Famous Daves

Dinner was at the Famous Dave’s located at 1011 N. Dobson Road, Mesa, Arizona. Start time was 7:00. We were a group of 13, mostly foodies.

Our group was seated outside. While we did have to wait until they had a table big enough for us all, they created one reasonably fast. Our waiter was cheerful and didn’t mind all the separate bills. In fact he managed to joke about them without even crying. He also managed to get the drink orders right and even brought extras for some of the party. After giving us time to explore the large menu (perhaps just a bit too much time) a second waiter showed up to take the orders. He told us that the original waiter was having computer problems. We later found out that the computer problem was that he had about 16 other checks going at the same time. One has to wonder if the management might do with hiring a few more people.

I ordered the only appetizer at the table – Loaded BBQ chips. These were supposed
to be homemade chips topped with bleu cheese dressing and crumbles and loaded with jalapeno bacon and tomato concassee. Unfortunately, the waiter brought out just plain chips first, and didn’t return with the proper ones until the main course arrived. We passed the loaded chips around and everyone who ate them pronounced them excellent and something they would order again.

For my main course I ordered their rib tip and brisket combo platter. The combo platters figure out to be the best price/value on the menu as you not only get two main courses, but you also get two sides, cornbread, and ½ corn on the cob as well. The rib tips were excellent – meaty, nicely cooked, with a nice smoke flavor that didn’t really need any other sauce (though I did try a little of each sauce on the table for comparison). Unfortunately, I can’t give the same rave review to the brisket. In all my life I have never eaten a piece of brisket like what I was served tonight. I and every one else who had the brisket agreed that it was more like processed and formed meat then real brisket. It was very dense, had little flavor, and zero fat on it. True brisket BBQ tastes nothing like what they served. No amount of any of their sauces was able to improve the meat.

I enjoyed the coleslaw though one of my companions felt it was too heavy with mayo and another felt it was a bit peppery. (It is made with jalapeno in it which may have accounted for the peppery taste). I had the firecracker green beans which were flaccid, overcooked and totally lacking in flavor and/or color. The corn on the cob was water logged and tasted like it had been cooked for hours in a kettle of sugar water.

Companions all felt the corn was beyond any help in this world. One companion had the chicken and pronounced it to be excellent, but again, did not care for the brisket. Another companion pronounced the broccoli to be very good, not over cooked and still green. Companion sitting next to me had the hot wings. She felt that the wings were cooked well, but the sauce was a disappointment – she would have preferred a much spicier sauce. This same companion also ordered cheese fries (not on the regular menu) and pronounced them delicious when asked about them.

Several other companions had ribs – both spare ribs and short ribs and all agreed they were cooked to perfection. One of the companions had the mashed potatoes, and felt they were very good and would be ordered again. Yet another companion had the Ultimate Burger, and I must admit it was one of the biggest burgers I’ve ever seen. The burger was topped with pulled port, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno bacon. Even though it was cooked medium well, it was juicy and tasty. The burger was topped with a Beam and Cola sauce which seemed to make it even better. This was a true winner.

All of the wait staff were friendly and fun do deal with. When mistakes were made, which is almost a guarantee with a group of this size they were promptly corrected and often removed from the bill.

Desserts are a weak point of this restaurant. Then again, most people don’t go to a BBQ house with the intention of eating dessert. We were the exception!

First off was the brownie. It was supposed to be a walnut covered chocolate brownie soaked in Kahlua liqueur topped with vanilla bean ice cream hot fudge and whipped cream. Unfortunately, after passing it around the table we all agreed that what was served was nothng like the description. A brownie should be dense, exuding chocolate that is almost overpowering. This brownie reminded all of us as a piece of devils food cake. There was none of the Kahlua taste to it, and the hot fudge had been burnt beyond taste. It was surrounded by four balls of regular vanilla ice cream and covered in what tasted like Redii Whip topping instead of a real whipped cream. Several of those that tasted this promptly washed their mouths out with soda or water to remove the taste. Not an auspicious beginning to the dessert round.

Next up was the bread pudding. Again, this was like no bread pudding I or anyone else at the table had ever had. We weren’t sure if it was uncooked or if it was supposed to be some type of a custard, but no matter how you looked at it the verdict was unanimous – terrible and it was sent back.

