Tag: Phoenix AZ

Foodie Travel: Spring Training Eats in Phoenix, Arizona and Sedona, Arizona

On By The Next Great BiteIn Travel Food Blog1 Comment
Top clockwise, Salt River Stadium, Scottsdale, Sloan Park, Tempe, AZ, Hohokam Stadium, Mesa, AZ and Camelback Ranch, Glendale, AZ

March is the best time to head out to Arizona for Spring Training baseball. The weather is spectacular and you can catch lots of big league action. All the Spring Training facilitates are an easy drive to one another. Plan your trip visiting one of the 15 teams and the 10 beautiful stadiums. Need some suggestions on where to eat while you are out there? Here are some of my favorites.

Breakfast, Snooze, An A.M. Eatery

Snooze, An A.M. Eatery, The Next Great Bite

Snooze is one of my favorite places to get breakfast. The big, fluffy pancakes are not your typical pancakes. I got the pancake of the day: cinnamon roll with lots of syrup, toasted pecans and gooey, cinnamon sugar topping. Start out your day at this funky place for a great breakfast to tie you over before heading to the stadium. Pancakes, Snooze, The Next Great Bite

Gertruide’s, Desert Botanical Gardens

Desert Botanical Gardens, The Next Great Bite

If  you don’t have a baseball game on one of your days or you have a night game, head to the Desert Botanical Gardens. The gardens’ display a cross-section of typical desert landscapes. Exploring one of the gardens five thematic trails will work up an appetite. Gertrude’s located inside the gardens and is a great place to eat. Inspired by fresh local ingredients, the dishes are simple and clean. I ordered this salmon with coarse mustard sauce and crunchy, arugula. The patio is the place to sit and have a leisurely lunch. Especially on a nice day.

Gertrude, The Next Great Bite

Gertrude's, The Next Great Bite

Cochinita Pitil, Barrio Urbano

While in Phoenix, take advantage of eating some of the best authentic Mexican food. Barrio Urbano is one of Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s restaurants, well-known for her Mexican cuisine. This dish is a must try! Marinated pork, slow roasted overnight, just falls apart. Served with black beans, pickled onions and corn tortillas. Heaven!

Cochinita Pitil, Barrio Urbano, The Next Great Bite

Located in The Yard, an old motorcycle dealership, is now home to several restaurants. Great place to hang before or after dinner. Lounge on the comfy couches, have drinks and play games such as ping-pong, corn hole and jumbo jenga.The Yard Phoenix, The Next Great Bite

Sedona

Tres Leches Cake, Mariposa

Sedona Landscape, The Next Great Bite
Sedona is a magnificent place. On one of our days we didn’t have any baseball games, we made the trip to Sedona. We stumbled upon Mariposa restaurant which was a wonderful find. Mariposa sits up high on a bluff and has one of the most spectacular views of the beautiful mountains. The dining room has a floor to ceiling windows that lets you get lost in the landscape while you dine. We ended our meal with this Tres Leches torte. Elegant and decorated with delicate, eatable flowers and fresh berries. Topped off with sweet, creamy milks.Tres Leches Cake, Mariposa, The Next Great Bite

My Favorite Bites of 2016

On By The Next Great BiteIn Food Blog, Travel Food Blog, Washington DC Foodie BlogLeave a comment

Next Great Bite Best Bites 2016With the end of 2016 approaching, I like to look back and list some of my favorite bites this year. They include some from the Washington, D.C. area and some from my travels.

Reuben Egg Rolls
DGS, Washington, DC

dgs-reuben-egg-rollI love DGS‘s take on the egg roll. The crispy roll is stuffed with shredded corn beef and sauerkraut and served with a spicy russian dressing. They are so good; I can make a meal out of these! Yummy!

 

Spaghetti and Meatballs
Aggio, Ashburn, VA

aggio-spaghetti-and-meatballsThere is something comforting about a dish of spaghetti and meatballs. When you eat Aggio‘s take on this simple meal, it is like eating a big hug. The pasta is perfectly al dente and the rich, tomato sauce has been slow cooked and is served with a flavorful meatball. Delicious!

