Salvadoreno Restaurant
303 E. Southern Ave
Mesa, AZ 85202
Having never eaten Salvadoran food before, I decided to try it, and am so glad that I did. This is totally different than Mexican food.
This is a relatively small restaurant, with a tiny kitchen, but don't let the size fool you - that tiny kitchen turns out some wonderful food. I noticed that I was the only gringa in the place - a good sign that the food it muy authenitico.
The waitress brought my drink along with a nice, crisp cole slaw type salad with some greens in it that I was not able to identify, but which gave it a nice flavor. Service is a little slow, but I attribute that to the fact that every dish is cooked to order - no steam tables here.
Next, was the main course. I ordered the Lengua Guisada ($9.95). Nice, big slices of tongue braised in a wonderful mild tomato type sauce, served with rice that had veggies in it, and small dish of liquified black beans along with two of the most succulent corn tortillas I have ever eaten. Instead of being crisp and crunchy, these were firm on the outside, and soft and tender on the inside. For the more adventurous, there is also hot sauce on the table. The flavors were all wonderful, and I used the corn tortillas to mop up all of the sauce on the plate. I would be lax if I didn't mention the fact the that food was served steaming hot.
I had to try the Pupupas, which are stuffed corn tortillas which are then grilled. I tried two different ones, and although I was entitled to get rice and bean with them, I opted not to have them because I was already getting full. The first Pupupas was stuffed with shrimp and cheese, and had a lovely texture and flavor. They have a tomato based sauce on the table that you can slather on your Pupupas if you so desire. I found that it really augmented the flavor and ended up using it on both Pupupas. The second Pupupas was shredded pork and cheese, and while tasty, wasn't up to the flavor profile of the camerones.
Unfortunately, by this time I was stuffed and had no more room to try anything else, but I will be back to try some more. Next time I want to try the Sopa de Pata/Mondongo, which is a hearty soup of heart and beef tripe, along with the Ensalada de Camarones Asados, which is a grilled shrimp salad.
It's hard to leave here hungry - you really would have to work at it!
Sanitation was good and the place is handicapped aware. They also will modify menu items to make them vegetarian.
I give them 4 stars for a really tasty meal that was muy authentico.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Koy Wan Hibachi Buffet
Koy Wan Hibachi Buffet
945 W SR 436 Suite 1179
Altamonte Springs, Florida
407-628-8866
Five adults and a child were in the mood for sushi and oriental food, and made the trek to Altamonte Springs to visit the buffet. As a professional reviewer I don't normally evaluate buffets because selection of food can make such a large difference in how the buffet is perceived, but in this case, I was compelled to write a review.
We were promptly seated at a large round table, and assorted soft drinks and tea were quickly brought. Then it was time for all to attack the buffet. Most of the time buffets are mediocre food, some of which is either too cold or not hot enough. This was completely different.
Most of us started off at the sushi bar. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything like the sushi I've had in Japan, but I was hoping for some good flavor, and I wasn't disappointed. Lots of tasty varieties to choose from, including Unagi (fresh water eel) and Tako (octopus) In fairness, this won't be the sushi you will get in the typical sushi bar, in that these will not be, in general, prime cuts of fish, but tasty, none the less. The marinated squid was excellent and had good spice to it.
I opted to skip the "Hibachi Buffet", but noted a huge assortment of meats and veggies available to be cooked to order on the teppan
Next, I went to the cold part of the buffet. Beautiful tender New Zealand Mussels nicely seasoned, followed by Spicy Crayfish that were delicious to suck the juice out of. There were many other cold foods to choose from, but I had to save room to try the hot food.
One of the highlights of the hot food group was the Spicy Blue Crabs. Simply wonderful to eat, and totally unexpected on a buffet. I also had the opportunity to have Deep Fried Frogs Legs, Spicy Hot Cray Fish, and lovely Manila Clams that were wonderfully tender. Other items on the buffet included General Tso's Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, assorted Steamed Fishes, and tasty Pork Tenderloin. There was also a nice selection of assorted Chinese Steam Buns.
