961 W. Ray Rd
Chandler, AZ 85225
Peruvian food is a real treat for me, so 6 of us descended on Tumi's to try the food.
We started off with Jarra de Chicha Morada o Maracuya - a pitcher of purple corn drink. It was unanimous that the flavor was wonderful. The sweetness was not overbearing as the passion fruit drink was.
Next was an appetizer. We ordered Anticuchos which were 3 skewers of heart, grilled with a touch of vinegar and some Peruvian spices. It came with a sauce that (for me) was liquid fire, and some kernels of Peruvian corn which had been softened by boiling in water. Most of us loved the Anticuchos and we all discussed how they got it so tender.
Next were the main courses, and this is where some had a few problems. Companion ordered Tallarin Salteado de Mariscos - Linguine with sea food sauté with onions and tomatoes and cilantro mignonette and instead was given Saltado de Mariscos - Seafood sauté with onions, tomatoes cilantro mignonette and French fries. Companion did not enjoy the dish but chose to not send it back. Companion felt that some components of the dish were not cooked enough.
Another of our group ordered the Cau Cau - Cow tripe on Aji amarillo and turmeric sauce mixed with Potatoes cubed and mint mignonette. This person felt the taste was excellent but the tripe needed a bit more cooking.
Yet another member of our group ordered Lomo a Caballo - Premium beef loin strips sauté with onions, tomatoes, cilantro mignonette and French fries, fried sweet plantains, sunny side up egg. Unfortunately, the egg was tremendously overcooked and there was a large amount of onion on the dish.
Still another member of our group ordered Lomo Saltado - Premium beef loin strips sauté with onions, tomatoes, cilantro mignonette and French fries. The member enjoyed the entire dish.
Our group vegetarian ordered Causa Rellena de Camaron - Two layers of mashed potatoes seasoned with lime and aji and filled with shrimp creamy. The presentation of the dish was first class, though the portion size was a bit on the smaller side.
For myself, I ordered Picante a lo Tumi - A melange of assorted seafood served with a yellow pepper sauce, rice and fried yucca. My food was delicious.
The biggest problem was the waitstaff. When bills were presented they were all mixed up and it took quite a bit of time to straighten them out.
3 stars for the good food, but could have been 4 stars had the service been proper.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Friday, August 18, 2017
California Fish Grill
6150 Slauson Ave
Ste 107
Culver City, CA 90230
Companion and I were in the area and decided to have some fish items for dinner. The Fish Grill is an interesting concept. Customers order from a large selection of items posted on a huge board at the front of the restaurant. They then (hopefully) look for and find a table to sit at while waiting for their order to be ready. Disks with lights and buzzers are given to each person who orders, and they are thus notified when their items are ready.
We started with a basket of calamari. They were beautifully cooked and perfectly seasoned. Two types of tarter sauce are available - regular and New England style, with the latter being more highly seasoned and with a bit of lemon in it. Packets of malt vinegar are also available as is ketchup and an assortment of salsa's.
Companion ordered the grilled Barramundi with chimichurri sauce along with sweet potato fries and balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts and a bowl of clam chowder. Unfortunately, the barramundi was dry and the chimichurri sauce was devoid of flavor. To their credit, they immediately took back the fish and asked companion to order something else off the menu. This is how a customer that is not happy should be treated.
I ordered the Giant Shrimp with garlic butter, sweet potato fries, balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts, and Parmesan string beans. The shrimp, while nicely grilled and tasty were butterflied and still had the shells on. It would have been nice if the menu mentioned that the shells were included as the first bite was what informed me of that fact. The fries were quite ordinary and rather flaccid unfortunately, but the Parmesan string beans were dynamite. Perfectly cooked with not a drop of extra oil on them they had wonderful flavor and are highly recommended. The Brussels sprouts had good flavor and were nicely cooked.
Getting a table may be a bit difficult but fortunately, they have take out ordering.
Sanitation was excellent and food was brought out in a timely manner. Customers then picked it up on large sheet pans for their table.
4 stars for quality of sea food, responsiveness to customers, and excellent sanitation
Ste 107
Culver City, CA 90230
Companion and I were in the area and decided to have some fish items for dinner. The Fish Grill is an interesting concept. Customers order from a large selection of items posted on a huge board at the front of the restaurant. They then (hopefully) look for and find a table to sit at while waiting for their order to be ready. Disks with lights and buzzers are given to each person who orders, and they are thus notified when their items are ready.