I had asked for a simple ball of vanilla ice cream. The waiter came with the checks for the table and I asked him about it. He had forgotten it but quickly returned with a huge plate of 4 balls of vanilla ice cream covered in what tasted like Hershey’s syrup and tons of Reddi Whip.

Over all, some items on the menu were outstanding, but a number of them really need some help, especially in the vegetable area and the dessert area.

In the area of cleanliness, the place seemed reasonable clean and bug free. The restroom was reasonable clean and supplied. Of note though was a puddle of water on the floor of the main dining room that no one seem to want to clean up. All it would take is for a patron to slip and the management would not have a good night.

My overall rating – 3 stars our of 5 possible.

Would I eat there again – yes but I’d avoid the brisket, veggies and desserts

LoLo's Chicken and Wafffles

LoLo's Chicken and Waffles
2765 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale
Visa, MasterCard

While there isn't much in soul food in the Phoenix area, people have always flocked to Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe in the downtown area. Her grandson opened the original LoLo's also in the downtown area, and this summer, thankfully opened a LoLo's in Scottsdale for all the east siders to enjoy.

LoLo's menu is a bit different in that they serve waffles with their chicken as well as a number of breakfast favorites. To begin, companion pronounced the waffles light, fluffy, and with good texture. Waffles are served with a cruette of maple syrup which should be enough for the average person, but if you like, they will gladly bring you enough to drown your waffle(s) in.

Their chicken is the epitome of fried chicken. It is so different from the fried chicken chains that it is like night and day. Perfectly battered, seasoned and cooked, it can't be beat. It has just enough batter to give it a nice coating without being gobbed on like wallpaper paste. As for flavor - the only thing that comes to mind is wow! It's chicken! Not bunches of herbs and spices, but real, honest to goodness chicken flavor like it was meant to be.

I ordered the Soulfood Platter ($13.00), which came with 3 pieces of chicken and 2 sides. My sides were collard greens and red beans and rice. The collard greens had no woodiness to them, and were cooked to perfection. The addition of a little Trappey's hot pepper & vinegar sauce forced me to devour the entire bowl! The red beans and rice were nicely done, and again, the addition of a little red hot sauce really made the day. For those who don't care for hot sauces, they were fine without it also. Their portion also includes a piece of homemade cornbread smothered in butter. Speaking of smothered, I also had a small bowl of gravy on the side to smother my chicken with. It had perfect flavor and just the right amount of spice.

Companion ordered the LoLo's ($11.00) which consisted of 3 perfectly cooked pieces of fried chicken served on top of 2 perfect waffles. Companion also ordered a side of Cheese Grits ($3.50) which were just o.k., but were far from being bad.

We also ordered a plate of Backwoods ($12.00) to share, which are chicken gizzards in gravy served over rice and onions. I'm sure I died and went to heaven on this dish. Gizzards are normally small chewy morsels that you can chew for five or 10 minutes before gulping them down. I don't know how they made these, but they were magnificently tender - one or two bites and it was gone! If I came back and was only able to order one dish, this might be the one - then again, it might be the chicken - then again.....

Companion ordered sweet tea and immediately noticed that it was still a little warm. Unlike most places, they make everything, including the sweet tea, fresh on the premises.

Companion has eaten at Pity Pat Porch in Atlanta and pronounced the food to be much better at LoLo's.

This isn't the place to come for ambiance - basically, there is none. It's the place to come for really good food. The restaurant was clean, and the restrooms were clean.

If this review doesn't make you want to eat here, perhaps the line out the door will. Fortunately, the line moves fairly quickly, but more and more people are discovering this jewel. Look out Mrs. White - your grandson is coming up fast!

VinciTorio's

Located at 1835 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, Arizona
480-820-2786
Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover

We arrived at VinciTorio's on a Friday evening at 6:00 without reservations. While the staff was slightly taken aback by our lack of planning, they never the less accommodated our party, seating us in the main dining area. Guest have the option of eating outside on the porch if they wish. The outside is screened off from the street by lovely, live grape vines.

While we did not order wine, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount and quality of wines by the glass. Few restaurants have as varied a selection by the glass.

