Jack-n-Grill
9310 Sheridan Blvd
Westminster, CO
Since seeing Man vs. Food on T.V., I have been interested in visiting this restaurant. Their main interest on the T.V. show was their 7 pound burrito, which is about the same size as a newborn child. My main interest was to find out if the quality of the food supported all the hype I have heard about it.
Our party of 5 arrived about 6:30 in the evening. We had a wait time of about 20 minutes.
When we were seated, we were greeted reasonably promptly and our drink order was taken. We were served chips and a nice salsa which had good flavor, but which I wish was a bit hotter. Our waiter claimed that the chilies were from Hatch, but if they were, they tasted like no Hatch Chile I have ever eaten. The table next to ours was rather loud and boisterous and busy taking flash pictures, which was, unfortunately an annoying experience.
Companions 1, 3, and 4 ordered a Shredded Beef Burrito smothered in Green Chile, with Sour Cream and one plate with Guacamole on the side.
Companion #2 ordered a Shredded Beef Enchilada Plate with Red Chile on the side.
I ordered a Shredded Chicken Green Enchilada Plate Sonoran Style, which means it had 2 fried eggs on top.
On the positive side, all portions were of a good size, and would easily satisfy most appetites. Comments were as follows – Companion 1 said the food was just o.k., and didn’t know if he would come back again. Companion 2 said that here plate was fair, but the beans were underdone and made her mildly sick. Companion 3 said that the plate was o.k. Companion 4 said the beef was flavorless, and the plate was lukewarm instead of hot. My plate was lacking in flavor in spite of the supposed Hatch chilies, and the beans were totally undercooked and crunchy.
I spend the next day counting the tiles on the bathroom floor. While I had taken a doggy box of leftovers home, I threw it out the next day because I was not willing to take a chance on eating any more of it.
Sanitation was adequate as far as I could tell, but the restaurant is a bit cluttered, which makes it hard to truly tell. The bathrooms were adequately clean and reasonably stocked.
If you want to come to a Mexican style restaurant that gives you lots of food, and is a bit on the loud side, this may be the place for you, but if your passion is not to count the tiles on your bathroom floor, you might not wish to eat here.
2 stars for portion size and sanitation.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Gordon Biersch
Gordon Biersch
1 W. Flatiron Circle
Broomfield, Colorado
Four of us went to lunch at this restaurant. We were promptly seated and offered drinks. Since it was noon time, none of us wanted beer, but the menu shows a nice selection of brews. We started off sharing Southwest Eggrolls, which contained pulled chicken, blackbeans, corn, red peppers and pepper jack cheese. It came with a roasted jalapeno ranch dressing. Comments ranged from good to not bad but would not order it again. While it did have some spice, I felt it could have used a whole lot more,.
For the main course, 3 of us opted to order burgers, and 1 ordered a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. The person that ordered the sandwich left 1/2 of it on the plate. Of the remaining 3 people, one ordered the Marzen Barbeque Burger, a 1/2 pound burger with bacon, cheese, and barbeque sauce on it. This person felt that the sauce was thin and watery, and could use more flavor. Both the remaining companion and myself ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger. As the menu says that they cook all burgers to 155 degrees, I asked for mine to be cooked as rare as possible and companion asked for it well done. My burger came out medium well done, and as a result was fairly dry. In evaluating any place that serves burgers, one of my criteria is if the restaurant will cook a burger rare or medium rare. If the restaurant won't, that tells me that they don't trust their meat. If they don't trust it, why should I? The burger was topped with a big slice of tomato and some lettuce, as well as about a tablespoonful of mushrooms. Not at all what I expected for the prices they charge here. Most burgers are $10.95.
Companion ordered hers with home cooked chips, which were pronounced very ordinary. Two of us had the garlic fries, which were flaccid and oily though not lacking in flavor, and the other companion ordered the coleslaw, which he pronounced to be with little flavor and extremely crunchy. Service was adequate, but for what this place charges for items on the menu, it should have been exceptional. Most items on the menu vary from $10.95 to the mid $20.00 range. Sanitation was as it should have been.
Something that we all found disturbing was the location of the restrooms. One has to walk around the actual kitchen prep area to reach them, where they are located right next to it. This was a bit distasteful to say the least. The restrooms were properly stocked and reasonably clean.
Overall, lunch was a bit of a disappointment. Prices were high, and food preparation was poor to moderate. I give them 3 stars for service and sanitation.
