Lady Gaga's Diet Causes Baby Food Sales to Skyrocket

She's on TV, radio, in print, online, and just about anywhere else you can think of, and now she's made it to the site of the AZFoodDude. Recently, Lady Gaga mentioned a diet she's been on to keep her weight under control. The so called "goo diet" involves eating one normal meal a day and 14 four ounce jars of baby food. Since stating she likes the diet, sales for different types of baby food have jumped as much as 100% according to the UK Daily Mirror.

Some health experts and nutritionists are advising against the diet, however. They say the diet lacks proper nutrition for adults because it will not give you a sufficient amount of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

If I could add a small editorial note here to anyone considering such a diet, keep in mind a diet is just part of the battle, you have to exercise. To make that point, it's good to remember that Lady Gaga is constantly performing on stage for hours in addition to regular training.

Now Open: Fiiberto's at Scottsdale/Talking Stick Pavilions

Previously mentioned here and updated here and here by the AZFoodDude, the Filiberto's at the Scottsdale/Talking Stick Pavilions is now open for business.

It will be interesting to see how things go between Filiberto's and the already established Taco Bell across the street. Is there enough room in your heart...or stomach for both?

Also, check here to see some of the other restaurants coming to the Scottsdale/Talking Stick Pavilions.

Buy a Whopper, Get a Free Drink at Burger King

Starting on Memorial Day (5/30), just in time for the triple digits here in Arizona, Burger King will be offering a free 20 ounce soft drink when customers buy any variation of one of the chain's famous Whoppers:

"Starting on May 30, restaurant guests can cool off with a free, 20 ounce soft drink with the a la carte purchase of a flame-broiled WHOPPER®, DOUBLE WHOPPER®, TRIPLE WHOPPER® or ANGRY WHOPPER® Sandwich."

This deal will go on until June 26, even though summer will go on long after that here in the desert. In case you were wondering, there are currently 160 Burger King locations in Arizona.

New Wendy's Location Opens Tomorrow & More New Menu Items

While The Foothills Focus reported Anthem was to get their first Wendy's late last week, according to an AZFoodDude source, the new Wendy's will be opening tomorrow (5/27) at 3422 W. Anthem Way Anthem, AZ 85086. Found at this new Wendy's will be the special Coca-Cola Free-Style touchscreen drink dispenser, where customers can come up with roughly 153 different beverage combinations and mixtures.

Yesterday, the AZFoodDude reported on the new Berry Almond Chicken Salad at Wendy's, but in keeping up with the berry craze, they've also come out with a Wild Berry Tea made up of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. In addition, a Crispy Chicken Caesar Wrap composed of romaine and iceberg lettuce, Asiago cheese, Caesar dressing and half a crispy chicken filet is new to the 99 cent menu.

Early June Opening for Copper Blues at CityScape

At the time of this writing, Copper Blues, an upscale bar and restaurant connected to the Stand Up Live comedy club, is set to open the weekend of June 9th at 50 W. Jefferson St. #200 Phoenix, AZ 85003. Other than the 60-plus different beers on tap, the menu at Copper Blues is mystery. One thing we do know, the menu will be driven by chef Aaron May of Vitamin T, also in downtown Phoenix.

Other features of Copper Blues include live bands, DJ's and a VIP bar where guests can meet some of the comedians performing at Stand Up Live.

The opening date for Copper Blues has varied over the past few months, one article mentions an April opening, another says May, but again, the latest the AZFoodDude has points to a June 9th opening. If this changes, I will put out an update.

Update (6-14-11): Copper Blues is open for business, having had their grand opening weekend on June 9th & 10th.

New Strawberry Banana Shake at Fatburger

Beginning this weekend (5/27), Fatburger is bringing out a new Strawberry Banana Shake. The only announcement of the new shake came from Fatburger's Twitter page where they released this photo. Made with real ice cream and whipped cream on top, the shake will only be around for a limited time. Check here to see the locations of the six Fatburger restaurants operating in Arizona.