We started with a basket of calamari. They were beautifully cooked and perfectly seasoned. Two types of tarter sauce are available - regular and New England style, with the latter being more highly seasoned and with a bit of lemon in it. Packets of malt vinegar are also available as is ketchup and an assortment of salsa's.
Companion ordered the grilled Barramundi with chimichurri sauce along with sweet potato fries and balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts and a bowl of clam chowder. Unfortunately, the barramundi was dry and the chimichurri sauce was devoid of flavor. To their credit, they immediately took back the fish and asked companion to order something else off the menu. This is how a customer that is not happy should be treated.
I ordered the Giant Shrimp with garlic butter, sweet potato fries, balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts, and Parmesan string beans. The shrimp, while nicely grilled and tasty were butterflied and still had the shells on. It would have been nice if the menu mentioned that the shells were included as the first bite was what informed me of that fact. The fries were quite ordinary and rather flaccid unfortunately, but the Parmesan string beans were dynamite. Perfectly cooked with not a drop of extra oil on them they had wonderful flavor and are highly recommended. The Brussels sprouts had good flavor and were nicely cooked.
Getting a table may be a bit difficult but fortunately, they have take out ordering.
Sanitation was excellent and food was brought out in a timely manner. Customers then picked it up on large sheet pans for their table.
4 stars for quality of sea food, responsiveness to customers, and excellent sanitation
Monday, August 14, 2017
Carolinas - Mesa
1450 S Country Club Dr
Mesa, AZ 85210
For those of us that have lived in the valley for a long time, Carolina's in the South Phoenix area was the Mecca for Tortillas. Huge, soft, hand stretched and made with real lard, they had a flavor that couldn't be beat. Time has taken it's toll on the original Carolina's and it is a bit run down, with occasional bullet holes in the outside of the building.
Welcome a new Carolina's on the East Side. Located almost at the intersection of Country Club and U.S. 60 is a beautiful, shiny rebuilt building with lots of parking and plenty of tables to sit at. The same menu items are available and have the same wonderful home made taste.
Companion and I arrived for lunch, and the place was packed. However, we were still able to find tables to sit at. Companion ordered a Carne Asada burrito and was not disappointed. Companion did point out that it would have been nice to have had guacamole on it, and I pointed out that it was available and just had to be asked for.
I ordered the Chicken Chimichanga with 2 toppings. I must confess that this was the best one that I have ever had the pleasure of eating. It was totally filled with pulled chicken, wrapped in one of their fabulous tortillas, deep fried, then covered in sour cream and guacamole. There is a salsa bar that only has one type of salsa, but it had great flavor.
Drinks are sold either as regular or large. You take your cup to the beverage counter and fill your cup with whatever you wish to drink. Refills are free.
I must mention the wonderful flour tortillas that they make. Each one is hand stretched, enormous, and made the original way with a little lard in it which gives it the flavor that so many tortillas are missing. Warmed up, they make a fabulous munch in front of the idiot tube at home. We ordered a dozen to take with us.
Service is fast. We had our food in spite of the noon rush in less than 10 minutes.
Dings - only one - I wish they had some limes available to put on your food. They do have lemons, but in Mexico you will never find a lemon - only limes.
The place was beautifully clean, and there is an outdoor large patio where you can enjoy your food when the weather moderates. Much as I hate to say it because it will bring even more people, I highly recommend Carolina's for some wonderful food.
5 stars
Mesa, AZ 85210
For those of us that have lived in the valley for a long time, Carolina's in the South Phoenix area was the Mecca for Tortillas. Huge, soft, hand stretched and made with real lard, they had a flavor that couldn't be beat. Time has taken it's toll on the original Carolina's and it is a bit run down, with occasional bullet holes in the outside of the building.
Welcome a new Carolina's on the East Side. Located almost at the intersection of Country Club and U.S. 60 is a beautiful, shiny rebuilt building with lots of parking and plenty of tables to sit at. The same menu items are available and have the same wonderful home made taste.
Companion and I arrived for lunch, and the place was packed. However, we were still able to find tables to sit at. Companion ordered a Carne Asada burrito and was not disappointed. Companion did point out that it would have been nice to have had guacamole on it, and I pointed out that it was available and just had to be asked for.
I ordered the Chicken Chimichanga with 2 toppings. I must confess that this was the best one that I have ever had the pleasure of eating. It was totally filled with pulled chicken, wrapped in one of their fabulous tortillas, deep fried, then covered in sour cream and guacamole. There is a salsa bar that only has one type of salsa, but it had great flavor.
