ejs1492's Profile
Chef Curtiss leaves Noca
Desert Living Today just reported that Curtiss may be going to Fox Restaurant Concepts. Didn't specify which restaurant.
i hadn't seen Chris Curtiss at any of my several visits to Noca a few months prior to his departure, but didn't notice any difference in the quality of the food when he wasn't there. If anything, the kitchen was still on top of its game and seemed more relaxed too. Will be interested to see how things change with Matt Taylor.
-----
Noca
3118 E. Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016
Best steakhouse in Phoenix
I would have to throw Don & Charlies into the mix also. Old school vibe, great atmosphere, and killer steak and prime rib. Also, 15 mins from Tatum/Thunderbird.
-----
Don & Charlie's
7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Sherman Oaks Question
Anything goes. I'm looking for something GREAT! The best that Sherman Oaks has to offer, provided that I would feel comfortable there dining solo and can make it to an 8 pm concert.
Sherman Oaks Question
I will be in Sherman Oaks for one night and I'm looking for a good restaurant where I would feel comfortable dining by myself for dinner before a show at the Whitefire Theater. All cuisines and price points considered. I'll be by myself, so it would be great if they had a bar or counter where I could eat.
Thanks for your help!
Where are the best baby back ribs?
I only skimmed all the replies to the OP, but I simply cannot believe that the baby back ribs at Don & Charlie's haven't been mentioned. Best in town by a significant margin. Not to mention great side dishes and the best chopped liver (free, btw) in town.
-----
Don & Charlie's
7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Review: El Chorro Lodge (Paradise Valley, AZ)
El Chorro Lodge recently hired a new chef, so let's hope they can make the food as good as the setting.
-----
El Chorro Lodge
5550 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Renegade Cafe?
I drove by it the other day and it looks like it's getting close. I ran into someone last night who is involved with Renegade Canteen and they mentioned that they're just a few weeks away.
Hackensack...HELP!
help! I am in Hackensack visiting a relative in the hospital and need some ideas for either family friendly dining or take out. White Manna is the extent of my Hackensack dining knowledge.
What is there other than the places at the mall?
Open to all cuisines and price points...just need some places we can go with our kids and/or bring in.
Thanks.
Question about Per Se
Quick question: We will be dining at Per Se soon and hail from Arizona, where even the finest restaurants are relatively casual. (When it's 115 degrees, a tie isn't going to happen!)
What is the appropriate attire for men and women at Per Se?
Thanks, as always.
-----
Per Se
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10019
What is the single best restaurant in Phoenix?
That bluenose bass is one of the best fish dishes I have ever had. I don't care what it looked like. It tasted divine.
Review: El Chorro Lodge (Paradise Valley, AZ)
Actually Bill, it is Jacquie Dorrance that bought it. She is the wife of Campbell's Soup heir Bennett Dorrance, a local philanthropist and PV resident. They are very nice people, but the restaurant management needs to get it together!
Review: El Chorro Lodge (Paradise Valley, AZ)
Danieli10 - I had been for brunch also, before they closed and remodeled. (Back in the late 80's, I think) My recollection was that the Eggs Benedict was incredibly good. I would certainly give it another shot for brunch, but was pretty disappointed by dinner as evidenced by my review.
Sadly, the poor quality of the food and the arrogant service does not seem to be a deterrent to the throngs of "regulars" who keep the place full.
Gluten Free Menu's - Phoenix
Picazzo's has many gluten free options, and they have gone all organic in their menu.
Review: El Chorro Lodge (Paradise Valley, AZ)
Before we go any further, let’s just get one thing out of the way. The newly renovated and re-tooled El Chorro Lodge is a beautiful restaurant. The interior design is a tasteful update of a venerable classic, and the setting is spectacular. It exudes an “old Arizona” charm without being kitschy, and I wouldn’t mind passing considerable amounts of time sipping a drink outside at El Chorro while watching the sun set behind the hills of Paradise Valley.
I just wish I hadn’t stayed for dinner.
