As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories of ALL TIME aka last week, just in case you missed them.

The Cheesecake Factory, like other similar restaurants and many liquor companies, has jumped on the “skinny” bandwagon, touting healthier menus and dining options. We’ve seen it, you’ve seen it – low-cal, low-fat, skinny-licious – taking over menus and cocktails everywhere. And before you read on to what we thought of The Cheesecake Factory’s new Skinnylicious menu, understand this: There’s no skinnylicious cheesecake. Not a sliver. Not even one bite of the Original, Strawberry or Oreo Cheesecake from the cheesecake-licious bakery you are forced to ignore while walking to your table. But what you will find are skinny cocktails, appetizers, salads and entrees, nearly 50 items under 590 calories and six signature cocktails with 150 calories or less. Calorie-conscious, they may be. But taste-conscious, is a stretch.

Like I said, there’s been so many “skinny” menus popping up, I was willing to give one a try and TCF was willing to offer up their menu. As was my friend Adam Maielua, lead trainer at The Body Lab in Scottsdale which recently opened their second Valley location, who was willing to offer his time and tastebuds with me. Though there wasn’t anything on the menu that we absolutely loved, we agreed that overall, if a Weight Watchers diet or NutriSystem diet works for you, TCF is a viable option for eating out and keeping on track with your weighloss plan occasionally. Mostly, portions were cut to what we feel were more “normal” from their infamous platter-sized meals, so that helps save calories and fat right off the bat. Also, the Skinnylicious menu options are scaled and measured to the precise caloric content listed so you know the exact calories consumed, if you’re still into counting them. But overall, what was skinny, wasn’t necessarily “licious.” Here’s the skinny on what we tried:

Skinnylicious Salmon Rolls, under 400 calories: Lightly fried, smaller versions of the original rolls. The Sweet Hot Chili Sauce was salty and overpowers the rolls themselves. And where was the heat? However, our favorite of the appetizers we tried.
Our rating: Skinny, but could be more licious.

Mushroom Flatbread and Charred Peppers

Charred Shishito Peppers, under 400 calories: Lightly charred peppers with Soy Ginger Sauce. Major disappointment here. Smelled amazing, yet completely flavorless, teetering on pointless. Adam and I were excited for a peppery-hot metabolism boost plus the spicy flavor to erase all concerns of a “diet food” taste, but neither showed up in this dish.
Our rating: A diet dud.

The Skinnylicious Wild Mushroom Flatbread, under 500 calories: A small flatbread for sharing with garlic, wild mushrooms and herbs. A light and viable option when dining out with friends. A flatbread to share and a Skinnylicious Cosmo sounds like a diet-friendly date with the girls.
Our rating: Skinnylicious.

Original Chopped Salad, under 600 calories: A right-sized portion of TCF’s original chopped salad with avocado, bacon and blue cheese. The balsamic vinaigrette was light and for a low-cal dressing, fairly good. Good for a low-cal salad.
Our rating: Skinnylicious.

Skinnylicious Turkey Burger, under 600 calories: A first glance, who could tell it was turkey! Looked promising, but the turkey burger topped with sauteed onions was a bit bland for our taste buds. Even with the onion topper, the burger was missing something. A dash of ketchup and mustard perked it up, but we were hoping the onions were enough. Maybe a bit of garlic and herbs would help. A couple of passerby’s did mention that it was their favorite on the menu (wait, how did they know we were tasting?!).
Our rating: Skinny, but could be more licious.

Mexican Tortilla Salad, under 600 calories: It looked like a fiesta on the plate, but didn’t bring the fiesta to our mouths. The dressing, the balsamic “skinny” vinaigrette confused the flavors of the light crema and the salsa. We would have preferred no vinaigrette dressing and just salsa. However, with the chicken and bean tostada hiding amidst the mound of salad, it was a meal in itself. We suggest trying a new dressing before dousing the salad.
Our rating: Skinny, but could be more licious.

