Soon, with the support of local chefs, farmers, and other food community types (including Crooked Sky Farms and Fox Restaurant Concepts), The Joy Bus became The Joy Bus Diner, a Shea Boulevard restaurant (3375 East Shea Boulevard, to be exact) whose profits fund the food-delivery campaign. The organization’s board is a Who’s Who of local food professionals including Tracy Dempsey (Tracy Dempsey’s Originals), Gio Osso (Virtu Honest Craft), and Bernie Kantak (Citizen Public House, The Gladly).
That tony board was resistant when Caraway suggested a four-walls diner. “They were reminding me how hard it is to run a restaurant,” Caraway recalls. “And I was saying, ‘Yeah, but I know that. It’s all I’ve ever done.’”
“Menus are available for dine-in as well as to-go,” reads a press release. “With take-out dining still a necessary and vital part of how restaurants are surviving in the COVID age, diners are encouraged to participate in any way they feel comfortable — enjoying the incredible ARW menus in a restaurant or in the comfort of their own homes.”
A number of restaurants are already on board, including heavy hitters such as Elements at Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort, T. Cook’s at Royal Palms Resort & Spa, Citizen Public House and The Gladly, and more. There are also west Valley restaurants, like Litchfield’s and Red’s Bar and Grill at The Wigwam, plus Urban Margarita and Arrowhead Grill. Other participants include Buck &Rider and Pedal Haus Brewery,
The restaurants booked for Sunday are: Aioli Gourmet Burgers, Beckett’s Table, Citizen Public House, The Gladly, Hana Japanese Eatery, Hot Noodles Cold Sake, Nook Kitchen, Rancho Pinot, and Shift Kitchen + Bar coming down from Flagstaff.
"Tickets," which are essentially pre-orders, open to the public at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 1, and close at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 19. Each costs $200, and participating restaurants will receive 100 percent of those proceeds. Local First Arizona, the event’s organizer, expects pre-orders will sell out fast.
To keep things from being too much of a bummer compared to previous years, the fest has added some little extras, including virtual sessions with chefs, raffles, and a #DevourAtHome plating contest, judged by local chefs. And fear not, swag collectors. In addition to warming instructions, orders will come with Devour Culinary Classic signature wine glasses, a 2021 Devour at Home placemat, a commemorative thermal tote, and more gifts.
Turning your morning meal low-carb is pretty easy as breakfast usually involves a variety of proteins. Go for bacon and eggs, omelets, vegetables, and cottage cheese. If you’re being really good, go a la carte — i.e., “May I order a side of sausage, a side of bacon, and two eggs?” And avoid fruit; the sugar can halt your progress.
But if your first meal must include something soft and chewy, try the high-protein, low-carb bagels and bread from Chompie's. Get them at Chompie's and Sprouts locations. More low-carb, high-protein bread is found via Keto Kitchen Confections. And Mediterra Bakehouse has created a keto-friendly loaf made with King Arthur Baking Keto Wheat Flour high in protein (12 grams per slice) and low in carbs (5 grams per slice) called the Sunny Flax Keto Bread.