Our first order of business was salad. I and companion #1 had house salads; mine with a nice, creamy house Italian dressing, and companion's with a rather ordinary Ranch dressing. The salads were very fresh with some nice frisee, but lacked more than half a cherry tomato. Companion #2 ordered a Caesar Salad which was pronounced ordinary. The salad came with grated Parmesan cheese, and would have been greatly improved with the addition of some shaved Parmigiano Reggiano on it.

Main courses were ordered. I ordered Linguine Vongole ($13.95). Flavor was satisfactory, but it would have been much better with fresh clams instead of canned ones. The menu states Little Neck clams, but if these were, they were definitely not live at the time of cooking. Part of the enjoyment of eating a vongole is getting the clams out of the shell and getting every last drop of sauce off the shells. While my personal preference would have been a slightly thickened sauce, it was properly prepared in the style of the Amalfi coast and could be easily sopped up with lots of the excellent garlic bread.

Companion #1 ordered Agnolotti Carbonara ($16.95), which are small ravioli stuffed with chicken and sausage in a cream sauce with sauteed bacon. This was a nice dish with two caveats: #1 the sauce needed some salt and some garlic added to it to make it stand out, and #2, the sauce would have been better with a nice grade of pancetta lardons instead of what was used. While the sauce was adequate, the two mentioned additions would have made it truly stand out. 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.

Companion #2 ordered the evening's special ($24.95), a Roulard of Chicken with Prosciutto and cheese with a Marsala wine and mushroom sauce. This was the stand out dish for the evening. Cooked beautifully, loaded with mushrooms and a sauce that definitely had character and the flavor of Marsala wine. A real winner!

On to desserts, the absolute high point of the meal. I ordered the Panna Cotta ($5.95) which came with macerated raspberries on top and a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips on the plate. Having eaten this dessert from coast to coast including Little Italy in New York City, I can easily say this was the best Panna Cotta I have ever eaten. It was smooth and silky and just melted on your palate. I'd gladly eat it over and over again.

Companion #1 had the Tiramisu ($6.95). Unlike many other tiramisu's, this one did not suffer the usual overabundance of espresso coffee, but rather had just enough to lend it's flavor without being overbearing. The portion was huge and the texture was smooth and silky.

Companion #2 had the Limon Tartufo. While Tartufo usually means truffle in Italian, this was nothing like one, yet it was an outstanding dessert. Nice and tart lemon flavor surrounded by a sponge type cake, somehow sliced into even slices and arranged in an overlapping row on the plate.

Desserts are a must have at this restaurant. If you didn't eat the meal, you should at least eat one of the wonderful desserts.

Service was at a comfortable pace, and the restaurant was nice and clean. On Friday evenings they apparently have live entertainment. The evening we went, they had a person playing the guitar while softly singing familiar songs in the background. I was thankful for the volume, as too many vocalists try to intrude on the diners to the point of overwhelming their dinners and conversations. This was just right.

Overall, this was a nice meal that could do with a little polishing to bring it up to speed. Considering the cost of the meal (over $100.00 including tip for 3 people) one should not expect to find anything lacking. This reviewer will definitely try this restaurant again in the hopes that it will rise to the shining star it should and can be.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse
Multiple Locations

With all the hype and advertising it was only natural to try Outback. It was a Tuesday night, and we were seated immediately. We chose not to have anything from the bar, and instead stayed non-alcoholic for the evening.

Companion #1 ordered a bowl of potato soup. It arrived hot, with nice chunky potatoes sticking out of the soup along with large pieces of bacon. No complaints were heard. Companion #2 ordered the Cesar Salad. It seemed run of the mill, and companion noted that it was a bit heavy handed on the cheese.
I ordered the regular salad with the honey mustard vinaigrette. This was a nicely done salad.