Drinks are sold either as regular or large. You take your cup to the beverage counter and fill your cup with whatever you wish to drink. Refills are free.
I must mention the wonderful flour tortillas that they make. Each one is hand stretched, enormous, and made the original way with a little lard in it which gives it the flavor that so many tortillas are missing. Warmed up, they make a fabulous munch in front of the idiot tube at home. We ordered a dozen to take with us.
Service is fast. We had our food in spite of the noon rush in less than 10 minutes.
Dings - only one - I wish they had some limes available to put on your food. They do have lemons, but in Mexico you will never find a lemon - only limes.
The place was beautifully clean, and there is an outdoor large patio where you can enjoy your food when the weather moderates. Much as I hate to say it because it will bring even more people, I highly recommend Carolina's for some wonderful food.
5 stars
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Yasha From Russia
10240 N 32nd St
Phoenix, AZ 85028
Yasha from Russia is truly from Russia. Better still, virtually all the food that they carry is from Russia or the Baltic area as well.
We stopped by to look at the store, and ended up spending $75 on some excellent foods. Of note, ask for a sample of almost anything and they will happily comply.
We started at the meat case. I'm not sure when I have last seen such a huge assortment of sausages, bologna's, salami's, and items that I don't even know the name of. We purchased some excellent polish salami, along with a sampling of other meats. They even carry Lardo, which is almost impossible to find. I sampled it both normally seasoned and seasoned with Hungarian Paprika. The piece seasoned with the paprika was much too strong for me, but the normally seasoned Lardo just tasted of porcine bliss as it melted on my tongue. To be sure, one would not want to eat large quantities of this but a small square of it thin sliced and melting on a warm piece of toast was thought of in heaven.
Next we turned our attention to the pastry case. I was fairly sure companion was going to lose her mind looking at and tasting all the different cakes and pastries. We ended up purchasing 4 different items from the case. I was surprised at the relatively inexpensive prices of the cakes, which, by the way are made on the premises.
A stop by the freezer section loaded our cart with pierogi and pelmeni in assorted flavors which were also available at reasonable prices and in assorted quantities. If you did not want it pre-packaged, it was also available loose in a different freezer where you could pick your own.
In the liquor section I found a bottle of Wild Strawberry Wine. If you have never eaten a wild strawberry you have missed one of the wonders of gastronomic life. The flavor of them is far more pronounced than domestic strawberries. I can't wait to open the bottle and have a taste.
Yet another section of the store had pickles and pickled sour green tomatoes. If you came from back east, you used to see these items in big barrels in deli stores. Here, because of food laws they have to keep them in plastic buckets under refrigeration, but you are free to serve yourself and pick the pickle you like!
They have a small quantity of wild mushroom both frozen and dried in stock. I asked about Black Russian Mushrooms (a fabulous delicacy), and they assured me that they will try to get them for me and will call me when they do.
In going through the store and interacting with the people I found that they would do almost anything to try to please a customer.
I definitely have found a new place to do shopping. 4 stars
Phoenix, AZ 85028
Yasha from Russia is truly from Russia. Better still, virtually all the food that they carry is from Russia or the Baltic area as well.
We stopped by to look at the store, and ended up spending $75 on some excellent foods. Of note, ask for a sample of almost anything and they will happily comply.
We started at the meat case. I'm not sure when I have last seen such a huge assortment of sausages, bologna's, salami's, and items that I don't even know the name of. We purchased some excellent polish salami, along with a sampling of other meats. They even carry Lardo, which is almost impossible to find. I sampled it both normally seasoned and seasoned with Hungarian Paprika. The piece seasoned with the paprika was much too strong for me, but the normally seasoned Lardo just tasted of porcine bliss as it melted on my tongue. To be sure, one would not want to eat large quantities of this but a small square of it thin sliced and melting on a warm piece of toast was thought of in heaven.
Next we turned our attention to the pastry case. I was fairly sure companion was going to lose her mind looking at and tasting all the different cakes and pastries. We ended up purchasing 4 different items from the case. I was surprised at the relatively inexpensive prices of the cakes, which, by the way are made on the premises.
A stop by the freezer section loaded our cart with pierogi and pelmeni in assorted flavors which were also available at reasonable prices and in assorted quantities. If you did not want it pre-packaged, it was also available loose in a different freezer where you could pick your own.
