Little Miss Barbecue

Now this is real barbecue!! Companion and I arrived at 10:30 and got into the line that had already formed. At 11:30 we made our way to the counter. It was well worth the wait.

While in line we got to smell the wonderful smell of real Texas style barbecue, and the rumbling of our stomachs told us in advance that it was going to be good. Two huge smokers were busy smoking our lunch meats.

You can order a sandwich or you can order by the fraction of a pound. We chose to order by the fraction of a pound, and the cutter brought out a tray with a piece of butcher paper on it. This is the same way you will get your cue in Texas. First up was some fatty brisket. It looked wonderful. Because this was a Thursday, they also had Pastrami available. Some sausage and some turkey as well as 2 ribs also found its way onto my tray. For sides I had the cole slaw and the beans. Each item is weighed as it is put onto your tray and you pay the per pound price for each cut. White bread is available as are assorted condiments and pickles.

We found a free table and proceeded to feast. The brisket was beautifully tender with a nice smoke ring and good flavor from the rub. I probably should have stopped there, but next up was the pastrami. I should mention that I love pastrami and haven't had really good stuff since my last visit to New York. My craving has now been satisfied. Wonderfully tender and flavorful pastrami. Next was some turkey. I don't know how they accomplished it, but the breast meat was juicy and tender as well as full flavored. Next came the sausage. It was a bit spicy, but had lots of juice coming out of it. Last of the meats was the ribs. This for me was my only disappointment because the meat was about falling off the bones. I prefer my ribs to have a bit of tooth to them so that there is something to chew one. The cole slaw was about average, but the beans were dynamite! Probably the very best beans I have ever eaten in my life. They were flavored with big hunks of yesterdays brisket. Companions only complaint was that I never shared any of the beans  or even came up for air.

While they serve all types of drinks, I opted for a bottle of ice cold water which went perfectly with the food. 

For those who are not purists, home made sauces were available on the table, but I must confess that I didn't even bother to taste them because the cue was so good.

Good cue is made from fine meat, and is not cheap. You should expect to pay at least $15 per person for your food, and for a big tray like I had expect to pay around $35, but it is well worth it and can be shared between 2 people.

Perhaps the only drawback is that the place is so small, but I understand they will be looking for a second location soon. Parking can be a little rough, but with a member of the family directing traffic I was amazed how many cars they managed to park. 

It doesn't get any better than this. 5 stars

Rudy's Country Store and Barbeque

Rudy's Country Store and Barbeque
7300 W Chandler Blvd
Chandler, AZ 85226

I took a group of 10 to Rudy's at 6:00 on Saturday night. While it was a bit crowded, they were easily able to accommodate our party and allowed us to be seated in the private room. The atmosphere was essentially a knock off of some places I have been in Texas, as was the food.

On entering the line passes by 2 big tubs filled with ice and beer and pop. The assortment of beers that are mostly from Texas was very interesting to find. The cold salads are in a fridge to your left, but with no signage telling you that you have to pick one up there if you wish to eat on the premises.

Next was the main counter. For those who have never eaten Texas style BBQ, you order by the partial or full pound and it is placed on butcher paper on your tray (or in this case crate). I ordered an assortment of meats including the moist brisket, sausage, ribs, and prime rib. I also got the cole slaw, creamed corn, and for dessert, peach cobbler. I opted to skip the bottled drinks and buy a cup to fill at the soda dispenser which is a lot cheaper.

Upon finding my seat, I found there were two sauces for those who prefer their meat that way, along with some hot sauce. There is also a condiment bar where you can get your silverware(plastic) as well as jalapeno's and packets of everything from mustard to horseradish sauce.

The brisket was extremely moist and easily cut with plastic implements. I felt is could have used a bit more seasoning as it usually is in Texas. Next I sampled the sausage. I felt it could have used more spice in it, and ended up having to put mustard on it to be able to eat it comfortably. Unfortunately, the ribs were very tough, and after a number of tries to bite through them I finally abandoned them to the trash can. Last of the meats was the prime rib. A very nice piece of almost medium rare beef, lightly smoked. While the beef was very nice, once again the lack of seasoning caused me to downgrade the experience.

