We woke up today & needed to go to the post office to mail away my niece's 2nd birthday gift: here's a shout out to our lil 2yr old, J.Snow! Since we were up around 7th ave & Indian School we decided to head north a few hundred yards & hit up TWO HIPPIES BREAKFAST JOINT!
I went with the pomegranate flavored lemonade $3. This thing is amazing! They use the old fashion ice that is small & crunchy. The drink is wonderful & highly recommended! I wish they did a refill on these, it goes by way too quick for me...
The wife ordered a Breakfast Bowl which comes with 3 scrambled hippie eggs, has browns, & 2 halves of homemade toast $6 & they allow you to choose 6 toppings as well for your bowl/scramble. She went with the feta cheese, onion, tomato,
After she ordered I was flabbergasted by the offer for an egg scramble for $6 so I went for it also. I decided to go a bit different w/ my 6 toppings of choice however: Onion, Roasted Garlic, Provolone Cheese, Chorizo, Bacon, & Sausage! THE BEST EGG SCRAMBLE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE! Garlic with Provolone & Chorizo? I thought I had died & gone to hippie heaven for sure... The taters were nondescript but the bread with butter & jam was fabulous & will be hit up time & time again!
Before concluding our order we noticed something called the "HOT JAM SANDWICH" $5 & thought it sounded good so we went for it. It's a stuffed french toast type of contraption; has apricot spread with some type of sweet cream cheese in the middle than grilled like french toast. They give you some powered sugar on top, some butter to spread on top, & some maple syrup so you've got all the bases covered. If you're wondering if we used all the stuff they gave us the answer is an obvious YES! We each had about half & had once again thought we had died & gone to TWO HIPPIE HEAVEN this time! Talk about a "WOW JOINT" this was far out FoSho... Who usually has desert with their breakfast? I guess we're now "That Couple", why not, right? We're soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo groovy after all...
VENUE & LOCATION: 10 out of 10. Fun spot, old dining room feel, tables & chairs are straight out of a dump pile but that's their M.O. here. They have the most random junk all over the walls, comic books, 30yr old posters, advertising gimmicks, etc. Some of it is quite funny actually, where they found it I couldn't even begin to wonder! Location is just north of Indian School on 7th ave on the Melrose curve. I've driven by this strip mall hundreds of times not noticing anything in there but now will be back to enjoy it almost weekly!
VALUE & SERVICE: 8 out of 10. I'd say the PHood for the money was good. The way the PHood tasted & got us full was great! The over all bill was $22.78 for 2 adults & 2 bird eating type kids... We had 1 soda can $1. We had a lemonade $3. We had our loaded toast sandwich $5 & we had 2 egg bowls $6 each. It was a lot of PHood for sure, for the money not bad at all. Service wasn't anything special, felt a little rushed while ordering as it was packed, long line, & didn't know what we wanted to order. Asked the guy up front to help us & he was kind but definitely in a bit of a hurry. Great Value! Decent/Good Service.
COMFORT: 9 out of 10. If you're a 1 or 2 it's going to be a 10. If you've got kids such as we do it'll be fun maneuvering yourself around some of the decorations inside. It was nice since we grabbed the back table & had plenty of room, once we sat down of course. Like I said earlier, the seats, tables, booths, etc. were either given to them for free or salvaged from a 10yr old salvage yard. Not knocking it, just mentioning it so you know it's not going to be like "Good Egg" or any other upper end restaurant you may like eating at. The PHood is served HOT & on plastic plates, you eat with plastic utensils. Not a big deal, like I said, it's the M.O. there, but do be careful when getting PHood from counter & taking to your table, it's HOT & plastic plates don't insulate much.
OVER ALL: A+ for breakfast! Comfortable, well priced, perfect location as it's not in a supermarket parking lot or way too small like Matt's lame breakfast. I'll take out of town visitors here for sure & I'd order my egg scramble again & again! Maybe YOU order my scramble & tell me how it tasted... LEAVE A COMMENT & TELL ME WHAT YOU ATE HERE! Hope ya love tha grooooooovey JOINT! ;)
So I went to check the mail & the PHX MAGIZINE was sent to me, well, long story short they had some spread about the HILLSIDE SPOT in Ahwatukee & all it's success & loyal followers. The pictures were of some amazing PHood & I decided that second that we were going to be eating there that night! So we took the 20 min drive from downtown PHX to Ahwatukee which is a suburb on the south side of south mountain (the one w/ all the red lights blinking in PHX for those who know it by that & live out of town) & known as a decent part of town but for years has been a restaurant black hole due to many trying but failing to succeed down there.