1 W. Flatiron Circle
Broomfield, Colorado
Four of us went to lunch at this restaurant. We were promptly seated and offered drinks. Since it was noon time, none of us wanted beer, but the menu shows a nice selection of brews. We started off sharing Southwest Eggrolls, which contained pulled chicken, blackbeans, corn, red peppers and pepper jack cheese. It came with a roasted jalapeno ranch dressing. Comments ranged from good to not bad but would not order it again. While it did have some spice, I felt it could have used a whole lot more,.
For the main course, 3 of us opted to order burgers, and 1 ordered a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. The person that ordered the sandwich left 1/2 of it on the plate. Of the remaining 3 people, one ordered the Marzen Barbeque Burger, a 1/2 pound burger with bacon, cheese, and barbeque sauce on it. This person felt that the sauce was thin and watery, and could use more flavor. Both the remaining companion and myself ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger. As the menu says that they cook all burgers to 155 degrees, I asked for mine to be cooked as rare as possible and companion asked for it well done. My burger came out medium well done, and as a result was fairly dry. In evaluating any place that serves burgers, one of my criteria is if the restaurant will cook a burger rare or medium rare. If the restaurant won't, that tells me that they don't trust their meat. If they don't trust it, why should I? The burger was topped with a big slice of tomato and some lettuce, as well as about a tablespoonful of mushrooms. Not at all what I expected for the prices they charge here. Most burgers are $10.95.
Companion ordered hers with home cooked chips, which were pronounced very ordinary. Two of us had the garlic fries, which were flaccid and oily though not lacking in flavor, and the other companion ordered the coleslaw, which he pronounced to be with little flavor and extremely crunchy. Service was adequate, but for what this place charges for items on the menu, it should have been exceptional. Most items on the menu vary from $10.95 to the mid $20.00 range. Sanitation was as it should have been.
Something that we all found disturbing was the location of the restrooms. One has to walk around the actual kitchen prep area to reach them, where they are located right next to it. This was a bit distasteful to say the least. The restrooms were properly stocked and reasonably clean.
Overall, lunch was a bit of a disappointment. Prices were high, and food preparation was poor to moderate. I give them 3 stars for service and sanitation.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Elements @ The Sanctuary
Elements / Jade Bar
5700 East McDonald Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Chef Beau MacMillan
We arrived at Elements @ 5:30 and were seated immediately. The venue is impressive with views overlooking the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Our waiter and the Maître D promptly presented themselves at our table. We were asked about drink orders, and given some wonderful Crusty Bread and a small dish of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to dip it in. Nice and fruity with wonderful taste. This was a great way to start off our meal. Companion ordered a Cosmo which was pronounced very good, and I ordered a Brandy Alexander, and old time cocktail that most bartenders have no idea how to make. This was close to perfect, only missing a touch of nutmeg on the top.
Our first appetizer was a Baked Oyster a la MacMillan. It might have been the best item of the entire meal. Succulent oysters on a bed of spinach with a touch of Chinese Lap Chong sausage baked into it. The only word we could think of to describe it was amazing! It was truly memorable. For our next appetizer, we had Duck Confit Mushu. Little pillows filled with duck confit, gently cooked and topped with a little salad and a piece of mandarin orange, sitting in a peanut sauce. These were very tender and very light. Our main appetizer was Steak Tartar. Unlike what many places serve where the steak is ground up, this was obviously hand chopped, lightly seasoned with an egg yolk floating on top and served with some wonderful Crostini. On the side was some Fried Kale that was nothing short of amazing in flavor. An altogether very satisfying dish.
Next came salads. Companion ordered the Kale Salad with Mandarin Oranges. The salad also contained the largest blueberries I have ever seen along with beet chips and orange beets. Companion could have made a meal out of just the salad. I ordered the Buckwheat Noodle salad, which came with julienned green onions, julienned carrots, fresh edamame and, I believe cranberry beans. These last two items really made the salad sing.
Our main courses arrived, and I could not believe the size of my portion. Huge doesn’t begin to describe it. A giant double cut Kurobuta Pork Chop with a Korean glaze served over a medley of mushrooms, sweet potato cubes and shiso leaves. The chop came with a large knife which is the only ding I have for the meal. Since the knife is serrated it tended to tear the beautifully tender pork which did it an injustice. This piece of meat deserves a nice knife with a sharp edge instead of a serrated blade.
Companion ordered the special of the day, which was Seared Halibut on a bed of perfectly cooked Risotto with lemon and coconut flavors. The sear was perfection, and it was topped with a small amount of a chicken and veal stock mixture. Again, the portion size was huge but companion made a valiant effort to eat it all. In the end, a doggie bag won out!
