Rod and Darla Dining Around Town in the Phoenix Arizona Area

Native New Yorker - Power Rd & Ray Rd - Gilbert, AZ 85234

2010-08-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

Simple review.

Yuk! They ruined a burger. Strange tasting meat. Darla agreed. Also, avoid the curly fries. Tasted like old cooking oil.

Server was good!

Wait was long, 25 mins for a burger in a near empty restaurant.

I can't speak for the rest of the chain but this one.... no thx!

no YUMS

Casanova Brothers, not New York “style” pizza, but real deal NYC pizza!

2010-04-04T18:23:00.000-07:00

Casanova Brothers

(480) 539-6200

929 n. Val Vista Dr. #101
Gilbert, AZ 85234

Not New York “style” pizza, but real deal NYC pizza

Let me start by saying that my wife and I are here in the Valley for a little over 10 years. In our 10+ years of residency, we have been in search of the REAL DEAL New York pizza here in the Phoenix area.

There have been some that are close, and some that are well, lets say way off! (mamalukes!)

But either way, we were convinced that we would only get to enjoy REAL DEAL New York pizza when we went home for a visit. It is often one of the first stops after we leave the airport. :)

One day I ran across a review online of this place called Casanova Bros in Gilbert. “It's just like New York” they said. Mind you, I've heard it all before and was a skeptic.

I decided to leave the office early and pay them a visit. They are located on the NE corner of Guadalupe & Val Vista in the same lot as Stein Mart.

I walked in and was promptly greeted with a familiar New York dialect. “Hey. How's it goin?!” I knew we were on the right track. But then.... the aroma of something heavenly. The smell of real NYC pizza, the garlic, the basil, the fresh sauce, and to my surprise...garlic knots and zeppoles.

This was too good to be true. So I had to order a slice. No,, I ordered 2 just in case it was really good, I didn't want to wait for another LOL.

I took a bite. At that moment, I saw a bright light from above, the heavens opened up and the sound of an angelic choir began to ring out. I found it! The 10+ year long search has ended! I have found REAL New York Pizza in Arizona (Gilbert no less). Minghia!

The food is awesome and authentic, the brothers Mike and Tony and the crew have done it! They have managed to bring NYC with them when they moved here to AZ.

The atmosphere is like walking in to a New York Pizzeria, NYC memorabilia on the walls, Frank Sinatra music, the works. And when you come back for a return visit, they even remember your name. It's like being in “the neighborhood.”

Darla, Zoe and I have eaten there on a few Fridays so far and it's a lot a fun. A bunch-a New Yorka's hangin' out together. Fagadoboutit! You really go “home” while you're there.

We have tried the pizza, calzones, zeppoles, and garlic knots so far. Amazing!

So if you are from NYC and looking for a slice of New York or just wanna see us New Yorka 's in our natural habitat, visit Casanova Bros. You won't be disappointed.

If you go on the weekend, it's packed, I mean full, so call ahead!

Thanks Mike and Tony! You did it! Bada Bing!

Rod, Darla & Zoe

5 out 5 YUMS

Johnny Rocket's

2009-06-27T00:21:00.000-07:00

2270 E Williams Field Rd Gilbert, AZ 85295

Type: Burgers

Time: late 9PM

This was out first visit to JR's was just what we expected, a 50's diner replica remnant of Ed Debevic's (remember them?)

Black, white and red decor, hamburgers, sandwiches, shakes and malts. Tabletop jukeboxes, authentic décor and dancing servers make it a fun atmosphere. It was a little loud for Darla but it was Friday night! :)

The burgers were excellent, replacing the Fudd Ruckers of 3 years ago as my fav. What happened to the FR burgers? Not as good as they were! (topic for another discussion LOL)

The fries were good and I tasted my daughter Zoë's chicken fingers, they were good as well.

Over all, fun place and good food but go during the week if you're not a fan of "loud"

out of a possible 5 YUM's , Johnny Rockets gets 4 YUMS

YUM YUM YUM YUM

My Big Fat Greek Resturant - Mesa (Southern & mall Entrance, west of Power)

2009-06-21T11:19:00.000-07:00

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant
6447 E Southern Ave, Mesa, AZ 85206

When: Sat June 20th 2009
Time of day: dinner
class: Greek/American
Server:Lisanis

Now this is not our first visit to MBFG but I just haven't had the chance to write about them.

I want to start by saying that this place is one of our favorites :) This is one of the places that we frequent on "Saturday night Date Night" after church.