If this review was just about the architecture and interior design, I’d stop here and say “It’s really beautiful, take the architectural tour.” But El Chorro Lodge is a restaurant, and instead of serving food that befits the setting, the kitchen is doling out lackluster renditions of boring classics with such an amazing lack of pride that it might as well be banquet food at a substandard resort. It’s not just bad, it’s embarrassing and I know they can do better. But banquet food is often bad because they're putting out huge quantities of food and lack the time for detail, which is exactly what's going on here.
But, really, I should have known. All the recent publicity surrounding the re-opening has been about the appearance. People knock Scottsdale for being about style over substance, but El Chorro Lodge wins the award. Nary a word has been mentioned about the food which is actually quite surprising considering that several industry friends of mine have had very positive things to say about Chef Charles Kassels’ abilities. But so much is wrong with the food that it’s hard not to think that someone was too busy at design meetings to spend time thinking about food and service. Or, even worse, did they think that the setting, alone, would be enough to keep the tables full? Maybe.
Sadly, it appears that El Chorro’s culture of mediocrity is doing nothing to deter throngs of gray-haired diners from bringing-in their three generations of offspring for a celebratory dinner. Seriously, the place is like God’s Waiting Room. Each serving area ought to be fitted with an automated defibrillator, and they should offer colostomy bag changing stations instead of diaper changing tables in the restrooms. Get your walker tuned-up while you eat. The customer profile at El Chorro Lodge is about as vivacious as the nursing home intake office, with a similar menu to boot. I expected to see guys in leisure suits prowling the parking area, covertly dealing doses of Viagra, Lipitor, and liver spot creams. Jack Kevorkian would have a heyday here. Okay, I’m being ridiculous and excessive. But, seriously, the age difference between me and the next youngest diner was so wide that I almost felt like some sort of pervert...and I’m pushing the big four-oh.
Trust me – I appreciate a classic. I absolutely loved The Other Place which was way over-the-hill and reeked of mothballs, but still served awesome king crab legs, a delicious old-school table-side salad presentation, and a killer prime rib. (No pun intended, as a server at The Other Place once told me that she had seen several patrons die in the restaurant over the years.) And I dig the Rat Pack vibe at Durant’s, which has also stood the test of time and several different owners. But being “classic” doesn’t give you carte-blanche to skimp on the important things like food quality, technique, presentation and service.
Case in point: my Prime Rib served with creamed spinach and au gratin potatoes, one of the night’s specials. Instead of medium-rare, as I requested, this flavorless hunk of beef was three different shades of gray inside but, oddly, pink on the outside. The horseradish cream, plopped on the same plate as my spinach and potatoes, clearly came straight from the jar and had zero punch whatsoever, not to mention a thick “skin” on top that came from sitting pre-prepared in a refrigerator prior to serving. The spinach and potatoes were commendable only in that they didn’t suck. At nearly $40 this entrée was downright insulting. If you want good prime rib, go to Don & Charlie’s.
Yes, as bad as it was, I think I had the best entree of our group. Two people ordered the Pan Seared Duck, consisting of a confit leg and pan-seared breast. Instead of a crispy exterior, the breast was greasy and the skin was soggy and it appeared to have been prepared earlier and simply re-heated prior to serving. The Forest Mushroom Ravioli in a mushroom broth was described as “bland,” and I think she was just trying to be polite.
Although pricey, all the entrees at El Chorro Lodge come with a basket of Sticky Buns, a relish tray (think buffalo wings with carrots and celery, minus the buffalo wings), and your choice of soup (in this case, Steak and Onion or Gazpacho) or salad. I opted for a Caesar Salad which was probably the highlight of the whole night for me. Whole leaves were lightly dressed, and had a lemon tanginess that was nicely offset in flavor and texture by the coarsely ground black pepper.
Dessert was a yawn, consisting of predictable offerings like Crème Brulee, Sticky Bun Bread Pudding, Chocolate Cake and Gelato. Somehow, our server had to ask what flavors of gelato were available that night, as they change daily. Maybe the other nights are more exciting, but on this night we had a choice of chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and orange. Orange Gelato was about as unconventional as the night got, and ordering it would probably have turned just as many heads as arriving at the El Chorro Lodge valet parking stand with an Obama sticker on your Prius, instead of a “Drill Baby Drill” sticker on your Bentley. You get the picture. The chocolate cake was good but otherwise unremarkable. It’s hard to suck when Valrhona chocolate is involved.