In the liquor section I found a bottle of Wild Strawberry Wine. If you have never eaten a wild strawberry you have missed one of the wonders of gastronomic life. The flavor of them is far more pronounced than domestic strawberries. I can't wait to open the bottle and have a taste.
Yet another section of the store had pickles and pickled sour green tomatoes. If you came from back east, you used to see these items in big barrels in deli stores. Here, because of food laws they have to keep them in plastic buckets under refrigeration, but you are free to serve yourself and pick the pickle you like!
They have a small quantity of wild mushroom both frozen and dried in stock. I asked about Black Russian Mushrooms (a fabulous delicacy), and they assured me that they will try to get them for me and will call me when they do.
In going through the store and interacting with the people I found that they would do almost anything to try to please a customer.
I definitely have found a new place to do shopping. 4 stars
The Codfather
1618 E Bell Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Companion and I had lunch at this restaurant. This was our second visit, with our first having been about a year ago.
We were promptly seated and offered drinks. Unfortunately, their selection of non-sugared drinks is rather sparse and I ended up having tea with no lemon. Fortunately, being a "British" restaurant they have an idea of what tea should taste like and no harm done.
Companion and I started of with a Scotch egg. It was cooked nicely, and served cut into quarters to make our sharing easier. The egg is served with what I surmised to be Coleman's English Mustard, which I really enjoyed. Most Scotch eggs served in the U.S. are made with regular seasoned pork sausage, which is highly seasoned compared to English sausage, however this sausage was perfectly seasoned in the true English tradition.
Next came the main dishes. Companion ordered the Steak and Kidney Pie and I ordered Bangers and Mash.
While the Steak and Kidney Pie was but a shadow of the real thing one would get in any pub (even at a roadside on the M5) the flavor was acceptable, however the kidney was nothing but mince. The pie was more like a Cornish Pasty than a true baked small pie. The pie came with no accompaniments whereas in the U.K. it usually comes with a side of mash and some mushy peas.
My Bangers and Mash arrived and was nicely plated. Unfortunately, that was the only good thing about the dish. The Bangers, while nicely cooked were loaded with salt. I thought that perhaps one of them had received some extra seasoning during the creation process, but alas, taking a bite from the second one revealed the same extreme amount of salt. The mash was acceptable, and was made from Yukon Gold potatoes, but the peas, which we were told were brought in from Boston were shriveled and lacking flavor. This plate was inedible. Companion, who the doctor had just prescribe a much higher amount of salt in her diet ate some of the Bangers to comply with her doctor's wishes. Speaking for myself, I finished three large glasses of Iced Tea and later stopped at a local McDonald's for a large soft drink.
The bathroom was nice and clean and it appeared that the restaurant was also clean. Tables were bussed regularly and wiped down.
2 stars for cleanliness and pleasant service.
Phoenix, AZ 85022
Companion and I had lunch at this restaurant. This was our second visit, with our first having been about a year ago.
We were promptly seated and offered drinks. Unfortunately, their selection of non-sugared drinks is rather sparse and I ended up having tea with no lemon. Fortunately, being a "British" restaurant they have an idea of what tea should taste like and no harm done.
Companion and I started of with a Scotch egg. It was cooked nicely, and served cut into quarters to make our sharing easier. The egg is served with what I surmised to be Coleman's English Mustard, which I really enjoyed. Most Scotch eggs served in the U.S. are made with regular seasoned pork sausage, which is highly seasoned compared to English sausage, however this sausage was perfectly seasoned in the true English tradition.
Next came the main dishes. Companion ordered the Steak and Kidney Pie and I ordered Bangers and Mash.
While the Steak and Kidney Pie was but a shadow of the real thing one would get in any pub (even at a roadside on the M5) the flavor was acceptable, however the kidney was nothing but mince. The pie was more like a Cornish Pasty than a true baked small pie. The pie came with no accompaniments whereas in the U.K. it usually comes with a side of mash and some mushy peas.
My Bangers and Mash arrived and was nicely plated. Unfortunately, that was the only good thing about the dish. The Bangers, while nicely cooked were loaded with salt. I thought that perhaps one of them had received some extra seasoning during the creation process, but alas, taking a bite from the second one revealed the same extreme amount of salt. The mash was acceptable, and was made from Yukon Gold potatoes, but the peas, which we were told were brought in from Boston were shriveled and lacking flavor. This plate was inedible. Companion, who the doctor had just prescribe a much higher amount of salt in her diet ate some of the Bangers to comply with her doctor's wishes. Speaking for myself, I finished three large glasses of Iced Tea and later stopped at a local McDonald's for a large soft drink.
