GreatFoodFunPlaces.com

Some of my earliest -and fondest- childhood memories are of FOOD: my mother baking bread and slicing off the end of a fresh loaf right out of the oven; coming home from school and smelling freshly baked pie (mmmm–Apricot-my favorite!); the special treat from the Ice Cream truck or better yet, homemade ice cream hand-cranked by my father or grandfather –on our birthdays. Oh, and the delicious permeating aroma of turkey cooking on Thanksgiving Day while Mother set the table with china & silver and sparkling crystal glasses into which she poured apple cider for us children….presentation making the experience of food, and eating, even better!

And then there are the memories of the special Sunday outings with my grandparents during our summer vacation visits.  Growing up in a small farming community in southern Idaho with minimal choices and rare opportunities for eating out, my visits to southern California were like a dream come true – the sights and sounds and places right out of story books. And so it was during our vacation visits to San Diego that I was introduced to the joys of classy and delicious eating experiences.

One of my favorites and a must do for ANY of my visits to San Diego is Anthony’s  Fish Grotto Harbor Side, or as it is now advertised as: Downtown on the Bay.  Definitely a family tradition!  The Ghio family started the line of restaurants over 60 years ago and my grandparents treated us to dinner at one of the many locations each summer when we visited as I was growing up. My first memory is of the  location on Pacific Highway across from the old airport terminal.

The current harbor location is my favorite for obvious reasons, especially if I have limited time, as it offers views of the harbor activities – Navy ships, sail boats, tour boats, the Star of India, planes landing at the airport, and helicopters at the Coast Guard station. Besides,  the restaurant sits right out over the water!

Window seating is optimal of course, and I don’t mind waiting for an available one if needed. However, the dining room is bright and cheery and offers views of the harbor from any table.

The menu has slowly changed over the years but Fish ‘N Chips is still their signature entrée.  One of my all time favorites is the Louie Salad with both shrimp and crab…and ALWAYS the house dressing! I don’t know what it is, but their fried fish and salad dressing each have a distinct ‘Anthony’s taste’ that brings back fond memories of my childhood visits!  And now, I also include the  tasty sun-dried tomato butter  which accompanies the tempting warm bread delivered to the table as an additional favorite  ‘Anthony’s taste’!

For those of us preferring a lighter healthier meal, grilled fish is offered and the kabobs are a nice serving size. I  appreciate the opportunity to have a smaller meal for just a ‘light’ lunch (and still get to have a ‘taste’ of Anthony’s)

This time, I splurge on the bread AND Fish ‘N Chips just to see if the the fish is still as good as it used to be especially since I can now substitute the ‘chips’ for a green salad and get the house dressing — best of both my favorites in a smaller serving — and yes, still as good as ever!

I enjoy food. I enjoy the ritual of eating, but there have been times that I wished we didn’t have to have food — I didn’t want to have think about it — have to prepare it. Why did all of our special holidays and celebrations have to revolve around FOOD? Why do we have to take time to eat?

Then I realized that food IS our celebration–the bounty of the earth for our survival, for the nourishment of our bodies and our souls. Even other creatures with which we share this beautiful earth depend on it’s bounty for their survival. And even though we view these creatures as searching, hunting and consuming instinctually for their survival, I believe that sometimes they relish their meals. Or at least they appear to be enjoying their meals.  Have you ever watched birds eating — they seem so excited as they flit around, scratching and pecking; or our pet dogs devouring their allotted serving — especially if an extra treat is offered or mixed with it. Even the images from the ‘wild’ that we see of lions gorging on their kill, or the bears catching salmon….don’t they look like they are enjoying their feast?

So I have accepted the ritual (and my need -and DESIRE-) of eating. I have settled into my enjoyment of the feast, whether it be a luscious juicy piece of fruit, a rich dessert, a simple but sumptuous stew, or a fresh crisp salad. I enjoy food. I enjoy the ritual of eating.

Ummm — the aroma of freshly brewed coffee delights the senses as we step inside Lola Coffee. We are introduced to this fun and funky rustic place in the Historic Gold Spot of Phoenix on a fresh and bright, sunny Arizona Saturday morning. Early enough to be ahead of the crowd this morning,  the local patrons filter in, bringing their books, newspapers, or other companions for Saturday morning coffee time.

After reading a basic menu from a rustic ‘door’ board — literally an old weathered door complete with doorknob, hanging above the prep counter, we place our orders, then peruse the delicious looking baked goods cluttering the equally old and weathered serving counter, convincing ourselves into sampling a couple treats.

Known for the “latte’ art” , we are enthralled by the barista’s talent and expertise as he deftly creates intricate designs in the frothed milk which HAVE to make the drink taste even better, don’t they?

We learn that organic fair-trade coffee beans are used and roasted on the premises with a theory that slow, low-temp roasting makes for a smoother, richer, less bitter taste. We also discover that the bakery items are also prepared on the premises…almost ‘homemade’ and definitely worth the treat.

We enjoy our coffee and treats inside, but there are chairs lined along the sidewalk out front, and option outside seating of tables and chairs in a bare but inviting courtyard of sorts in the back. With limited parking available on the street, free parking is offered across the alley.

Lola Coffee at 1001 E 3rd (& Roosevelt) is delightful experience definitely worth another visit. And it is easy to find just off I-10. We also plan on visiting the original Lola Coffeebar location downtown at 4700 N Central Avenue, Phoenix, as well as Lola Tapas & Coffeebar, an intriguing little restaurant, located downtown at 800 E Camelback Rd.

Food and Fun go together. Food IS fun and Fun is even more fun when it includes Food!
And I like both – Food AND Fun! Especially when I can enjoy them together.  Of course EATING is one of my favorite ways to enjoy food; but I also enjoy cooking it, shopping for it, sharing it, reading about it and talking about it.

So here I am, sharing my adventures of finding and eating Great Food in Fun Places. I will be featuring restaurants, recipes, and recommendations, so return often for delightful and delicious discoveries related to eating.