Rhonda's Cooking

Rhonda

Oven-Fried Chicken Wings

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This healthy, gluten-free recipe is considered as the best alternative to the infamous fried chicken, but without actually frying the chicken. Savory, juicy, crispy and golden brown, this oven-baked delight has the appearance of fried chicken with less fat and less sodium. Both kids and adults love these wings.

Restaurant Review: The Culinary Dropout

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If you’re looking to dine out with friends while enjoying a few nibbles and beverages, then you definitely should give The Culinary Dropout restaurant a try!

The First Impression
My first experience with the Culinary Dropout occurred at Devour Phoenix; there were so many delicious samples. Though I cannot remember what I had, it was enough of a sample to keep this restaurant on my must visit to dine list! When I arrived after searching for the place and waiting in line for parking, I was excited. Once I entered, I noticed that there were two other restaurants connected to the Culinary Dropout, which were on my list, so I must return to try those out.

The Layout
I loved the openness of the restaurant, with very large windows and exposed high ceiling. I especially loved the open kitchen; it was very cool to walk by and watch the chefs flow in harmony as they cooked and plated each of the meals. The restaurant was very large and could definitely accommodate very large crowds and the live bands On the flip side to the large eating area, the restaurant was extremely loud even without the live bands playing.

The Food
During restaurant week there was a set menu, For the first course I started with the gluten free Antipasti plate which included Marcona almonds, marinated olives, fig compote, prosciutto, grilled asparagus and sweet bell peppers, and my husband had the smoked salmon bruschetta. For the entree I had roasted salmon with grilled asparagus, green beans (substituted for the creamy barley), mushrooms and chili vinaigrette dressing. The salmon was perfectly cooked. However, the dish was a little too salty for my liking, but still edible. For the third course there were no gluten-free, vegan options for me, but my husband was happy to sample the desserts, and he enjoyed both of the desserts that he sampled!

Typically before I head out for restaurant week I call the restaurant just to see if they could make some accommodations for me, but after my hectic week I just wanted to eat and didn’t call. Well my server was nice but said that the chef is not substituting and I didn’t want to take that as the final answer and asked if he could ask the chef to replace the creamy barley for something else like an extra side of veggies. After a couple of minutes he returned with a yes and the rest of the service that night was an A+.

The End
So, if you are looking for a restaurant that is centrally located, with a great dining experience, friendly staff, and gluten free offerings you definitely want to add the Culinary Dropout to your list! Be sure to Like their Facebook Page!

Please note that if you have severe allergies, please make sure that you alert the chef or staff member just in case the server looks uncomfortable with servicing you due to your allergies.

Restaurant Review: Central Bistro

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I had my first visit to Central Bistro during Arizona Restaurant Week. Tucked at the end of a shopping plaza with a busy, tightly packed parking lot you will find Central Bistro located on the corner of 32nd Street and Camelback Road. When I arrived at Central Bistro, I was very impressed. From the wood patio deck with lots of seating, to the open air interior, Central Bistro had the best style and decor in comparison to the other restaurants that I visited during Arizona Restaurant Week. My friends and I arrived early enough to get a great look of the entire restaurant, and the staff encouraged us to do so–including taking pictures like we were tourists! I am a huge fan of open kitchens in restaurants, and Central Bistro had a huge kitchen with several chefs and assistants, making music while creating aromatic dishes for all the diners. Even though I do not drink wine, I was very impressed with the huge wine cellar that was encased in glass from the ceiling to the floor, which was simply gorgeous! I also loved the “open air walls” located in the relaxed bar area and the dark hardwood floors. It was clearly evident that the owners definitely had ambiance and design in mind when designing Central Bistro!

After I was done surveying the restaurant and taking pictures, I was ready to order my three courses. I indicated to the waiter that I was gluten free and dairy free and wanted to make a few substitutions with my salad; I think he got nervous. For the first course I decided to get the Arugula Salad but without the goat cheese, so I asked if I could have olives/capers since I won’t have the saltiness from the goat cheese. Once I got my salad, I was shocked how large it was in comparison to my friend’s salad; it looked like a whole bag of arugula was in my bowl so I had to get a to-go container. For the second course I had medium-well Seared Salmon with artichokes, haricot vert, and purple potatoes. When the dish arrived it was beautifully plated, however after I inserted my fork into my salmon, for my preference, it was not thoroughly cooked in the thicker parts of the fish–I had to send it back to get placed on the grill for a few more minutes to cook. Once the fish was brought back to me, it was perfectly cooked! The purple potatoes added a nice pop of color to the dish and they were tasty. For the last course I enjoyed a beautiful bowl of raspberry sorbet, served with fresh berries. The sorbet was made with agave nectar syrup; it was very sweet, but also very delicious–having the fruit paired with the sorbet was a great compliment!

In addition to the food and the ambiance, I noticed on my way out, a huge chalkboard advertising several things including free meals for kids ages 10 and under from 3pm – 7pm daily! Despite a few mishaps with my meal, the entire experience from the staff, to the ambiance to the food, I will give Central Bistro a 4-star rating for the total package. I really enjoyed the experience at Central Bistro and I plan on returning to try other items from the full menu.

So, if you are looking for a restaurant with a great dining experience and gluten free offerings, as well as being centrally located so you can meet up with friends for brunch or social hour you definitely want to add Central Bistro to your list! Be sure to Like their Facebook Page!

Please note that if you have severe allergies, please make sure that you alert the chef or staff member just in case the server looks uncomfortable with servicing you due to your allergies.