The list of other failures is long and undignified. My Sauvignon Blanc was served at red wine temperatures, and my Merlot was ice cold. Managers and bussers circled our table after we finished dessert like sharks in a feeding frenzy and I felt pressure, whether perceived or real, to give up our table as quickly as possible. No one thanked us on the way out. If the teenagers working at Chili’s can get these details right, so can the sizable management team at El Chorro Lodge. These kinds of failures simply aren’t excusable at this price point.
If it sounds like El Chorro Lodge left a bad taste in my mouth, then you read correctly. Despite a knockout setting that makes me want to move in, the food is a complete afterthought. Although progressive food isn’t going to fly with the El Chorro Lodge demographic (can you just see the looks on their faces if they were served foams, dusts and gelees that weren’t aspic?), it doesn’t mean that the classics can’t be prepared well. Every restaurant deserves a second chance; everyone has an "off night." My first experience at Modern Steak was dreadful, but many of my complaints had been addressed on my second visit and it's someplace that I would definitely return to. I just hope that someone else is paying when I return to El Chorro Lodge.
So, my recommendation is this: go to El Chorro Lodge for a sunset cocktail and some sticky buns, but until they work out the kinks go somewhere else for dinner.
Photos of the meal can be found at www.ericeatsout.com
-----
Don & Charlie's
7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
El Chorro Lodge
5550 E Lincoln Dr, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Modern Steak
7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Zinburger - Biltmore Fashion Park (first visit)
Well-stated, Danieli10. I think a lot of people like to be "Fox Haters" because he has been successful at building an empire that may not, necessarily, appeal to food die-hards. I think it's important to recognize that not *everything* has to appeal to fanatical foodniks in order to be credible. Let's face it, Fox has a business to run and has been successful doing it. In the process, he has contributed greatly to the community by creating jobs and tax revenue, and that's good for everyone. A lot of shopping centers would have vacant space without him.
While a lot of people rule out Fox restaurants just because they're part of Fox, I would agree that North, Greene House and Modern Steak have some merits. Are they "destination dining", per se? Not for me. But that doesn't keep them from being pretty darn busy and I'll give credit where it's due.
Building a business plan in scope and size of Fox Restaurant Concepts which appeals purely to the food die-hards (and, likely, the people that frequent this board) would amount to a fairly small target audience. He has to appeal to a "lower common denominator" (not that there is anything "lesser" about those people, they just might not care as much about food) in order to be successful and cover his huge overhead.
-----
Greene House
15024 N Scottsdale Rd Ste 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Modern Steak
7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Review: Restaurant Takamatsu (Phoenix, AZ)
Sometimes I feel sorry for my wife. Not because I snore, neglect my “honey do” projects, or make fun of her yoga, but because I’m probably not that much fun to eat with any more. None of our friends want to eat with us; they know I’m too opinionated. Despite the fact that my blog readership is miniscule compared to professional food critics, I’m still on the “wanted list” of several local restaurateurs. I sure as hell can’t make reservations via OpenTable under my own name. This food hobby of mine has gotten way out of hand.
So imagine my shock when we sat down for dinner at Takamatsu, in west Phoenix over 25 miles from our house, and our server instantly recognized my wife as “Myulchi Girl.” That’s right, folks, my wife is a celebrity in her own right. She is the celebrity named for tiny dried anchovies, a common side dish in Korean food. Finally, the spotlight was on someone other than me. In fact, they had no idea that I like to write about food. I relished the anonymity. I love being married to Dried Anchovy Girl.
Our mutual love of food and adventurous eating has been a common thread in our relationship. It was on our second date that my wife ordered Ama Ebi at Hiro Sushi merely to see if I was man enough to eat the shrimp heads. Who was she kidding? I crunched those crustacean cabezas with reckless abandon, and the rest was history. Raised in a New Jersey suburb of Manhattan, my wife grew up with Korean food being as common to her as Chinese food was to me. Her childhood friends’ homes smelled of exotic foods that were so different from her Jewish upbringing. Whereas her Korean friends craved the “normality” of a cheeseburger, she wanted Kalbi, Bul Go Ki, and uber-spicy Kimchee. Her favorite, as a young kid, was dried cuttlefish. Clearly, I married a weirdo.
