City Profile: Phoenix part 1

Behold the desert city, the valley of the sun: Phoenix.

My hubby, the business technology consultant, just moved into corporate apartment for a long term project in Phoenix, AZ (Chandler to be more precise), solidifying AZ as our winter home. Though, at his new found bachelor pad, he's filled the pantry so far with corn-oil-rich snacks like: Angry tarts and Doubl Stuf Monster.

Don't get me wrong, I love these sweet sirens as much as the next person. But it is this love that leads to over-indulgence. And this over-indulgence of high fructose corn syrup frenemies leads to obesity, diabetes, and poor life quality.

Furthermore, money spent on these nutrition-less treats from massive, global companies can be better spent at local bakeries on much better products.

Therefore, as new found residents of the Phoenix, we've begun to seek out becoming locavores of the Valley of the Sun.

The consultant life is that of profligate and wanton expense, travel, and schedule. As a result, my husband, (who needs a nick name for this blog...let's go with Kenny for a variety of reasons) Kenny receives a $50/day use-it-or-lose-it per diem for food. This encourages not only eating out, but eating out lavishly and gluttonously. Therefore, when I'm in town I demand we at the very least put the company's money to good work in the local economy by supporting local restaurants.

Eating Out Local

1) US Egg This is my go-to breakfast spot. OMG The protein pancakes alone make this place amazing. Family run and operated, you're welcomed like life-long friend. Standard morning tex-mex fare, diner grub, and my favorite: pancakes!!! Healthy options cater to all sorts of diets: Vegans Welcomed! Despite not knowing the source of the meat, I have nothing but love for US Egg.

$10-20 Breakfast for 2

2) Essence Cafe If one were to craft the mocha, the grass-fed beef burger, or the delicate crepe of my heart, it would be Essence. Fair trade coffee, local grass-fed beef, local produce, daily menus, and artistically created beverages, this cafe alights first in the cloud billows of my heart for affordable locavorism.

$$15-25 Lunch for 2

3) True Food Kitchen Alas, not locally owned, but rather a vision of Fox Restaurant Creations, True Food nevertheless strives to use local produce and meats--so it's better than not! Quite the posh establishment, this place oozes of the trendiness

of 'Slow Food' and 'Fusion Cuisine' and attracts the celebrity types like Grant Hill, who came in for pick up while Kenny and I enjoyed our lavish feast on Uncle D (that is, Kenny's company). However, what enticed me to yield my undying affection to True Food was "The Natural"

$$$35-50 Dinner Dinner for 2

4) Cafe Boa is the cross roads of Essence and True Food--truly local, green and sustainable practices, direct trade coffees, divinely delicious food plus all the pomp and circumstance of a place where White People would like to eat.

$$$35-50 Dinner for 2

These are the restaurants that are tried and true on my account. Over the next week, I'll be speaking more about being locavore in Phoenix. Stay tuned.