National Doughnut Day at Krispy Kreme (6/3)

Friday, June 3rd is National Doughnut Day across the country and Krispy Kreme is celebrating by offering every customer a free doughnut of any variety. Head over to any Krispy Kreme on June 3rd and simply ask, no purchase is necessary. According to the press release, "National Doughnut Day was established in 1938 by The Salvation Army to raise funds to help people in need."

There are 11 locations in Arizona. To find the one nearest you, check here.

New Bread, New Subs at Blimpie

Blimpie is rather quietly at this point, introducing a new Artisan Sourdough bread available with any sub on the menu. They have also rolled out two new sandwiches, pictured to the right, to go with the sourdough bread. The Western BBQ Chicken & Bacon Sub and the Peppered Ham & Cheese Melt. Blimpie currently has 23 shops in Arizona. To find your nearest location, check here.

Wendy's New Berry Almond Chicken Salad

With a wide variety of 11 different greens, the new Berry Almond Chicken Salad is described this way in the Wendy's press release:

"The Berry Almond Chicken Salad features fresh, tangy, plump blueberries; fresh California strawberries; California almonds roasted with sea salt; shaved Asiago cheese; and a warm grilled chicken breast. Topping it off is delicious yet fat-free raspberry vinaigrette dressing, including the nutrient-rich juice of the acai berry." 

Coming in at 450 calories, including the 100 calories from the dressing, the Berry Almond Chicken Salad, with all of its fruit and grilled chicken, looks to be one of the more healthy items you can find on fast food menus.

USDA: Pink Pork is Cool, AZFoodDude: Pink Pork is Terrifying

So I came across this story earlier today and my first instinct was to be skeptical. Perhaps I am too safe when it comes to food, but if there is one thing that I don't want, it's some sort of foodborne illness that keeps me up all night, waiting in dread as an inevitable hurl stalks me. Nonetheless, from NPR:

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture released new recommendations for cooking pork today: The Department now recommends that like beef, veal and lamb, whole cuts of pork should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, then allowed to sit for three minutes." 

According to the article, this means the pork might still have some pink in it. Evidently, chefs are very happy about this. NPR quotes from an AP article where a chef states that he has been doing this for years because he and other chefs knew it was safe. According to the USDA, that's now true. But from all the sources I've been able to find online, it's only likely to be safe when pink, if the pigs haven't managed to eat things like undercooked meat and animal carcasses, such as rats. In this country where this stuff is supposed to be monitored and inspected, one can make a reasonable argument that there really is nothing to worry about and those chefs are all correct. Yet, if something does go wrong, you could be introduced to Trichinosis. The cysts associated with Trichinosis burst open in the digestive system, grow into roundworms and invade muscle tissues, including the heart and diaphragm. (NIH)

According to the National Institutes of Health, only about 40 people in the U.S. come down with Trichinosis every year. A very low number for sure, that said, here is what the NIH website still says, even with the new USDA guidelines coming out:

"Pork and meat from wild animals should be cooked until well done (no traces of pink)."

Call me a contrarian if you want, but for now, you better cook my pork until there's no pink. What do you think?

The Mint Grand Opening Tomorrow (5/25)

Creating a lot of buzz lately, the newest spot in Old Town Scottsdale is set to open at 9pm on Wednesday, May 25th. The Mint, a restaurant and ultra-lounge, is appropriately named since it moved into the same spot that was formerly a Bank of Arizona.  Located at 7373 E. Camelback Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85251, The Mint is the work of Dean Slover, the same man responsible for the Sandbar, RnR, and similar achievements in Las Vegas. Running the Asian tapas menu at the restaurant is executive chef Johnny Chu.

The Mint's 4000 square foot outdoor patio will be the largest in Old Town to date.  Along with this, patrons will find resort-style cabanas and three different bars to experience.

Check The Mint's Facebook and Twitter page for more information on the newest addition to Old Town Scottsdale.