Last was dessert. I ordered the Butterscotch Pudding Torte. I hadn’t had Butterscotch since I was a child, and this brought back wonderful memories. A pool of butterscotch with a piece of dense but moist cake sitting on it. This was then covered with a tuile cookie which was topped with a wonderful coconut sorbet. Probably 2,000 calories, but you don’t come here to count calories. Companion ordered the Banana Bacon Bourbon Parfait, a whimsical dessert served in a mason jar. It was served with a layer of chocolate milk cream, a layer of caramel popcorn, and topped with candied pecans. The restaurant was spotless, and examination of the restroom showed it to also be spotless and nicely stocked with amenities.
This restaurant serves a truly amazing meal complete with amazing service. If I defined the food of this restaurant in one word it would be fresh. I give them the easiest 5 stars I have ever given out.
5700 East McDonald Drive
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Chef Beau MacMillan
We arrived at Elements @ 5:30 and were seated immediately. The venue is impressive with views overlooking the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Our waiter and the Maître D promptly presented themselves at our table. We were asked about drink orders, and given some wonderful Crusty Bread and a small dish of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to dip it in. Nice and fruity with wonderful taste. This was a great way to start off our meal. Companion ordered a Cosmo which was pronounced very good, and I ordered a Brandy Alexander, and old time cocktail that most bartenders have no idea how to make. This was close to perfect, only missing a touch of nutmeg on the top.
Our first appetizer was a Baked Oyster a la MacMillan. It might have been the best item of the entire meal. Succulent oysters on a bed of spinach with a touch of Chinese Lap Chong sausage baked into it. The only word we could think of to describe it was amazing! It was truly memorable. For our next appetizer, we had Duck Confit Mushu. Little pillows filled with duck confit, gently cooked and topped with a little salad and a piece of mandarin orange, sitting in a peanut sauce. These were very tender and very light. Our main appetizer was Steak Tartar. Unlike what many places serve where the steak is ground up, this was obviously hand chopped, lightly seasoned with an egg yolk floating on top and served with some wonderful Crostini. On the side was some Fried Kale that was nothing short of amazing in flavor. An altogether very satisfying dish.
Next came salads. Companion ordered the Kale Salad with Mandarin Oranges. The salad also contained the largest blueberries I have ever seen along with beet chips and orange beets. Companion could have made a meal out of just the salad. I ordered the Buckwheat Noodle salad, which came with julienned green onions, julienned carrots, fresh edamame and, I believe cranberry beans. These last two items really made the salad sing.
Our main courses arrived, and I could not believe the size of my portion. Huge doesn’t begin to describe it. A giant double cut Kurobuta Pork Chop with a Korean glaze served over a medley of mushrooms, sweet potato cubes and shiso leaves. The chop came with a large knife which is the only ding I have for the meal. Since the knife is serrated it tended to tear the beautifully tender pork which did it an injustice. This piece of meat deserves a nice knife with a sharp edge instead of a serrated blade.
Companion ordered the special of the day, which was Seared Halibut on a bed of perfectly cooked Risotto with lemon and coconut flavors. The sear was perfection, and it was topped with a small amount of a chicken and veal stock mixture. Again, the portion size was huge but companion made a valiant effort to eat it all. In the end, a doggie bag won out!
Last was dessert. I ordered the Butterscotch Pudding Torte. I hadn’t had Butterscotch since I was a child, and this brought back wonderful memories. A pool of butterscotch with a piece of dense but moist cake sitting on it. This was then covered with a tuile cookie which was topped with a wonderful coconut sorbet. Probably 2,000 calories, but you don’t come here to count calories. Companion ordered the Banana Bacon Bourbon Parfait, a whimsical dessert served in a mason jar. It was served with a layer of chocolate milk cream, a layer of caramel popcorn, and topped with candied pecans. The restaurant was spotless, and examination of the restroom showed it to also be spotless and nicely stocked with amenities.
This restaurant serves a truly amazing meal complete with amazing service. If I defined the food of this restaurant in one word it would be fresh. I give them the easiest 5 stars I have ever given out.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Yupha"s Thai Kitchen
Yupha’s Thai Kitchen
1806 E. Elliot Road
Tempe, 85284
I have eaten Thai food in many different places both in and outside of Arizona, but this place is either at the top or almost at the top of Thai places to eat. I was joined by two companions for dinner. I started out with the Thai rolls ($4.95). Beautifully crispy spring rolls served with a nice sweet chili sauce. Companions both agreed that these were really good.
