Los Reyes De La Torta

Los Reyes De La Torta
1528 E. Southern Avenue
Tempe, AZ  85282

I arrived at the restaurant at 11:30, and was seated immediately. The girl seating me noted that the sun was coming in through the windows at the front of the place, and she opted to seat me at a table that would not be in the direct sun light. This was to be the beginning of a nice lunch!

Within a few minutes of my sitting down, I was greeted by my waiter, provided with what I think were homemade chips and two different salsas, as well as 3 different menus. The first menu was the lunch special menu, the second menu was an assortment of drinks on one side and desserts on the other side, and the third menu was their regular menu. The waiter was prepared for me to take my time ordering, but I opted to order immediately, asking for an item that was not on the menu.

I ordered a Lengua Burrito enchilada style with green chili on it. My waiter didn't bat an eye, but did compliment me on my Spanish! LOL.

I started in on the chips, and found them to be delicious, as were both of the salsas. While both exhibited some heat, one was definitely a bit hotter than the other, though both had excellent flavor and body. None of that thin, watery stuff here.

In short order, my burrito arrived. Large, soft, and swimming in a pool of green chili with a little crema squirted over it. It was so good I emptied my entire plate. I also ordered a Tostada de Ceviche in the appetizer size just to try it. As with the burrito, it too was excellent and a nice size . 

Of interest is that the menu contains proteins that are not usually found in most Mexican/American restaurants, including Lengua (tongue), Buche (pork belly), Cabeza (beef head), and Pierna (pork sirloin). I found that the way the menu was designed, every dish was listed both with a full English description as well as a Spanish description.

The only thing I did not care for was the televisions all tuned to a different Spanish language station. They took away from the atmosphere, which would have been a lot nicer had there been some good mariachi music in the background instead.

The place was spotlessly clean, and service was excellent. I hope they continue to keep up this level of food and service, because this is one of the very best Mexican style restaurants I have eaten in in this state.

4 stars for excellent food, good cleanliness, and good service

Spices Mediterranean Kitchen - CLOSED

Spices Mediterranean Kitchen

4040 W Ray Rd

Chandler, AZ 85226

(480) 491-4777

                                                                                   CLOSED

I've eaten at Spices a number of times, and finally decided to rate it. I'm not sure where someone got the idea that it is Greek except for the gyro, as that could not be further from the truth. You will find the absolutely identical food in Israel and most of the Arab world.

Their hummus is beautifully smooth, with a good olive oil and pine nuts on it. Put it together with a warm pita, and you have a terrific starter. It is also available with 3 different meats on it as well.

The Bourekas (puff pastry filled with feta and mozzarella cheese and served with tomato sauce and Mediterranean salad) are like heaven. They also have Shawarma in several different styles to keep any lover of this dish happy.

If you're having Shish Kabob, bring your appetite, as the portion is large and the taste is wonderful.

One of the very best items on the menu is the Falafel. Unlike many other places, theirs are made fresh, instead of from a mix. How can you tell? When you break it open, you will note that the inside is green, and not brown. The green is from all the fresh herbs and spices in it. Served with tzatziki sauce, and hummus it's great! You would find the absolutely identical item in Jerusalem if you went there.

I'm not sure why they call the salad Mediterranean salad. Throughout the Middle East, it is called Israeli salad. A mélange of cucumber, tomato, onion, lemon juice and spices. I can sit and eat it all day long and never get bored.

If you get nothing else on the menu, you need to get the Sweet Malawach for dessert. Don't count the calories, but do savor the flavor. A warm from the oven pastry, covered in cinnamon, honey and a ball of ice cream melting on top. Not for diabetics, but a fabulous dessert.

The restaurant gets packed during the lunch hour, so plan your time accordingly. 4 stars for excellent food, good service, and general cleanliness

Sahara Middle Eastern Restaurant - CLOSED

Sahara Middle Eastern Restaurant

1804 E Southern Ave

Tempe, AZ 85282

(480) 966-1971

                                                                                      CLOSED

I took a group of 10 future restaurant reviewers to eat at this restaurant, and none of us were disappointed. We all shared, starting off with Hummus and Pita's, which were warm and perfect with the creamy hummus and olive oil. Another companion ordered Babaghanouj, which is an eggplant dip and nicely prepared. We also had Foul Moudamas (fava beans with garlic, chilies and spices in a sauce), as well as stuffed grape leaves.

Several members of our group were vegetarians, and each ordered a different dish from the menu. All were pronounced excellent. Portions were so large than many had to bring home leftovers.

A member of our group ordered the Chicken Tika, and other than she would have preferred it to be spicier, it was totally devoured. Other dishes ordered were Chicken Biryani, Lamb Tika, and the Mixed Grill.

