Thursday, March 12, 2015

Going Out to Eat



I like to eat out. Hubby – not so much. As someone who cooks dinner 24/7, it’s nice to dine at a restaurant once in awhile. Hubby says, “Why don’t you bring something home for dinner.” What a guy! So I go out anyway – with friends, with daughter, by myself. I don’t mind dining alone, really. I don’t have to worry about carrying on a conversation, I can people watch, I can read a book, I can play with my iPhone, I can drink a cocktail – even have dessert if I want to.

For lunch one day I stopped at a place called “Pork on a Fork.” It was yummy. I even decided to order 2 pounds of pulled pork for our NASCAR tailgate. Another favorite is “Paradise Bakery, “where I can eat outside.

The other night before school, I stopped at a nouveau complex on Camelback Road and Third Avenue called “The Newton.” It houses a Changing Hands Bookstore; Southwest Gardener, where they sell handcrafted items for garden lovers or garden admirers; and a restaurant called “Southern Rail.” That’s where I decided to have dinner.

I was impressed that the bar was in a horseshoe shape, with two of its counters outside. The granite was gorgeous. Outside seating included an outdoor fireplace, which I’m sure burns even during Arizona’s warm evenings. Of course, I chose to sit outside.

The menu offered a unique faire. I was looking for something simple, perhaps a turkey and provolone sandwich on a ciabatta roll with spicy Thousand Island dressing. I scoured the menu, but found an assortment of salads and macaroni and cheese. Mac & cheese just didn’t fit the environment. I ordered a salad that included spring lettuce, roasted cauliflower and peppers, pickled beets, and croutons made from a special cornbread recipe. Since Hubby won’t eat beets, I decided to try that. My dinner arrived on a white plate that housed the salad on one half of the plate. The other half was a smearing of orange dressing in the shape that resembled a monkey’s butt. I didn’t know whether to eat it or take a picture of it. I looked for the beets, but thought maybe they had forgotten them. Then I bit into a yellow object – ah ha, yellow beets! I ate everything on my little plate, and started planning my meal when I got home from teaching class.

I’ll give “Southern Rail” another chance – after all, I love going out to eat.




1 comment:

  1. Great review! I may have to visit The Newton for the Changing Hands, garden store and something to eat one of these days...

    My husband won't go out to eat either. It's rather nice to go out and dine alone - I've been doing for a long time! :-) I feel bad for people who can't do it - they're missing out on something wonderful!

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