A semi-regular feature, I publish Rubee Tuesday on Tuesdays to recap my recent drinking and dining adventures in the Phoenix area.

In this time of COVID-19 and self-isolation, I’ve been doing a lot of home cooking but also endeavoring to support our friends in the hospitality industry. For my list of restaurants offering takeout and delivery, visit this link.

Safe Food TLC

Like many in the current culinary climate, Tom and Lin Baumbach of Tom and Lin Catering - Taste the TLC, have had to roll with the punches. They followed CDC safety codes to create SafeFoodTLC, offering sophisticated comfort dishes available in family portions or a la carte, along with homemade cookie dough and staples such as eggs, chicken, and beef. Meals serve six and are sealed in large cryovac bags - just reheat in hot water or freeze for a future dinner. They deliver in a North Phoenix 15-mile radius on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (call for out-of-area delivery options) and have set up a drive-thru during the week so you pick up without leaving your car.

I’ve been collaborating with SafeFoodTLC to share the word, and my first delivery was this bounty of deliciousness! We started with smoky BBQ pork with creamy mac 'n’ cheese- SO easy to heat up in a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Leftover BBQ pork made great sandwiches and taquitos, and the mac ‘n cheese was just as tasty with homemade meatloaf.

Round two was a fabulous dinner with mom and dad. They enjoyed the sweet potato and chicken curry so much that they kept all the leftovers. The chicken tortilla soup is stored in the freezer for a Mexican fiesta meal next weekend (look for those pictures on my Instagram) and I’m still thinking of those chocolate chip cookies! The menu changes weekly and you can pre-order at this link.

It was such a hit with our family, that I have another delivery today - stay tuned for more pictures on next week’s Rubee Tuesday of teriyaki chicken and fried rice, tomato bisque, and fajitas. Tom and Lin Catering is located at 2534 E Greenway Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032

CRUjiente

When our friends at CRUjiente invited us to try the new items on their list, we didn’t hesitate to say yes. I’ve been fan of Chef Richard Hinojosa since he was back at The Wigwam resort, and I know anything this talented chef creates is a guaranteed winner.

And I was right - his new Korean fried chicken sandwich with housemade kimchee and Sriricha aioli on Noble Bread buttermilk bun sold out before I had even left, and the smothered Frites Street fries above topped with pork belly confit is an instant fan-favorite. You can also order the famous namesake crunchy tacos, salsas, guacamole, Caesar salad, and posole.

I also took home the shrimp "taco kit", and am planning the Wagyu beef next time. The taco kits are complete with par-cooked proteins, fresh blue corn tortillas, sauces and cooking instructions, and take only 10 minutes from stove to table.

I also couldn’t leave without buying a batch of CRUjiente house margaritas, which can be ordered for 4 or for 8 (guess which one I bought?).

CRUjiente currently has curbside or window pick-up and free delivery within a 2-mile radius. Orders may be placed from 10:30 am to 6 pm with pickup/delivery available from 2-7 pm. They are also offering a FREE $25 gift card with purchase of $100 gift card. CRUjiente is located at 3961 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018

Glai Baan

I’m a huge fan of the Thai food at Glai Baan, and since we live 35 minutes away, I made sure to pick up enough for a couple of meals. They are also offering cocktails, wine and sake to go along with their full menu, so Arizona’s award-winning sake had to come home with me too.

Smoked mackerel fried rice with a Thai fried egg.

Our feast included many of my favorites, including crispy garlic chicken wings, smoked mackerel fried rice, larb, dumplings, eggplant salad, (look for the recipe in my cookbook Phoenix Cooks), and mango with coconut rice for dessert. Glai Baan is located at 2333 E Osborn Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016.

Il Capo Pizzeria

My husband was craving NY-style pizza, so that meant Il Capo Pizzeria for dinner one night. Check out my Scottsdale Visitors Bureau pizza round-up here, where I included Il Capo: “Owned by the Rana family, who hail from Queens and Staten Island, Il Capo treats its guests to three styles of pizza, and is one of the few pizza-by-the-slice spots in Scottsdale. In addition to their 12-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven, you’ll find 18-inch New York-style pizzas baked in a Cuppone oven. And for a NY regional specialty, be sure to try Grandma’s Square, a thick pan pizza with a provolone-mozzarella blend topped with sauce.” www.experiencescottsdale.com/stories/post/pizza-pizza/

They also recently introduced $10 pizza kits which comes with dough, sauce, cheese, flour for dusting and stretching out your pizza, and one topping of your choice. What a great idea! And it resulted in the best pizza I’ve ever made in my kitchen.In addition to pizza, you’ll find soups, salads, pastas and entrees available for both pick-up and delivery. Il Capo Pizzeria is located 7366 E Shea Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Fabio on Fire Italiana Pizzeria

We’re pretty fortunate to have a chef-owned Italian spot close to our house like Fabio on Fire. As I mentioned here, it’s worthy of a destination drive too. A no-contact delivery system means you order on-line, they will text you when you order is ready, you text back when you pull into the parking lot, and they will set it up on a sanitized outdoor table for you to pick up.

We ordered enough for two dinners. Butternut squash ravioli, lobster ravioli, and cannoli one night…

And trays of take-and-bake lasagna Bolognese and tiramisu.

Fabio on Fire is located at 8275 W Lake Pleasant Pkwy, Suite 101 and also offers wine, daily specials, and Italian pastries and cookies. To order, visit this link. For a past feature, go to: Fabio on Fire's Pizzeria Italiana Brings Italy to Peoria

For last week’s pre-COVID Rubee Tuesday with visits to Pita Jungle, FLINT by Baltaire, Tarbell's Wine Store Dinner with Royal Tokaji, Andaz Resort, Straight Up Whiskey Bar, Chula Seafood, and an Hermosa Inn Cocktail Dinner with Azunia Tequilia, visit this link.

RUBEE TUESDAY: Safe Food TLC, CRUjiente, Glai Baan, Il Capo Pizzeria, Fabio on Fire