Companion #1 ordered Pad Prik Khing, which was chicken sautéed in house curry paste with string beans, bell peppers and lime leaves. Companion was concerned about how spicy the food might be, but the cook made it to companions order and it was pronounced perfect. Companion completely finished the plate. Companion #2 ordered Scallop Gra Prow, which was sautéed scallops with onion, bell pepper, Thai basil and Thai chili pepper. Companion liked the food on the spicy side, and the chef was happy to comply. Companion completely finished the plate.
I ordered Ped Khing Sod – crispy roast duck with ginger, mushroom, onion, celery, bell pepper, ground pork and bean sauce. The duck was fresh and cooked to perfection. I loved the sauce, and the veggies were properly crisp and cut into nice, mouth sized portions. Both companion #1 and I ordered Thai tea, which is almost a necessity for removing the heat if it gets to be too much. I ordered my duck at medium heat, and next time I will order it at the hot level because I didn’t find it to be nearly hot enough for me, but then again, it’s a matter of individual taste.
About the only thing I didn’t really care for was the rice that was served with the dinner. It seemed to be overcooked and not at all like a good rice should be in texture.
We all decided to have dessert. Companion #1 had a concoction of grapefruit with a coconut macaroon, which was pronounced quite good. Companion #2 had flaming fried ice cream, which was a whole world of difference from what is usually served as fried ice cream in other places. The batter was a totally different but excellent texture, and the waitress lit a cruet of rum on fire at the table and them properly poured it over the fried ice cream. Not only was the presentation nice, but the taste and texture were pronounced excellent. For my dessert I ordered Crème Brulèe, which is not usually on the menu but is a special for this month. I’ve eaten this dessert across the states, and it is usually good, but in this case, it was outstanding. The crème was silky smooth and wonderfully thick with a not too thick layer of burnt sugar on top.
The place is nicely clean and the restrooms could be a model for a lot of other places – clean, fresh, and nicely appointed. This is easily the best Thai restaurant in the valley, and matches or bests other places I’ve eaten at across the states. 5 stars for quality of food, cleanliness, service and ambiance.
1806 E. Elliot Road
Tempe, 85284
I have eaten Thai food in many different places both in and outside of Arizona, but this place is either at the top or almost at the top of Thai places to eat. I was joined by two companions for dinner. I started out with the Thai rolls ($4.95). Beautifully crispy spring rolls served with a nice sweet chili sauce. Companions both agreed that these were really good.
Companion #1 ordered Pad Prik Khing, which was chicken sautéed in house curry paste with string beans, bell peppers and lime leaves. Companion was concerned about how spicy the food might be, but the cook made it to companions order and it was pronounced perfect. Companion completely finished the plate. Companion #2 ordered Scallop Gra Prow, which was sautéed scallops with onion, bell pepper, Thai basil and Thai chili pepper. Companion liked the food on the spicy side, and the chef was happy to comply. Companion completely finished the plate.
I ordered Ped Khing Sod – crispy roast duck with ginger, mushroom, onion, celery, bell pepper, ground pork and bean sauce. The duck was fresh and cooked to perfection. I loved the sauce, and the veggies were properly crisp and cut into nice, mouth sized portions. Both companion #1 and I ordered Thai tea, which is almost a necessity for removing the heat if it gets to be too much. I ordered my duck at medium heat, and next time I will order it at the hot level because I didn’t find it to be nearly hot enough for me, but then again, it’s a matter of individual taste.
About the only thing I didn’t really care for was the rice that was served with the dinner. It seemed to be overcooked and not at all like a good rice should be in texture.
We all decided to have dessert. Companion #1 had a concoction of grapefruit with a coconut macaroon, which was pronounced quite good. Companion #2 had flaming fried ice cream, which was a whole world of difference from what is usually served as fried ice cream in other places. The batter was a totally different but excellent texture, and the waitress lit a cruet of rum on fire at the table and them properly poured it over the fried ice cream. Not only was the presentation nice, but the taste and texture were pronounced excellent. For my dessert I ordered Crème Brulèe, which is not usually on the menu but is a special for this month. I’ve eaten this dessert across the states, and it is usually good, but in this case, it was outstanding. The crème was silky smooth and wonderfully thick with a not too thick layer of burnt sugar on top.
The place is nicely clean and the restrooms could be a model for a lot of other places – clean, fresh, and nicely appointed. This is easily the best Thai restaurant in the valley, and matches or bests other places I’ve eaten at across the states. 5 stars for quality of food, cleanliness, service and ambiance.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Black Bear Diner
Black
Bear Diner
1809
E. Baseline Road
Gilbert,
AZ
In
my continuing quest for good food at reasonable prices, I was convinced by two
companions to try Black Bear Diner. They are a chain of about 50 restaurants in
the western states. We arrived at dinner hour and were promptly greeted and
seated. The atmosphere is a bit eclectic and kind of reminds one of a hunting
lodge in the mountains.