For main courses, companion #1 ordered a medium bacon cheeseburger. The burger arrived medium but on the dry side, with barely adequate cheese and decent fries. Companion felt she had had better burgers in most fast food places.
Companion #2 ordered the rib eye steak medium rare. It arrived medium rare, but seemed to be poorly prepped in that it had lots of sinew on it, and the tail still had some silverskin attached. Seasoning was adequate but nothing special.
I had the Ahi tuna appetizer along with the small sirlion. The Ahi was cooked correctly, but had been pre-cooked hours before, and was greatly over-seasoned. By the time you added the wasabi vinaigrette dipping sauce, the fish had no taste left of its own. In paying for a premium fish like Ahi, the fish should be the central character, and the rest of the condiments are the supporting role. The petite sirloin was cooked as ordered (rare), but lacked flavor and again, still had silverskin attached, making the last piece memorable for its chewiness.

We did not order any deserts.

Inspection of the restrooms was pleasant enough, in that they were recently cleaned, smelled fresh, and looked nice.

Overall, I might rate Outback 2.5 to 3 stars. I've definitely had better at lower prices. BTW if you are tempted by the Blossom, their signature onion and your on a diet, companion #1 says stay far away from it. That one dish alone will use up the entire days amount of points!

The Capital Grill – Phoenix Location

2505 E. Camelback Road

(602) 952-8900

We arrived for our reservation at 4:30 and were promptly seated. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. We began with cocktails – a Chocolate Martini made without Godiva Liquor and a Mai Tai. The chocolate martini was sent back and was promptly replaced with a correct one made with Godiva Chocolate.

We quickly dove into the appetizers. Steak Tartare and Lobster Bisque. The Steak Tartare was arguably the finest I have ever eaten, and I have eaten this dish perhaps 40 or 50 times. The texture and seasoning were complete perfection. Were I to return to this restaurant with the ability to order only one thing off the menu, this would be it. Perfectly balanced with capers that weren’t too salty, and some wonderful greens with a drizzle of what appeared to be and tested like an aged balsamic. Companion had good comments about the Lobster Bisque, especially the fact that there was more than one piece of lobster in the dish. The bisque is brought to the table with a serving of sherry which is ceremoniously poured into the dish. Personally, I prefer the sherry added at the end of the cooking so that the flavor remains, but the alcohol does not.

The menu at The Capital Grill is similar to other high end restaurants, in that all main courses are a la carte. Be warned, portions are huge, and unless you are a dyed in the wool carnivore, you will bring home a doggy bag.

After perusing the menu and changing our minds a dozen times, we settled on the Steak au Poivre and the Delmonico Steak. I asked for the Steak au Poivre to be cooked rare, and that is exactly what I got. Perfectly cooked with a Courvoisier crème sauce. The sauce was nothing to rave about, in that it added nothing to the flavor of the steak. The steak though, was perfect and huge. I will make at least one more meal out of it.

As a side dish I ordered Roasted Seasoned Mushrooms, perhaps the only poor selection on the menu. The mushrooms were without any seasoning at all – not even a pinch of fleur de sel or a touch of garlic or even some chopped shallots. Our waitress told us that they had been taken off our check, but looking at it after we left, we found that we had still been charged for them.

Companion had the Delmonico Steak (rib steak for those not in the know, and usually considered one of the most flavorful cuts of beef) served medium rare. If nothing else, the chef cooks meat to perfection. A huge cut of prime beef, tender and juicy. It’s hard to go wrong with this recipe for success. Companion also ordered Cottage Fries and Onion Strings. A table of four would have had trouble finishing a portion the size of what was brought to the table. As with almost everything else, beautifully done.

We saved room for dessert, and I for one am glad I did. While companion had a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, which was nice and tasty and served with a tuile cookie (Pirouine perhaps), I chose the Fresh Berries in Vanilla Crème Sauce. Lush, succulent raspberries, blueberries and strawberries swimming in a nice crème anglais with a sprig of fresh mint on top. What could have been better? A perfect end to our meal.

Dings? A few – The mushrooms were terrible. I didn’t finish eating them even though I love mushrooms. Some of them weren’t even cooked properly. The music is terrible – not only is it way out of style for the restaurant, but also way too loud. Many times it intruded into the conversation, making it all but unintelligible.

Cudos? First and foremost for our waitress, who helped make the meal so enjoyable. Definitely for the meat and how it was cooked. Absolutely for the Steak Tartare, which I am going to be dreaming about. And strangely enough, for the immaculately clean restroom, which is something that is too often neglected.

Overall: A top restaurant that I will definitely return to if only to have the steak tartare.