The Skinnylicious Herbed Salmon

Finally, though we were full and ready to go, the manager brought us an appetizing plate of the Skinnylicious Herb Crusted Salmon entree with fresh vegetables, under 600 calories: The Salmon, a lighter version of their original, was delicious. Perfectly cooked, lightly smothered in herb sauce. It was great. However, the steamed vegetables on the side were…strange. The aftertaste from the veggies left both Adam and I with an uncomfortable plastic feeling/taste in our mouths. Our guess, there’s something cooking in that kitchen that’s a substitute for butter on the veggies. But is it legal? Our rating: Salmon is Skinnylicious. The veggies were a diet dud. Request plain steamed veggies.

Of course, we couldn’t taste all 50 menu items and may have missed something truly skinnylicious. You’re welcome to comment here on what you liked best from the new menu and why. Finally, though menu items are under 600 calories each, an appetizer, a cocktail and an entree can add up to over 1,000 calories quick. Choose carefully, opt for our menu recommendations or order like me from now on, skip it all and go with one slice of 500 calorie Original Cheesecake.

1. Drop in to any of AZ Central’s “21 Places to Enjoy the Super Bowl in Greater Phoenix.”

2. Check Gawker’s “The Non-Sports Fan’s Guide to Maybe Enjoying the Super Bowl” for hilarious tips.

3. Review DLT’s guide to “Homegating” for the Super Bowl.

4. Luckily, there’s not enough time for any of theses ridiculous “Super Bowl Funny” recipes.

5. What would the Super Bowl be without chicken wings, guacamole and beer? Check the Food Network’s guide for Super Bowl Recipes.

6. Join the “Pabst It To Me” Party at the Crescent Ballroom. The party starts at 3:00 p.m. More info here.

7. Taste each team with Zinburger’s “Super Burger Bowl” specialty burger recipes through today.

8. Stay home, whip up a batch of this amazing Beer and Cheese Dip and watch the game at home in peace. Recipe courtesy of Chef Gregory Wiener from Top of the Rock at the Buttes Resort:

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 small onion minced
Hot sauce (like Tabasco Chipotle) to taste
1 clove minced garlic
1 beer (preferably an IPA)
¼ cup diced canned green chilies

Method:
Combine all ingredients except the beer and stir or use food processor to get an even texture.
Add enough beer to get desired consistency (flat beer works best).
Chill and serve with crackers and vegetables.

Image via Fox News

Housed in a natural adobe building originally built in the 1930′s, Lon’s at the Hermosa is the embodiment of classic southwest architecture, stunning desert vistas and amazing cuisine.

While a drink on the patio at sunset, like the Lon’s “Folly” for founder Lon Megargee, one is left to behold the the beautiful colors of the Arizona sky and some of the best panoramic views of the Valley. If you are enjoying the open air ambiance and a hand crafted cocktail outside, why not stay for dinner and have some real cowboy grub? Every Sunday, Lon’s hosts a Chuckwagon BBQ that features a whole Berkshire suckling pig cooked over the ‘Cowboy Cauldron’ that doubles as a fire place and a conversation piece. Or why not wander innside…

…And step back 70 years to the days when cowboys walked the land and the only traffic on Camelback Road were the cattle herds. Staying true to the original ‘floor plans’ (Lon is said to have drawn an outline in the dirt with a stick when he wanted to expand on the original Casa Hermosa), the restaurant is decorated with Lon’s artwork, traditional local tapestries, and with all the colors, richness and warmth that you would expect to find in an upscale Arizonan dining destination.

Diners can choose to have a meal in the restaurant itself, or if accommodations are needed for larger parties, dinner can be arranged in the private underground wine cellar, where you might find a few bottles of AZ Stronghold Site Archive hidden in the charcuterie room. Or, would you prefer to dine in the library, a stately room with book-lined walls, comfortable leisure chairs and a roaring fireplace? A tough decision, we know.

