96161 Wed Mar 29 12:48:37 -0800 2006 12 6 Southwest 0 525183 Hi all, I'm coming into town for a weekend to interview for a job in Glendale. Coming from NYC, this will be a major move if I'm offered the job. I'm looking for suggestions for someone considering relocating to the area. I've searched the board and have some things I'm really looking forward to - like Ranch Market - it seems like I would love this place. The thing is, I don't really want the typical tourist recs, but exposure to the food I would come to rely on if I moved here, if that makes sense. Price and type of food don't matter at this point. I have a car and will be totally mobile so I'm flexible on location too. The only thing is, I'm travelling to the interview without my S.O., so I'll be a solo diner at this point. I really appreciate the help, so thanks in advance. Wed Mar 29 12:48:37 -0800 2006 0 interviewee 1 525184 Where will you be staying? I may be a Central Phoenix snob, but others may agree. The west side is pretty desolate, with a very few exceptions. Wed Mar 29 12:57:09 -0800 2006 525183 0 Gayle 2 525186 I was kinda afraid of that..... I'll be in downtown Glendale for the weekend, but I am really interested in exploring, so I'll consider anything. thx Wed Mar 29 13:11:38 -0800 2006 525184 0 interviewee 3 525187 If you don't mind the smoke, Richardson's would be a seriously good choice. Besides remarkably good SW style food, it has another great benefit - you can sit at the bar and get to know some of the locals. Central Phoenix location. Wed Mar 29 13:26:45 -0800 2006 525186 0 jkgourmet 4 525193 *sheepishly raises central phoenix snobby hand* We went to Haus Murphy's last summer for lunch and I wasn't all that impressed. I suppose I had high expectations due to the reviews in the paper. But that doesn't mean that the westside will be dead for long. The big stadium and all of the surrounding hotel/shopping/dining complexes are slated to open later this year. I think that will bring more people with higher dining expectations to the area. Don't fret. :) Wed Mar 29 16:19:06 -0800 2006 525187 0 rramirez4444 5 525201 rr...you and I need to hang out! I'm a block from Richardson's and I LOVE it...as if you didn't know that already. Interviewee...check the boards. Lots of great suggestions. Richardson's is always #1 on my list because it's a huge local hangout. Great food, stiff drinks, nice staff. I'd recommend hitting "Dick's Hideaway" first. It's the little unmarked annex around the corner in the same strip mall as Richardson's. Exact same menu, but even some locals don't know about it. Wed Mar 29 20:30:05 -0800 2006 525193 0 Gayle 3 525214 I spend three days a week in Glendale...and I'm weighing in with the rest of the "central Phoenix/east side snobs." If I confess that my lunchtime soups or salads are consistently from either Trader Joe's or the local Safeway - in GLENDALE, guys! - will that be a clue? Calm down, themis, it's not a wasteland, but it's far from culinary nirvana - all complicated by the fact that many (not all) of the local ethnic restaurants on the west side tend to dumb it down a bit in obeisance to the prevailing midwestern palates. (okay - this happens to a certain extent in other parts of the Valley - it just seems to be more prevalent throughout the west side) Here's the good part - you can scoot east on Glendale Ave, and really be in central Phoenix or Scottsdale in minutes (well, maybe 30 to Scottsdale). But it's a quick and easy trip, and you'll be much happier with your dinners. Thu Mar 30 11:20:36 -0800 2006 525186 0 alice (let's eat!) 1 525190 Mi Cocina Mi Pais (4221 W Bell Rd, Phoenix AZ) Slow service has been a small problem at this family-run Ecuadorian restaurant. Order the tamale sampler plate to-go, if you're pressed for time. Just don't miss these tamales. I had no complaints with Chanpen Thai Cuisine (13828 N 51st Ave Glendale AZ), and I think there is also a descent Vietnamese place, nearby. There are a growing number of places that interest me, but, I live on the other side of town. A couple that come to mind are: Haus Murphy's (5739 W Glendale Ave, Glendale AZ) and Touch of European Cafe (7146 N 57th Dr, Glendale AZ). Wed Mar 29 14:15:38 -0800 2006 525183 0 John Seberg 2 525191 John has given you a number of good suggestions for the westside, and there are many more! The only people who find the west valley desolate in terms of dining are the ones who never bother to come here. You'll find great ethnic food. I did, when I moved here, making me feel quite a fool for listening to the naysayers. Since you don't mind