Tips for Dining, Eating, and Food Shopping in Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada (exc. Phoenix, Las Vegas)
Start New ThreadJordan's on Central is closing. The owner blames light rail construction. I'm skeptical since I've visited Haji Baba, Khai Hoan, Durant's, and the Stockyards recently and have all been packed despite the torn-up streets. Still, this does underscore the importance of not letting construction be an impediment to visiting good restaurants along the rail route.
By silverbear
on Mar 29, 2007 05:50 PM
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I am skeptical as well. Jordan's problem is that their food was mediocre at best.
I think he had more to worry about from the Qdoba at Park Central than from the light rail.
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It's been a very long time, since we dined there, but I do agree. Same for Valle Luna, Cave Creek @ Greenway. They both had the "look," and we got good recs., when we first moved to the Valley, but left both highly disappointed. We've not returned to either, since that first visit, as we could see no good reason to do so. Besides, El Bravo is about the same distance from us, as is Valle Luna, and we'd have to pass it to get to Jordan's.
Hunt
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I agree, Seth. I work across the street from Jordan's and I never go there for lunch. I haven't been there in 10 years. I could never figure out how they stayed in business. El Bravo is great, as is Rositas on McDowell and 22nd St. By the way, great cheese crisp there.
Barry
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Google says there is a Jordan's on Central and also on 7th St. Are they related? TIA.
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The one on 7th is owned by the brother of the one on Central.
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Macayo's is right down the street at Central & Indianola in the heart of construction-ville..
I don't eat at either restaurant, but I pass by Macayo's a lot and they don't seem to be suffering due to contstruction.
hmmmm.....
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Neither has George and Dragon, which is filled to the rafters everytime I go there, despite the claims from the owner that he is on the verge of bankruptcy.
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Nor Lux or Pane Bianco which have been busy every time I've been by there.
I think there are some devoted people that will always search out great food. And if the food/drink isn't very good, a great location still can only do so much.
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I went to Khai Hoan a few weeks back around 2pm on a Saturday afternoon and got the second to last table. Certainly not having issues there with the construction.
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I don't think there has been a business to endure more headaches from light rail than Blue Fin on Central, just north of the freeway and the library. Even so, they have been unfailingly friendly, dignifed, good-natured, and ... packed. I have lunch there 3-4 times a month and its always a special pleasure. Oh, yeah, the food? Yum! I'm stuck on the the chicken vegetable rice bowl over brown rice, and the owners will often mention that this dish will take a bit longer in order to steam the fresh vegetables -- broccoli, carrots, asian cabbage, etc. -- the chicken is of high quality and very savory, with just a hint of char-broiling, and the bowls are very generously portioned ... virtually no staff turnover in recent years ... If I'm rushed I'll go for a curried rice bowl, also delicious. I'd eat there more often, but it's one of the "healthy" aternatives in my lunch rotation, along with some others, to offset the impact of the occasional meatballs, cheese, sandwich meats, barbecue, cheese steaks, and burritos I power down at other times.
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Um, yeah, Jordan's ... I've lived in the valley almost 24 years and worked downtown almost all of that time and I have never met anyone who even mentioned eating at Jordan's on Central. IMHO, if it were good I might have had at least one sign revealed to me. The lack of karma prevented me from checking it out even one time, and there are literally hundreds of other places I sampled instead.
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Sounds interesting. I've never heard of this place. Curried rice bowl brings back fond memories of the chain Coco Ichibanya Curry House in Hawaii. Curry with pork cutlet over rice. I will have to look it up!
Also like the name - recently visited Blue Fin in Orange County (new place of Takashi Abe - formerly of Ristorante Abe in Newport Beach and before that Matsuhisa) which was also great.
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