We arrived & were surprised by the fact it was in a stip mall, by the pictures we thought we may have another St. Francis or Postino's on our hands, not the case. We put in our name for a 4 top table. We waited 25 minutes & wondered why there were 5-8 vacant tables inside but we were not being seated. Once we were finally sat the lights inside shut off & it was pitch black, yes, completely dark! Could not read the menu or see what I was grabbing on the table for about 4-5 minutes. They finally turned the lights back on & I ordered some "Homemade Lemonade" which was very tart but tasty. Reminded me a lot of Chick-Fil-a lemonade. We ordered a lemonade for the lil'gurl & she didn't take a 2nd sip, too tart for her but we were charged for both @ a $3.50 premium.
The guacamole appetizer was delicious. Had some type of pineapple, tomato, cheese, mix. The chips were stale to begin with but actually got use to them. For $7.00 I'd say with fresher chips I'd order this again.
I wanted to try something I couldn't make @ home or find anywhere else so I went with the Croque Monsieur Open face French hot sandwich prepared w/ rustic French Bread, Bèchamel (it’s like a white gravy), sliced Ham, Gruyere Cheese. Served w/ hand cut fries & I also added (at no extra cost) an over easy egg to the top of it. This was certainly a one of a kind type dish. It's served on 2 french bread rolls & cut in half, than laid on their sides, the meat & Bechamel is added than baked. Very crispy, dense, warm, & interesting. If you're looking for something different & filling this is a great $8.00 option.
The wife got her usual side of fries $3.00, which are world famous (claimed by restaurant) because they're never frozen. Comparable but more salty than In & Out fresh fries.
The wife got the Tunisian Grilled Vegetable Salad a combination of Kale, Spinach, Tomato, Vegetables, & Olives. Served w/ a simple vinaigrette. $8.00. Had some interesting persuasions with the Kale & spinach along w/ the vinaigrette. A one of a kind salad you can only get @ the HILLSIDE SPOT.
Our lil'gurl went with the $3.00 butter sauce pasta which was served with nothing else. With the fries she shared w/ her momma & her lemonade we got out of here for about $9.00 for her portion of PHood. Somewhat a disappointment with regards to the kid menu, not very deluxe considering the type of "SPOT" we were at.
OK, NOW THE PHUN PART! The sole reason I wanted to eat here so bad was the picture in PHX MAG of the apple pie alla-mode. When we sat down for dinner I mentioned to the waitress we were very excited to try the apple pie. She mentioned they were out of Vanilla ice cream & wouldn't be serving apple pie with out it. Long story short, after I talked w/ the manager, he gave us a slice to go, & STILL CHARGED ME FULL PRICE FOR THE APPLE PIE NON-ALLA-MODE! Let's just say that when I handed him the card about being reviewed by us he almost fell on the PHloor. I told him exactly what I tell every place, "We'll give you another chance because tonight was a debacle", he looked & me in relief. I still have to review it the way I see it however.
VENUE & LOCATION: 5 out of 10.
The inside was cool, nice firepit out side, but in a stip mall & in Ahwatukee. If you live down there you're loving this location but for the rest of the valley it's tucked in behind south mountain & not worth the drive.
VALUE & SERVICE: 2 out of 10.
They ran out of ice cream, the server was having an obvious bad 1st night working there, the hostess was running around like a Beverly Hills Blondie chicken with her head cutoff. They have the hostess stand smack dab in the middle of the "SPOT" & it's confusing as to which door you go into & who you talk to to get a table. It took us 20 minutes too long to get a table, especially since there were empty tables the entire time we were waiting. The PHood was good but the fact that I paid almost 10 bucks for my daughter's lack luster PHood is irritating. I can take her to Ruth's Chris for $13.95 & she can eat prime Fillet Mignon for crying out loud! No big deal, ;-) Not much offered on the service side of things as the manager mentioned to me he had to hire a bunch of people & then fire them, about 3 seperate times. I'm sure it's tough to find good people to work but if that's the case find a professional serving crew or don't offer a waiter type experience; have people order @ the counter & have the PHood ran out to the table. SIMPLE AS THAT!
COMFORT: 7 out of 10.
Once we finally got our table & the lights were turned on it was fine. We had our own corner booth & it worked out well for us.