Our
waitress came promptly to the table and asked about drinks. The menu is written
on a kind of newsprint, and makes interesting reading. Apparently, each one is
tailored to the state it is printed in, and is replete with interesting facts
about the state.
Companion
1 ordered the Cobb Salad ($8.99). The portion size was enormous, and two could
have easily made a meal of it. Nice smoky bacon, a large portion of blue
cheese, and tons of assorted salad on a plate that was more than 12 inches across.
Companion 1 was unable to finish half of it and ended up with a doggie box to
take for the next day’s lunch. Companion 2 ordered the Bacon Burger ($10.49).
I’m not sure, but I’d bet that the patty was a half-pound of meat. By the time
it was all stacked up with all the fixings, I couldn’t figure out how anyone
could get their mouth around it – but companion 2 managed it along with the
cheese on it and a portion of onion rings instead of fries.
For
myself, I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak. It came on another huge plate (a
necessity for the size of the portion) along with mashed potatoes smothered in
gravy and fresh cooked assorted veggies. There was little doubt that the
veggies were cooked to order as they were still a little crisp and done to perfection.
All this came with a delicious corn muffin to add to the calorie count.
None
of us could avoid desert. Other than Washington State and Oregon, I’ve never
been served anything with huckleberries – perhaps it’s because the bears like
to eat them as much as the humans do, so they are expensive and hard to come
by. Nonetheless, they had huckleberry ice cream – the only correct word for it
was yum! Companion 1 had it over a deep dish cherry pie, and companion 2 had it
as a shake. Neither of my companions could finish their deserts. I had mine as
a simple ball of ice cream in a dish, and just managed to finish it.
Service
was outstanding, and everything was nice and clean. I give them 4 stars for
quality, portion size, and cleanliness.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
unPhogettable
unPhogettable
Mekong Plaza
66 S. Dobson Road
Mesa 85202
There are as many styles of the ubiquitous Vietnamese dish pho (pronounced PHA) as there are people that eat it, and of course, everyone has their favorite. Having eaten pho from one end of this country to the other, this is my favorite place to eat this wonderful dish.
We were seated immediately, and our drink order was taken. This isn’t a fancy restaurant, but you wouldn’t know it by the attentive service and spotless tables.
Companion and I started out with the Goi Cuon ($3.45), which are soft spring rolls filled with shrimp, pork and veggies and served with a delightful peanut sauce. If it were not for the fact that we were there for dinner, I’d probably have made it a double order and had just that, they were so good. Being made with soft rice paper brought a whole new texture to the party, and I loved the peanut sauce with it.
For main courses, companion ordered Pho Dac Bjet Bo Vien ($8.25) which is a soup tureen sized bowl of wonderful broth, filled with noodles, rare steak slices, flank, brisket, tendon, tripe, and beef meatballs, and asked for the tripe to be left out, since companion isn’t fond of it. It was no problem for the kitchen to prepare it the way companion wanted it.
I ordered the same thing but with extra tendon ($3.00), since I love the texture of this item.
In making their broth, it is simmered for a minimum of 24 hours, which results in a hugely flavorful base for the pho. For those that don’t care to have some of the more esoteric ingredients in their pho, there are many choices on the menu including a pho made with chicken breast and another one that is vegetarian. The pho is served with a plate of fresh Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeno’s for those that like to add to the bowl. I always add some fish sauce which is on the table because I love the flavor of it.
It’s hard to describe a bowl of pho except to say it is a meal in a bowl that is huge! If I eat this for lunch, my meals for the day are taken care of, since it is so big. (Yes, they will provide a take out for the rest if you need one.)
For those that prefer something other than pho (there are 16 varieties of pho), there are also15 other types of soup on the menu, as well as 11 types of salads, 6 vegetarian selections, and a number of steamed rice items as well. Kids are welcome and have their own selections.
Restrooms have always been clean when I have been there, and service is so friendly you feel almost like your eating in a friends house.
I give them 4 stars for service, quality of food, and cleanliness. (And a big YUM for flavor!)
Mekong Plaza
66 S. Dobson Road
Mesa 85202
There are as many styles of the ubiquitous Vietnamese dish pho (pronounced PHA) as there are people that eat it, and of course, everyone has their favorite. Having eaten pho from one end of this country to the other, this is my favorite place to eat this wonderful dish.
We were seated immediately, and our drink order was taken. This isn’t a fancy restaurant, but you wouldn’t know it by the attentive service and spotless tables.