Once you choose where to eat, you have an equally luxurious choice of what to eat at Lon’s. The starters are as stunning as the sunset you may have just enjoyed. The Ahi Tuna is seared at the table on a 500 degree piece of Himalayan rock salt and the Kobe Beef Tartare is accompanied with a Quail Egg and Truffle vinaigrette. The perfectly seared medium rare house-bacon wrapped Beef Tenderloin is a thing of beauty, the Scottish Salmon and whole roasted Snapper are delicately done to that perfect fork-tender flake. And the ‘Three Little Pigs’ (loin, belly, and cheek) is a brilliant combination for pork lovers. The sides offered such as truffle goat cheese macaroni, A-1 beer-battered Maitake Mushroom (which pays homage to Lon’s time as the artist for A-1 beer), and spicy garden broccoli with beehive cheddar are inventive and wonderfully done, while leaving the spotlight on the main dishes.

And finally: the decadent desserts. The ‘Mexican Tiramisu’ is especially appealing, with Patron Café Anglaise and Kahlua Ice Cream in an Ibarra chocolate ‘mug’. Another plate that will leave you breathless is the Organic Apple Fritter with crisp fried organic apples, bourbon caramel, and a ginger ice cream that is so clean and refreshing it would have been able to stand on its own. The wild huckleberry pie, with a cabernet reduction and lemon curd begs you to taste, even when more than full.

No matter what your decision, dining inn or out at Lon’s at The Hermosa Inn is a classic Arizona culinary experience.

By Rodney Hartwig, special for DLT

Chef Charleen Badman and Pavle Milic of Valley favorite FnB will add three new food and wine hot spots to the Scottsdale dining scene this week. The trio of openings include Baratin Cafe – a small dining spot, AZ Wine Merchants – a boutique wine shop, and Bodega – a green grocer and market, converging at the palm tree-lined courtyard of the Kiva Center in Old Town Scottsdale.

Housed in a wonderful 50s-era building with mosiacs, high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, the three venues will be much like FnB – small, charming, light-filled and unique. Find Arizona Wine Merchants to the left, Baratin in the middle and Bodega to the right, each with its own entrance but each accessible to the other from the inside.

Baratin opens today and Arizona Wine Merchants and Bodega are set to open tomorrow.

Baratin, AZ Wine Merchants and Bodega | 7125 E. Fifth Avenue, Suite 29 | Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

We checked out GymPact, a new website and mobile app that tracks your gym attendance, if you don’t keep your determined schedule, it could cost you. The Loaf Love Tour will kick off their third annual cross-country trip today at the Phoenix Zoo, dedicated to bring you tasty cheese, the event is from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. We previewed the Run to Fight Children’s Cancer this week, which will be hosted by Grand Canyon University.

Just in time for the centennial, head over to the Phoenix Art Museum which will be hosting the Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century exhibit. Spice up your Valentine’s Day this year at Bombay Spice Grill & Wine, which will be serving a special V-day menu. In this week’s Rumorist, a little birdie told us that Morton’s Steakhouse in Phoenix has closed, but don’t worry you can still visit the Kierland location.

Join the rivalry this Super Bowl Sunday at Zinburger where they will be featuring a NY Giants burger and a New England Patriots burger. With all the excitement this week happening at the Phoenix Open, did you get a chance to swing into the Birds Nest?

That’s all for this week, have a great weekend!

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 oz of Chambord Flavored Vodka
.5 oz Chambord Liqueur
2 oz Pineapple Juice

PREPARATION:
Shake all ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker. Pour into a chilled martini glass and serve.

Forming in 1978, punk rock legens Social Distortion will playing Tempe’s Marquee Theatre tonight at 6:30 p.m. As we reported earlier this week, the Blake Eyed Peas’ own Will.i.am will be performing at the Phoenix Open’s Birds Nest tonight as well. Or if you feel like having a calm Friday night, head over to ASU’s Gammage Theatre in Tempe to check out Menahem Pressler, German-American pianist who will be playing with the ASU Chamber Orchestra at 7:00 p.m.

