Pier de Orleans - CLOSED

Pier de Orleans

61 E University St

Mesa, AZ 85201

                                                                                       

We went to dinner at 6:00 on a Saturday night. After cocktails at the bar, which were decent, we were seated at our table. I hate to make generalizations, but this place reminded me of someplace from back in the 60's. It seemed old, with music from the 50's and 60's playing in the background.

I started out with 2 appetizers - the gulf oysters (5.95) and the escargot (5.95). Oysters were supposed to be 80 cents each, yet I was charged the $5.95 for a half dozen. I don't mind paying the price for a good oyster, but these were not plump or very tasty. I had to really doctor them up with a bunch of horseradish and Tabasco sauce.

The escargot were nicely cooked and served with a nice piece of Parmesan bread, but here again, the menu calls them Large, Meaty Snails in Garlic Butter, but what I got were anything but large, though they were, to be fair, very tasty.

One of my companions got the pecan shrimp (5.95) and said they were o.k. while another companion had the calamari, which she pronounced was pre-frozen and off tasting. To its credit, the restaurant took it off the bill. I had the seafood gumbo supreme (13.95), which had shrimp, bay scallops, oysters and one small crab claw in it. For me, the gumbo did not have the kind of seasoning that one would expect to be in a real gumbo, and again, I ended up doctoring it up a lot to make it suit my tastes. After doctoring it, the taste was fine, though the crab claw was definitely not fresh and tasted off. I ended up placing it on a plate on the side and abandoning it there. The meal also came with a cup (they call it a bowl) of soup. I elected to have the clam chowder. To their credit, the clams were nice sized and not overcooked, but on the down side, the broth was a bit thin and watery.

Other companions had seafood d'Orleans (12.95), Cajun sampler (11.95), and Cajun jambalaya (12.95). Comments made by our companion from New Orleans, was that it tasted exactly like Zatarains and they would be surprised if it wasn't. Other companions mentioned that the food lacked seasoning and seemed quite bland to them.

Sanitation was, unfortunately, not up to quality standards. While the tableware and table were clean, none of the tables in the room were cleared while we were there. The dirty dishes were left on the tables from their "Early Bird" diners. While we were there, no other diners entered the restaurant, so I would have to assume the dirty dishes were there for at least an hour and a half or more, waiting to be cleared.

The restroom was clean and mostly stocked. In all, I would say that this was a bit of a disappointment. Serving previously frozen food does nothing to help a restaurant gain customers, nor does serving food that is off do much. Two stars.

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.