420 S Mill Ave
Tempe, AZ 85281
This is a preliminary review of Spinelli's Pizzeria in that it only involves their delivery service and items ordered online for delivery to the house. To be fair, this restaurant will be reviewed again in person at a future time and the rating may change at that time.
One of the things that attracted me to this restaurant is that they will deliver until the wee hours of the morning. They don't shut down until 5 a.m.
The best cheesesteaks I have eaten are in Philly, so I ordered a Cheesesteak Stromboli for myself and a regular Cheesesteak Sandwich for companion.
The cheesesteak sandwich is served on a roll imported from Philly, and can be had with a choice of 3 different cheeses. Veggies are optional but not charged for.
The Stromboli reminds me of a calzone in that the fillings are inside of a stretched piece of pizza dough. Again, veggies are optional but available at no additional charge.
At $10.50 for a normal Stromboli and $19.50 for a large, the prices seemed a bit steep, but a good sandwich or Stromboli can be worth the money.
I ordered our sandwiches, keeping in mind that the restaurant posts that delivery takes between 45 minutes and an hour. Two hours later our food had not yet arrived. I called the restaurant to inquire about our order and they said it would be ready to sent to us in about thirty minutes. Almost three hours went by before our order came. Not exactly one hour service, and the food was lukewarm. Putting it in the oven for about 15 minutes helped immeasurably with the flavor.
The sandwiches were of fair size and quality, but in my opinion nothing special. Perhaps eating in the restaurant will reveal a different experience.
I must admit I was not very impressed by the service or the quality of the sandwiches. I can't remember ever having take out take three hours to arrive. We felt that $33.83 for 2 sandwiches delivered to the house was a bit steep.
2 Stars for delivering until 5 a.m.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Rodizio Grill
Taking advantage of Arizona Restaurant Week, we went to the Rodizio Grill in Mesa. We were a few minutes early for a 6:00 reservation, so we sat outside on a bench while they got our table ready for us. Restaurant week is an opportunity to dine at reduced prices at local restaurants. While our price was $33 for each person, which is about the normal price for a meal, they added at no cost an alcoholic beverage or complimentary house special soft drink as well as dessert at no extra cost.
For those who have never had Rodizio, it is a Brazilian style dinner. It starts off with an unlimited very nice salad bar which was stocked with some very different salads as well as some hot dishes. Available were items like Beef Stroganoff, Feijoada (traditional Brazilian stew), Mozzarella salad, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato salad, and lots more. However, if you fill up on the salad bar you will not have room left for the main attraction, the "Meats".
Among the meats served were - Picanha Top Sirloin (A lean, juicy cut of beef with a mild and sophisticated flavor), Bife Com Alho (Tender steak basted in garlic seasonings), Maminha Seasoned Tri Tip Sirloin, Miolo da Paleta (Beef Center Cut Skirt Steak), Whole Sirloin, Frango Com Bacon
(Lean, juicy chicken breast wrapped in bacon), Frango Agri-Doce (Sweet and spicy chicken), Sobre Coxa (Marinated & Seasoned Chicken), Coração (Grilled tender chicken hearts), Linguiça, (Brazilian sausage), Lombo Com Queijo (A tender cut of pork, served with parmesan cheese- and bacon, Presunto (Ham), Cordeiro (Boneless leg of Lamb), as well as others that I cannot recall.
On your table is a small rectangular block with one end painted green and the other end painted red. When the green end is up it mean you want more food, and gauchos will circulate in your area with food on long swords and large knives. They will cut off as much meat as you wish each time one of them comes by. There were so many of them in the area that we had to turn our block to red for a while until we could finish what was already on our plates. Then we turned the block back to green and the Gaucho's started coming around with more meat. Because of the way the meat is cooked, you can ask for any degree of doneness and it will usually be available.
The steak with garlic was particularly memorable as was the chicken wrapped in bacon, the ham, and the lamb. We all had seconds and or thirds of these meats, plus the regular portions of the other meats.
The only way to properly describe this restaurant is as a Carnivore's Delight. One of our party was a true carnivore and probably ate several pounds of meat.
When you lay your block sideways on the table it signifies that you are ready for dessert.
Dings - only one - there are two types of waiters and waitresses on the floor. The meat waiters, who did a terrific job of keeping our plates well stocked, and the service waitresses. Our service waitress was a disaster waiting to happen. She made our meal drag on because she could not be found and was so very slow.