When you first enter, you are greeted by a friendly hostess that rarely makes you wait to be seated. The atmosphere is festive and fun with Greek pop music playing in the background.

The decor is pleasing and both the booths and tables are comfortable. There is also a bar and outside patio area. We prefer to eat on the patio as there is a "happy hour" special that they do each day that you can only get while sitting on the patio or at the bar. $4 for some really good appetizers, you can't beat it!

Our Server was Lisanis, a really sweet nursing student that is "on the ball" and an over all good server. I would suggest that you ask for her.

The food...

Our traditional appetizer is the 'Flaming Saganaki' (if you go here, you must order this at least once).

It's a hunk of goat cheese covered in spices on a small skillet that is carried out to you table. They cover the cheese with Ouzo (a flammable Greek liquor). One server holds the plate while the other ignites it.

In unison they yell "OPA!!" which I believe in Greek means to celebrate. Often regular patrons will join it with the"OPA!" as well. The cheese burns and melts for a few seconds and is the flame is put out with lemon juice.

It's served with pita bread. You spread the melting cheese on the pita and well you get the point! :) "GOOD EATIN'" This is Delicious! A must have!

Main:
I ordered Gyro in a pita w/ fries and Darla had "Pizza sticks" and a Greek salad. As always the food was amazing. The Gyro is spiced just right and the portions are abundant! The Pizza Sticks are not what you think , they are large "slices" of Italian style spiced bread. It's light and delicious served with a tomato dipping sauce. mmm mmm!

Other dishes we have had here were:

Meat lovers calzone (my favorite) - a plethora of meats including Gyro, sausage, and peperoni, swimming in cheese and sauce. If you get this dish, there is a good chance that you wont finish it!

Chicken Alfredo - Good stuff!

This is a good fun place to eat and the staff is aces! Angela, one of the owners (very cool) will often visit with the guests and is not very afraid to jump in and help the servers. She exemplifies good customer service.

We have not eaten at other MBFGR's but the Mesa Location... thumbs up!

I have only 1 negative comment

They will at times "nickel and dime" on the condiments. For example, they may charge .50 for extra Ranch dressing or for an extra pita that kind of thing. I think that if they eliminate that practice, this place would soar!
I don't think that restaurants that do this realize how much this practice bothers people.

But we will go there again and again! We just won't order and extra sauce! LOL

Lastly, if you dine prime time, dinner time on the weekend, the female servers will the "Zorba Dance" it's fun to watch!

Out of a possible 5 YUMS, My Big Fat Greek gets a YUM YUM YUM YUM!

Their Website

Dema's Italian Bistro 18256 E Williams Field Rd Ste 7 Gilbert, AZ 85295

2009-06-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Dema's Italian Bistro
18256 E Williams Field Rd Ste 7
Gilbert, AZ 85295

Date 5/1/2009

Server: "N"
Time of day: post dinner rush around 8:00pm

My first comment about this place is that if you must follow (the same location) a well known, established, great restaurant like Baci, you need at at least be a close second otherwise you're doomed from the start!

They had just opened the other day so there wasn't much of a crowd. (Good for us) so I thought!

Hostess greeting was pleasant and we were seated promptly.

The first thing that Darla and I both noticed about the atmosphere was that it was bright, I mean bright! Like an operating room bright. It was accentuated with pink and orange walls with olive/ brown accents. (hmmm we'll leave that alone LOL)

The furnishings were mostly tables with uncomfortable looking wire/metal chairs and wobbly tables. We oped to sit at a booth. The red and white checked table clothes reminded me of a bad Brooklyn pizzeria (Brownsville for you ny'ers)

The server (at first) was very pleasant and full of smiles. She was quick to take our order.

Darla and I both went with the chicken Parmesan with ziti and we ordered Zoe ravioli with marinara sauce.

The food was "up" pretty fast. The meals were served with some good garlic sticks. They will quickly become the highlight of the meal! LOL

ok... heeeeeeeeeeeeere we go! For starters, the portions were very small. 1 small piece of chicken and some pasta. For $13 bucks you would expect more. Most of the Italian restaurants serve 2 halves of chicken with lots - o pasta. This was like a lunch menu portion. Ohhhh but it gets' better. The kids meal for Zoe was priced at $6.00. $6 bucks for 4 small raviolis? Yes! I said $6.00 for 4 hard raviolis!