My first introduction to Korean food wasn’t so successful. Paranoid that I would be eating Poodle or Dachsund, I whined the whole way to a New Jersey Korean restaurant, which shall remain nameless. I would not let go of the “dog thing.” I know it’s immature, naïve and ethnocentric, but I couldn’t even get past the smell of the place.
And, then, I saw it. There on the corner of the sushi bar were two shiny cans of Alpo dog food, glistening in the incandescent light. It was the proverbial Smoking Gun. “There,” I said, “don’t you know the Alpo is there to fatten up our dinner?”
Needless to say, a considerable period of time passed before I tried Korean food again. Thanks to Takamatsu, I’m now a huge fan. I can’t vouch for its authenticity except to say that we’re usually the only white people there, and most of the conversation is in Korean. Set in a modest strip center comprised mostly of Asian businesses, the walls of Takamatsu are mostly adorned with photos and jerseys of Korean sports stars, most of whom have the last name “Park” or “Kim.”
On our last visit, the server arrived at our table, turned to my wife, and said “You look familiar. I know you…you’re Myulchi Girl.” My wife is the white girl that eats the stuff that they don’t bring to the white people unless we ask for it. It’s one of the many things I love about her. And I love that they think we’re too timid to eat the good stuff. Once they know the truth about my wife’s taste for Korean food, the floodgates open. The service suddenly gets better, the servers get chatty, and you can see the joy on their faces as they share their culture with you. It’s like my own little “No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain.”
At Takamatsu, you can order from the menu and have the kitchen prepare your food for you, or you can sit at a tableside Korean BBQ table and cook it yourself. We prefer to cook it ourselves, and our last visit included an order of Bul Go Ki, which is marinated beef tenderloin, and Sang Saewoo Gui, jump shrimp. All of it is grilled, by you, at the table along with a healthy side of lettuce (to use as a wrap), garlic and onions. Caution: you WILL leave smelling like a Korean restaurant. In fact, it’s so strong that we usually disrobe in the laundry room so as to not perfume our house with the smell of Korean food. (Not that this is a bad thing.)
Korean food is served with a huge spread of side dishes, ranging from spicy kimchee to tofu, and many others. You’ll likely receive six or eight different sides to munch on but unless you look Korean, I doubt you’ll get myulchi. Ask for it by name, pronounced “meh-oh-jee.” If you’re white, they’ll probably think you’re related to my wife.
My experience with non-grilled items is somewhat limited, but we have always enjoyed the Haemul Pa Jun, a seafood and vegetable “pancake,” similar to what you may find on some Chinese menus. We also like the Haemul Jajang Dolsot Bibim Bap, a mix of meat, rice, seafood and black bean sauce served in a hot stone bowl that will be too hot to touch even after sitting on the table for 30 minutes. I have yet to try the unfortunately-named “Gop Chang Jun Gold – Hot & Spicy Intestine Casserole,” but I will. If you’re less adventurous, there is a full sushi bar and many Japanese-style entrees but, really, what’s the point?
Just tell them that you know Myulchi Girl and let them do the ordering for you.
Photos of the meal can be found at www.ericeatsout.com
-----
Hiro Sushi
9393 N 90th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Takamatsu Restaurant
4214 W Dunlap Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
Looking for Best Pizza in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area
I agree re: Grazie. (I go to the one in North Scottsdale because it's near my house.) Pizza and service have always been excellent. And the Nutella Crepe dessert is sinfully good.
cold noodles in sesame sauce (NYC style) in the Phoenix area?
i'm pretty sure that I have ordered this at Jade Palace (several locations in Scottsdale), which does a reasonably good job with "NY Style" Chinese food. The owners are part of a family that owns several restaurants on the east coast and I have found that their menu best replicates NY Style Chinese food in AZ.