Roasted Salmon with Asparagus Risotto
Bastille, Alexandria, VA

bastille-roasted-salmonBastille is my favorite hidden gem in Alexandria. This dish which features roasted salmon is cooked to perfection. But I love the way that Bastille serves it with creamy, asparagus risotto.

Chicken Salad Sub
Chase The Submarine, Vienna, VA

chasing-the-submarine-chicken-salad

I LOVE this sub at Chase the Submarine! I think it is one of the best chicken salads I have tasted. The chicken is mixed with a spicy mayo, topped with peppery arugula and served on a sesame seed bun. I wanted to go back the next day and order another one it was that good.

Croquetas and Empanadas
Colada Shop, Sterling, VA

colada-croquettas-empanadasI was very excited when Colada Shop opened because of my love for cuban food; the food of my childhood. I love their Sterling location. On a warm day, you can sit outside, watch people and eat some tasty food. These croquetas and empanadas are the best I have tasted here in the D.C. area. Can’t wait to try their downtown location when it opens.

Nitro Brewed Coffee
Junction Bakery, Alexandria, VA

junction-bakery-nitrobrewed-coffeeTechnically this is not a bite, but I just love the nitro brew coffee at Junction Bakery. This ice coffee packs a punch. There is no need to add sugar or cream because the coffee is so smooth. I always enjoy it with one of the bakery’s tasty, baked goods.

Outside of the D.C. Area

Cochinita Pitil
Barrio Urbano, Phoenix, AZ

barrio-urbano-cochinita-pitbilWhen I visited Phoenix this year, I was excited to try some authentic Mexican food. Barrio Urbano is one of Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza’s restaurants, well-known for her Mexican cuisine. This dish is a must try! Marinated pork, slow roasted overnight, just falls apart. Served with black beans, pickled onions and corn tortillas. Heaven!

Burrata
Eataly, Chicago, IL

eataly-burrataJust walking into Eataly is a foodie’s dream. Besides all the mouth-watering and diverse selection of food items, there are some enticing restaurants to try. At La Piazza eatery, we stopped for a casual lunch and ordered this burrata which was served beautifully. This delicate bundle tied with a chive leaf was served with plump, juicy, cherry tomatoes. The burrata was so creamy. The cheese oozes on to the plate when we cut into it. Glorious!

Roasted Pork Platter
Brasa, Minneapolis, MN

brasa-roasted-pork-platterI always say that when you travel, it pays to talk to locals and ask them where they like to go eat. You get to try something that is a favorite that is not aimed at tourists. In Minneapolis, we went to Brasa, where we enjoyed this delicious meal. The slow roasted pork was tender and the side of pink beans and yellow rice, a typical Caribbean inspired dish, was yummy.

Ice Cream
Izzy’s Ice Cream, Minneapolis, MN

izzy-ice-creamThis is one of the best ice creams places I have ever tried. Again, thanks to a local that suggested it, Izzy’s is worth a trip. I love all the unusual ice cream flavors. Mine was ginger ice cream, passionfruit sorbet and topped with their “Izzy scoop”; a smaller bonus scoop of your choice. Mine was a scoop of grapefruit sorbet. Refreshing! Nice treat after walking around and seeing this beautiful city.

Tres Leches Torte
Mariposa, Sedona, AZ

tres-leches-cake-mariposa-sedonaSedona is a magnificant place. We happen to stop at Mariposa which was a lucky find. Mariposa sits up high on a bluff and has one of the most spectacular views I have ever seen. The dining room has floor to ceiling windows that lets you get lost in the landscape while you dine. This Tres Leches torte is elegant and decorated with delicate, eatable flowers and fresh berries. Topped off with sweet, creamy milks.

There are many more dishes I wish I could have added to my list. I post my favorites all year-long on Instagram. Follow me there. Happy 2017 everyone. Hope it brings you some amazing adventures in food!