Bathrooms were nice and clean and properly stocked.
3 stars for cleanliness and quality of food.
For those who have never had Rodizio, it is a Brazilian style dinner. It starts off with an unlimited very nice salad bar which was stocked with some very different salads as well as some hot dishes. Available were items like Beef Stroganoff, Feijoada (traditional Brazilian stew), Mozzarella salad, Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato salad, and lots more. However, if you fill up on the salad bar you will not have room left for the main attraction, the "Meats".
Among the meats served were - Picanha Top Sirloin (A lean, juicy cut of beef with a mild and sophisticated flavor), Bife Com Alho (Tender steak basted in garlic seasonings), Maminha Seasoned Tri Tip Sirloin, Miolo da Paleta (Beef Center Cut Skirt Steak), Whole Sirloin, Frango Com Bacon
(Lean, juicy chicken breast wrapped in bacon), Frango Agri-Doce (Sweet and spicy chicken), Sobre Coxa (Marinated & Seasoned Chicken), Coração (Grilled tender chicken hearts), Linguiça, (Brazilian sausage), Lombo Com Queijo (A tender cut of pork, served with parmesan cheese- and bacon, Presunto (Ham), Cordeiro (Boneless leg of Lamb), as well as others that I cannot recall.
On your table is a small rectangular block with one end painted green and the other end painted red. When the green end is up it mean you want more food, and gauchos will circulate in your area with food on long swords and large knives. They will cut off as much meat as you wish each time one of them comes by. There were so many of them in the area that we had to turn our block to red for a while until we could finish what was already on our plates. Then we turned the block back to green and the Gaucho's started coming around with more meat. Because of the way the meat is cooked, you can ask for any degree of doneness and it will usually be available.
The steak with garlic was particularly memorable as was the chicken wrapped in bacon, the ham, and the lamb. We all had seconds and or thirds of these meats, plus the regular portions of the other meats.
The only way to properly describe this restaurant is as a Carnivore's Delight. One of our party was a true carnivore and probably ate several pounds of meat.
When you lay your block sideways on the table it signifies that you are ready for dessert.
Dings - only one - there are two types of waiters and waitresses on the floor. The meat waiters, who did a terrific job of keeping our plates well stocked, and the service waitresses. Our service waitress was a disaster waiting to happen. She made our meal drag on because she could not be found and was so very slow.
Bathrooms were nice and clean and properly stocked.
3 stars for cleanliness and quality of food.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Mora Italian - second review
Mora Italian
5651 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85014
This is my second review of Mora Italian. Our group had a 7:00 reservation and were promptly seated. Two of us started off with a Sangria Mora. A nice, light way to start the meal.
We again ordered the bread cart and everyone enjoyed it immensely. Next was the Salume and Cheese platter. It not only had some excellent salume and cheeses, but also had some wonderful chutney with toasted almonds as well as an excellent fig jam. The highlight of the platter was a small pile of thin sliced Iberico Prosciutto, which many consider to be the finest in the world and which I would not dispute.
Next came the Frito Misto and the Octopus. The Frito Misto is served with a squeeze of lemon which is perfect with it and the Octopus is so tender that one cuts it with the side of a fork instead of with a knife. Our waiter suggested that we try a new dish that was just put on the menu - Mussels. They were truly amazing - sweet, tender and swimming in a sauce that was so good that I soaked bread in it and took it home with me!
The Burrata was, to be honest just fair, and could have done with a nice drizzle of good olive oil on it, but the Gnudi were obviously made in heaven and transported to our table. If I were on death row my last meal would be a double portion of the Gnudi.
We ordered the chef's signature dish which is the Pomodoro Spaghetti. The pasta was very obviously hand made and the pomodoro sauce was absolutely wonderful with just a hint of spice added to it.
We also ordered a Margherita and a Soppressata pizza, but were too full to eat them and instead took them home.
Service was excellent, as was cleanliness. If nothing else, a visit to the bathroom is an essential visit, as they are like nothing I have ever seen anywhere else. Each person has their own, private, individual bathroom!
New items ordered this time were the Mussels, the Salume, and the Spaghetti Pomodoro.
Dings - same as last time - the music is much too loud, often drowning out conversation at the table and requiring the waiter to repeat things for us.
5 Stars
5651 N 7th St
Phoenix, AZ 85014
This is my second review of Mora Italian. Our group had a 7:00 reservation and were promptly seated. Two of us started off with a Sangria Mora. A nice, light way to start the meal.
