phx : what chowhound faves do you not get?

Question

hey there hounds,


i know everyone's mileage varies in restaurants based on food, service, and a multitude of other items.

i'm curious - what board fave's leave you scratching your head?

i'll go first -

palatte - we tried twice. attitude in full, food marginal, service lacking. i'm on the 'what ev' team for that one.


anyone else??

Answer

Tradiciones. I've only eaten there twice, but both times the food left me unimpressed. On my first visit, I had their pescado à la veracruzana, which was very pretty to look at but tasted pretty much like fish poached in a thin, unseasoned vegetable stock.

On my second visit, I opted for lighter fare and shared an order of street tacos and an order of chicken sopes with my SO. The sope filling was pretty blah (reminiscent of my fish experience) and the tacos were OK, but expensive considering that they were no better than standard taqueria fare.

On the plus side, I did find the service to be friendly and competent.

I've considered giving Tradiciones another shot, but with so many other less expensive, and IMO tastier, Mexican food options, I've yet to convince myself that I should spend any more of my dining dollars there.

Answer

Pita Jungle - It's good, mind you, but I still haven't had anything that makes me want to go "WE HAVE TO GO TO PITA JUNGLE!". 

Delux - Sure it's a tasty burger, but it's overpriced and their sweet potato fries aren't nearly as good as they were when I first tried them (it was still a novelty then).

Answer

Barrio Cafe -- I tried it once, found it just sort of okay, but nothing seemed special enough to make it worth the price or the wait for the table. I found the food too rich and insufficiently flavored for my own tastes.

Matt's Big Breakfast -- Fresh, local ingredients + adaptive reuse of historic building; Should be great, but I find it just okay. The menu just has too much of a Nina Planck feel to it. How about some housemade muesli, multigrain pancakes, and more options for those who don't want such an eggy, buttery, meaty breakfast?

Fate -- I've actually warmed to this place lately. I still don't think it's as good as its reputation, but my most recent visit was actually good. I just wish the portions were more generous.

Richardson's -- I haven't been in a long, long time, but I don't think this place has changed much over the years. The food is reasonably good, but I just can't abide the many non-food-related objections I have to it: no reservations, pre 5/1/07 smokiness, no high chairs, etc.

Any restaurant owned by LGO Hospitality -- Again, good food, but I just don't understand how people can put up with the various policies in place at LGO, Postino, Chelsea's, etc. As I recently wrote on another site: "I think a lot of LGO-mania is based on an inferiority complex about Phoenix. Often, glowing reviews of LGO will mention that it makes customers feel like they are in some other city. When specifics are mentioned, San Francisco is most often the city in question; otherwise, it's some ethereal 'other city' or 'real city' that LGO evokes...I chose to live in Phoenix and prefer it to San Francisco. Phoenix is by no means perfect, and I am among the strongest advocates of needed improvements. Nevertheless, it's my home and I appreciate the city on its own terms. If I wished to eat in a restaurant that simulates another place, I'd be more likely to dine on the Las Vegas Strip than in Arcadia."

Answer

For me it is Pizzeria Bianco. I know it is a CH fave and I might get booed. I think the pizza is good but in my opinion not worth waiting 2 + hours for.

Answer

I don't understand the fascination with Durant's. I love the ambiance, the entrance through the kitchen and the old school rat pack vibe. It is a great place for a Martini. However, in terms of a steak place I would rate it as mediocre. Mastro's, Donovan's, Drinkwater's, etc. have better quality steak and better preparation. Even chains such as Capital Grill and Morton's do a better job with beef.

Answer

Rancho de Tia Rosa in Mesa.

I have been twice and been totally underwhelmed by everything, especially the laughable cheese crisp. Friends have gone as well as have sworn off ever going again.

On several occasions, I have asked what the draw is and the best answer I get is that it is the only Mexican food in that area.

Answer

mama mia's pizza not sure if anyone thinks it's good but I hate it everytime. Also slice of sicily.

Answer

i don't know about "chowhound faves" but being in central phx, i constantly hear about the wonder that is "fez" and on the two visits i allowed, i found it wretched. the waitstaff was clueless, the drinks bad and terribly overpriced, and the food uninspired and overpriced as well. bleh. never tried ticoz because of my experience with fez. 

with ya on pita jungle... why bother when sabuddy's is across the street (in scottsdale) and so, SO much better?

i'm sure there are others that will occur to me with time.

Answer

Great question! 

Barrio Cafe - I lived in Coronado when it opened and wanted to love it. The food had me running back down 16th Street for Hacienda's mole.

Pita Jungle - There's much better out there without the ADHD service. Love the lemonade though.

Answer

Los Dos Molinos - we were taken here when we first moved to Phoenix. The food was so hot we coudln't taste a thing(and we like spicy). Service was abysmal. Didn't help that we were a group of 8 and all of us were having digestive issues the next day. Won't set foot back in one.

Lola's Tapas - husband isn't a wine drinker so we'd never been. Met a girlfriend there recently...the food didn't overly impress me. It was nice to sit and catch up with her over a bottle of wine but as a food destination it's not my choice

98 South and 56 East - so popular here on my end of town. Again, a great happy hour deal for a glass of wine but foodwise? A big meh. Nothing I've eaten here has every impressed me.

Quiessence - one of the most disappointing meals we've ever had in Phoenix - particularly given the cost. Disappointing in every way: food and service. Probably should give it another try but there are so many other good options we haven't been able to convince ourselves to do so.

Patsy Grimaldis - expensive and burnt tasting(at least the two times we've tried it).

Answer

Delux and Fate. Delux - dry, over-lean beef and servers with attitude. Fate - small portions of mediocre greasy food and servers with twice the attitude of Delux. So what if they have a dj...the noise doesn't cover-up culinary mediocrity.

