One of the good things about this stay-home mandate is the fact that I have been able to get back into the kitchen.

I love to cook, and for years now, have even have had the thought of opening a food truck. It's a bit of a passion, and there is something so satisfying about making a meal for someone and watching them do either happy dance, or look at you with a satisfied "O-face" expression.

In recent weeks, we've cooked up homemade stromboli, corned beef and cabbage, smoked a prime rib, baby back ribs, pierogis, Mexican street corn... and we've even baked a few times.

I had recently gotten away from cooking. It's hard to find time when you're a full-time student for the first time in 25 years, on account of needing to learn how to be a schoolteacher on the fly, and also having a softball team to coach. I’ve completely enjoyed renewing some new culinary skills, as well picking up some new ones.

At the same time, I am also a little bit over it. Not the act, but the seclusion. I miss meeting my boys for some wings, or taking my lady to a nice sit-down restaurant and enjoying the atmosphere.

I mean, tell me how great does meeting your buddies at a sports bar sound? What would you give to have a burger, or wings, and talk about the NFL Draft, or debate whether yo'd rather have Justin Verlander or Gerrit Cole as your ace?

More than that, how great does not having to do dishes sound?

I’m craving dine-in experience as much as I'm craving cake at 10:37 p.m. every night these days.

So once the stay-at-home mandate ends, and restaurants are allowed to open again, there are a handful of places you'll be guaranteed to find me. Here's a list of 10:

I absolutely love this place. Love affair started back when I was just a tourist from Ohio coming in for spring training every year in the late 1990s. It left such a mark that when I was making a list of pros and cons of moving here for good, I listed Oreganos twice on the pro side. The bollo pasta with free refill is the best deal going. I must go with rigatoni and two sausage links. I also love Lady is a Scampi and the thin crust pizza.

This is my favorite sports bar. The fries, golden wings, and focaccia bread (tenderloin and you have to Jimmy It) are great. Plus, I love any place that has malt vinegar for the fries. Damn it, man, I am getting hungry.

This is one of those places I keep hearing about and wanting to try but haven’t been to yet. My buddy Josh has invited me so many times, but it never seems to come together so he might have dropped me as a friend.

This is an underrated pizza place that I absolutely love. The Ahwatukee location was my go-to before they opened the spectacular spot in Tempe near Tempe Marketplace. The garlic bread with marinara is a must to start the meal.

My former employer has the best sandwiches around – I always recommended the Reuben or the Italian beef when I was running the front end – and the mission to help those on the autism spectrum is so important to those employees and their families. Chef W and staff are always coming up with special that tantalizes the taste buds.

From bringing in roasted and salted peanuts, to the George Hill sausage stand to the Carvery Cart with the 18-hour smoked brisket to a caramel apple with M&Ms on it, I want it all while I watch the Dbacks play nine innings.

Anywhere you must plan to get a ticket at 9 a.m. to get back in line at 11 a.m. for a fatty brisket has my attention. The hidden gem on the menu? The smoked pecan pie is to die for and is the perfect sweet finish to the salty bark on the brisket.

This Queen Creek spot has small plates but big taste. More importantly a great atmosphere for the lady and I. Love the salami wrap and flatbread pizzas.

This is a new place I have been dying to try at the corner of Warner and Greenfield. Its menu comes from the owners of Cuisine & Wine Bistro. Need to try to the pizza, fried chicken sandwich and crème brulee.

A little taste of home as this Ohio-based chain made its way to AZ. Black cherry, butter pecan, peanut butter parfait are my go to selections with the fourth one for the four-scoop sampler being the wild card. Love this place, especially after a win in softball for my daughter. Just the two of us eating ice cream and talking about the game.

So, there you go.

The top spots I am going to hit up as soon as we can go out and meet up with our family and friends again, In my mind there are not too many things more important in life than sharing a meal and stories with the ones you love.

What are your go-to spots? Email me at Jason@arizonavarsity.com, or come chat with me in the TeamAZV forum.

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