their entertainment here. When you say neighborhood, family joint, this is what you mean.

Another difference is that Lisa, the owner, is as much part of the place as the cappuccino machine. She is either sitting at one of the tables talking with the folks or behind the counter whipping up the grub. She took the time to personally explain to Emily how Village Coffee creates one of their signature drinks, a John Wayne espresso, by layering the cream in between shots. “Try this,” she said handing the glass over, “After, you can feel your eyeballs.”

And the food… Oh, my. We recommend coming in for lunch because the sandwiches are outstanding. Julie had the Rueben with house pasta salad, and Emily had the Coffee Rubbed Short Rib sandwich, which is the Thursday special. The Short Rib is probably one of the best sandwiches this writer has tasted. It is worth a trip across town just for that (I can’t wait to go back). The Rueben was also pretty awesome and comes with the added entertainment an ongoing argument between Lisa and one of her employees as to whether it truly is a Rueben. We won’t take sides, we just want more.

“Is the coffee better?” the addicts ask. All we can reply is a caffeine infused YES! For one thing, they roast it themselves on-site using a patented process utilized by only 11 other roasters in the world, and they time it so that the coffee is only served at its peak potency. The number of varieties they have from all over the world is almost overwhelming but fun to explore. Of course, if you are not a coffee drinker, they have tons of other drinks including Italian Sodas and beautiful teas. Julie had a Thai tea with a shot of espresso, two drinks she loves in one, “definitely a highlight.”

Still, it’s the food we went to check out, and we were impressed. Village Coffee Roastery ain’t your standard, corporate run coffee joint. It’s a place where people come to play and stay and eat.

Click Here to Check Out Their Website

Location:

120 N. Hayden Rd, Number E-104

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

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Our last culinary adventure took place at the Eureka Grill in Surprise, AZ where we were pleasantly “surprised” by a fantastic lunch. Since we both tend to play in the east valley, we never dreamed that the west valley would be such a hot-bed of great restaurants, but Eureka Grill proved to be well-worth the drive out of our comfort-zones.

We decided to meet at Eureka Grill for lunch mid-week. The restaurant was still moderately busy despite the fact that we arrived after the peak lunch hour.

After much back-and-forth, we decided on our menu-picks; Emily opted for the herbed chicken breast sandwich with roasted sweet pepper, feta, and basil pesto, while Julie decided on the Portobello mushroom sandwich with grilled onion, roasted sweet pepper, Asiago cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. Both of the sandwiches were served on a deliciously warm and chewy ciabatta roll and came with a choice of a side; Emily chose the seasoned fries, while Julie went for the house gazpacho. They were both totally satisfied with their decisions.

 The service was as impressive as the food. The owners are a constant presence in the dining area, and our adorable waiter kept our water glasses full through our entire meal. This can be a very difficult task considering we both guzzle water like it’s going out of style.

Since we both love our sweets, we budgeted our meal to include the chocolate pots-de-crème and boy–was it worth it! The rich, creamy dessert was the perfect ending to a great meal.

And are you ready for the best part? This wonderful lunch cost us just over $22! Looking at the bill made us feel like Archimedes when he discovered the method for determining the purity of gold and allegedly exclaimed, “Eureka!”

…Oh…it all makes sense now…

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Location

15332 West Bell Road
Suite 101, Surprise, AZ 85374-2463
(623) 374-4409