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.