525037 Mon Jun 02 16:00:01 -0700 2008 31 6 Southwest 0 3742889 What new restauarants around the Valley (opened within last four -five months) have you loved/hated/dismissed? wine bars? Mon Jun 02 16:00:01 -0700 2008 11599 Alice Letseat 1 3742926 I'm warming up to La Piccola Cucina (mentioned in a couple of previous threads) and Pizza a Metro* (also mentioned here). Digestif, however, grabbed me right away--in fact, I'm considering suggesting it as the venue for my upcoming birthday dinner. ;-) No recent disappointments to report. *-I'm not actually sure how long Pizza a Metro has been open. Mon Jun 02 16:08:24 -0700 2008 3742889 86822 hohokam 2 3742982 We had lunch at Pizza A Metro on Friday and I *think* I heard the owner say they had been open there for 5 months when another diner asked. They are also planning to open another restaurant (under a different name) in Scottsdale in October. Sounds like a much bigger place (couldn't possibly be smaller than the location on Thomas!) but hopefully the same great quality! Mon Jun 02 16:31:14 -0700 2008 3742926 92647 MesaChow 3 3746513 Thanks for the reccomendation for Pizza A Matro. I had missed the original thread and decided to try it today for lunch. It was fantastic. I would wholeheartedly put it in the category of best new places in Phoenix. Tue Jun 03 15:14:18 -0700 2008 3742982 17684 avandelay 2 3743055 great minds think alike - i was going to say those three too!! Mon Jun 02 16:57:35 -0700 2008 3742926 60025 winedubar 1 3743070 Loved the meats at Stacy's Smokehouse. The sides are hit or miss. I liked my onion rings, but sides seem to be their weakness. The ribs and fried chicken I had were great. The portion size of my "1/2 rack" of ribs was huge. Mon Jun 02 17:03:42 -0700 2008 3742889 21290 Firenza00 1 3743311 Loved: Digestif in Scottsdale Bar Tepo in Mesa Latitude 8 in Chandler Maria Maria in Tempe Eddie's House in Scottsdale Mon Jun 02 18:25:26 -0700 2008 3742889 118710 razordogg 1 3743697 La Bocca -- pizzeria and wine bar on Mill Avenue in DT Tempe. The concept is not terribly original, but it's well executed The Breadfruit -- Jamaican food in DT Phoenix. Not perfect, but very promising Mon Jun 02 20:53:10 -0700 2008 3742889 26466 silverbear 2 3750001 Re: Breadfruit. I agree it is very promising and I very, very much want it to succeed. But the place just doesn't strike the right notes. The jerk chicken was not very "jerky" and the coco bread is not baked in-house (which explains why sometimes it can be stale). Also, $2 for corn on the cob?? Perhaps the owners are just finding their way around things and will tune up the details as time progresses. Downtown needs more places like Breadfruit. Wed Jun 04 14:24:42 -0700 2008 3743697 11583 ipsedixit 3 3750331 Skip the coco bread. It's just soft prepackaged sandwich rolls as far as I can tell. The festivals, sort of a cross between a breadstick and a biscuit, are prepared on site and much better. I just wish they'd provide a complimentary basket of them to each table rather than confusing customers about which items come with a festival and which do not. The menu is unclear and sometimes downright inaccurate about that. As for the jerk, I tried the shrimp and thought it had just the right dry heat. Not sure about the chicken. Wed Jun 04 16:13:51 -0700 2008 3750001 26466 silverbear 3 3750753 We went to Breadfruit on the first night they opened (after having seen it mentioned here). We were generally pleased with it, though there was (is?) definite room for improvement. I had the jerk shrimp and enjoyed the slow heat, but thought the shrimp a little tough and pretty tiny/few for the price (I'm a light eater and normally have leftovers when I eat out; not at Breadfruit). The corn on the cob they served me was so tough that it was inedible -- hopefully this has been remedied? The grilled pineapple was a nice companion for the shrimp, to balance out the spice. When the waitress asked how we liked everything and I mentioned that she said "The festival does that too." Umm...what's a festival? "Did you not get one?" She whisked off to the kitchen and a little later presented me with one and it was one of my favorite parts of the meal. A complimentary basket would be fabulous! Or at least a basket you could order as a side/appetizer. My vegan boyfriend was pleased to see a variety of vegan options but was a little unhappy with his ital soup, saying that it lacked seasoning (from the tiny bite I had I agree). The menu said it came