Chow Down

See what's cooking at the Valley's finest food blogs

Hello, Scoopers! Hope you’re still hungry despite all of our food-related posts this week, because we’ve got a full-fledged feast ahead. In case you’re not slavishly following every awesome post from our office-mates at Desert Living Today, they’ve got themselves a little food blog. Actually, it’s a food blog about local food bloggers and it runs every Thursday. Here’s a little nibble.

Eric Eats Out is back, and he’s talking “omakase,” or chef’s choice dining. Of course, Eric being Eric, there’s an ever-so-plastic Scottsdale twist … Enter Roka Akor (not to be confused with Sushi Roku, which opened inside the W Scottsdale around the same time). Eric avers, “In many ways, Roka Akor is the perfect punch-line to every joke made about Scottsdale. Valet parking full of expensive cars, an emphasis on aesthetics, stylized food, and a bar that carves the ice by hand. The patrons seem fit, sparkly and, often, generously enhanced.  If you’re predisposed to despise Scottsdale, Roka Akor is your rallying cry.” Now, no one loves to embellished-people-watch more than we do. Plus Eric describes his decadent, 13-course meal more than favorably. So we might just have to cut a few corners on breakfast and lunch until we experience it ourselves.

Once again, Pen & Fork is making us want to brush up on our Italiano. This week, Gwen Ashley Walters shares her flavorful morning at the Mercato Centrale (pictured), calling Florence’s famous indoor market “a masterpiece in its own right.” Even better, P&F provides an English-speaking expert for anyone Florence-bound. The name? Divina Cucina (aka Judy Witts Francini), an American-born chef and cooking instructor who moved to Florence in 1984, and even conducts a weekly Monday-at-the Market tour.

Right on, Mouth by Southwest! A new cyber-look and a plethora of posts! The best of the recent ramblings: Sarah Baer, sous chef at T. Cook’s (the Royals Palms Resort and Spa restaurant), is serving up $2 tacos on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The fresh meat and fabulous fixings change evening to evening. We’re salivating over Baer’s spiced lamb tacos fixed with red pepper baba ghanoush, local goat feta cheese, shaved red onion and parsley. Fiesta tonight?

PHX Rail Food (of last week’s 2:26 pm update) says that there are three things defying recession odds by growing all over the Phoenix Metro Area: retail banking, chain drugstores and Thai restaurants. Too true. The original Thai Basil has served its colorful curries and savory stir-frys from University and Farmer since 2006. The latest, more attractive Thai Basil is located on Rural Road (just south of the University / Rural light rail station). Known as “Thai Basil ASU,” this location has a liquor license, a bar and a happy hour - with beer bargains such as Chang for $1.75 a bottle, Sapporo on tap and killer sake bombers. Choc-tee (Cheers)!