RECOMMENDATION:
I will go back but only because I'm a man of my word & I told the floor manager / partner that we'd give him another chance. As of now I can't recommend going here unless you live in the store next door & have a free PHood coupon for any item on the menu.
D- total grade for 1st visit: 2nd visit review to come down the road...
Hopefully they're still in business...
On the NE corner of 12st & Mohave in Downtown Phoenix you'll find one of the best Mexican PHood spots around. Do not go here for a PHancy meal. Do not go here for amazing service. Do not go here for anything other than PHantastic Mexican Phood because that's exactly all they offer!
When I walked into Carolina's today I was greeted by about 20 people waiting for their PHood in the main lobby area. They have an extensive menu on the wall (looks like it's been there since day one in the 1970's) & it all looks amazing! I got a drink with my order & enjoyed the Manzanita Apple Soda you only find once in a blue moon here in the states.
Notice & enjoy the styraphome everything is served in. Like I said, not the venue for a trendy night out. The wife ordered the Combo #8 $4.95 which consists of 2 cheese enchiladas, lettuce, re-fried beans, & Mexican rice. The sauce on top of the enchiladas was mediocre & the cheese was hard to notice with the extensive flavors & spice from the dark sauce. The rice & beans were fantastic but not worth even an 8 minute drive from our townhouse. The wife will be ordering something different next time she goes here.
This is the Manzanitta apple soda, you can get can's @ Wal-Mart & some Mexican markets but other than that it's almost impossible to find. When I saw it on tap I was ecstatic & drank an entire cup of it before the PHood came out. This is enough reason for me to go back monthly & experiment on dishes until I find one I love more than life itself.
I went with the Combo #6 which offers Chorizo, potatoes, rice, beans, lettuce, & one of the "Best tortillas in town" that is the size the skin of a regulation basketball. I made 3 seperate suto burrittos out of my massive tortilla & goodies on my platter. The "On Tap Hot Sauce" is also very good & highly recommended to those who like that type of stuff. For the costs, this plate was tough to beat. If I ordered again I'd request extra meat as it was pretty lite in this dish, the potatoes were a bit dry & lacked the presence of cheese on top of it.
VENUE & LOCATION: 5 out of 10. Let's be honest, if this was a different type of place it would be a 0 out of 10. The building is a year or two from being condemned & torn down. The neighborhood is sketchy at best & this is during the 1pm lunch hour. I give them the benefit of the doubt because @ this point it's almost their M.O. to have a hole in the wall x's 1000 curb appeal.
VALUE & SERVICE: 10 out of 10. When you can go stuff yourself for $12.02 & have unlimited refills on the soda you've found yourself a winner. Everything on the menu is priced below market value & looks tasty (peeking on other people's plates) as anything. Service was as good as you'd expect. They take your order @ the counter, make your PHood in the kitchen (which you can see) & hand it to you about 10 minutes later. Other than that you're serving yourself.
COMFORT: 7 out of 10. As long as you don't mind eating in a main dinning room straight out of Chihuahua Mexico you'll be fine. If you're worried about safety outside the restaurant, cleanliness, interior design, &/or age of the table this place may not be your spot. I'm not worried about much & enjoyed every bit of my authentic experience @Carolina's Mexican PHood "The best tortillas in town" just south of Downtown PHX!
RECOMMENDATION: Give it a try, it's $5.00 a plate for crying out loud! Pre Dbax or Suns game drive down 7th st a mile & go east on Mohave. Keep your opinions to yourself & enjoy some authentic Mexican phood!
B- until we find something worth dying PHor!
Around 620pm this evening we thought that "CHICKEN & WAFFLES" sounded fantastic!
LoLo's is just south of downtown PHX & with DBAX traffic only about 5 minutes away from our house. NW Corner of Central Ave & Yuma St.
When we arrived we had a parking spot right outside the door, no meter parking here. We unpacked the kids & walked into a warm "Southern Greeting" hostess asking us how many. We said 3 adults & 2 kids, the hostess said: "Sit anywhere ya like" so we found a 4 top table over to the left side & sat. About 5 minutes later we were handed our menus & asked for our "JAR OF DRANK" order; we also gave them our food order as well.
They offer Sweet tea, homemade lemonade, soda, & Kool-Aid on tap. "The Red" is so sugary you wonder if a diabetic attack is going to hit you after your 2nd sip; exactly what a "KID" or "29 YR OLD KID" loves! Unlimited refills & big jars as glasses: $2.50.