The coleslaw was nothing special, as it was chopped in a buffalo chopper, but my money is on the creamed corn. What a winner! The brisket with the creamed corn could have easily been my entire meal. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased a quart of the creamed corn to bring home it was that good.

Last was the peach cobbler. The cup I was given was almost all pastry, with just a little peach sauce on it. Nowhere did I ever get a bite of a peach. This was a total waste of money.

Other members of our group ordered the potato filled with pulled pork. The portion was very large, but once again, the meat was lacking in flavor.

On the negative side, about 7:30 the place filled with smoke so bad that our eyes were watering. Apparently, they put out the fire pits at that time, and the lack of ventilation makes it a real problem.

BBQ is not a cheap meal. While what I ordered was larger than the average person might order, it still was over $45. Quite a high amount for the quality of food that was received.

It should also be noted that they serve breakfast tacos which are said to be quite good. In my next review of them.

2 Stars for uniqueness and cleanliness.

Umami - CLOSED

Umami

21 E 6th St

Tempe

Having heard people talk about how they liked this place and how inexpensive it was for the college crowd to eat there, I had to try it myself.  This place is known for its bowls of ramen soup that is supposed to be similar to what one would get in Japan.

Having lived in Japan for a while, I found little similarity to what one would get there other than the bowl and chopsticks.

To be fair, you decide on the type of broth and ingredients that are put into it, unlike Japan where the combinations are mostly figured out for you and you order from a picture description.

I ordered the paitan broth, which is supposed to be their signature broth made from a meat stock. It was o.k. but nothing to brag about. A somewhat thin, watery stock lacking in any punch of flavor. The chasu (pork belly) on the other hand was nicely done and had very good flavor. I also ordered the soft boiled egg in my soup along with the garlic. The egg was close to being properly cooked and the garlic was just a smear on the edge of the bowl.

Perhaps the biggest problem for me was the noodles. In Japan, the noodles are a basic part of the soup and cooking them properly is a requirement for any noodle shop to survive. These noodles were not even of the right type for a ramen soup, and were undercooked. Very disappointing to say the least.

I also ordered their 6 item plate to try. It had an excellent seaweed salad, a very good squid salad, and four other items that I will try to describe properly.

First was a hand roll. Having eaten literally more than a hundred hand rolls, this left a lot to be desired. It was  like no other hand roll I have ever been served. Next was the garlic edamame. Nothing special here, with little garlic flavor and your typical beans. Next was the kimchi. Even though kimchi is Korean and not Japanese, it had the potential to be a nice if somewhat unusual addition to the menu. Unfortunately, the kimchi was too young and had not had enough time to ferment properly and develop its flavor. It was very harsh on the palate. Last on the plate was tofu. There isn’t much to say here either as the tofu was not served with any special sauce or flavoring at all.

I drank a green tea with my meal ($2.50) which was adequate.

Parking was underneath in the public garage, and the cashier stamped my ticket so that parking was free. Cleanliness was apparent throughout, and the waitress I had was cheery and nice.

I’m not sure what the budget of college students is today, but my meal came to $25.94. That doesn’t seem to be on most college students budgets that I know of, but perhaps times have changed and students have a lot more money to spend.

Overall, I was fairly disappointed by my visit.

2 stars for cleanliness and service.

Curry Corner

Curry Corner

1212 Apache Blvd

Tempe, AZ 85281

I heard about Curry Corner from a friend who said that they heard about it on Food Network and that it was supposed to be fabulous.

I arrived there at 11:00, only to be told that they don’t open till 11:30. No problem to wait and observe that they are currently under construction as they expand to two more stores next door.

Promptly at 11:30 the door opened and I was invited in. The current location is on the smaller side and being under construction is not what I would exactly consider to be highly inviting, however, taking this into consideration, I evaluated only on the food and service.

First on my order list was garlic naan. It came to the table still hot, bubbly and flakey on the edges and chewy in the middle. It was fragrant with the aroma of garlic.

Next, came a bowl of karahi. A dish composed of goat, slow cooked in ginger and spices, onions, yogurt and tomatoes. I love spicy food, and asked for it to be made that way, and the cook happily complied.