Am I the only one who finds Sweet Republic gelato underwhelming and bland?
I won't pile-on with the "it's not gelato" thread. But I will say that, despite the fact that I really respect what they are doing at Sweet Republic, it doesn't necessarily satisfy me when I have a craving for ice cream. (or gelato, for that matter.)
It's great - no question about it. The shiso lemon that I had recently at Hana was absolutely astouding, as was the green tea. And the owners of Sweet Republic couldn't be nicer or more dedicated to their craft. Numerous reputable accolades have substantiated that.
But, as much as I hate to admit it, despit my food snobbery I still find that Cold Stone rocky road satisfies my sweet tooth just about better than anything else.
I must be really low-brow. Hey, my favorite beer is still Bud Light and I say it with pride!
Review: Passover Seder at Eddie's House (Scottsdale, AZ)
Maybe I drank too much Manischewitz!
Review: Passover Seder at Eddie's House (Scottsdale, AZ)
I love the story of Passover. I’m not a religious guy, but I can’t help but revel in the cinematic drama and hyperbole of the story. It has it all – bondage, oppression, lice, boils, death…it’s all there. And many of those same plagues were present when I first reviewed Eddie’s House back in November, 2008. It was an awful meal, plagued by abysmal service, weak food, and smoke pouring out of the kitchen. There were moments during that meal where I, like the ancient Jews, was looking for the Red Sea to part so I could get the hell out.
Fast forward about 18 months and I found myself, my family and my father seated at a table in Eddie’s House for our Passover Seder. Although I was the one that picked the restaurant, I did so with admittedly low expectations. Cooking seemed too much of an effort this year, with two little kids running around the house, so we opted to let Mr. Matney and crew do the work this year. And in case you don’t want to sit for the whole Haggadah of a review, it was a damn fine meal. Eddie and his wife pulled out all the stops.
We arrived to a comfortable table set with the traditional Seder plate, well adorned with all the requisite items. At each place setting was a Haggadah, the traditional book that tells the story of Passover. And for each adult was a glass of 2010 vintage Manischewitz Concord Grape wine. If you haven’t had this stuff, you should. It’s like Welch’s Grape Juice with a buzz. (All Jewish kids learn to love this stuff and drink as much of it as possible at Temple events. Parents turn a blind eye, knowing that their kids will sleep late the next day.)
The menu was divided into First Tastes, Second Tastes, Features, and a Dessert option. For each course, we had a choice of a traditional item (like gefilte fish), or something more contemporary, like a tomato and mozzarella salad. Just as many people adore the foods of their people that “outsiders” find repugnant (Menudo, anyone?), I absolutely LOVE gefilte fish. Although my aunt’s homemade gefilte fish is the best, I’ll gladly settle for the stuff from a jar replete with globs of congealed broth on top. I don’t think Eddie’s gefilte fish was homemade, but it wasn’t bad and the horseradish that accompanied it was brutally powerful. I loved it. My wife refuses to eat gefilte fish until she actually witnesses a gefilte swimming in the sea, so I gladly ate her serving as well. I think we once had a gefilte fish eating contest in my Jewish college fraternity. I won, and my friend Howie slurped up the congealed broth with glee. (These are the things us crazy Jews do as frat boys.)
Round two was a choice of either “Grandma Carmen’s Chicken Matzo Ball Soup” or “Mazza plate with Hummous, olives, herb mascarpone and veggies.” I’m all for being progressive, but no self-respecting Jew will resist the opportunity to compare someone else’s matzo ball soup with his mother’s. And no Jew is dumb enough to say that ANYONE’S soup is better than his mother’s, but Grandma Carmen did a damn good job. The broth was relatively dark in color and very rich, with a nice onion flavor. It almost had the richness of French onion soup, but lighter. It’s not my mom’s, but it made me happy.