Release your inner Irish this Saturday with Celtic Nights: Journey of Hope, playing at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts at 8:00 p.m. Local singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews will be performing at the Crescent Ballroom, for more info click here. Don’t forget to check out the closing band of the Phoenix Open, 80s cover band Flashback Heart Attack, playing Saturday night. Take a load off this Super Bowl Sunday and head over to the Sail Inn for their weekly Reggae Party at 8:00 p.m.

A new column for the Downtown Phoenix Journal has emerged entitled “Your Downtown Beer” which will focus on the beers you can drink in DTP (the size and boundaries of which will not be specifically defined, but rather determined by the beer’s cultural proximity and significance to the area….we think) Places like Copper Blues, The Roosevelt and The Rose & Crown will be discussed as they sell contracted beers with their own names. It won’t just focus on “beer bars” or places that serve “craft beer.” No, no, Your Downtown Beer  ”aims to expand your view of beer’s sense of place” which all sounds very vague and intriguing. We can’t wait to read what’s up as this column grows, after all, we do love the brew.

If you haven’t heard about Target’s most recent design collaboration than congratulations, you have managed to avoid television, magazines, online media, the radio and Target for at least two months. How do you do it? Anyway, Jason Wu For Target debuts this Sunday, but you can get it on eBay for 250 times the price according to Jackalope Ranch. We all remember the devastation after Missoni for Target crashed servers and cleaned out shelves within hours a few months ago, so plan this one out. Get your taser and be at Target upon opening and you should be on your way to wearing Wu. Check here for our sneak Peek a Wu.

CenPho is all about the Coronado Historic District lately and we, in turn, are all about CenPho. The beautiful area of perfect homes and quaint little yoga studios is also home to the famous Barrio Cafe. With an amazing menu of southern Mexico’s favorites and a tequila line-up that is worth the trip alone (according to CenPho), Barrio is also a place to check out the Calle 16 Mural project we learned about a couple weeks ago. Time to line up for a table. 

Arizona’s turning 100 and Local Lily has got the dish on  A Hundred Years in the Desert: A Centennial Show at the Herberger Theatre Center Gallery until April 1st. Check out the work of 28 Arizona based artists as they try and convey what it’s like to live in the desert. Happy Birthday, AZ.

Images via Local Lily and CenPho

Managing four restaurants, he’s a busy guy, so let’s do this…

DLT: Where do you find the most inspiration for your cooking? 
Chef Andrew Nam: I love to try traditional ethnic food across all cultures. I find that by tasting the extremes of cultural cooking you can take lighter elements that translate well to the American pallet.

What is your favorite thing about cooking?
Watching someone enjoy one of my creations for the first time. No question.

What’s your favorite meal or snack after a long night of cooking for others?
Sugar, specifically Toffee from Goody Two’s.

How did you get into the culinary arts?
Honestly… I needed a job!

What is your most memorable moment as a chef? 
Winning IRON CHEF (Pause)… No it has to be the first time I created a successful menu.

Is there/what is a difference between Arizona food culture and Chicago food culture?
Phoenix is very spread out so there are very few dense cultural centers, Chicago has specific ethnic pockets that create more opportunities to try authentic cooking.

What’s your favorite thing to do not related to cooking?
I love my music, trying to be the first DJ/Sushi Chef. What do you think? We love it.

In terms of music, what are you currently listening to?
Far East Movement…Still.

What’s currently in your glass? (Favorite wine or cocktail)
Crown…Oh and ice.

Your favorite Valley restaurant? 
Besides Stingray, Jimmy Woo’s, Geisha A Go-Go, and Spanish Fly? No clue.

In five or less words, any advice for aspiring cooks?
Work hard and stay real.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career?
There is no substitute for hard work.

Culinary city that you have yet to visit? 
Paris, I need to get that trip in someday.