The dish was excellent and filled with lots of meat that was beautifully tender. I was given a choice of it being served with rice or with naan, and as I had already ordered naan I opted for the rice which was perfectly cooked.

Service was reasonable and the tables were clean.

I am looking forward to coming back after the construction is finished and trying a much larger selection of dishes.

For the time being, I will give them 4 stars for the excellent food.

Angry Crab Shack - re-review

The original review was written a relatively short time after they opened. Since that time they have changed a lot. The restaurant is moving more towards a sports bar, emphasizing broadcast games and beer. 

The food is still quite good, but the atmosphere is now gone unfortunately.

I arrived with a group of 12, and we waited about 45 minutes to be seated because they will not take reservations. The best description of the service would be chaos. Orders were sent out incorrect or incomplete. The crabs were not from their usual source, and were unanimously pronounced inedible. Fried clams arrived almost in a burnt state, and wait staff had to be constantly reminded of missing items. Calamari was good, but all were wondering how it arrived in the shape that it was served in. Was it chopped and formed?

My personal food arrived with two different levels of seasoning - one with level 2, and one with level 3. The mussels were nice, but a number of them were unopened. Usually, that is a sign of dead shellfish, but in this case, it was a sign of undercooked shellfish that did not wish to be opened and eaten.

They were supposed to take American Express by the end of September, but they are not. One of our party was charged $290.00 on a credit card which then had to be voided. Unfortunately, that charge tied up that amount of money for the entire weekend on that credit card.

Unfortunately, what promised to be a really wonderful venue to eat at, has turned into an attraction for the college crowd with poorly trained wait staff. Most of our party was very disappointed and has stated that they will not be returning again.

Removing one star

Binks Scottsdale - Pig Roast - CLOSED

Binks – Scottsdale

6107 N Scottsdale Rd

Scottsdale, AZ 85250

                                                                                        

Binks is one of a small chain of restaurants created by Chef Kevin Binkley, who has been nominated for James Beard award a number of times. While the chef has a regular menu at Binks, companion and I were there for a special lunch – a buffet featuring pig’s head. There are those who will turn up their noses at even having a pig’s head served to them, but truth be known, some of the best and most succulent meat on the beast is on the head.

Companion and I queued up with our plates at the buffet. We started with phenomenal veggie paella, which consisted of rice, peas, onions, thyme and bay leaves. I could not identify all the ingredients, but it was a true hit with both myself and companion. Next was a coleslaw of finely shredded cabbage with mustard seeds and sprouts marinated in what I think was a Japanese rice wine vinegar. I never eat coleslaw that does not have a creamy dressing, but I made a big exception in this case and went back for seconds.

Continuing down the line were a cucumber salad, and a potato salad made with red bliss potatoes. The potato salad was tasty, but the potatoes were cut into much too large pieces – my only complaint.

Also on the line was a large chafing dish of BBQ beans that were very flavorful.

Next came a large chafing dish of pulled pork. The pork had a nice flavor to it along with a bit of smoke. The moisture content was just right and it was cooked to perfection.

Finally, we came to the pig’s head. Binks got their pig’s heads from The Meat Shop, which slaughters their own heritage pigs and supplies many of the best restaurants in the Phoenix area. The meat really does make a difference.

The head was served by a chef and you could ask for any parts that you wanted to have. The event started at 2:00, and by 3:30 they had used up 9 heads. And you didn’t think this would be popular??

I had an ear, some brains, a cheek, some snout, some tongue, and lots of crispy, crunchy skin. Companion had the same as I did. First up was the brains. Creamy with a good flavor from the seasoning.

Next was the cheek – which when heavily smoked and properly seasoned is the Italian delicacy Guanciale. As I ate it I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

I only got a little of the tongue, as companion had asked for the entire thing and quickly scarfed it down. Companion loved the food. The snout had a lovely, gelatinous texture and was a real treat to eat. Finally, came the ear – beautifully crunchy and at the same time the texture of a little cartilage. The skin was wonderfully crunchy and had a nice mahogany glaze that tasted of maple syrup. This was fine swine!

