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Pita Jungle
4340 East Indian School Road | 602-955-PITA
www.pitajungle.com
Hours: 10:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. (7 days a week)

        My first introduction to Mediterranean Food was in the late ‘80s in Chicago when my roommate and I used to go to art gallery openings. We would hang out and eat tabouleh and baba ganoush on small triangles of pita bread and drink white wine from little plastic cups. This food was light years ahead of the normal gallery spread, which for years had been a tyranny of hopeless cheese, fruit and the inevitable platter of raw veggies and ranch dressing.
        Soon after, the small Gypsy-run fast food grills started offering falafel and hummus alongside their winning formula of Italian beef sandwiches and Polish dogs. Greek salads showed up in the form of iceberg lettuce, feta cheese, kalamata olives, cucumber and tomatoes. It was the brick and mortar of the vegetarian movement for Rogers Park. The lunatics behind the whole imitation tofu meat substitutes were crushed and driven west to wander the bay area in a stupor of wheat grass, bee pollen and yoga-induced misery.
        Shortly after, the Pita Jungle drilled out a bohemian success in Tempe. I went there one afternoon, stood in line and ordered off the chalk board menu while gold toothed Jitano Gypsies from Spain and Greek knife fighting women cranked away at plates of tabouleh and cucumbers with taziki dressing. Years later I returned to find the hive had developed into a full-blown restaurant with a wood fired pizza oven and clever dishes like Gambas Con Ajo (five jumbo shrimp, pan sautéed in olive oil with garlic and cilantro in a light tomato sauce - $7.25) and wood fired halibut (served with pinnuts, carmelized cauliflower and onions, in a spicy tahini sauce - $14.95). 
        Arcadia is the fourth Pita Jungle to open in the Valley. I credit their success to the unique nature of Mediterranean cuisine. Number one: it all goes together. You can sit down with four people, order four different things, share the plates and it all works out. Hummus and baba ganoush go with falafel, which goes with taziki, which is great with anything. Bring in grilled fish and shrimp and a great chilled bottle of white and you have a perfect meal. Number two: it’s great for take-out. Take-out rules for parents with toddlers like the wife and I. Three: it’s healthy. The food is crafted from simple, fresh ingredients. There’s nothing too crazy going on, although falafel is deep-fried, I can live with it.
        Arcadia’s Pita Jungle is a comfortable hang out, very well designed and well-stocked with wine. Patio seats are available and the parking isn’t as crowded as it looks. They are open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Tandoori Times
6810 East 5th Avenue | 480-794-1404

Foodie though I am, I must confess to never having tried Indian food, even though a plethora of Indian restaurants dot the Valley. But since our son, who lives and attends the University of Arizona in Tucson, is such a fan of the stuff that he even made curry dishes when he lived in a dorm, it was time I stuck my toe in the waters of the River Ganges at long last.
        The popular Tandoori Times is only minutes away from any Arcadia home. And the eatery’s rare asset of having their own parking lot in the hopping Old Town Scottsdale area made it the perfect spot for me to explore the cuisine of India.
        Tandoori Times’ interior is more function than fashion, with just an occasional splash of Eastern influence. The entryway is divided from the dining area by a panel of sheer, shimmering Indian cloth. The eating area is filled with plenty of tables and a sprinkling of booths. The booths line one wall and are framed by draped fabric and there are a few pieces of Asian artwork hanging here and there on the walls. From our table we could watch the cooks work behind a stainless counter and the opposite view was of the spacious outdoor patio with its twinkling white lights.
        My son had explained to me that a traditional Indian meal consists of a starch, such as rice or bread; and a main dish made from either meat, fish or vegetable, all served with a chutney of some kind, which can be made from a variety of ingredients, and is served on the side such as salsa with Mexican food.
        We started out splitting the Keema Naan ($3.25), which was white flour flat bread stuffed with a beautifully seasoned patty of ground lamb, then baked in a traditional Indian clay oven. The next time I go back to Tandoori Times, I plan on ordering two of these appetizers and making a meal of them. I am not a big fan of lamb usually, but this dish is my new favorite thing to eat.
        The House Salad ($5) was large enough for two people easily and consisted of chopped iceberg, quartered slices of cucumber along with some pieces of tomato and red onion tossed in a delicate white salad dressing that was a cool compliment to the refreshing veggie mix.
        Companion’s Seekh Kabob Beef ($9) was made from minced seasoned beef formed into a cylinder shape then grilled on a skewer. Whatever the seasonings used in Indian cooking are, they made the room smell like a little bit of heaven and helped the formed pieces of beef melt in your mouth. Our waitress had brought out a trio of chutney choices. We sampled only the mint flavored one, but both agreed the food served as is needs no additional sauces at all.
        I reluctantly let companion have most of his Kabob, since neither of us was crazy about my choice of the Chicken Masala ($9). Don’t get me wrong, The large, moist pieces of boneless white chicken were delicious, but the sauce of onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes was just a bit spicy for either of us. I guess we have become lightweights in our old age.
        My dessert order more than put out the fire of my Masala. Gulab Jamun ($3) consisted of two sweet, soft dumplings made from milk and a touch of saffron, dipped in hot, sugar syrup. Oh my. I was ecstatic that my companion was too full to accept my offer to share.
        Tandoori Times also offers many vegetarian and prawn dishes, along with a menu of little plates ($5-7) of Indian specialties on weekends from noon until 5 p.m., a nice wine list along with a full bar, and belly dancing Saturday and Sunday nights starting at 8 p.m.