For those who wish, there was an assortment of soups also available including Hot and Sour Soup, and Chicken Egg Drop Soup as well as the ubiquitous Won Ton Soup.
If you are hearty enough to tackle it after grazing your way through the buffet, there is a whole other selection of desserts to pick from!
I've eaten at buffet's before just to fill up, but this one not only was filling, but very tasty as well, to say nothing about some of the wonderful surprises on the serving line.
Sanitation was very good, and the bathroom was spotlessly clean.
4 stars for cleanliness, creativity. assortment of foods, and excellent flavor.
945 W SR 436 Suite 1179
Altamonte Springs, Florida
407-628-8866
Five adults and a child were in the mood for sushi and oriental food, and made the trek to Altamonte Springs to visit the buffet. As a professional reviewer I don't normally evaluate buffets because selection of food can make such a large difference in how the buffet is perceived, but in this case, I was compelled to write a review.
We were promptly seated at a large round table, and assorted soft drinks and tea were quickly brought. Then it was time for all to attack the buffet. Most of the time buffets are mediocre food, some of which is either too cold or not hot enough. This was completely different.
Most of us started off at the sushi bar. To be honest, I wasn't expecting anything like the sushi I've had in Japan, but I was hoping for some good flavor, and I wasn't disappointed. Lots of tasty varieties to choose from, including Unagi (fresh water eel) and Tako (octopus) In fairness, this won't be the sushi you will get in the typical sushi bar, in that these will not be, in general, prime cuts of fish, but tasty, none the less. The marinated squid was excellent and had good spice to it.
I opted to skip the "Hibachi Buffet", but noted a huge assortment of meats and veggies available to be cooked to order on the teppan
Next, I went to the cold part of the buffet. Beautiful tender New Zealand Mussels nicely seasoned, followed by Spicy Crayfish that were delicious to suck the juice out of. There were many other cold foods to choose from, but I had to save room to try the hot food.
One of the highlights of the hot food group was the Spicy Blue Crabs. Simply wonderful to eat, and totally unexpected on a buffet. I also had the opportunity to have Deep Fried Frogs Legs, Spicy Hot Cray Fish, and lovely Manila Clams that were wonderfully tender. Other items on the buffet included General Tso's Chicken, Salt and Pepper Shrimp, assorted Steamed Fishes, and tasty Pork Tenderloin. There was also a nice selection of assorted Chinese Steam Buns.
For those who wish, there was an assortment of soups also available including Hot and Sour Soup, and Chicken Egg Drop Soup as well as the ubiquitous Won Ton Soup.
If you are hearty enough to tackle it after grazing your way through the buffet, there is a whole other selection of desserts to pick from!
I've eaten at buffet's before just to fill up, but this one not only was filling, but very tasty as well, to say nothing about some of the wonderful surprises on the serving line.
Sanitation was very good, and the bathroom was spotlessly clean.
4 stars for cleanliness, creativity. assortment of foods, and excellent flavor.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Five Guys Burgers and Fries
3107 Daniels Road
Suite 112
Winter Garden, Florida
407-905-9811
In the course of my travels, I was in Winter Garden Village and decided to try Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Having traveled most of the U.S. I've eaten burgers from coast to coast, and took this opportunity to try Five Guys.
Companion and I visited the restaurant at 1:30, before they got busy with the lunchtime crowd. There was no line at the counter. Having never eaten here before, we took a few minutes to study the menu. In the hamburger department, there are 4 possibilities - Hamburger - Cheeseburger - Bacon Burger - and Bacon Cheeseburger with prices between $4.99 and $6.99. There are also "Little" burgers which are identical, but which are 1 patty of beef and more then a dollar less money.
For those not in a burger mood one can also get Hot Dogs with the same toppings from $3.39 - $4.69 as well as veggie and/or cheese sandwiches.
I ordered the Hamburger - 2 patties on one bun with everything on it except mustard and the addition of jalapenos, and companion ordered the Little Hamburger with onions, mushrooms and ketchup. We also ordered an order of fries to split and soft drinks.
The condiment bar was clean, and had a nice assortment of condiments including malt vinegar for those that like to put it on their fries. In due course, our meal was ready.