traveling for dinner, and you want to see what the whole area has to offer, I'd suggest one night spent in/around restaurant row in Scottsdale -- Los Sombreros or Cowboy Ciao would be my picks for you there, both are exceptional -- and maybe one night in downtown Tempe for dinner at Caffe Boa. Alternately, take one night and check out one of the top-notch resort restaurants, like T. Cook's or Lon's at the Hermosa, or even Robert McGrath's Roaring Fork. Wed Mar 29 14:49:51 -0800 2006 525190 0 themis 3 525202 I'm not even going to touch on this subject. It's all a matter of opinion. Have a great day! Wed Mar 29 20:31:15 -0800 2006 525191 0 Gayle 4 525209 Hounds, I have to concur with Gayle on this thread.... The West Side is replete with chains and places, which I try, and really want to like, but always fall short. Yes I do live in Central PHX, and Yes I do travel to East Phoenix and Scottsdale for great meals. However rarely do I find myself venturing to West Phoenix for fine culinary dining. Maybe I need to give it another shot, but knowing that Gayle spends more than half her time in West Phoenix and I usually agree with her rec's, I would recommend the NYC hound working in Glendale but dining in Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale until West Phoenix grows up a bit more. Not trying to incite an argument here, but merely giving my two cents worth. Cheers! Wed Mar 29 23:36:31 -0800 2006 525202 0 Leanne 1 525212 The thing is, we don't have fancy splashy restaurants on the west side, but we do have lots of interesting ethnic restaurants and little cafes. For instance, Takamatsu on Dunlap just east of 43rd Avenue, for Korean food and sushi. There are several other Korean restaurants nearby that we've never tried. Great Wall, on 35th Ave. and Camelback, is a pretty decent Chinese restaurant, mostly patronized by Asians. They also serve dim sum on the weekends, not as great a variety as C Fu in Chandler, but still not bad, especially when we don't feel like driving all the way across the valley. Ranch Market is definitely worth your while, and we have two in the west valley. There are myriad tiny bare bones casual Mexican restaurants, many of them really good. One that we like is Mixteca, with three locations -- we frequent the one on 43rd north of Dunlap. Another is Tortas La Presa on Glendale just west of 43rd, with a variety of tortas and some unusual Mexico City-style dishes, and wonderful fruit shakes. There are also a number of Vietnamese restaurants-- recently I like the one on 19th Ave. just south of Northern, and across the street from that is a Russian restaurant. On Northern east of 43rd Ave. is Sarajevo, with Balkan food, and on Dunlap and 35th Ave. you will find a big Filipino market and cafe. So you see, you just have to look around, and be adventurous. Thu Mar 30 07:58:14 -0800 2006 525183 0 Sarah C 1 525253 I live on the West side ever since I moved here from Philadelphia almost 9 years ago. I won't kid you. I went through major culture shock. Phoenix is so different from any of the east coast cities that I was used to. That said, I have come to appreciate the Southwest although I miss a lot of the food items that I grew up with i.e cheesesteaks, hoagies, pizza, good Chinese. There are a lot of chains on the west side but there are a few restaurants that are individually owned. One of the ones that I would recommend is Dillons (just west of the Thunderbird exit off the 101) on the north side of Thunderbird. It's BBQ and I've had almost everything on their menu. They have great ribs (beef, pork, babyback), brisket, etc... as well as great sides. They have another location on 59th Avenue just north of the 101 but I like the original location better. Another place that I would recommend is Cucina Tagliania's if you like the red sauce Italian American food. They have two locations. One is at 83rd and Bell and the original location is on the NE corner of 59th Avenue and Bell. There's a good Indian food place across the street but the name escapes me at the moment. It's just east of the Wal-Mart which is on the SE corner of 59th and Bell. There are a lot of Mom and Pop Mexican restaurants that are great as well. I have been to Haus Murphy's which I noticed someone mentioned previously and I was not impressed. I can't say that it was the restaurant or the fact that maybe I just don't like German food all that much. Anyway, it'll be hard to adjust to the restaurant scene after living in NYC but there are good restaurants to be found in Phoenix. Even on the West side. Fri Mar 31 13:25:27 -0800 2006 525183 0 Amy