The bathroom was nice and clean and it appeared that the restaurant was also clean. Tables were bussed regularly and wiped down.
2 stars for cleanliness and pleasant service.
Saturday, July 8, 2017
Texaz Grill
6003 N. 16th Street
Phoenix, AZ
A group of 5 of us arrived for dinner at 6:00. The rude hostess refused to sit us at one of the vacant larger tables and instead crowded us into a 4 top. Needless to say, this was not a good start to the meal.
We were offered a choice of salad or cole slaw to start with. Unfortunately, 3 of us opted for the cole slaw, which while nice and creamy was loaded with onion and perhaps some garlic. None of us could finish the cole slaw because the onion was so strong. We tried the biscuits, which were undercooked and pastey. One bite was all that anyone could tolerate.
Next we ordered main courses. Two people ordered the Saturday Special steak Lin Sue. A N.Y. strip steak topped with artichoke hearts, jumbo shrimp and then covered in bearnaise sauce. I don't know who thought this combination up, but neither of the people who ordered it finished it. One of the comments was that the shrimp were well overcooked.
Companion ordered the "famous" chicken fried steak because they had no prime rib available. It came smothered in a very thick, heavy gravy that could only be compared to wallpaper paste. They may have served hundreds of thousands of chicken fried steaks, but if they were like this plate I feel sorry for all those who tried to eat it.
I ordered the pork chops with gravy and mashed potatoes. I was lucky in that the pork chops were nicely cooked - however they were covered in the same "gravy glop" that everything else was hidden under.
Most of our party asked for take home boxes with the idea of feeding the leftovers either to 2 legged or 4 legged members of their household.
Next we ordered dessert. Once again, I picked the winner - peach cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Served warm, it was flavorful though the crust was not well cooked. The ice cream was nice.
Another of our party ordered the bread pudding with whisky sauce. The bread pudding was very dense and did not look like any other bread pudding I have ever seen. As we passed it around the table, one of our party got a bite that had raw whisky in it and couldn't stop coughing. Another item which was passed around was the "Old New Orleans Calas" which were supposed to be sweet rice balls, deep fried and dusted with sugar. Whoever made them forgot to put the sugar on them and totally overcooked them to the point that the rice was crunchy and inedible. They were not deemed to be something that anyone would take home.
On the positive side, our waitress was excellent and a total hoot. She was lots of fun and our tips reflected her good nature.
The restaurant is decorated with all sorts of kitsch, which prevented us from ascertaining the cleanliness or lack thereof of the restaurant.
Our party has requested of me that we not return there again. 2 stars
Phoenix, AZ
A group of 5 of us arrived for dinner at 6:00. The rude hostess refused to sit us at one of the vacant larger tables and instead crowded us into a 4 top. Needless to say, this was not a good start to the meal.
We were offered a choice of salad or cole slaw to start with. Unfortunately, 3 of us opted for the cole slaw, which while nice and creamy was loaded with onion and perhaps some garlic. None of us could finish the cole slaw because the onion was so strong. We tried the biscuits, which were undercooked and pastey. One bite was all that anyone could tolerate.
Next we ordered main courses. Two people ordered the Saturday Special steak Lin Sue. A N.Y. strip steak topped with artichoke hearts, jumbo shrimp and then covered in bearnaise sauce. I don't know who thought this combination up, but neither of the people who ordered it finished it. One of the comments was that the shrimp were well overcooked.
Companion ordered the "famous" chicken fried steak because they had no prime rib available. It came smothered in a very thick, heavy gravy that could only be compared to wallpaper paste. They may have served hundreds of thousands of chicken fried steaks, but if they were like this plate I feel sorry for all those who tried to eat it.
I ordered the pork chops with gravy and mashed potatoes. I was lucky in that the pork chops were nicely cooked - however they were covered in the same "gravy glop" that everything else was hidden under.
Most of our party asked for take home boxes with the idea of feeding the leftovers either to 2 legged or 4 legged members of their household.
Next we ordered dessert. Once again, I picked the winner - peach cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Served warm, it was flavorful though the crust was not well cooked. The ice cream was nice.
Another of our party ordered the bread pudding with whisky sauce. The bread pudding was very dense and did not look like any other bread pudding I have ever seen. As we passed it around the table, one of our party got a bite that had raw whisky in it and couldn't stop coughing. Another item which was passed around was the "Old New Orleans Calas" which were supposed to be sweet rice balls, deep fried and dusted with sugar. Whoever made them forgot to put the sugar on them and totally overcooked them to the point that the rice was crunchy and inedible. They were not deemed to be something that anyone would take home.