Answer

Rito's! Totally don't get it -- I even think it's a little below average. The vaunted green chile is no better than canned and I'd rather chew my burrito than tilt it and drink it. Only a gringo would go out of their way to eat there.
Los Dos Molinos -- at least the south Phoenix and Springerville locations -- rather ordinary, given the hype.
Richardson's -- not bad, but not nearly worth the raves. Carlsbad Tavern and even Arriiba are better.
Durant's -- great place, good steak -- I "get it," but the food is not nearly as good as the prime steakhouses, and it stopped being a bargain some time ago.
Postino -- nice building, but that's it. Nothing else there is nearly worth the hassle.
Matt's -- good food, but pricey for what it is -- who would stand in line for it? 
Cibo -- I "get" Cibo, and I like it, but face it -- the pizzas are soggy, either out of balance or underdone.

Answer

Maestro's (N. Scottsdale location). I've been underwhelmed on several visits. Eddie V's (is it still open?), is in the same boat, and not just because it's a seafood restaurant.

Otherwise, I tend to agree with most of the recs. here, provided that I have dined there.

I'm not a fan of Richardson's, the restaurant, but love the food - so we always dine at Dick's. No biggie, I just do not like the dark atmosphere. I like to see what I am eating, regardless of how good it is.

Hunt

Answer

Fusion in Scottsdale. I had bizarre service (overly attentive and confused at the same time), and our food just wasn't that good. Odd pairings together, if I remember correctly--we haven't been back.

Answer

I completely agree with Fate and Pita Jungle naysayers. I found Fate's waitstaff to be unhelpful and snotty, bordering on rude. Even though there may be a lack of Asian fusion food in the valley, Fate isn't the answer. Pita Jungle was...bland. Just bland.

Answer

I'd give a big HI-5 to all most all of the responses except somehow three of my favorites landed there.

1. Los Dos Molinos - Anyone that tries a restaurant once with a party of 8 (especially a place that us usually busy) and complains about the service automatically becomes NULL. The food there is awesome. There adovada ribs are quite possible the best New Mexican style Mexican dish i have ever had.

2. Richardson's - Great food and never bad service. Bill nailed it. If you don't like the madhouse, head around the corner to Dick's. And never, EVER compare Richardson's Arriba's. Richardson's is New Mexican food, the same as Carlsbad Tavern, but much better. Arriba's is New Mexican style Mexican, and in the same boat as Los Dos, but once again no where as good.

3. Durant's - I love it, but if you don't get it, that is your loss. Durant's is irreplaceable. For old man steakhouses, Pink Pony and Cork N Cleaver run a distant 2nd and 3rd. Durant's is the pinnacle.


Like I said though. UP HIGH on the rest of 'em. You hit all the big ones, but I think some people just got a little overzealous and started swinging for the fences.

My list?

I'll steal Fate and LGO entities from you guys. 
Malee's - Like the PF Changs of Thai
Carlsbad Tavern - Eat somewhere else, then go for dessert.

Answer

I know this entry will not be well received, but here goes anyway...

I don't get Binkley's. It was among the top 5 most expensive meals we have ever eaten (and we are not afraid of paying for good food).

We did the 5 course tasting menu. They brought out a lot of amuse bouche tastes (at least one between each course, and sometimes 2 between each course). It was too much. I got tired being bombarded with all the tastes throughout the meal. The service wasn't exceptional either.

While the meal was definitely good, it simply wasn't amazing enough to justify the high price, and difficulty getting reservations etc. I can name a dozen restaurants in the valley that I would rather go to for a special occasion.

I should mention, that we were seated at a small two-top right next to the hostess stand, which was a terrible table. In hindsight, we should probably asked to be moved, but we didn't. This definitely had a negative influence on our experience.

Answer

I'm not sure if it's considered a "Chowhound fave" or not, but I really disliked Chelsea's Kitchen. Firenza and I took a lot of heat over that, and that's okay (we're used to it for Sabuddy's) :). I had the fried chicken and it was practically inedible. Service wasn't great, and the noise level bordered on deafening.

Answer

I agree about all the LGO places. Had rotisserie chicken at Chelsea's a week ago. Very overcooked. Place was packed with families-all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Liked the burgers at LGO when they first started serving them but noticed a decline in texture and flavor some time later. I don't get it-the popularity, I mean. I have not tried Radio Milano yet. Not a fan of Sabuddy but I'm not sure how popular that place is since he moved it to Scottsdale. I think he did just fine with the ASU crowd when in Tempe. I like one dish at Fate (the Hong Kong noodles) but find it "annoying" that all the dishes come with the same combo of veggies. I agree that Patsy Grimaldi's is a poor runner up to other pizza parlors in town. Pita Jungle? I like the Morroccan gazpacho but that's about it. I think people just like the huge portions and the fresh food. It is fresh, after all. Palatte. Nice outdoor area. Yuck from me on the food. Cibo? Undercooked pizza. Not a fan. Love Pizzeria Bianco but hardly ever go unless we are six people and I can make a reservation in advance. I admire Chris Bianco's attention to detail and I do love the freshness and flavors but I'm not good at waiting. Delux. I go up and down, in and out about that place. Sometimes the burger is good and other times, not so good. Sometimes the bun is dry. The fries? Eh. Nothing to write home about. Binkley's? Ate there twice. Food was good. Crowded. Also sat at the tiny table by hostess. Agree that extra food was overkill for us. It's certainly not the kind of place I would go to regularly or long to go back to unless someone else was paying the bill.

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phx : what chowhound faves do you not get?

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