Ancient wars have been fought over what constitutes the “perfect” matzo ball. Should they be fluffy, or doughy? Floaters or sinkers? Large or small? My mom’s were always nearly baseball sized and fluffy as can be. She has always prided herself on her matzo ball perfection, and I grew up loving them. But, secretly, I always seemed to enjoy the “doughy” ones. But just as you grow up knowing that it is “wrong” to lust after the shiksa girl that sits next to you in school, I always found greater pleasure in the heavy matzo balls, the ones that sunk to the bottom and were almost hard inside. I’m certain that many kvetchy diners felt that Grandma Carmen’s matzo balls were too small, or too heavy, or too hard, but in my mind they were perfect. Just don’t tell my mom.
As the guilt of my lust for someone else’s matzo balls sunk in, I began to notice the festive atmosphere around me. There were large families celebrating Passover, singing the traditional songs, and enjoying the night. There were kids everywhere, some laughing, some wanting to go home, and some sneaking some Manischewitz under the table. It really did feel like we were in Eddie’s house, not Eddie’s House.
The main course arrived just as my kids, ages 2 and 4, were starting to get cranky. I had the Roasted Half Chicken with Yukon Gold Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts, and my wife had the Braised Beef Brisket with Potato Pancakes, apple sauce and Broccolini. Both of my kids opted for the Onion Encrusted Salmon with Forest Mushroom Quinoa and Asparagus. My daughter immediately grabbed a stalk of asparagus and devoured it, and my wife gave the brisket the greatest compliment of all: “it tastes like brisket should taste. Not fancy brisket, not deconstructed brisket…just brisket. The kind you would make at home.” And therein lays the beauty of the night.
As if the Seder couldn’t have gotten better, the final chapter was the best. A gigantic, gooey, sweet and perfect Coconut Almond Macaroon. There was no guilty pleasure in this; it was pure delight.
I don’t know Eddie Matney, but I’ve heard that he is Lebanese and married a Jewish woman. I love the irony of it all: two cultures that have been at odds for what seems like eternity, united through marriage, producing Jewish soul food with a Lebanese twist. Eddie’s House did a huge service to the Jewish community, and to itself. Eddie’s wife was working the room, Eddie was barking out orders from the kitchen and the room was boisterous, festive and warm. It was like being with my in-laws from New Jersey…loud.
Next year, at Eddie’s House….
Photos of the meal can be found at www.ericeatsout.com
-----------------------------------
Eddie’s House
7042 East Indian School Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480-946-1622
www.eddieshouseaz.com
-----
Eddie's House
7042 E Indian School Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Al's #1 Italian Beef
Barry - Clearly we're on the same lunch restaurant rotation. (The Grind, Al's) I also saw that epidose of Man vs. Food and was excited to try Al's. I had mine dipped, with giardinera (sp?) and provolone....excellent. Good flavor, and I loved the soggy flavor of the bread that sopped up the juice. I with the giardiniera had a little more heat, but that's neither here nor there.
I wasn't a huge fan of the fries, but given the size of the sandwich I could have done without them anyway.
It's 5 minutes from my office and my waistline is concerned that this is going to be a frequent lunch destination...
The Grind - First Visit
I was there for lunch today. I had the Steakhouse Burger...it was significantly overcooked and somewhat dry. I usually like my burger rare, but ordered it medium rare because no place ever gets rare right except for Petite Maison and I figured med rare would easier to get right I think the grind (no pun intended) needs some more fat in it. Good flavor, however. I also had the homefries (I think...) with cheese on them. They were browned on the outside, but nearly raw inside and rock hard.
I like the idea of this place....and I think they'll get it right. The coal oven imparts a nice charred flavor, but they need to get the temperatures right. It's not a complicated menu, so they ought to be able to master it.
I also thought it was expensive for what it is. Two burgers, one order of homefries, and two iced teas was $34. I am happy to pay for quality but this seemed a bit steep for what we got.
The best I can say is that there is unrealized potential there. It's still young. I hope they get it right....
-----
Petite Maison
7216 E Shoeman Ln, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Review: Modern Steak (Scottsdale, AZ)
I are there as a follow up to my initial review, posted above. Although it defies "traditional steakhouse" description, I really enjoyed our second experience there. The service was excellent and attentive, and the food was leaps and bounds beyond our initial visit. I particularly liked the Alaskan King Crab appetizer (soaked in butter and truffles, as I recall), but thought the tuna tartare looked better than it tasted. My ribeye was well prepared and had a nice dry-aged flavor.