I was too full for any dessert, but companion managed to down a piece of Sweet Tea Cake which had a light sweet bacon icing drizzled over it. Is there anything better than a porcine meal topped with a dessert that has bacon lardons in it?

Over all, it was a wonderful experience, and I will definitely be returning to experience the regular menu. The amount of food was almost overwhelming as this was an all you can eat experience. Service was excellent and everything was spotless.   5 stars

Mimita's Cuban Cafe - CLOSED

Mimita’s Cuban Café

1950 N Arizona Ave

Chandler, AZ 85225

                                                                                                             CLOSED

We arrived as a group of 14 at 6:00 on a Saturday night. A reservation had been made and our table was waiting for us. Mimita’s is a family owned and run restaurant, and our waitress was more than willing to do her best to please us. They have a small bar, and our waitress freely admitted that she had not made a martini before, but she was willing to give it a try. Apparently the guide book she was using didn’t have really great instructions in it, but she gave it her best and delivered her version of a martini. Because I did not want to hurt her feelings, and because they don’t have a real bartender, I drank the martini as it was brought. It was palatable.

I started off with a plate of tostone’s (4.95). They were properly made, and came with a nice mojo that I could have asked for a quart of to bring home and put on everything in the house. The tostone’s were so good that I had to order a second plate because everyone wanted a bite of them. One of our party put the mojo on their bread and was delighted. This was the start of a memorable dinner! Another of our party that had lived in South America ordered the empanadas de carne (4.25), and pronounced them to be very good.

Next were the main courses. Dishes ordered were the sandwich cubano (9.99) which no one could finish, picadillo criollo (beef with olives, raisins, potatoes, tomato sauce and spices)(13.49), and arroz imperial (saffron rice layered with chicken or shrimp, sofrito, green olives, bacon and spices, covered in melted cheese)(13.99 – 14.99). Another of our party ordered the filete de pescado al ajo, which is a filet of tilapia, sautéed in butter with lots of garlic (13.49)

I and another ordered the rabo encendido, (ox tails slow cooked in a wine sauce and only available on Saturdays)(15.99). While everyone pronounced their food to be very good to excellent, my ox tails were a large portion and were perhaps the best I have ever eaten in my life. At no time during the meal did I ever pick up my knife. A true testimony as to the tenderness of the food. It also came with a portion of congri, which is a mixture of rice and beans with pieces of pork in it, as well as several platanos maduros, which are sweet fried plantains that came from heaven. 

By the time we were ready to leave, we were all stuffed to capacity. The premises were clean, and the girls did their best waiting on us and keeping us happy.

The food was excellent, hot and served in a timely manner. Portions were on the large side, and nicely plated. The only drawback was that the restaurant was on the warmer side, however they did turn down the temperature when we asked them to.

4 stars for excellent food, cleanliness, and trying to provide good service to a crowd.

Fuddruckers

Fuddruckers
7470 South Priest Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283

As many of my readers know, I don't review burger places very often, and when I do, I'm quite picky about the food.

If a place will not cook a hamburger rare or medium rare it tells me that they don't trust their food. If they don't trust it, why should I?

We were a huge group of about 40 who descended upon this Fuddruckers. There are several other locations in the valley in case this is not close to you.

They have the distinction of grinding their own meat fresh each day in the window where you can see it. I count this as a big plus. You can order your burger in an assortment of sizes including and up to a full one pound burger if you have that much of an appetite. In addition, they also offer (depending on location and availability) specialty burgers ranging from bison to elk to wild boar.

One of the really nice things about this place is that you can decorate your burger however you like. There is a condiment bar with everything from lettuce to sliced tomatoes to onions, etc. Your welcome to put as much or as little as you wish on your sandwich. Additionally, there are big dispensers for everything from ketchup to sauce to mayonnaise, etc.

Don't like burgers? Try any of the chicken dishes. Again, they are cooked perfectly. You can also get a turkey burger, salmon burger, and even a vegetarian burger. There is something for everyone.

Their onion rings were a real treat, being battered just right and cooked perfectly. Fries come out just the same.