Companion and I started out with the Goi Cuon ($3.45), which are soft spring rolls filled with shrimp, pork and veggies and served with a delightful peanut sauce. If it were not for the fact that we were there for dinner, I’d probably have made it a double order and had just that, they were so good. Being made with soft rice paper brought a whole new texture to the party, and I loved the peanut sauce with it.
For main courses, companion ordered Pho Dac Bjet Bo Vien ($8.25) which is a soup tureen sized bowl of wonderful broth, filled with noodles, rare steak slices, flank, brisket, tendon, tripe, and beef meatballs, and asked for the tripe to be left out, since companion isn’t fond of it. It was no problem for the kitchen to prepare it the way companion wanted it.
I ordered the same thing but with extra tendon ($3.00), since I love the texture of this item.
In making their broth, it is simmered for a minimum of 24 hours, which results in a hugely flavorful base for the pho. For those that don’t care to have some of the more esoteric ingredients in their pho, there are many choices on the menu including a pho made with chicken breast and another one that is vegetarian. The pho is served with a plate of fresh Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeno’s for those that like to add to the bowl. I always add some fish sauce which is on the table because I love the flavor of it.
It’s hard to describe a bowl of pho except to say it is a meal in a bowl that is huge! If I eat this for lunch, my meals for the day are taken care of, since it is so big. (Yes, they will provide a take out for the rest if you need one.)
For those that prefer something other than pho (there are 16 varieties of pho), there are also15 other types of soup on the menu, as well as 11 types of salads, 6 vegetarian selections, and a number of steamed rice items as well. Kids are welcome and have their own selections.
Restrooms have always been clean when I have been there, and service is so friendly you feel almost like your eating in a friends house.
I give them 4 stars for service, quality of food, and cleanliness. (And a big YUM for flavor!)
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Garlic & Shots - CLOSED
Garlic & Shots
909 E. Elliot
Tempe, 85284
I arrived by myself around 6:45 p.m. While the restaurant was somewhat busy, I counted 5 empty tables. The hostess wanted me to wait for 10 minutes, though I can’t for the life of me figure out why, when 5, clean tables were empty. About 3 minutes later she came back with the excuse that the people who wanted the table weren’t interested any more. What people? There were 5 open tables. She then went back to her perch on a stool with a laissez-faire attitude.
Fortunately, my waitress was a lot better. She arrived promptly and didn’t keep trying to push liquor on me, instead graciously accepting my order for diet Coke.
After giving me some time to look over the menu, my waitress took my order. I asked for the 8th Street Mussels ($10), Caprese Salad (?), and the Pork Chop ($10 I think)(not overdone) along with Pomme Frites.
While the web menu lists Lobster Bisque ($6), it was nowhere to be found on the menu at the restaurant. Shame, because I love a good Lobster Bisque especially when served with a bit of sherry. In fact, many of the things listed on the web menu are not to be found on the regular menu. This is not good for the person who likes to look at menus in advance and plan their dinner.
In a reasonable amount of time, my waitress brought the Mussels. They were tender and succulent and swimming in a very nice broth. No taste of garlic was present, but the flavor, was none the less excellent. It was served with a side of crusty bread covered in melted cheese. The bread was very good, but the cheese suffered from lack of flavor, and did not pair well with the mussels. The same bread served with some garlic butter on it would have been dynamite.
Unfortunately, the waitress brought out the Caprese Salad at the same time as the mussels. She took it back, but just put it in the refrigerator instead of throwing it out and making a new one a la minute. The result was a terrible tasting and looking Caprese Salad that I sent back. The cheese had fully absorbed the balsamic and discolored, and the chiffonade of basil was wilted and dried out.
Bussing was not a strong point, and I had to wait quite some time before my plate was removed.
Next was the main course, the Pork Chop. I must admit it was excellent. Cooked to perfection, covered in nicely sautéed onions and well seasoned. I had ordered Pomme Frites, but it came out with Garlic Sweet Potatoes, which were very tasty. They were quickly replaced with the restaurants version of Pomme Frites, which while nothing like the French or Belgian versions, was very tasty and arguably one of the highlights of the dinner. Served with a sweet chile sauce, they were absolutely divine. On the weak side, was the yellow squash which was flaccid and without seasoning. Yet the broccoli which was served with it was terrific, not being overcooked and nicely bright green. Obviously, the kitchen needs some consistency.
A live band was playing in the lounge, and thankfully, they were not trying to overpower the conversations in the restaurant as so many others do. I consider this a plus.
