A certain Healthy Style Restaurant recently opened somewhere in Metro Phoenix AZ. The owner already knows about my visit and what I was served and is very upset. She had a terrible day on the day of my visit and on top of that one of her two ovens went down. She wants to make things right with me and although that is a generous offer that I appreciate…… I don’t feel like returning. I will do her a favor and not mention the name of her restaurant because it’s my intention NOT to bring any negative attention to her establishment. This is a small local restaurant that’s open in a few locations in Arizona. This restaurant offers mostly Italian Style Foods and most with a healthy twist such as baked wings, vegan chicken, quinoa bowls, salads, gluten free pasta and a few varieties of pizza dough that include gluten free(but in a non-gluten free environment). They also serve organic, non-GMO, nitrate-free and so on ingredients.
The atmosphere is fun and attractive with modern and also retro with modern fixtures, school style chairs, retro benches and old fashioned style tile floor. Seating is available indoors and out. Tables are set with a fancy mixed salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper.
We were greeted by a cheerful server and made our order.
We started with Mama’s Meat-za Balls (Turkey).
They arrived cold so our server brought them back to the kitchen and then we received them again. This time they are hot like they should be. The meatballs are seasoned with LOTS of fresh oregano and possibly nothing else. The cooked tomatoes are seasoned pretty much the same way……..I think the meatballs and sauce would have been very good if they were seasoned with less oregano, a little salt and pepper and a few other herbs. (maybe they should have been?) The focaccia bread on the side is very unusual. I’m at a loss to describe it because I took a bite and decided it wasn’t for me. Today I forgot what it tasted like.
We also tried the Roasted Vegetables.
We received a fresh mix of zucchini, squash snap peas and grape tomatoes that were mostly raw and ever so slightly heated. I think they were seasoned only with oregano. Well I guess that’s healthy!
For our main we shared the small (15in.) Fig and Gorgonzola Pizza on original flour crust option.
The pizza was supposed to be topped with thinly sliced dried figs, caramelized onions, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella cheese, gorgonzola cheese, arugula and balsamic vinegar.
I take a bite.
The crust is very non-traditional. It’s puffy, delicate, SWEET with a wet SWEET center.
I don’t know what it is…..It reminds me of a wet crust like from an apple pie. Not floury and soggy like from a baked apple pie more like the gooey part of a fried apple pie like where the filling sits up against the crust. This crust on this pizza is very sweet and not at all savory. The crust almost seemed fried but wasn’t crisp.
You can’t pick up the slice to eat and have to eat it with a knife and fork. The pizza was tasty in a dessert kind of way. Even with spicy arugula this pizza was still very sweet. I didn’t get the taste of gorgonzola here so I can’t say if it was there or not. I kept thinking when I ate this pizza that walnuts would have been a tasty addition here and I never crave walnuts.
Our server was attentive and efficient. She even offered to send us off with beverages for the ride.
That was my trip to a Certain Restaurant in Metro Phoenix …When They Were Having a Bad Day.
The FORKING Truth is that EVERYTHING is subject to change and YOUR experience MAY or MAY NOT Differ!
The Forking Truth