To The Food:

From the first bite of my chick-parm, it was not a pleasant experience. The chicken had a freezer burn taste to it and the pasta was very hard and under cooked. It just tasted "wrong".

Now keep in mind that I RARELY EVER send anything back. Even if it's not so great, I will sometimes choke it down as to not have to wait for something else.

I asked Darla what she thought and she agreed that it was not a good taste. (I wanted to make sure that I wasn't crazy! :) )

I ate as much as I could as I was hungry from a day at Tempe town lake.

When the server came by for the customary "how is everything?" Well ...I couldn't lie. I told her that I didn't like my food. I was very polite and quiet about it. I told her that it just didn't taste "right"

Well, you would have thought that I insulted her mama! If looks could kill, well, I'd be a goner! "What's wrong with it?!", "I've been serving chicken all day and there have been no complaints!" I guess it's an individual taste" she says. Followed quickly with the following comment, "Some people are just pickier than others."

Being the good Christian that I am :) I bit my tongue and remained polite. I asked the server to please remove the plate and she did as I requested but here's the kicker..

She never offered me anything else. not another dinner, not more bread sticks, nothing.

Shortly after she returned, Darla told her that her chicken just didn't taste "right" either.We told the server that we didn't expect the restaurant to take both meals off the check, we are not looking for a free meal but they need to know when something isn't right. We just didn't like it. (quite frankly, all of the meals should have been comped but that's not what we're about)

She did remove one of the dinners from the check so we paid for 1 dinner and the $6 ravioli that Zoe didn't eat.

She had told us that a manager would be by to talk to us. Well guess what?... after 20 minutes, no manager.

We ate the extra bread sticks (that we had to asked for) to get full, paid the bill and left.

Even on the way out the door.... you guessed it.. no manager!

Oh and by the way Zoe ate a 1/2 a ravioli. Even the baby didn't like it her pasta, it was too hard. The funny thing is that when we got home, we fed her some canned pasta kids meal and she finished it!

Maybe they should hire Chef Boy-R-Dee LOL

Out of a possible "5 YUMS"...

Dema's gets a HALF-A- YUM and that's for the bread sticks!!

Will we return? definitely not! Baci is only a couple of miles away!

The Place: Logan's RoadHouse Gilbert Williams Field & Greenfield

2009-06-19T17:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday Apr 30th, 2009
The Place: Logan's RoadHouse
Location: Gilbert Williams Field & Greenfield (near wally world)
Class: Steak House
Server: Britney K.

This was out first trip to Logan's Road House. Our first impression was that they were trying a little too hard to be just like Texas Road House. Steak, Pork Chop and chicken specialties, peanuts with the shell on the floor. Hmmmm :)

I later discovered that Logan's was actually around first but just slow to get out west from Nashville.

We went a little past the dinner rush, around 7. No wait (we did do call ahead seating just in case)

The atmosphere was very loud with the dreaded birthday singers.....(well screamers lol) followed by the occasional "yee haaa!!!" but, it the nature of the beast at this type of place. Expect it and it wont bother ya! YEEE HAAAAAAA!

The Server was quick and attentive.

They have a special on Mon, Tues and Weds, 2 dinners for $13.99 plus add a kids meal for 2.99 (pretty good deal we thought)
http://www.logansroadhouse.com/geo/m

I ordered the country chicken tenders w/ fries , Darla had a 6oz sirloin with mashed potatoes and salad and Zoe had steak tips and fries.

First food up was the rolls, not warm, butter not as good as Texas Roadhouse. thumbs down, I didn't really like them. And the dirty plate that they gave me to eat it on wasn't very appealing either!

Darla said that the salad was good however.

The meal came in a reasonable amount of time. The server (not Britney) kept putting the hot food plates in front of the baby in spite of my attempt to quickly move them as she did. She just didn't get it.

The food was good, steak was cooked as ordered and had a good flavor. The chicken was also flavorful and the portions of all of the meals were good. It's good when they can get a fat guy full! LOL

As we near completion of our meal, the manager came by the table to welcome us as first time guests. He gave up a "come back" card good for a free appetizer the next time.

Over all a good experience, good food and good portions. We would return! Oh... yes Zoe ate her food!!

The only other negative was an empty towel dispenser in the men's room. Not cool for the dinner rush! But no biggie!

So in this class of eatery, out of a possible 5 YUMS.... we give it a 3 out of 5 (WE SCORE IT HIGHER BECAUSE THE FOOD WAS GOOD)

YUM YUM YUM

Rod , Darla & Zoe