with coco bread but none arrived. He & our friend happily polished off the avacado spring roll appetizer, though. And I thought the veggie pattie, tho' mild, was nice enough. Our friend seemed pretty happy with his jerk chicken (though it too seemed a smallish portion) and we enjoyed the desserts. And hooray, they serve Ting! Although we weren't completely satisfied with our Breadfruit experience I'm really pleased to have it as a new option in the neighborhood. We're ALWAYS looking for new places in CenPho to eat and it's a nice change of pace. It's especially nice that there are some vegetarian/vegan options. I hope they work out some of the rough spots in food/menu/etc. and stick around. Wed Jun 04 18:53:23 -0700 2008 3750001 133997 Bax 4 3754184 The hit-or-miss approach to offering the festivals one at a time seems silly. They are delicious and a more generous approach to them would help offset the smallish portions. The Ital soup has been the biggest disappointment of my meals at the Breadfruit. It is severely lacking in flavor, the veggies are too al dente, and the side of bread promised on the menu is only provided for an extra charge. I'd say it's definitely the weakest item on the menu. I've liked everything else I've had. Fortunately, the owner seems open to feedback, so I am hopeful that these issues will be addressed. Thu Jun 05 17:07:47 -0700 2008 3750753 26466 silverbear 1 3743811 Loved ~Stacy's Smokehouse - Firenza is right on, the sides are hit or miss, mostly misses unfortunately. The ribs and pulled pork are really excellent though, also love the catfish. ~Culver's - onion rings, Culver Deluxe, Bacon Deluxe, yum. New favorite fast food burger. (Partially) dismissed ~Maria Maria - the service was terrible, and the food was mediocre at best. I'm chalking it up to an off-night in the kitchen and it's relative youth, because I wanted to like it. I would probably give it another shot in the future. Hated ~Geisha a-Go-Go. That's all that needs to be said. Mon Jun 02 21:46:24 -0700 2008 3742889 67548 azhotdish 2 3746758 omg you are not kidding, azhotdish!! that place is geisha a no no!!!!! Tue Jun 03 16:41:01 -0700 2008 3743811 60025 winedubar 3 3750277 Wow, how long have you been waiting to pull out that "no-no" line? Personally, I'd have gone with "Geisha a-no-go". :-) But I agree. They charge $60/hr to rent a private karaoke room. If I'm singing I want to subject the whole place to it. Wed Jun 04 15:51:13 -0700 2008 3746758 58128 ajs228 4 3750283 lol i like geisha a no go too ;) but 60 bucks an hour is only for the smallest room. the 'big' one is a hundred bucks an hour. yowza!!!!! Wed Jun 04 15:54:04 -0700 2008 3750277 60025 winedubar 2 3748994 I have to agree about Maria Maria - on both counts! We went after the Salsa challenge (hmmm, more chips and salsa folks?) and had the absolute worst service. Nice staff, but of the three who were working our table, none of them managed to bring us anything we asked for on the first try - and at least two in my party went without anything to drink for most of the meal. Finally, I was disappointed with the meal, altho one of my friends really loved his Enchiladas Suiza. Absolutely drenched in gooey cheese. I'll probably give it one more go. . . Wed Jun 04 10:27:23 -0700 2008 3743811 197900 DeliaN 1 3743874 I almost forgot about Mr. Greek. They are relatively new. Great hummus, gyros, and chicken schwarma that we've sampled so far. Their hummus is our second favorite in the valley, very close behind Shish Kebab House. We heard good things about them from AZHotdish and were very impressed despite the modest location. We've been several times so far (two eat-in and one take-out) and the food has been very consistent. Mon Jun 02 22:26:36 -0700 2008 3742889 21290 Firenza00 2 3747691 Yes, Mr. Greek is nice to have in the neighborhood - I had the lamb souvlaki pita tonight for dinner w/greek salad and a side of hummus. All were really tasty; I might not love the hummus as much as you do but it's better than Elie's Deli right around the corner. Everything is always very fresh, and they are generous with the dill and mint so lots of flavors going on. Recommended! Tue Jun 03 22:52:31 -0700 2008 3743874 67548 azhotdish 1 3747759 I absolutely LOVED Digestif. My favorite place to get my Korean yogurt fix remains Chill in Tempe next to Pita Jungle, but if Ice Tango opens that downtown Scottsdale one, I may have to divide my allegiances; Chill has the creamier style like Red