Phx Restaurant Reviews

I've reviewed restaurants for years, and people I know have been asking me to do it again. So... a few caveats!
1. I remain anonymous at all times
2. I accept no tips, gratuities, free meals, etc.
3. Any owner that does not agree with my assessment is free to request another review - at a time of my choosing and without any former knowledge that I am coming.
4. Reviews represent my personal opinion. Others may think otherwise and are free to disagree with me.
5. My reviews cover everything I see and/or touches my lips, from sanitation to seasoning.
6. While this is called Phx Restaurant Reviews, I travel quite alot, so it could include anything from New York, to Denver, to the west Coast. In other words - any establishment I eat in is fair game.
7. Reviews will not only be the classy, ritzy expensive places, but the mom & pop shops too!

Copper and Sage

SENTRY - WATCHING RESTAURANTS

Copper & Sage

322 E Camelback Road

Phoenix, 85012

Sometimes one is caught between reporting the truth and trying to sweeten bad news. I decided that only if I reported the truth would I be honest to myself and my readers.

Three of us went to Copper & Sage for dinner and were promptly seated. Our water glasses were filled with tap water and our waitress informed us that no other water was available.

Companion 2 ordered a “Respect Your Elder” cocktail. Upon sipping it declared it to be vile. After sharing it around the table we all agreed that whoever invented it has no idea of what a proper cocktail should be. Companion 1 and I both drank non-alcoholic drinks.

This still being Restaurant Week, Companions 1 & 2 ordered off the special menu and I chose to order off the regular menu.

Both companions ordered Hush Puppies as a starter and neither could eat much of it. I’ve never before encountered a hushpuppy with a liquid center. Disgusting was a proper description.

Companion 1 ordered Hot Chicken and Beignets. While each part of the dish was acceptable on its own, the combination was weird. Companion said they had never had a main course served with a dessert as an accompaniment to it.

Companion 2 ordered Duck Confit but was told that they were sold out. The restaurant had just opened for the night and it was difficult to understand how it could be sold out of food. They ended up being served Duck Leg Jambalaya. Not only was the dish overcooked but the flavors were quite different from what a “normal” jambalaya would be.

For myself, I tried several appetizers and a main course. I started with Fried Green Tomatoes. They were properly breaded and cooked, but then came the weird twist. Goat Cheese and Balsamic Glaze. Strange bedfellows to a southern dish. Next I tried the Bourbon Deviled Eggs. Properly cooked hard boiled eggs topped with overcooked bacon jam with no promised pecan on top and no chives added as described. While the flavor was decent it was hard to get the bacon jam out of my teeth. On to my main dish. I ordered Walleye Fish and Chips and was told that they were sold out! How can a restaurant that just opened for the evening be sold out?

I ended up ordering Shrimp and Grits. A plate of grits that had the same look and texture as oatmeal, with half inch chunks of over cooked pork down the center covered with 6 small shrimp. The grits had the same mouthfeel as wallpaper paste and the pork was inedible. I had ordered a dish of collard greens as a side dish. Crunchy undercooked collards with the same over cooked pork cubes and no proper vinegar or hot sauce with it. When I asked for some vinegar I was told the kitchen doesn’t have white vinegar but they sent out some cider vinegar and tabasco sauce. I’d have given anything for some Trappey's vinegar hot sauce.

I opted out of having any dessert but companions dinners came with it. Deep Fried Donut with Banana and Caramel Sauce. While the presentation left much to be desired the flavor wasn’t bad.

I must mention that the “bartenders” kept referring to sheets of paper on how to make cocktails. I’m not sure I have ever seen that in a running bar.

In this industry when something should be removed from a menu we say to 86 the item. In this case I would 86 the servers, the bartenders, the cook, and most of the food. The manager tried his mightiest to keep the ship afloat but with no food and no good help this is a sinking ship rapidly going down.

In all my years as a restaurant critic I have never written a review like this. I normally post my reviews within 24 hours of eating but in this case I had to really think about how to be kind in my writing and finally decided to be honest with my readers.

1 star

Sea and Smoke

 SENTRY - WATCHING RESTAURANTS

Sea and Smoke

2475 W Queen Creek

Chandler 85248

Companion and I had reservations for 5:30. We were seated as soon as we arrived.

Two different menus were offered to us, as this is part of restaurant week. After looking at both menus we decided to order off the regular menu, though some of the selections on the restaurant week menu looked tempting.

Companion started off with the Clam Chowder Bowl. We both agreed that the clams were very overcooked and had the texture of small erasers. The flavor was satisfactory, but the mouth feel was not proper. 

For myself, I had the Firecracker Shrimp, which was excellent. A nice size portion of what I believe was rock shrimp, battered and fried and then sauced. Served in a metal martini glass I would happily order it again.

For the main course, my companion ordered the Double Cut Pork Chop. It was perfectly cooked and came with an apple ginger pineapple sauce that was wonderful as well as whipped potatoes. The portion was too large to be finished, but a valiant effort was made!

My main course was Fish and Chips. A lovely cut of Haddock which was lightly battered and deep fried to perfection. It came with seasoned fries.

I was too full to have dessert, but companion decided to give it a try. This was the only disappointment in the meal. It was described on the menu as Macadamia Nut Bread Pudding, but tasted like no other bread pudding either of us had ever had. It left an aftertaste in our mouth that was hard to get rid of.

Sanitation was excellent and the restroom was spotless.

Service was properly timed and very good.

4 Stars

The Stone Korean Tofu House

 SENTRY - WATCHING RESTAURANTS

The Stone Korean Tofu House

1870 W Main Street

Mesa  85202

Companion and I were anxious to try this relatively new restaurant and arrived at 5:30. We were seated immediately. I was immediately struck by the lack of menus. Instead, you were to use your smartphone to look up the menu online. Based on what I saw on line and the prices on the menu I was taken aback by this.