The first surprise was the paper bag that was given to us. As eat in customers, we expected our food on a tray, and instead were given a greasy paper bag with the burgers on the bottom and the fries dumped in all over everything.
My burger bun was soggy, and the burger was falling apart on the remains of it. The grilled onions were a disappointment in that they were barely touched by the heat, and the mushrooms tasted and smelled sour. Picking it up to eat it was a true challenge because the whole thing kept falling apart - I needed a fork to finish eating. Another surprise was the raw jalapeno on the burger. Instead of the usual vinegared Jalapeno's that are almost universal, these had a lot of bite, little flavor, and were a total disappointment.
Companion declared that the mushrooms on her burger also smelled and tasted sour, and her bun was also very soggy.
Unfortunately, we had also ordered fries to go with the meal. The potatoes came out greasy and only half cooked and with virtually no seasoning on them. About the only things that were really good was the Coke, lots of napkins, and the Malt Vinegar!
Of all the places I have ever eaten burgers in, I can only say that this is perhaps the only one that I would never eat in again.
One star for cleanliness and that's all.
3107 Daniels Road
Suite 112
Winter Garden, Florida
407-905-9811
In the course of my travels, I was in Winter Garden Village and decided to try Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Having traveled most of the U.S. I've eaten burgers from coast to coast, and took this opportunity to try Five Guys.
Companion and I visited the restaurant at 1:30, before they got busy with the lunchtime crowd. There was no line at the counter. Having never eaten here before, we took a few minutes to study the menu. In the hamburger department, there are 4 possibilities - Hamburger - Cheeseburger - Bacon Burger - and Bacon Cheeseburger with prices between $4.99 and $6.99. There are also "Little" burgers which are identical, but which are 1 patty of beef and more then a dollar less money.
For those not in a burger mood one can also get Hot Dogs with the same toppings from $3.39 - $4.69 as well as veggie and/or cheese sandwiches.
I ordered the Hamburger - 2 patties on one bun with everything on it except mustard and the addition of jalapenos, and companion ordered the Little Hamburger with onions, mushrooms and ketchup. We also ordered an order of fries to split and soft drinks.
The condiment bar was clean, and had a nice assortment of condiments including malt vinegar for those that like to put it on their fries. In due course, our meal was ready.
The first surprise was the paper bag that was given to us. As eat in customers, we expected our food on a tray, and instead were given a greasy paper bag with the burgers on the bottom and the fries dumped in all over everything.
My burger bun was soggy, and the burger was falling apart on the remains of it. The grilled onions were a disappointment in that they were barely touched by the heat, and the mushrooms tasted and smelled sour. Picking it up to eat it was a true challenge because the whole thing kept falling apart - I needed a fork to finish eating. Another surprise was the raw jalapeno on the burger. Instead of the usual vinegared Jalapeno's that are almost universal, these had a lot of bite, little flavor, and were a total disappointment.
Companion declared that the mushrooms on her burger also smelled and tasted sour, and her bun was also very soggy.
Unfortunately, we had also ordered fries to go with the meal. The potatoes came out greasy and only half cooked and with virtually no seasoning on them. About the only things that were really good was the Coke, lots of napkins, and the Malt Vinegar!
Of all the places I have ever eaten burgers in, I can only say that this is perhaps the only one that I would never eat in again.
One star for cleanliness and that's all.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Chodang Tofu & BBQ
Chodang
501 N. Arizona Avenue
Chandler, AZ
480-855-7712
Companion and I have enjoyed Korean food in several venues, and this is the latest one. We arrive at 5:30 on a Saturday evening. The place was mildly busy. By the time we left however, every table was taken.
We were two of the only 3 Caucasians in the restaurant, which is usually a good sign. We were seated quickly, and sat for a while. We finally received menus, but no one took our drink orders.