Kids have their own special menu, and kids portions do not skimp on quantity.

Be sure to try their shakes. They are hand made and really thick. Have a fresh baked cookie to help you with it also.

IF none of the above appeals to you, then try the salads. They are huge and fresh made.

This is a fun place to take a group or a family, and it won't break the bank.

It's clean, the food it good, and the service is fairly quick.

4 stars.

The Dhaba

The Dhaba

1872 E Apache Blvd

Tempe, AZ 85281

I have to start off by saying that if you are a fan of Indian food, then this is the place for you.

We were a party of about 20, and they had no problem accommodating us. When we arrived at 6:00, our table was set and waiting for us. The restaurant is nicely decorated, and has a quiet atmosphere. Some of the smaller, intimate tables would be a good place to take a date! But, I digress.

For starters, they brought out a very thin, fragile cracker and 3 different sauces to dip it in. The sauces are not for the faint hearted. I recommend that you order a mango lassi immediately if you need to handle heat.

For starters, I ordered the samosas, and they were flavorful and cooked to perfection.

An assortment of main dishes were ordered ranging from Chicken Tikka Masala to Lamb Vindaloo ordered extra hot, along with a mélange of other dishes.

While the heat level might be good for most people, I and one of my companions really like the heat, and we felt that the Tikka Masala and the Vindaloo needed to be even hotter than they were. Then again, a member of our party tried each one of them and pronounced their mouth to be on fire, so perhaps we just have asbestos linings.

This restaurant is beautifully clean, including the restrooms.

There is a small store attached to the restaurant that has everything from ingredients to knickknacks for sale.

Each person in our party enjoyed the dinner, and there was narry a complaint about anything. Service was attentive without being overbearing.

4 stars for quality, cleanliness and service.

Joe's Farm Grill

Joe's Farm Grill
3000 E Ray Rd
Gilbert, AZ 85296

A group of us went to eat at Joe's Farm Grill. This is the epitome of a non fancy dining experience! To be honest, it was crowded, we had to wait in line, and the decor is not something to write home about, however, the food was good. Rather than write all the comments given to me by my companions, I have chosen to write some of them down verbatim.

"The ahi tuna sandwich looked really good, and one of our party really enjoyed it. The burgers were nice and big, and I couldn't believe the size of the fried shrimp. The ribs were really tasty, and the pulled pork was some of the best I've ever had. All in all, a good time was had by all."

"I've also never seen a bathroom with a television in it before! Quite the experience."

"The grilled salmon platter was delicious. I could have taken home a tub of the garlic aioli, it was so good!"

Its a bit of an unusual experience to go there, but it's a great place for families especially with a bunch of kids.

3 stars for quality and amount of food.

Hodori Korean Restaurant

Hodori Korean Restaurant

1116 S Dobson Rd

Mesa, AZ 85202

Korean restaurants are all varied, ranging from the ones where you cook your own food, to those where they cook the food in the kitchen and bring it to you. Hodori is of the later type.

We were a group of about 12, and were seated in a room away from the main stream area. As it turned out, this was good, since our group was a bit noisy.

One of the dishes ordered was Korean soft tofu soup. This is brought out boiling in a bowl, with a raw egg dropped into it at the last minute to cook in the broth. Satisfying and wonderful in flavor this is perfect for a cold day.

Another of our party ordered Bibim Bap. A dish that is cooked in a red hot stone bowl consisting of rice, veggies and meat, with a sauce that you add to your taste. Again, this was an excellent dish.

The Bulgogi and Galbi are excellent even though they are cooked in the kitchen. An assortment of condiments (Banchan) including some excellent kimchi (homemade perhaps) was served with it.

My only complaint is that each time I have come here I have ordered an Obi beer, and each time, they tell me they are sold out.  Oh well, if this is the only problem, then they are doing well.

At the risk of sounding prejudiced (which I am not), I noticed the most of the patrons of the restaurant were Korean. This tells me that the food is authentic and appeals to those who know real Korean food.

Service was reasonably fast, and the place was nicely clean.

