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The UK does not have a really great reputation for food, which is I think a pity. We have so many local farmer’s markets now that give you the opportunity to buy great local, fresh produce that will surprise you with the diversity available.

Not only will you get great fresh produce, you’ll also get a chance to try food from small local kitchens, preserves and pickles, cheese, bread, cakes and cookies. As well as local wines, vinegars and beers, you’ll find cordials and soft drinks that will amaze you with the exotic ingredients and the sheer invention that puts together ingredients to create unique flavours.

Local car boot sales can be another source of local food, as some of the larger ones will have people selling their own home grown food stuffs, either to eat on the spot or to buy and take home. It can make a pleasant break just travelling the country visiting the best of the local farm shop/producers or farmer’s markets.

Just make sure you have plenty of room in the car for all the bargains you may pick up, don’t have a big enough car? Then get UK car hire from Aspect and explore the varied and intriguing places in the UK where you can buy great food. We have great fish all along the coast, in Scotland smoking fish is a great tradition and you can buy fantastic smoked fish that is not available anywhere else.

From Scotland to Cornwall you’ll find an amazing variety of food to buy or to try, all you have o do is get in your car and explore!

Phoenix road trip part 2….FOOD!!!

Wow where to start????

Phoenix has just about every cuisine under the sun represented (although I could never find anywhere that does a “Rice Staffel” from the Netherlands..maybe they will read this and open up a place!!)

Obviously being the US, you will find a McDonald’s, Burger King, or Jack in The Box  or Taco Bell on just about every corner!! Whilst we mock the “fast food” joints..they do certainly have their place. You are driving around, getting hungry, can’t be bothered or don’t have the time to stop and get out of your car, so you pull into the nearest “drive thru” and you can eat for less than $2 in some cases!! No it’s not gourmet and is loaded with more fat than we probably want to know about, but it DOES fill the hole!!

Mom and pop places also abound, where you can get a good home cooked meal with no frills and no fuss.

I’m a food addict so let’s go on to some of MY favourite places to eat in Phoenix…..

One of my all time favourites is Tomaso’s. Located on the SE corner of Camelback and 32nd street, Tomaso’s has been a local favourite for many years. Tomaso himself is usually at the restaurant most nights overseeing his famous Italian dishes… Once you get to know Tomaso personally, if you are VERY lucky he MIGHT just go into the kitchen and rustle you up a little “something special” himself. (He doesn’t do it often but when he does….wow Amazing!!)

Tomaso’s is NOT cheap so we usually go for a “special Occasion dinner”, but I think it is worth every penny spent..oh and don’t forget to try some of his wines..yes he also has his own vineyard in Umbria which is where he is from.

There is also a very good Spanish restaurant at the new MonteLucia Resort on Lincoln Drive…fabulous surroundings and great food.

Another interesting place is the “El Chorro Lodge”

Built in 1934, in the shadows of the majestic Camelback and Mummy mountains, on 11 desert acres in Paradise Valley, El Chorro is and has been a favourite with the locals. Friday and Saturday evenings try to get a table outside (weather permitting) as they have some quite good live music.

Going on to mid range pricing…..

Phoenix City Grille and it’s sister restaurant Sierra Bonita are two of my favoutites. PCG (as it is fondly known) is a typical American Grill/Bar. Darkish and cosy is the best way to describe it. You can either eat at the bar, on one of the tables or slide yourself into a comfy booth. It’s menu ranges from AWESOME Burgers, to pasta dishes, to a down home slow cooked beef stew. Comfort food.!! It’s sister restaurant, Sierra Bonita, has more of a mexican/texan/southwest thing going on and all the food is freshly cooked using whenever possible, the freshest LOCAL ingredients.

Another great hang out is The Rokerij (Dutch for “smoke House”). Very popular for happy House from 4-7 (at the bar only, so get there early). Cool downstairs bar with only three tables and a huge warming fireplace..so great for those chilly romantic evenings.(Actually they even have the fireplace going in the summer WITH the air conditioning as well..just for ambiance!!). Upstairs is another bar and lots more tables. Menu is again somewhat Southwestern with some other stuff thrown in. Their salads are amazing (and HUGE). I like the way they serve their mashed potatoes..stuffed inside an open chili pepper (Not too spicy). and their “chili” policy is….”If you order it you own it”!!!!! They usually have a chalk board up with the daily specials (which are many) and their fish is usually superb and very fresh. Sunday Brunch is also very popular here.

Enough of this I’m getting hungry……..