Companion ordered Dol Sot Bibim Bap ($10.50). This is a dish that is served in a very hot stone bowl. It has assorted veggies over rice along with pieces of beef. A squeeze bottle of red pepper paste is served on the side for you to mix in as you like it. One of the highlights of Bibim Bap is the rice that gets caramelized by it's contact with the hot bowl. Companion pronounced the dish up to her standards and meeting all her expectations. Unfortunately, no on ever asked companion if she wanted anything to drink with her meal. She finally stopped a waitress and asked for a glass of water.
I ordered the Dak Bulgogi ($13.95) which is marinated pieces of (usually) dark meat chicken, sauteed in a sauce and served over slivered onions. The portion size was big enough for any eater, but I felt the sauce we a bit on the sweet side. Haven eaten this dish many times in various places, I was pretty sure that it should not have been as sweet as it was. I too, had to stop a waitress to ask for a soft drink. Another problem which I had with my dish is that part of a chore girl scrubbing pad was mixed in with my food! When I brought it to the attention of one of the waitresses, she immediately took it to the kitchen and offered to replace my dish.
On the positive side, the Banchan (side dishes) were excellent, especially the nori seasoned with salt, and the bean sprouts marinated in sesame. Perhaps the most unusual was the ultra thin sliced apple with cucumber and onion mixed with what seemed to be mayonnaise. Not something I've eaten before, but not bad either. Their Kimchi was very good, and thankfully had been cut into smaller sized pieces which many placed fail to do.
Other dishes available include Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef - $14.95), Assorted Tofu Soups ($9.75) and Jap-Chae (Rice noodles with Beef and Rice ($14.95). Strangely, Galbi (Marinated Short Ribs) which are a staple of Korean eating, are only available at lunch time.
Sanitation seemed good with the exception of the pieces of scrubbing pad in my main course.
Had the service been better, I might have opted to give them 4 stars, but a lot of the meal ambiance involves service, and it was sorely lacking this night.
501 N. Arizona Avenue
Chandler, AZ
480-855-7712
Companion and I have enjoyed Korean food in several venues, and this is the latest one. We arrive at 5:30 on a Saturday evening. The place was mildly busy. By the time we left however, every table was taken.
We were two of the only 3 Caucasians in the restaurant, which is usually a good sign. We were seated quickly, and sat for a while. We finally received menus, but no one took our drink orders.
Companion ordered Dol Sot Bibim Bap ($10.50). This is a dish that is served in a very hot stone bowl. It has assorted veggies over rice along with pieces of beef. A squeeze bottle of red pepper paste is served on the side for you to mix in as you like it. One of the highlights of Bibim Bap is the rice that gets caramelized by it's contact with the hot bowl. Companion pronounced the dish up to her standards and meeting all her expectations. Unfortunately, no on ever asked companion if she wanted anything to drink with her meal. She finally stopped a waitress and asked for a glass of water.
I ordered the Dak Bulgogi ($13.95) which is marinated pieces of (usually) dark meat chicken, sauteed in a sauce and served over slivered onions. The portion size was big enough for any eater, but I felt the sauce we a bit on the sweet side. Haven eaten this dish many times in various places, I was pretty sure that it should not have been as sweet as it was. I too, had to stop a waitress to ask for a soft drink. Another problem which I had with my dish is that part of a chore girl scrubbing pad was mixed in with my food! When I brought it to the attention of one of the waitresses, she immediately took it to the kitchen and offered to replace my dish.
On the positive side, the Banchan (side dishes) were excellent, especially the nori seasoned with salt, and the bean sprouts marinated in sesame. Perhaps the most unusual was the ultra thin sliced apple with cucumber and onion mixed with what seemed to be mayonnaise. Not something I've eaten before, but not bad either. Their Kimchi was very good, and thankfully had been cut into smaller sized pieces which many placed fail to do.
Other dishes available include Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef - $14.95), Assorted Tofu Soups ($9.75) and Jap-Chae (Rice noodles with Beef and Rice ($14.95). Strangely, Galbi (Marinated Short Ribs) which are a staple of Korean eating, are only available at lunch time.
Sanitation seemed good with the exception of the pieces of scrubbing pad in my main course.
Had the service been better, I might have opted to give them 4 stars, but a lot of the meal ambiance involves service, and it was sorely lacking this night.
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