I ordered the Lamb Kuzi, which is a slow roasted lamb shank, served with its sauce over a bed of rice. I love lamb, and this was no exception. Tender and falling off the bone, it was a complete meal and had a wonderful flavor of cinnamon with it, which I found to be both unusual and delicious.

The only dessert available was Baklava, which no one objected to.

Service was attentive and very personable. The premises were clean and by the time we left the place was packed.

4 stars for quality of food, cleanliness and service

Tratto

Tratto

4743 N 20th St

Phoenix, AZ 85016

(602) 368-3273

Chris Bianco opened this restaurant after the success of his downtown pizzeria. The menu here is expanded, and reservations are accepted. I arrived @ 7:00 with two companions and was seated immediately. The waiter was friendly, and had a good knowledge of the food and how it was prepared.

We decided to order several entrees and share them so that everyone could taste. We ordered the Papparadelle with Bolognese Sauce, Beef Braciole or Involtini if you are in Italy, and a Pizza Margherita. The Papparadelle came with fluted edges, cooked reasonably al dente, with an excellent Bolognese sauce loaded with chunks of meat. I found it to be on par with any I have ever eaten, though on a personal note I prefer the pasta to be more rustic and hand cut or torn into uneven "rags".  

My companions did not care for the Beef Braciole as much as I did, but allowing for different tastes as well as living in vastly different locations, I can accept that. I found the meat to be beautifully cooked, nicely presented on a bed of cooked cauliflower, and served with some properly roasted onions. Many people who make this dish tend to overpower it with lots of cheese and bread crumbs wrapped up in the beef. Unlike many variations on this recipe, this one was not overly salted or spiced, which I personally appreciated, as the flavor of the range fed beef came out nicely.

Many reviewers have said that the pizza is the best in the United States. I would differ with that opinion. Certainly, the pizza is very good, but I've eaten many a pizza that I felt was as good. The crust has a good flavor, is nicely thin with a nice edge, but the one we were served had an undercooked center that flopped down when picked up. The cheese is handmade on the premises, and is a real treat, melting into a lacy puddle swimming in a pool of an excellent sauce.

My biggest criticism was with the basil. This pizza is supposed to represent the Italian flag - 3 colors - red (sauce), white (cheese) and green (basil). The pizza was cut into 6 pieces and 5 leaves of basil were put on it. One person would not get a real piece of pizza margherita. Worse still, to me is that you only get a leaf of basil. Which bite do you eat it with? In my mind, the best pizza margherita I have ever eaten had a chiffonade of basil sprinkled all over it, so that you got some basil with each bite. My understanding is that that is how the pizza was supposed to be made originally. You wouldn't serve the queen one leaf of basil, now would you?

I must make mention of the bread that came with the meal. I don't know if it is made on the premises or not, but it was wonderfully crusty, with a chewy interior and a superior texture. It was served with a little extra virgin olive oil, and was really excellent. Overall, the premises were clean, though a little noisy at times. I'm hoping that Chris will put a whole lot more basil on his pizza's, as that is a basic part of the flavor of it. 4 stars for excellent service, good food, and general cleanliness.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

11051 N. Black Canyon Highway
Phoenix

I ate at Pappadeaux exactly one year ago, and decided to give it another try. I arrived by myself at 5:15, and was seated immediately.

My first impression was how very noisy it was. All the wait staff was busy yelling at each other and most of what they were yelling was personal business and not about orders.

The waiter sat down at my table and asked "what are we going to eat?" I was wondering if I had to feed him too. I'm not used to having the waiter sit at my table.

I started with a dozen Blue point oysters on the half shell. After a 15 minute wait, the oysters arrived. At $17.95 a dozen, they don't come cheap, but to be fair, they were without any sand or grit. On the down side, some of the oysters were just put haphazard on the plate, and lost all of their wonderful liquor in the ice. Also bad was the horseradish, which tasted old and had absolutely no heat at all. After dumping the entire amount of horseradish I was given into the oyster sauce, I still had to add a generous amount of hot sauce to bring it up to a tolerable level.

For the main course, I ordered the large order of Fried Shrimp ($22.95). The waiter assured me that these were butterflied shrimp, and they were ordered with a baked potato ($2.95 extra). I was also offered a loaf of fresh baked bread. After an interminable amount of time, the shrimp finally showed up, having been brought by a different waiter. Generally, butterflied shrimp are around a U-10 size - large meaty morsels that will normally fill you up after eating perhaps a half dozen. What came to me might have been U-25 or U30 shrimp, which were improperly cut all the way through so that it looked more like a butterfly than a butterflied shrimp. It came with a tiny cup of tarter sauce. I had to ask the waiter which particular shrimp the tarter sauce was for, as it certainly was not enough for them all. I ended up ordering 5 more cups of tarter sauce. As for the potato, it was close in size to a small football, and could have used a little more baking.

After I finished the main course, the original waiter reappeared, and promptly sat himself down at my table again. His question was "What dessert are we going to get tonight?". After looking at the dessert menu and the prices of the desserts, I opted not to have any.