The restroom could certainly use a bit of cleaning up, as the trash can was overflowing and the sink had dirty towels in it.
The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, and most of the staff if very friendly.
Keeping in mind that this is a fairly new place, at this time I would give them 3 stars with the possibility of moving to 4 stars in the future as they become more settled in the menu and service.
909 E. Elliot
Tempe, 85284
I arrived by myself around 6:45 p.m. While the restaurant was somewhat busy, I counted 5 empty tables. The hostess wanted me to wait for 10 minutes, though I can’t for the life of me figure out why, when 5, clean tables were empty. About 3 minutes later she came back with the excuse that the people who wanted the table weren’t interested any more. What people? There were 5 open tables. She then went back to her perch on a stool with a laissez-faire attitude.
Fortunately, my waitress was a lot better. She arrived promptly and didn’t keep trying to push liquor on me, instead graciously accepting my order for diet Coke.
After giving me some time to look over the menu, my waitress took my order. I asked for the 8th Street Mussels ($10), Caprese Salad (?), and the Pork Chop ($10 I think)(not overdone) along with Pomme Frites.
While the web menu lists Lobster Bisque ($6), it was nowhere to be found on the menu at the restaurant. Shame, because I love a good Lobster Bisque especially when served with a bit of sherry. In fact, many of the things listed on the web menu are not to be found on the regular menu. This is not good for the person who likes to look at menus in advance and plan their dinner.
In a reasonable amount of time, my waitress brought the Mussels. They were tender and succulent and swimming in a very nice broth. No taste of garlic was present, but the flavor, was none the less excellent. It was served with a side of crusty bread covered in melted cheese. The bread was very good, but the cheese suffered from lack of flavor, and did not pair well with the mussels. The same bread served with some garlic butter on it would have been dynamite.
Unfortunately, the waitress brought out the Caprese Salad at the same time as the mussels. She took it back, but just put it in the refrigerator instead of throwing it out and making a new one a la minute. The result was a terrible tasting and looking Caprese Salad that I sent back. The cheese had fully absorbed the balsamic and discolored, and the chiffonade of basil was wilted and dried out.
Bussing was not a strong point, and I had to wait quite some time before my plate was removed.
Next was the main course, the Pork Chop. I must admit it was excellent. Cooked to perfection, covered in nicely sautéed onions and well seasoned. I had ordered Pomme Frites, but it came out with Garlic Sweet Potatoes, which were very tasty. They were quickly replaced with the restaurants version of Pomme Frites, which while nothing like the French or Belgian versions, was very tasty and arguably one of the highlights of the dinner. Served with a sweet chile sauce, they were absolutely divine. On the weak side, was the yellow squash which was flaccid and without seasoning. Yet the broccoli which was served with it was terrific, not being overcooked and nicely bright green. Obviously, the kitchen needs some consistency.
A live band was playing in the lounge, and thankfully, they were not trying to overpower the conversations in the restaurant as so many others do. I consider this a plus.
The restroom could certainly use a bit of cleaning up, as the trash can was overflowing and the sink had dirty towels in it.
The restaurant is wheelchair accessible, and most of the staff if very friendly.
Keeping in mind that this is a fairly new place, at this time I would give them 3 stars with the possibility of moving to 4 stars in the future as they become more settled in the menu and service.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Cornish Pasty Company
Cornish Pasty Company
1941 W. Guadalupe Road
Mesa, Arizona
We arrived on a Friday night at 6:00 as a party of 14. Probably not the most fair thing to do since I knew I was going to review the restaurant, yet it didn’t phase them in the least. While they take no reservations, they treated us courteously, and seated us after a short wait.
This is not the quietest place to eat at, as a lot of it has to do with the bar, which is very conducive to friendly chit chat, but overlooking that, it’s quite a charming place. There is seating outside, as well as in church pews inside, which makes for a cozy atmosphere as well as the possibility of having new conversations with people you have never met – something that Americans are not used to, but is very common in the rest of the world.
Everyone ordered soft drinks except for myself. I ordered a Strongbow to see if it was what I remembered from the U.K., and it was no different at all. A true hard cider with good flavor of apples.
For my main course, I ordered the Oggie, a mixture of steak, potato, onion and rutabaga, served in a pastry crust with a small cruet of red wine gravy. ($8.00) . I was instantly transported back to the U.K. with my first bite. It had great depth of flavor, and the red wine sauce was absolute dynamite. An excellent dish! I also ordered a side of Mushy Peas ($2.75) and a side of Baked Beans ($2.50). The peas had nice flavor and were exactly as served in England, but I didn’t care for the Baked Beans. There seemed to be an odd flavor associated with them that was off putting and which everyone agreed was not very tasty.