Need Some Water? There's About to be an App for That

You're out, you don't want to spend $1.50, $2.00 or more for a bottle of water, or you already have a bottle of water, but you just finished it, it's empty.  Now what? Well, if you'd rather not buy another bottle because buying single bottles is annoying when you can buy in bulk for much cheaper, with the upcoming WeTap app hitting the Android Market from Google and the Pacific Institute soon, you'll be able to find and add locations of free sources of water.

One of the aims of WeTap is to "remind people that drinking tap water from reusable containers is the cheapest and most environmentally-friendly way to stay hydrated." WeTap is described via Insteading.com as:

"...an app that will allow smart phone users to add the location, condition, and quality to a national database of fountains. The uploaded data, and a photo, will be accessible to WeTap users who are looking for a drinking fountain in that area."

In addition, not only do the makers of the app want to encourage cities to install more fountains, but they hope this database will push municipalities to repair and maintain current fountains since users will be able to post photos.

WeTap is still in beta-testing, but if you're interested in helping out with the mapping and getting them started in Arizona or wherever you might be reading this from, check here.

Are you an iPhone user? While it seems there is nothing quite like WeTap yet, according to Treehugger, there are a couple of apps you may find interesting:

"TapIt in New York helps iPhone users find participating restaurants, cafes and other locations where they can refill their reusable water bottle, and GlobalTap is working on getting clean water bottle refilling stations set up in the Bay Area of California, with hopes of spreading nation-wide."

Firehouse Subs to Open in Arcadia Plaza

According to the Firehouse Subs website, they will be opening a location in the Arcadia Plaza at 2836 E. Indian School Rd. #A5-6 Phoenix, AZ 85016. This will be the Jacksonville, FL based chain's fifth location in the state. For those of you in the Tucson area, the AZFoodDude previously reported on the location that will open in Marana in August.

Recent Restaurant Openings 5/22

The following is a list of some recent restaurant openings in the state:

Firehouse Subs - 20165 N. 67th Ave. #122B Glendale, AZ 85308 - The Jacksonville, FL based chain's fourth Arizona location.

Agave Blue Frozen Yogurt - 13778 W. McDowell Rd. #301 Goodyear, AZ 85395 - In addition to yogurt, Agave Blue sells cupcakes and Mini Melts Ice Cream.

China Red Cafe - 13000 W. Indian School Rd. #A-1 Litchfield Park, AZ 85340 - Recently opened Chinese food restaurant that's open 7 days a week with a wide variety.

Urban Picnic - 218 W. Main St. Mesa, AZ 85201 - Breakfast, gourmet homemade sandwiches and free delivery to downtown Mesa.

Noble Hops Gastropub - 1335 W. Lambert Ln. Oro Valley, AZ 85737 - Just opened and billed as a "pub for foodies." More opening information can be found here.

Black Chile Mexican Grill - 2502 E. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85016 - Previously reported here by the AZFoodDude and now open. Among the tacos and enchiladas, you'll find 125 brands of tequila.

Brugos Pizza Company - 2501 E. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85016 - Located in the old Picazzo's area at the Camelback Esplanade. Third company location, first in Arizona.

Spinato's Pizzeria - 4848 E. Chandler Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85044 - Recently opened their fifth spot, located in Ahwatukee area. Menu includes gluten-free items. More information and other locations mentioned here.

ShinBay - 7001 N. Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85258 - Closed his ShinBay in Ahwatukee after 5 years in 2006, same owner, new location.  Sushi, limited seating, and open Wed-Sun.

Stone & Vine Urban Italian - 9343 E. Shea Blvd. Scottsdale, AZ 85260 - Classic Italian with a contemporary touch. Claims the "best eggplant parmigiana ever."

Frosty Jake's - 3102 E. Grant Rd. Tucson, AZ 85716 - Specializing in frozen custard, Frosty Jake's recently opened in the old Hamburger Stand space.

Mercado San Agustin - 100 S. Avenida Del Convento Tucson, AZ 85754 - Tucson's first public market includes multiple restaurants of various sizes, click here for more information on each eatery.