We shared a Fried Dumpling appetizer ($8.99 for 6). In reasonable time a long plate with the 6 small dumplings was brought out. On the positive side they were nicely hot, but on the negative side they were oily and were with little flavor.

For main courses, companion ordered Seafood Soft Tofu Soup ($17.90). It came out boiling in the pot with a raw egg as it should be for companion to crack into it. While companion found it to be adequate, after tasting it I found the tofu to be nice but that was about all. To me, it was lacking a lot of flavor.

My main course was Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap ($16.95). The presentation was nice, but once again the food was lacking flavor and the meat was not like anything I have ever had in the U.S. or overseas. It can only be described as roughly ground pieces of beef. The bibimbap was served with proper gochujang sauce on the side. 

We were also served Banchan as is proper. Some of it was excellent and some was not. The cabbage and  the fried tofu was excellent, but the kimchi was flavorless and some of the dishes I had no experience with so I could not judge them. Missing from the table was any hint of garlic or perilla leaves which would have really helped flavors.

Service was nice and sanitation was reasonable. Although others seem to like the food there, I cannot be so generous.

3 stars being generous

Sunny's Diner

1825 E University Drive

Tempe

Companion and I decided to try this restaurant for a breakfast and were totally surprised. Sunny's has been at this location for a long time and I have passed it by probably a hundred times without stopping in.

While parking is a bit of a problem in a crowded parking lot, the inside is spacious. We were seated immediately and were offered a drink to start with. Coffee was very good and an assortment of creamers accompanied it.

The menu is huge and it takes a bit of time to peruse the entire thing, but we eventually made our choices.

I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak breakfast which came with three eggs, hash browns and English muffin {my choice}. What arrived was a huge portion. A perfectly done portion of chicken fried steak along with 3 nicely cooked eggs the way I ordered them and excellent hash browns. All items were cooked exactly the way I ordered them.

Companion ordered the Cowboy Skillet. Home Fries layered with sauteed onions, bell peppers, melted jack cheese, chicken fried steak and sausage gravy. Only complaint was that the portion was huge and could not be finished. 

Sanitation was good and service by Hailey was well above what is usual in diners.

A good place for a breakfast or lunch but bring your appetite!

5 stars for excellent food, service and sanitation. A rarity these days.

Dozo Izakaya

Dozo Izakaya
440 W. Warner Road
Tempe, 85284

The original owners have retired and the restaurant is being run by the new owners with the same menu.

It has been 8 years since my last review of this restaurant and it was time for a new review. In keeping with a proper review, I ordered most of the same things that I had the last time so that I can compare my writing from the last time.

There were 3 of us and we were seated immediately. The restaurant wasn't crowded so we could pick our table.

Companion #1 ordered milk tea and Companion #2 after tasting it also ordered it. For myself, I ordered the house green tea, which while a little cloudy had the same flavor as Ito En commercial tea.

For those who are not familiar, an Izakaya is a small restaurant that serves alcoholic beverages and mostly small plates similar to a Spanish Tapas.

Companion #1 ordered a Carburetor roll which is shrimp tempura topped with crab sticks, avocado and eel sauce. I had wanted to taste it but it was gone in a flash! Also ordered was Tako Yaki which are small cooked balls with a piece of octopus in the center. They are then sauced with Japanese mayo and eel sauce. Again, they were eaten before I could even get a taste.

Companion #2 ordered the Gyoza's which was a nice sized portion and pronounced them excellent. Also ordered was a California Roll which was pronounced delicious. I had ordered a Spicy Crunchy Tuna Roll for myself, but by the time I got to eat it, it was half gone having been eaten by Companion #2 who said it was wonderful.

For myself, I concentrated on the Yakitori menu. Skewers of Chicken Hearts, Chicken Gizzards, Chicken Skin (Cooked perfectly and crunchy) , and Chicken Wings (which were succulent). . I found myself almost in tears as the flavors brought back wonderful memories of Izakaya's in Tokyo. The Yakitori was cooked perfectly and had a nice Tare (sauce) on it. I also tried the Unagi (Fresh Water Eel) and the Saba (Mackerel) which many places over marinate and this was perfect.

Service was excellent and cleanliness was evident.

In my last review I gave them 4 stars, and the food was so good this time that I am giving 5 stars.

Lior the Baker

10953 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd

Ste 105

Scottsdale, AZ 85259

Companion and I were in the area of the bake shop and decided to give it a try. We were not disappointed in the slightest as we departed with $75 worth of baked goods. 

 We started out with several Bourekas. Small packages of flaky dough filled with cheese or mushrooms. Heaven in your fingers. 

 Next were the apple turnovers. Unlike most turnovers these were not the crunchy type but more of a pastry stuffed with seasoned apples. 

 For those who prefer a less sweet pastry, try the sesame Bourekas. Larger than the sweet ones, it is covered in sesame seeds and has a less sweet filling that is delicious. 

 While the holiday of Purim is past, you can still buy hamantaschen there filled with apricot filling.

The rugalach were amazing and if you miss old fashioned cheese danish this is where you can get them. Beautifully made and glistening with a shellacked finish of honey. 

 Of course no bakery worth is salt can skip bread, and theirs is wonderful. A lovely challah pillowy light and with wonderful flavor. Just imagine the French Toast you could make with it. 

Cleanliness is very evident and it was a pleasure to be waited upon by Lior. As an observant Jew from Israel, the shop is closed on weekends starting with late Friday, but it has enough open days to satisfy most people. It's best to get there early as many selections sell out quickly. 

 I will be returning again and again for the wonderful pastries and bread.

5 Stars