I was extremely disappointed in the restaurant, and have downgraded it since my last visit. I'll give them 3 stars, but I must say it was a challenge not to give them 2 stars this time. They have cheapened the food, the service is poor, and the noise close to unbearable. I'd give it a lot of thought before going to eat in this restaurant. 3 stars

Addendum - since publishing the original review, the owner has contacted me and offered a replacement free meal. Since I take no free gifts from anyone, I have accepted the offer and given it to one of my employees.

All Pierogi Kitchen

All Pierogi Kitchen
1245 W. Baseline Road
Mesa, AZ

Sometimes you find a gem in a place where you never thought you would find one. This is a gem! The owner (and employees) come from the Ukraine, and the food is as authentic as it gets.

I've eaten there a number of times now, and the food is consistent, flavorful, and wonderful.

I started with a bowl of borscht. This wasn't the stuff from a jar, but real, homemade borscht with sour cream in the middle. I know that in the Slavic countries, borscht isn't necessarily made with beets, and even sometimes has meat in it, but this was so good I could have made the entire meal out of it. Even a beet hater would have enjoyed this.

Next, I ordered the Sample Plate ($13.88). A stuffed cabbage roll, a polish sausage, and 6 pierogi. Eating the stuffed cabbage brought back wonderful memories of my mothers cooking and tears to my eyes. It was a big roll with wonderful sauce on top - not too spicy and piping hot exactly like my mother used to make. Next I tried the polish sausage. Again, different than what you get in most places - flavorful, but not overly spiced, and not a trace of grease. Finally were the pierogi. I ordered mine fried, and they were perfection. In the assortment that I ordered were potato, cabbage, sauerkraut, cabbage and mushroom, and potato and cheese. They were all fabulous and served with a side of heavy sour cream and sauteed onions. In particular, the sauerkraut and the cabbage deserve high praise. The cabbage was almost naturally sweet, and the sauerkraut was not the typical sour stuff you usually get.

They also have sweet pierogi made with cherry, blueberry, apple and cinnamon, prune, and other flavors that you can order. Everything is handmade on the premises (you can even see them making them in the back) and the pierogi are cooked to order.

In the front is a small grocery section which has all sorts of imported foods. The only reason they did not get 5 stars is because there is no atmosphere at all. It's basically a grocery store with 6 tables that you may have to wait to sit at because of the crowd. If you are only interested in having wonderful food, home made, made by wonderful people who are genuinely interested in making sure you have a good experience and leave stuffed, then this is the place for you.

I'm usually happy to write my reviews and share them, but this is the first time I'm hesitant to have it published. The place is already busy and I'm afraid I won't be able to get in if they get any more business!

4 stars for excellent food, attentive service, and cleanliness.

Bavarian Point Restaurant

Bavarian Point Restaurant

4815 E Main St

Mesa, AZ 85205

We visited this restaurant as a party of 9 on a Saturday evening. Upon arrival, a busser tried to seat us, and had a problem understanding that we were a party of 9 apparently due to a language barrier, but it was quickly straightened out and we were seated in short order. Warm bread with real salt butter was quickly brought to the table for our enjoyment.

None of us wanted an appetizer, though they have a very nice list of them, and 8 of us opted for the salad bar, while one opted for soup. The salad bar was small but nicely laid out. I must say that I had the best beets of my life there, and another of our party said she had the most wonderful green beans she had ever eaten. Kudos for the nice start to our meal!

Our waitress came back to the table to tell us about the evening's specials. 3 of us ordered the Pork Osso Bucco from the special menu. Others ordered Jagerschnitzel, Weinerschnitzel, and one ordered a plate of scallops. A few of the items on the menu were not in keeping with German/Bavarian food, but it was all quite tasty. All portions were big; big enough to satisfy the biggest appetite!

The Osso Bucco was cooked to perfection, falling off the bone tender, and with a terrific, silky smooth sauce from the cooking with mushrooms in it. All the schnitzels were properly pounded out thin, and just about completely covered the plates. The only word for them is huge. Companions all pronounced them to be excellent. The companion that ordered the scallops pronounced them to be perfect.

Most of our party took home a doggy bag, though I seriously doubt any of the dogs would get a bite of this hearty food.

Dessert was unanimously Apple Strudel. It was different than any apple strudel I have ever eaten, and was not the highlight of the meal, though the sauce it was swimming it was heavenly. I probably could have ordered and drank an entire cup of the sauce!

Other reviewers have mentioned slow service in their reviews, but we found the pace of service to be just right. A constant stream of guests were seated while we were there and it did not seem to have an effect on the service.

The place was clean, and the only dings were that the ladies room needs to be spiffed up a bit, and the A/C needs to be turned down a degree or two. If you like hearty portions of German/Bavarian food I commend this place to you. 4 stars