4 stars

China Magic Noodle House

China Magic Noodle House\

2015 N. Dobson Road

Chandler, AZ

A group of us came for dinner and arrived at 6:00. We were seated immediately. The restaurant is, to put it nicely, sparsely decorated, and is quite simple inside. However, don't let the lack of decor fool you. The food more than makes up for it.

This is one of the only Chinese restaurants in the greater Phoenix area that makes real hand pulled noodles. The last time I had noodles of this quality, it was in Hong Kong! 

There is a big picture window where you can watch the chef stretching the dough and making any of the 5 kinds of noodles.

I started off with the marinated beef tendon. Usually, you get a small plate with a little portion of the tendon on it. Here, I was surprised to get a big plate with a huge portion of tendon on it. To be honest, it was more than I could possibly eat, but we all made a good stab at it.

Next, I ordered a portion of noodles with XO sauce. This is a spicy sauce that really brings out the flavors in foods, and I was not disappointed. It was fun to watch the chef prepare the dish through the window. All my guests were mesmerized watching the preparation. Each person ordered a different dish, and all were pronounced flavorful and excellent.

Service is simple, but quick. Considering the prices, one has to wonder how they can stay in business. Big plates of food at very low prices.

Were it not for the simple decor, this place would easily rate 4 stars.

3 stars for portion size and quality.

A good place to eat your fill at a reasonable price.

Angry Crab Shack

Angry Crab

2740 S Alma School Rd
Ste 13
Mesa, AZ 85210

If you love seafood and like spice and don't mind getting a bit messy, then this is the place for you.

Companion and I were seated immediately, and were given a list of current available seafood and prices. All seafood is sold by the pound.

I started with a dozen oysters on the half shell, and companion started with the cooked oysters. The oysters were adequate and large, but nothing to write home about.

We ordered a pound of shrimp, a pound of blue crabs, and a pound of mussels. We also ordered corn on the cob and sausage as well. Unfortunately, they were sold out of mud bugs (crawfish) and clams, so they will have to wait for the next trip. They offer 5 different sauces and 5 levels of heat ranging from nothing at all, to a mouth blistering inferno of spice that I don't know anyone that can finish it.

In a reasonable amount of time our waitress brought us bibs (be sure to wear one and old clothes if you have them), and a plastic bag filled with shrimp and loads of sauce. The shrimp come with heads and shell on. Following normal New Orleans style, you pinch the head off (just like a crawfish), and suck the wonderful juices out. Next, came the shrimp itself. Companion opted to remove the shell, and I opted to eat the shell and all. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, big and succulent and dripping with the wonderful sauce. By the time we finished the first bag of food we were already starting to get messy, but with food this good, who cares?

Next came the crabs. Two crabs weighed a pound, which tells you they were really big blue crabs. As with the shrimp, they too were wonderful, and I had fun picking all the morsels of meat out of the various nooks and crannies. We took a break from the seafood to eat the corn. It too had been swimming in a pool of the sauce, and was a real experience to eat. We also ate the sausage at this time, and I could have cheerfully made a meal just out of that.

Lastly, came the sack of mussels. Probably the best mussels I have ever eaten. Moist, succulent and floating in that wonderful sauce, it was a true experience to eat them. Although we were stuffed, we opted to have dessert, and while they were not at the same level as the rest of the meal, they were satisfying and tasty, especially the cheesecake.

The place was clean, tables were bussed quickly, and our waitress was attentive to our needs. I can't wait to go back again.

4 stars for quality, quantity, and cleanliness

Henry's Taiwan Kitchen - CLOSED

Henry's Taiwan Kitchen

119 E Southern Ave

Tempe, AZ 85282

                                                                                                         

We dropped into Henry's Taiwan Kitchen for lunch. Having been in Taiwan, I was familiar with the food, and was looking forward to trying it.

First on the menu was soup dim sum. I had last had these in Shanghai and remembered them fondly. Except for being smaller, they were identical to what I had overseas. Dumplings filled with meat, and then filled with delicious soup and sealed. When you bite into it, the soup floods your mouth, and then you get to bite into the wonderful filling.

Next, was Beef Tendon in Chili Oil. Delightfully chewy and spicy. We also had Eggplant with Garlic. Soft and tender, it was a mouthwatering experience to eat it.