We again ordered the bread cart and everyone enjoyed it immensely. Next was the Salume and Cheese platter. It not only had some excellent salume and cheeses, but also had some wonderful chutney with toasted almonds as well as an excellent fig jam. The highlight of the platter was a small pile of thin sliced Iberico Prosciutto, which many consider to be the finest in the world and which I would not dispute.
Next came the Frito Misto and the Octopus. The Frito Misto is served with a squeeze of lemon which is perfect with it and the Octopus is so tender that one cuts it with the side of a fork instead of with a knife. Our waiter suggested that we try a new dish that was just put on the menu - Mussels. They were truly amazing - sweet, tender and swimming in a sauce that was so good that I soaked bread in it and took it home with me!
The Burrata was, to be honest just fair, and could have done with a nice drizzle of good olive oil on it, but the Gnudi were obviously made in heaven and transported to our table. If I were on death row my last meal would be a double portion of the Gnudi.
We ordered the chef's signature dish which is the Pomodoro Spaghetti. The pasta was very obviously hand made and the pomodoro sauce was absolutely wonderful with just a hint of spice added to it.
We also ordered a Margherita and a Soppressata pizza, but were too full to eat them and instead took them home.
Service was excellent, as was cleanliness. If nothing else, a visit to the bathroom is an essential visit, as they are like nothing I have ever seen anywhere else. Each person has their own, private, individual bathroom!
New items ordered this time were the Mussels, the Salume, and the Spaghetti Pomodoro.
Dings - same as last time - the music is much too loud, often drowning out conversation at the table and requiring the waiter to repeat things for us.
5 Stars
Monday, March 6, 2017
The Habit Burger Grill
The Habit Burger Grill
1817 E Guadalupe Rd
Ste 102
Tempe, AZ 85283
Companion and I were in the mood for burgers for lunch and decided to try a new place. We were promptly greeted from behind the counter with a nice big smile and a cheery hello.
We both ordered the #2 Double Char ($8.15) which includes fries and a drink. Companion added cheese and bacon to his sandwich. I asked for well done fries.
They have a drink bar where you can select whatever you like to drink. This was the first place I have ever seen that has pomegranate lemonade, which was a real treat.
We found seats and loaded up on napkins as well as ketchup for the fries and some salt. Unlike many burger places they do not season their fries, which I prefer to the usual salt shower used in some places.
In due time our burgers were brought out. Big, juicy burgers that oozed when you picked it up. The fries were excellent, and crunched when I bit into them. It was nice to get my food made my way instead of being what they thought I would want.
Companion’s burger was loaded with bacon and had cheese dripping off of it. Neither of us minded getting our hands a bit soiled eating such a big, excellent burger.
The place was spotlessly clean and a member of the crew even came by to make sure our lunch met our satisfaction.
The menu had quite a number of selections on it all of which were at an excellent price point. I’m already planning my next trip there to have the Tri-Tip Steak or the Portabella Char.
Dings - only one - they only cook their burgers medium or well done, and I prefer mine rare or medium rare.
4 stars
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Zur Kate
Zur Kate
4815 E Main St Mesa, AZ 85205
4815 E Main St Mesa, AZ 85205
Five of us met at Zur Kate for a German dinner. The owner is from Germany, and we were looking forward to some real German food. For two of us, it started with 30 ounce steins of Warsteiner Dunkel beer. Dark, cold, and very satisfying. Live accordion playing was taking place in the room next to us, and we soon found ourselves toe tapping to the music.
Fresh rye bread was brought to the table. It was soft and delicious, though I would have enjoyed it more if it had been just a bit warm.
Our waitress was friendly and efficient. I ordered the Jagerschnitzel with spaetzle and a side of curry wurst. Companion 1 ordered the exact same dish, while companion 2 ordered the Leberkase with gravy. Companion 3 ordered the curry wurst with home fries and companion 4 ordered the zwiebel rippchen which is a smoked pork chop with grilled onions.
With the exception of companion 2, everyone enjoyed their dishes and were totally stuffed.
Companion 2 felt that the food needed more seasoning and was a bit dry. Then again, Leberkase is a finely ground sausage loaf that can easily be a bit on the dryer side because the meat is chopped so fine.
I got to taste companion 4's pork chop and it was absolutely delicious as well as mouth wateringly tender.