Other members of our party ordered the Italian, the Porky (pronounced as orgasmic), the Shepherds Pie, the Reuben (good corned beef), the Chicken Greek (said to be very tasty), and the Lamb Vindaloo (usually very spicy, but apparently toned down here for American palates). Two of our party ordered the Pilgrim, which is roasted turkey, sweet potatoes, grilled onions, stuffing and red wine gravy. One pronounced it terrific, while the other didn’t care for it.
The menu also includes a nice assortment of vegetarian dishes as well.
Most people didn’t have room for dessert, but a few did, with almost everyone sharing. One of the desserts was Banoffee Pie – a graham cracker crust, homemade caramel, whipped cream and fresh bananas. It was interesting to note that the whipped cream was unsweetened. When mixed with the other ingredients, it picked up it’s sweetness from them and tended to tone down the overall sweetness of the dish – a wonderful idea of what would otherwise have been an overly sweet dessert.
The other dessert that was ordered was the Apple Caramel Pasty – a kind of apple turnover pie crammed full of apples and cinnamon and covered with a homemade caramel sauce and served with a large scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Nothing could have been better, especially since the caramel wasn’t too sweet.
Considering how crowded the place was, service was not too bad, and certainly could have been a lot worse.
Perhaps the only fault I could find was with the ladies room. The paper bin was full to the top, and the rolls of paper were scattered around instead of being in holders. I have been in nicer restrooms in other restaurants.
Overall, this was a wonderful eating experience, with several authentic dishes on the menu as well as some creative ones. I recommend it highly and give it 4 stars.
1941 W. Guadalupe Road
Mesa, Arizona
We arrived on a Friday night at 6:00 as a party of 14. Probably not the most fair thing to do since I knew I was going to review the restaurant, yet it didn’t phase them in the least. While they take no reservations, they treated us courteously, and seated us after a short wait.
This is not the quietest place to eat at, as a lot of it has to do with the bar, which is very conducive to friendly chit chat, but overlooking that, it’s quite a charming place. There is seating outside, as well as in church pews inside, which makes for a cozy atmosphere as well as the possibility of having new conversations with people you have never met – something that Americans are not used to, but is very common in the rest of the world.
Everyone ordered soft drinks except for myself. I ordered a Strongbow to see if it was what I remembered from the U.K., and it was no different at all. A true hard cider with good flavor of apples.
For my main course, I ordered the Oggie, a mixture of steak, potato, onion and rutabaga, served in a pastry crust with a small cruet of red wine gravy. ($8.00) . I was instantly transported back to the U.K. with my first bite. It had great depth of flavor, and the red wine sauce was absolute dynamite. An excellent dish! I also ordered a side of Mushy Peas ($2.75) and a side of Baked Beans ($2.50). The peas had nice flavor and were exactly as served in England, but I didn’t care for the Baked Beans. There seemed to be an odd flavor associated with them that was off putting and which everyone agreed was not very tasty.
Other members of our party ordered the Italian, the Porky (pronounced as orgasmic), the Shepherds Pie, the Reuben (good corned beef), the Chicken Greek (said to be very tasty), and the Lamb Vindaloo (usually very spicy, but apparently toned down here for American palates). Two of our party ordered the Pilgrim, which is roasted turkey, sweet potatoes, grilled onions, stuffing and red wine gravy. One pronounced it terrific, while the other didn’t care for it.
The menu also includes a nice assortment of vegetarian dishes as well.
Most people didn’t have room for dessert, but a few did, with almost everyone sharing. One of the desserts was Banoffee Pie – a graham cracker crust, homemade caramel, whipped cream and fresh bananas. It was interesting to note that the whipped cream was unsweetened. When mixed with the other ingredients, it picked up it’s sweetness from them and tended to tone down the overall sweetness of the dish – a wonderful idea of what would otherwise have been an overly sweet dessert.
The other dessert that was ordered was the Apple Caramel Pasty – a kind of apple turnover pie crammed full of apples and cinnamon and covered with a homemade caramel sauce and served with a large scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Nothing could have been better, especially since the caramel wasn’t too sweet.
Considering how crowded the place was, service was not too bad, and certainly could have been a lot worse.
Perhaps the only fault I could find was with the ladies room. The paper bin was full to the top, and the rolls of paper were scattered around instead of being in holders. I have been in nicer restrooms in other restaurants.
Overall, this was a wonderful eating experience, with several authentic dishes on the menu as well as some creative ones. I recommend it highly and give it 4 stars.
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