Althought many are predisposed to be "Fox Restaurant Haters," I think that Modern Steak offers something for everyone. It's not high concept cuisine, but we left after our second visit feeling like they were getting their act together. I always appreciate it when the owner is on-site, and Sam Fox was working the room making sure that things were going well.
I will return.
-----
Modern Steak
7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
headed to Mayo clinic Scottsdale...
Glad you like Pars. It's one of my favorites in that area; we carry-out from there often. Not sure why it doesn't get more attention from the food community. Nice people, good food, great value.
No Chains, Please
Brilliant response. Can't any restaurant with more than location, technically, be referred to as a chain? So that would mean that Bouchon is a chain?
For the record, although I'm not a huge fan (as my review attests), Modern Steak is not a chain. It has one location.
-----
Modern Steak
7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Korean BBQ
I'm a big fan of Takamatsu, in west Phoenix. They also have a Chandler location, but the west Phoenix location seems to draw a mostly Korean clientele, which I like. You can order from the kitchen or do tabletop Korean BBQ.
Review: Mayo Hospital Cafeteria (Phoenix, AZ)
The one glaring omission in the mind-numbing debate about healthcare reform is this: hospital cafeterias are the best bargains in town. I learned this lesson recently while visiting a relative during her convalescence at Mayo Hospital, in north Phoenix. But my hospital dining experience stretches far and wide, having had many meals at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Scottsdale Healthcare Shea. Long gone are the days of horrid hospital fare. In fact, hospital cafeterias are serving up respectable food at truly recession-friendly prices.
Consider this: lunch with my father at the Mayo Hospital cafeteria, located just off the main atrium, cost a whopping $9.70 for both of us. That included two large freshly-brewed iced teas, one bowl of tortilla soup, two patty melts and an order of onion rings. I’m not suggesting that anyone raise the prices, but I find it curious that a hospital can bill my insurance company $75 for three Vicodin, yet charge 1970’s prices for the food. And I bet they charge insurance companies a lot more money for the meals served to patients in their rooms, even thought it likely comes from the same kitchen.
All things considered, the food is pretty good. My onion rings may have come frozen from a bag, but they were freshly fried and I gladly waited the three minutes it took for them to be cooked. They arrived hot and crispy, which is more than I can say for some “higher end” establishments.
The patty melt was also a nice surprise. The onions were nicely caramelized and sweet, and the rye bread was nicely toasted to a crisp. I’m sure the cardiology department paid someone for this to be the featured sandwich, because nutritional information is posted for every item and I’m not proud of the fact that I ate a full day’s worth of fat and sodium in one patty melt. Serving food like this must be good for business.
On the other hand, healthier options were available. There was a Seared Salmon with Lemon Caper Sauce and a salad bar that looked very fresh. Other specials during the past month have included Pecan Crusted Trout, Grilled Chinese BBQ Salmon Salad, and Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Grilled Salmon. Not one entrée is more than $5.25. Though I haven’t tried it myself, I am a bit put-off by the name of one special: “Chicken Greek-a-Tikka.” It sounds like a bad mash-up of a gyro and tikka masala, and the results can’t be good.
It is worth noting that the cafeteria system at Mayo Hospital is a model of efficiency. I would venture to say that the cafeteria employees are some of the lowest paid employees (or sub-contractors, whatever the case may be) in the hospital, yet they do their jobs efficiently and with smiles on their faces. It makes me despise – even more – the surly service I sometimes get at expensive restaurants.
If you are in North Phoenix, the Mayo Hospital is conveniently located just of the 101. The food may not be as good La Grande Orange, but parking is plentiful, they don’t care if you take pictures of your food, and there is a refreshing absence of attitude.
I cannot solve our country’s healthcare woes. But if politicians, pundits and lobbyists want an example of what IS working in our healthcare system they could start by looking in their own cafeteria.
Photos can be found at www.ericeatsout.com
--------------------
Mayo Hospital Cafeteria
5777 East Mayo Boulevard
Phoenix, AZ 85054
(800) 446-2279