Mango, Ice Tango has the icier style like Pinkberry. Both are splendid. Wed Jun 04 00:26:43 -0700 2008 3742889 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 2 3749189 Chill is nice; Ice Tango sounds good, but is too remote for me in its current location. I love the fresh fruit toppings at Chill. They're so much nicer than the usual fruit in syrup at so many ice cream / frozen yogurt / gelato places. Wed Jun 04 11:13:17 -0700 2008 3747759 26466 silverbear 1 3748556 Haven't been there, but don't forget Fine's Cellar. This is where we are going for my special B-Day dinner, and I can't wait. Sounds like a really great place. Been to a few of these new places, and liked La Piccola Cucina. Definitely slow food. Wed Jun 04 08:36:31 -0700 2008 3742889 45848 Booger 1 3748690 Out in the SE corner of town: We didn't care for Brushfire in Gilbert. Probably won't go back. We do like the SanTan Brewery in downtown Chandler...don't know when it actually opened, we've only found it in the last few months. Cheap place for decent pub food close to home. We also thought the new Saute in Ocotillo was pretty good. Haven't been back but we went when my sister was visiting and everyone enjoyed their dinner. Wed Jun 04 09:14:19 -0700 2008 3742889 16406 ziggylu 2 3749997 Oh! Thank you for reminding me... just down the street from SanTan is Sushi Eye In Motion, my favorite sushi place in town. For once, a place with hip decor and a new to Phoenix gimmick (the conveyor belt that runs up and down the length of the sushi bar) has terrific food to match. Wed Jun 04 14:23:01 -0700 2008 3748690 10996 JK Grence the Cosmic Jester 3 3772814 Sushi Eye In Motion is our favorite as well. We are there at least every two weeks (it takes us about 30 minutes to get there or we'd be there more). We have gotten to know Paul and Sue Cho the owners very well and they are so gracious and in talking to them it is clear Paul only accepts the freshest seafood available. His oysters are to die for. Prior to eating them here I wasn't a fan. I've been converted and I love them. They have some unique rolls with great flavors but I still love just plain old sashimi. I find their Hamachi (yellowtail) and Sake (salmon) to be the freshest with the most flavor. It literally melts in your mouth. If you go, ask the server for the FRESH wasabi. You will be blown away. Also try the tempura jalepenos and the new tempura stuffed mushrooms. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Wed Jun 11 22:03:08 -0700 2008 3749997 107689 scorpioscuba 1 3750792 Big hit with us is Fresh Mint at Scottsdale and Thunderbird. We've only been once so far (it's a bit of a drive) but thoroughly enjoyed it and plan on many return visits (in fact, that's where my boyfriend has requested we go for his birthday next week). It's wonderful to have another vegetarian/vegan option in the Valley, especially one that pleases omnivorous me as much as vegan boyfriend. We went in expecting to order at the counter but we were shown to a booth and waited on; I think it was the owner and she was charming and accomodating, answered all our questions and was very attentive. We started with mint lemonade for me (nice balance of sweet and tart) and Thai tea for him and an order of cucumber rolls (fried tofu, daikon, carrot and mint rolled in a thin slice of cucumber) -- delicious and very refreshing. For me a little tofu goes a long way so I appreciate that theirs is prepared thinly sliced so you don't get a big squishy tofu-y mouthful; instead, it blends well with all the other ingredients. Boyfriend was very happy with his pad thai (I had a little bite; definitely a different flavor from traditional but good) and my golden curry vegetables were really lovely (carrots, potato, sweet potato, tofu in a mild yellow curry sauce). It was a good-sized portion (despite being the lunch portion) but I practically cleaned my plate (unusual for me, Queen of Leftovers). I REALLY wish Fresh Mint was closer to home but will be willing to make the drive at least semi-regularly; there are a lot of other things on the menu I'm looking forward to trying! Wed Jun 04 19:05:38 -0700 2008 3742889 133997 Bax 2 3752796 Did you happen to notice if they did take out? Have been wanting to try this place. Thu Jun 05 11:09:10 -0700 2008 3750792 108446 sunshineinaz 3 3752910 Yes they do have take out. http://www.yelp.com/biz/fresh-mint-scottsdale Thu Jun 05 11:32:59 -0700 2008 3752796 190106 aaronling 4 3753671 Great. Thanks for the link. Thu