Yet another dish tried was the signature dish of Crispy Fried Tofu. Normally, I can take tofu or leave it, as it usually is just a bland taste in the mouth, but this was a whole new experience. A beautiful, crispy outside with a tasty, soft inside. I'd easily order this again and again.

We also sampled the Bean Curd Tofu with Preserved Egg. The Pidyin was perfectly matched to the tofu, and my only complaint might have been that I would have enjoyed even more of the Pidyin.

Next time I go, I want to try the Miso Glazed Black Cod. This dish was first made by Nobu in New York, and when properly made is like being in heaven. Henry also has another more eclectic restaurant in Mesa which features even more Taiwanese dishes. I find myself wondering if he has Mau Tai there.

I'll have to go review it to find out! There isn't much atmosphere at this restaurant, but the service is attentive and the food is great.

I'll be back for more. 4 Stars

Green

Green
2240 N Scottsdale Rd
Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 941-9003

We arrived at Green at 6:00, and were surprised to find the place so busy. We stood in line to order while perusing the menu. While vegetarian food is hardly new, finding a place that was totally packed and had such varied items on the menu was an new experience.

We all started out with the eggless rolls ($4.00). Crisp, beautifully made spring rolls with cabbage, carrots, noodles, and spices, served with a lovely dipping sauce. This was so good that it set the stage for high expectations for the main course, and we were not disappointed. Most of us ordered the Big-Wac ($9.00), a perfect take off on the Big Mac*. It was offered with your choice of fries, fruit, or cole slaw. Even with your eyes open you believe this was made at the golden arches. The faux meat looked and had the texture of real meat patties. It even had special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and a sesame seed bun. It was also just as filling as the variety with meat. This came in a basket filled to overflowing with pencil thin French fries with what had to be homemade ketchup. The only word that comes to mind is delicious.

One of our companions ordered the kung pao bowl ($8.50). While he said he could taste the difference between the faux meat and the real thing, he none the less said it was very tasty and enjoyed it.

A number of us ordered dessert. A large cup filled from the bottom first with cookies, then homemade banana ice cream, and topped with whipped cream. I could not finish either my burger or my dessert.

Beverages are all non-alcoholic, with assorted teas being the only option for those who cannot have sugar.

The premises were clean, and tables were bussed almost as soon as they were emptied. Service was prompt and courteous.

3 stars for quality of food, service, and cleanliness.

Elements / Jade Bar

Elements/Jade Bar

5700 East McDonald Drive

Paradise Valley, AZ 85253

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, an 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 fantastic! 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 giant 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 2,000,000 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.

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

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.

Jack-n-Grill

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 item 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 her 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.