For dessert, I ordered the apple strudel and was unable to finish it because I was so full. Companion 1, 3 and 4 all ordered the Black Forest cake and pronounced it wonderful. (It had a touch of booze in it which may have caused them to say that)! Unfortunately, they were sold out of the cheese cake for the evening.
When the bill came I initially thought there must have been a mistake because the bill was so low and we ate so much, but reviewing it showed no mistake. The food was quite reasonable, especially since I would have liked a wheel barrow to get out the door.
The only fault I could find was that it was fairly warm inside. Even with the door open, the temperature was a bit too warm. A bit of air conditioning would have been really helpful.
Since every table was taken it was a bit noisy inside, but in truth, most German restaurants are not exactly quiet and they usually have an atmosphere of conviviality and fun.
Everything was clean, and service was as expected.
4 stars for good food, good atmosphere, and cleanliness.
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Pokedon
Pokedon
1753 E. Broadway Road
Tempe, AZ
This review is written after dining at this establishment 2 days in a row. Some of this review reflects excellence, while some of it reflects problems which need to be corrected quickly if they are to stay in business.
Companion and I visited the first time and each ordered the large bowl combo. Lets break this down into actual food portions. You are first given a choice of white rice, brown rice, a spring mix of greens, or Wonton chips. Companion chose white rice and I chose the brown rice. Both were properly cooked and the person waiting on us filled the bowl 3/4 full with rice. Essentially, we were under the impression that they were trying to fill us up on rice.
Next was the protein selection. We were each entitled to 3 scoops. Companion ordered Tuna, Salmon, and Scallop, and I ordered Octopus, Tuna, and Spicy Scallop since I will never eat raw Salmon due to the possibility of parasites. The fish all seemed fresh though the Spicy Scallops did not seem to be very cold and were approaching room temperature.
You can choose from a plethora of sides all of which except Avocado are free. The Avocado is $1 extra. The crab mix was just fair, but the pickled cucumber and the seaweed salad were both excellent.
Next you get to choose a sauce from a group of 7 selections. Companion selected Ponzu mixed with House sauce, and I selected they Yuzu Vinaigrette. All the sauces were excellent and really buoyed up the proteins. It is noted that the fish is kept separate from the hot rice until this point.
Last was the opportunity to have any of 3 sprinkles on top. I chose sesame seeds while companion chose chopped sheet seaweed.
Since we ordered combo bowls ($2.50) we also received small bowls of Miso soup and our drinks.
We also ordered egg rolls ( 4 to a serving), which in reality were spring rolls. The "egg rolls" were fair at best, and after eating one, the rest were consigned to the refuse bin.
Portions on the first visit were of a good size and the waitress who served us was cheerful and willing to let us taste anything we asked about.
On the second visit I was alone and had a totally different experience. The fellow who served me skimped on everything including only putting a half scoop of Octopus in the bowl. When it came to the pickled cucumber and the seaweed salad he skimped again and said if I wanted more than he put in the bowl I'd have to pay for an extra scoop. The way he said it was a total turn off to me and almost had me walking out. I again asked for the sesame seeds on top, and it almost looked like a sesame storm had hit the bowl.
The place is nice an clean, but unless they become consistent with portions they will not be around for long.
3 stars for quality of the proteins, flavor, and cleanliness. Hopefully if they get the portions straightened out I might be able to raise them to 4 stars.
1753 E. Broadway Road
Tempe, AZ
This review is written after dining at this establishment 2 days in a row. Some of this review reflects excellence, while some of it reflects problems which need to be corrected quickly if they are to stay in business.
Companion and I visited the first time and each ordered the large bowl combo. Lets break this down into actual food portions. You are first given a choice of white rice, brown rice, a spring mix of greens, or Wonton chips. Companion chose white rice and I chose the brown rice. Both were properly cooked and the person waiting on us filled the bowl 3/4 full with rice. Essentially, we were under the impression that they were trying to fill us up on rice.
Next was the protein selection. We were each entitled to 3 scoops. Companion ordered Tuna, Salmon, and Scallop, and I ordered Octopus, Tuna, and Spicy Scallop since I will never eat raw Salmon due to the possibility of parasites. The fish all seemed fresh though the Spicy Scallops did not seem to be very cold and were approaching room temperature.