Jun 05 14:21:24 -0700 2008 3752910 108446 sunshineinaz 2 3754577 Hola Hounders, I have to agree with Bax- Fresh Mint is wonderful. I would consider it a gem. I had the opportunity to eat lunch here today and am returning tomorrow, again for lunch. Everything about the experience was delightful. We ordered the Fresh Summer Roll, Lotus Salad, Kung Pao Soy Chicken, Stir Fried Noodles and 2 Jasmine Iced Teas. The Summer Roll was large and satisfying; followed by the Lotus Salad, which was cool and refreshing, would make an appropriate meal for summer together. The Stir Fried Noodles were good, but the winner was the Kung Pao Soy Chicken. We ate everything; my partner took my fork away from me because I kept eating everything! I will definitely be adding Fresh Mint to my regular visits; again I cannot wait to try more tomorrow for lunch! It's nice to have another solid vegetarian/vegan restaurant in town; I hope everyone gets to try it wether they are vegetarian/vegan or omni. Thu Jun 05 19:37:50 -0700 2008 3750792 111656 rxenergie 3 4049944 Fresh Mint is amazing! I have been there twice now, both times with my chef boyfriend who is an avid meat-eater. I got him to try to the soy beef lemongrass noodle dish and we were so surprised how much it tasted like real beef! I got the Kung Pao soy chicken and it was delicious also. I'm a huge fan on this place, and although it's a little pricey, the quality of the food and the healthy way in which it's prepared is worth every penny. I'd like to go every day if I could :) Sat Sep 20 16:26:28 -0700 2008 3754577 220162 allyjk 1 3750847 Dreadfully dull name, but Plaza Grill on Cave Creek Rd is looking really good. I've been twice so far. For lunch I had an excellent chicken mole -- huge portion. I was also there for a wine tasting dinner of Spanish wines paired with a special 5 course dinner. That was a great party, also wonderful food. It's in one of those nearly invisible locations -- strip mall on Cave Creek Rd, south of Greenway, right across from the whacking big yellow "Guns 'n Pawn" building. From the outside, it looks like it would just be hole in the wall, vinyl booths & sticky tables, but that is not the case. Inside is white tablecloths, waiters in white shirt & black tie. Not trying to be stuffy, but definitely nice. I believe there's a tie-in with the "Such is Life" people, & the hospitality side shows a lot of experience. Guacamole assembled fresh tableside, with fresh chips & 3 salsas (the habanero isn't as scary as it sounds, & the tomatillo/cilantro is very nice). And full bar, which is nice. Wed Jun 04 19:29:57 -0700 2008 3742889 93267 emmaAmethyst 2 3750872 Hmm...I wonder if that is where the Coyoacan crew ended up. The whole set up sounds eerily similar--Such is Life connection (which I now forget the details of), very polished service, top-notch food, but in an iffy location. Edit: I was wracking my brain trying to recall the name of a restaurant over on the west side (somewhere near the 101) that was also said to have a tie to Such is Life. Cocono's Mexican Island Kitchen is the place I was thinking of. According to Seftel (link below), Cocono's was the follow-up to Coyoacán. So, if indeed it is Moises Treve's new place, maybe Plaza Grill is more properly thought of as the follow-up to Cocono's. http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dining/articles/2006/06/20/20060620coconorev0620.html I realize that's a whole bunch of speculation on my part, but nonetheless, I appreciate the heads-up. Thanks! Wed Jun 04 19:41:43 -0700 2008 3750847 86822 hohokam 1 3763917 Thanks, everyone! This looks fairly comprehensive (in terms of a list of recently-opened) - if anyone else wishes to chime in, please feell free! Mon Jun 09 12:16:21 -0700 2008 3742889 11599 Alice Letseat 1 3952803 i have been on a frozen yogurt hunt. i think i have tried every frozen yogurt in arizona-some with great pleasure and some with much disappointment. however, i am happy to announce that i have found the best tasting tart in az. my friend told me to try this place i swirl frozen yogurt in goodyear. so i make the 30 min. drive and i am so thrilled that i did. closest tart to pinkberry. i actually like the texture better and there blueberry was so good. the place is really cute. i was glad to hear that they will open a location in phoenix soon but will glady make the drive again until they do. ahhh i'm craving it already as i write. Wed Aug 13 06:53:41 -0700 2008 3742889 218093 asianbear