On the positive side, our waitress was excellent and a total hoot. She was lots of fun and our tips reflected her good nature.
The restaurant is decorated with all sorts of kitsch, which prevented us from ascertaining the cleanliness or lack thereof of the restaurant.
Our party has requested of me that we not return there again. 2 stars
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Not Your Typical Deli
3821 E Baseline Rd
Ste J-140
Gilbert, AZ 85234
This is one of the most unusual and wonderful deli's that I have had the pleasure of eating at. Let's start with the food. Almost everything is made in house. Even the pastrami and corned beef are made in house. One of the things that I enjoyed the most is that the food, while very tasty, is not over seasoned. This means that you will not get heartburn from an over seasoned pastrami.
The two chef's are both fully trained and create some of the fantastic flavors that their food has. Example - they have created their own white BBQ sauce. (Welcome to Alabama!) The sauce is fantastic and I only which they would bottle and sell it because I would be buying it by the gallon.
I had the pastrami on rye, which was a huge sandwich with mustard and a pickle and chips. It was so good! I would have liked to bring half of it home, but to be honest I finished the entire thing at the table.
Companion ordered a salad that easily could have fed 2 people. It came in a huge bowl and there was so much that the left over was taken home and made a full meal.
Their drink assortment has the usual variety along with some drinks that I have never seen before.
Their bakers work at night producing some wonderful fresh baked goods. I had a huge apple pie cookie that was absolutely delicious. Companion had the biggest chocolate chip cookie I have ever seen, and it too, was delicious.
They also have a small selection of full sized pies. I purchased a lemon chess pie (which I have not seen in many years) that was taken home and was perfect with a homemade crust.
Perhaps one of the very nicest things about this business is that they support those who are on the autism spectrum by hiring them. Fully 80% of the staff are in some way developmentally disabled and and their smiles and willingness to chat if asked is refreshing and may bring tears to your eyes.
The location is on the back side of a mall and not the easiest to find, but is well worth the energy to hunt it down.
The staff keeps it immaculately clean and is very friendly and helpful.
The restaurant has only been open for about 10 months and already has a nice following. I don't usually ask this, but if you are in the neighborhood please patronize this restaurant which is trying so hard to help these people have a job. I know I will be.
5 stars for excellent food, excellent service, and wonderful people trying as hard as they can to help each other.
Ste J-140
Gilbert, AZ 85234
This is one of the most unusual and wonderful deli's that I have had the pleasure of eating at. Let's start with the food. Almost everything is made in house. Even the pastrami and corned beef are made in house. One of the things that I enjoyed the most is that the food, while very tasty, is not over seasoned. This means that you will not get heartburn from an over seasoned pastrami.
The two chef's are both fully trained and create some of the fantastic flavors that their food has. Example - they have created their own white BBQ sauce. (Welcome to Alabama!) The sauce is fantastic and I only which they would bottle and sell it because I would be buying it by the gallon.
I had the pastrami on rye, which was a huge sandwich with mustard and a pickle and chips. It was so good! I would have liked to bring half of it home, but to be honest I finished the entire thing at the table.
Companion ordered a salad that easily could have fed 2 people. It came in a huge bowl and there was so much that the left over was taken home and made a full meal.
Their drink assortment has the usual variety along with some drinks that I have never seen before.
Their bakers work at night producing some wonderful fresh baked goods. I had a huge apple pie cookie that was absolutely delicious. Companion had the biggest chocolate chip cookie I have ever seen, and it too, was delicious.
They also have a small selection of full sized pies. I purchased a lemon chess pie (which I have not seen in many years) that was taken home and was perfect with a homemade crust.
Perhaps one of the very nicest things about this business is that they support those who are on the autism spectrum by hiring them. Fully 80% of the staff are in some way developmentally disabled and and their smiles and willingness to chat if asked is refreshing and may bring tears to your eyes.
The location is on the back side of a mall and not the easiest to find, but is well worth the energy to hunt it down.
The staff keeps it immaculately clean and is very friendly and helpful.
The restaurant has only been open for about 10 months and already has a nice following. I don't usually ask this, but if you are in the neighborhood please patronize this restaurant which is trying so hard to help these people have a job. I know I will be.
5 stars for excellent food, excellent service, and wonderful people trying as hard as they can to help each other.
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