You can choose from a plethora of sides all of which except Avocado are free. The Avocado is $1 extra. The crab mix was just fair, but the pickled cucumber and the seaweed salad were both excellent.
Next you get to choose a sauce from a group of 7 selections. Companion selected Ponzu mixed with House sauce, and I selected they Yuzu Vinaigrette. All the sauces were excellent and really buoyed up the proteins. It is noted that the fish is kept separate from the hot rice until this point.
Last was the opportunity to have any of 3 sprinkles on top. I chose sesame seeds while companion chose chopped sheet seaweed.
Since we ordered combo bowls ($2.50) we also received small bowls of Miso soup and our drinks.
We also ordered egg rolls ( 4 to a serving), which in reality were spring rolls. The "egg rolls" were fair at best, and after eating one, the rest were consigned to the refuse bin.
Portions on the first visit were of a good size and the waitress who served us was cheerful and willing to let us taste anything we asked about.
On the second visit I was alone and had a totally different experience. The fellow who served me skimped on everything including only putting a half scoop of Octopus in the bowl. When it came to the pickled cucumber and the seaweed salad he skimped again and said if I wanted more than he put in the bowl I'd have to pay for an extra scoop. The way he said it was a total turn off to me and almost had me walking out. I again asked for the sesame seeds on top, and it almost looked like a sesame storm had hit the bowl.
The place is nice an clean, but unless they become consistent with portions they will not be around for long.
3 stars for quality of the proteins, flavor, and cleanliness. Hopefully if they get the portions straightened out I might be able to raise them to 4 stars.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Mora Italian
Mora Italian
5651 N. Seventh St.
Phoenix
This review reflects the soft opening before the formal opening. Soft openings give the staff a chance to work out any problems and the kitchen to perfect their skills. The restaurant is beautifully decorated mostly in black, red and white. The open kitchen is fun to watch and there's plenty of wait staff. Music plays in the background.
Companion and I started with the bread cart ($8/table). Some excellent artisan bread with 4 different toppings available. Artichoke Bomba, Marscapone Butter, Roasted Garlic Spread, and Eggplant Caponata. All of the spreads were beautifully made, with muted flavors and yet with distinction. The caponata was truly amazing, and the garlic, which I expected to be assertive was very mild and mixed with cheese.
Next was the grilled octopus with ceci beans, small potatoes and cured olives ($15.00). I’ve eaten octopus all over the world, and never have had one so tender that I did not need a knife to cut it. The octopus is slow poached in olive oil and has a wonderful flavor.
This was followed by pork and veal meatballs in a semolina pudding ($11.00). Included was broccoli rabe and pesto. The meatballs were tender and sauteed just until perfectly caramelized and brown. A real treat.
Frito Misto was next on our menu ($13.00). Beautifully tender morsels of calamari in a very light coating, fried to perfection along with rock shrimp and served with but a wedge of lemon. No heavy sauces here to disguise the perfectly seasoned calamari and tender shrimp.
Next, cavatelli with braised duck and black truffles ($21.00). Perfectly al dente homemade cavatelli swimming in a sauce of deep braised duck loaded with a black truffle flavor. How does one describe the melding of flavors that are in this dish. For a pasta lover, the cavatelli is wonderful, and for a duck lover the duck and truffles are amazing.
We took a break with spinach and ricotta gnudi ($15.00). Gnudi are essentially the filling of a ravioli minus the pasta wrapper. I’ve never eaten gnudi like these before. The word that comes to mind is ethereal. So light and smooth that you barely know you are eating them. This dish was perfection.
Also ordered was the seafood pizza napoletana ($17.00) A very thin crust pizza with clams, mussels, shrimp, and baby tomatoes in a lightly spicy tomato sauce. I thought it was terrific, and I can’t repeat the words that companion used to describe it in public!
Desserts: A cocoanut cake that is enormous, a salted caramel with whipped cream, and a sherbert/blackberry compote. All of which were too big to possibly finish.
The kitchen sent out a complimentary foccacia di recco. This was a gossamer thin pizza which is best described as the ultimate cheese crisp on crack. The filling is stracchino cheese and sea salt perhaps with a bit of ricotta?
The restaurant is immaculately clean, and the bathrooms have to be seen to be believed. Essentially, each person has their own private little bathroom!
Dings - only one - the music needs to be turned down. Companion and I both left with the beginnings of headaches from it and had difficulty conversing during the meal.
5 stars for outstanding food, cleanliness, and excellent service
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