The wife ordered 2 side items: a chicken breast $4.00 & Home fries $3.50. The home fries have red & green peppers along with onions diced & sauteed on top of them. VERY TASTY!
I ordered the #3 LoLo's ($11.00) which comes w/ 3 pieces of chicken & 2 waffles. I prefer dark meat so I asked for 3 thighs & 2 extra sides of (BOILING HOT & FREE) syrup. I poured the syrup on my waffles while allowing the chicken to soak up the extra on my plate. As soon as I tasted the mix of fried chicken & maple syrup I thought I had died & gone to heaven! I will tell ya I was STUFFED to the max after my gallon of Kool-Aid, 3 thighs, & 2 waffles but that meal was...
For lack of a better phrase...
SOME SEXY PHOOD!
The "OLD MAN" ordered the "LoLo's Famous Soul PHOOD Platter" ($13.00) which comes with either 3 pieces of fried chicken or 2 pieces of catfish w/ your choice of 2 sides (Waffle & 2 over easy eggs w/ cheese & onion) & cornbread; oh, don't forget the extra side of chicken gravy. The old man chose the catfish & was raving from the 1st bite to the last "Plate Lick"; plate looked like it had just been washed it was so clean.
Service was good: 7 out of 10
I did get up & refill my own drink once without anyone asking to fill it for me. There was NO WAIT AT ALL & we had our food in less than 15 minutes after sitting down. The staff was friendly, helpful, & Larry "LoLo" White was in great spirits as always!
PHood was AMAZING: 9 out of 10
The taste of that fried chicken is unlike anything I've ever tasted in THE PHX! Waffles are good, similar to Waffle House, the HOT HOT HOT syrup is wonderful & makes it far better the the WaHo. The dranks are an old-fashion energy drink w/ double the sugar you'd expect...
I'll keep ordering every single time as well.
I love it!
Comfort was good: 7 out of 10
Older table & chairs no big deal, a little cramped but it's worth it for the PHood.
We had a highchair for our 7month old & everything worked out good.
Over all grade: 23-30 & highly recommended!
I WILL BE BACK, MAYBE WEEKLY!
;)
I woke up this morning around 9am to my wife saying we should go try MATT'S BIG BREAKFAST. We had never been there & I thought it was a cool idea so we packed up the kids & headed off. We live only about 5 minutes away from MATT'S but I met a few people who had driven in from Buckeye & Mesa just to eat there. They too were frusterated w/ the wait & the lack of order the "Hostest" used running "The List" in which you write your name & keep your fingers crossed that you'll be called accordingly.
Sitting on the NE corner of 1st st & McKinley MATT'S isn't exactly "BIG". It's a small older house (700-1100 sq ft w/ seating for 20-30 maybe) that has been turned into a restaurant. Parking is not vast by any means, there is a parking lot to the east but only fits 10-15 cars, I'm willing to bet 1/3 of them are people who work there or live in the hotel to the north. Just make sure to take quarters to pay for meter parking, you are downtown after all. Also keep in mind ASU DOWNTOWN does have classes close by so some of the meters fill up quickly as well.
AFTER WAITING 65 MINUTES outside w/ a 2.5yr old & a 7 month old ($1.50 on the meter per hour) we had our name called. We thought, YA, ABOUT TIME! Little did we know we had waited for a "2 TOP" & it was directly behind the front door. KEEP IN MIND WE HAD 2 KIDS WITH US AS WELL. We were off to a painful start so far.
We ordered right when we sat down, feeling frustrated from our wait. We ordered the "GRIDDLECAKES" $6.00 with 2 oz of maple syrup ($1.50 per extra syrup which you'll need @ least 1 more due to the fluffy cakes) w/ a side of bacon $2.50 & hash-browns $2.00 & the "CHOP & CHICK" $8.00. For the money the PHood was decent, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. The service was mediocre I'd give it a 5 out of 10 (after all they were slammed & getting people in & out like it was their job). Comfort would be a 2-10 for the 2-top table & being hit in the back of my chair every time someone opened the door.
Recommendation: If you are single or couple that have plenty of time to just sit around give it a whirl, if you're in a hurry &/or live far away from downtown PHX I'd say stick w/ the local breakfast joint you already have.
"Organic" is tasty but in my opinion not worth 2hrs out of my day!
TOTAL OVER ALL GRADE: C-
We will not go back unless we for some reason have NO WAIT & a table that seats our party accordingly...