LongHorn Steakhouse

1434 S. Alma School Road
Mesa, Arizona 85210

(Preface) I don't usually like to evaluate chain restaurants, but with more and more people eating at them it seemed proper to evaluate this one. This is part of the Darden chain, which also includes Olive Garden, etc.
I arrived at 6:15, and though told it was a 10 minute wait, I was seated in 3 minutes. My waiter brought a drink and warm bread quickly and handed me the menu as well as explained the specials of the night. The waiter, Tim, was extremely attentive and honest when asked about items on the menu. How refreshing! I was originally going to get the Rib Eye Steak, but Tim suggested that I get the larger Rib Steak on the Bone. He wasn't pushy, but offered good reasons to get it - an excellent job of up-selling for a restaurant. I also ordered a Baked Potato with lots of butter and a salad with Honey Mustard Dressing. Of the Bread, I can only say it was warm. I didn't care for the flavor of it, and it almost seemed to be under baked and lacking in flavor. The Salad was a nice portion with a good dressing, though I didn't care for the diced tomato on it. Diced tomato is a way of a restaurant saving money by not using premium tomatoes. Not a good idea.
In due course my steak appeared. I had ordered it rare, and it came medium. My waiter immediately took it back, apologized, and had a new one cooked properly with a new baked potato in minutes. Great service. The steak was perfectly cooked this time, with perhaps a touch too much of seasoning, but that is an individual preference. The potato was properly presented with lots of butter as I had asked. My biggest criticism is the same one I have in many steak houses - I hate being given oversized knives with serrated edges. If the steak is as tender as steak houses claim, a sharp, plain edged knife will easily do the job without tearing up the meat. My steak had a bit of silver skin still on it, which should have been removed by the butcher.
My waiter kept checking up to make sure my drink was full and I had everything I wanted. I was quite full, and my waiter promptly brought a take home box and even brought a small cruet to put some horse radish sauce in. (I like horse radish on more than just prime rib). Most places make a big deal out of my ordering it, but my waiter didn't bat an eye and even brought extra. Even though I was full, I wanted to try dessert. While many of the desserts are brought in from the outside, I was told that the Caramel Apple Goldrush was made in house. My only comment about it would be to describe it as comfort food. Warm, gooey, comforting apples in a rich sauce with lots of cinnamon and caramel sauce, topped with a very smooth vanilla ice cream slowly melting over it. I could have made a meal just out of this dessert! It's a real winner. I have eaten in some of the top restaurants of the world, from those of the Iron Chef's to the Flagship of Mortons in Hong Kong to Elements in Paradise Valley, and the service I had tonight was right up there if not better than any of them. Service can make or break a meal, and service was absolutely tops tonight. Kudo's to Tim, my waiter, and I hope my tip showed him just how much I appreciated him. 3 1/2 stars for the food, and an extra 1/2 star for service and cleanliness for a total of 4 stars. I will definitely evaluate this restaurant again in the future to see if the service stays up to standard.

Riazzi's Italian Garden- CLOSED

Riazzi’s

2700 S Mill Ave

Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 731-9464

                                                                                       CLOSED

I've eaten at Riazzi's for many years, and sad to say, the food is not what it used to be.

I went with a party of 20, and even though they knew we were coming with plenty of advanced notice, they were overwhelmed.

Service aside, the food just wasn't on point. Red sauces were bland, and seemed in short supply.

I asked for Pasta Carbonara, and it was so salty as to be virtually inedible. There was so much pancetta in it that it overwhelmed completely the rest of the dish.

One of our party had pizza, and found it to be just ordinary.

Most of the dishes were not enjoyed with the one exception of the calamari, which was perfectly fried.

I realize that times are hard all over, but the temperature in the restaurant was unbelievably warm, and members of our party kept having to get up and go outside to cool off.

I hope they go back to the fine food they used to serve, because this was a not what I remembered from the past. 2 stars

VinciTorio's

VinciTorio's

1835 E. Elliot Road

Tempe, Arizona

We arrived at VinciTorio's on a Saturday evening at 6:00 with reservations. We were seated in about 5 minutes. Companion and I skipped the appetizers and started with salad. I and companion had house salads; mine with a house Italian dressing, and companion's with a Balsamic dressing that didn't appear to have any balsamic in it.. The salads were fresh with some nice frisee, but lacked tomato.

Main courses were ordered. I ordered Linguini with clam sauce with extra garlic. Flavor was satisfactory, but it would have been much better with a less watery sauce. The clams appeared to have been from a can rather than fresh. While my personal preference would have been a slightly thickened sauce, it was properly prepared and could be easily sopped up with lots of the excellent garlic bread.

Companion ordered ravioli, which when brought out were sitting in pools of water in the sauce. They obviously were not properly drained and/or leaked in the hot water bath. Again, my personal preference would have been to have the sauce thicker so that it adhered more to the pasta, but that is a matter for debate among chefs.

On to desserts, the absolute high point of the meal. I ordered the Panna Cotta which came with macerated raspberries on top and blueberries on the plate. It was smooth and silky and just melted on your palate. It was just as good as the last time I ate here. Companion had the same dessert and pronounced it wonderful. 

Service was at a bit of a rushed pace. The restaurant was reasonably clean. Compared to the last review I did of this restaurant, this was not as good an experience. The food seemed to be downgraded as compared to my last review, though the Panna Cotta was every bit as good as I remembered it being.

Service could use some polish as well as slowing down a bit. I felt like they just wanted to serve us and get us out of the place. One less star than the last review. 3 stars