Il Forno took over the location of the Kyoto Bowl at McKellips and Power Road, and they clearly are trying to move the place upmarket.  The tiled floors are still there, but they’ve neatly marked their logo on all the windows, and added some attractive, rustic-looking tables and a large “booth wall” leather seating surface.  Our party of ten was seated immediately, once enough tables were wrangled to handle us.  Background music was relatively subtle, but when the wood-fired oven is going, there’s the unmistakeable smell of its activity.

The Menu

The lunch offerings tended towards pasta and sandwiches, although they did also offer calzones and small individual-sized pizzas.  There seemed to be a fair diversity of choices– about half a dozen sandwiches, including the obligatory hamburgers, four or so calzones, and three or four pizza types, but a few obvious things– like pizza by the slice, or a list of toppings to custom-order a pizza– seemed lacking from the lunch menu.  The price for most  lunch entrees was at least 8.00, with most 9 or 10 dollars; a little high for the neighbourhood and environment in my mind.  The dinner menu seemed to have more choices– a wide range of pre-configured deluxe pizzas, available in 12″ and 16″ sizes.

Food

Our meal started with some Italian bread with a little bit of cheese on top.  This was both light and soft, while retaining a distinct, toothy crust.  We then moved on to pizzas– four 16″ pies was slightly beyond that which was necessary for ten of us.  The pizza is a thin, but not quite cracker-thin, crust, and had a mild sauce and sufficient, but not overwhelming cheese.  In no way is this meant as an insult– as many places will just cover the dough with pounds of rubbery cheese and ruin the balance of the meal.  It was topped with plenty of toppings, in both the pepperoni and ham-and-pineapple varieties, and also obvious oregano.  This may be too prominent for those with finicky eaters.

Service

While the service seemed a bit rushed– likely due to the newness of the place and a party size that is oversaturating to the kitchen–the staff seemed legitimately concerned with what we wanted and were trying to obtain– notably suggesting we swap a planned bruschetta appetizer for bread, as the former wouldn’t actually come out ahead of the pizza, and arranging for pitchers of sodas.

Conclusion

It’s admirable to see the Il Forno staff trying to get something a little nicer going in the neighbourhood (the Elegant Tea House two doors down moved away a month ago).  Such an installation could easily compete with local landmark Vito’s for the “somewhat upmarket but near home” marketplace.  However, I wonder if they’re ignoring the more conventional market for inexpensive take-away pizza and pasta, and landing straignt in the land of mixed messages.  I suspect they’ll learn quickly– as they seemed eager to know what was going on– and with luck, massage their operation until it fits a market niche well.  Although, honestly, I wish there was still a rice bowl place there….

The food was great if you have the perseverance and are willing to go thought the pain of getting it.  I ate a rotisserie chicken and ribs plate.  They have some secret way of cooking the chicken and ribs there that’s fantastic. They have this corn bread and this grilled artichoke plate that you have to get if you go there.

The service was fine, besides the stupid answer she gave me.  Kind-of a bar atmosphere, trying to be a little “Scottsdale Cool” for some normal people “like me”.  If you have the whole night  and go here, it’ll probably be spent, it may be worth it.

Bellagio continues their seeming perpetual process of reinvention since our last visit.  The most prominent new feature is a massive wall seperating the bar area from the dining room.  The result is a more intimate-seeming dining room, and a somewhat hipper looking bar area, and a round of confused looks as we entered a bar area the size of a postage stamp looking for the rest of our party.  The dining area itself, however, retains the same general vibe of murals on the walls and wooden tables.  A little more ornate than family-spaghetti-night at Buca di Beppo, but still inviting and unpretentious.

Menu

Since our last visit, Bellagio has aggressively slanted their menu towards mediterranean and Persian dishes.  It seems like the menu growth process has primarily been additive– everything’s still there, most at the same price, but new items abound.  The lunch menu has grow to two full pages, including sixteen items promised to be prepared quickly.  However, I tend to think the overall marketing, and the lack of a clear categorization, makes it difficult to see the restaurant as clearly a pizza place, clearly a gyro house, or clearly a Persian kebab house.

Food

I chose the ‘Persian Hamburger’ - a seasoned beef patty, normally cooked on a skewer, served on a hoagie roll.  The pickles were strongly seasoned and the roll itself was crispy, while the meat had a mild flavor to it.  The portion was entirely ample, especially coming with chips, and consumed only half the meal (see photo).  The chips had a fairly authentic, not-cooked-in-the-oven texture and taste, but lacked salt.  The $7.50 lunch provides plenty of both.

Service

Our waitress seemed to be quite prepared, easily transitioning us to a bigger table as our party of eight arrived, and replacing drinks without having to be asked.  If anything, holdups seemed to be primarily on the kitchen end, as appetizers ordered even before the food came after the salads ordered later, and some of our dishes came out a bit earlier than others.

Conclusion

I suspect we’re on the edge of their ability to easily handle, as a party of eight who mostly ordered different things.  However, Bellagio seems to be effectively targeting lunch now.  I can recall, several years ago, all but writing them off, when they raised their prices and changed chefs, but it seems like they’re managing to get their groove back.  Such an attitude is no longer necessary.  What is, however, may be a reasonable way to differentiate themselves from Venezia’s and Cafe Mix, both within 1km of them, who clearly have staked out pizza and mediterranean for themselves.

When Web-Op moved into its first offices, the Falcon’s Roost was right across the road, having been there for about 200 years.  A death in the owners closed it for several months, and it re-opened with a decidedly less dank and bar-like atmosphere.

Much of the small dividers, and all the booze bottles went, and now there’s a few small posters of aviation fairs, and an endless movie of small aircraft being projected on the wall.  It’s a more welcoming place than the original Roost, but it seemed to be as short-staffed as ever.  Only 4 in our party, a fairly empty room, and we still had to wait for a menu.

The Menu

The Roost has also scaled back their menu– many of the Mexican dishes and breakfast items are away, leaving a few American standards and a custom burger or two.  It still seems like a very old menu, where nobody wants to offend anyone, so they make two cuisines.

Food

I chose the patty melt.  It was my favorite at the old Roost, and it seemed largely the same– big patty, onions, sort-of rye bread.  While I had to get it re-cooked (it was initially a bit raw, for hamburger– scary!)  the finished meal was fresh and crunchy, with very home-style french fries.  It was reasonably priced– about 7.50– for an American style diner.

Service

While the service was slow, they were attentive and polite when we sent back stuff.  It’s all we can hope for, realistically.   They also did better after the order was made.  Our orders were correct, and came together.

Conclusion

The Falcon’s Roost fills in a local niche:  reasonably-priced food not even an 85-year-old would fear, but still more vital than the Iowa Cafe.  I hope they can thrive with their new layout and target market.

I had the sense this place was trying for the wholesome-meets-sports-bar vibe with the chalkboard wall of specials and the cutesy casino theme.  The overall space is fairly cramped, with a sit-down bar and many small corners packed with tables.

While our party of ten was seated quickly, it seemed like no real accomodations were made for parties over six or so.

The Menu

While much of Lucky Lou’s selections seemed conventional American, there seemed to be a lot of gaps on the menu.  All the sandwiches seemed to follow a basic theme, and there were few entrees.  A large focus was on burgers, and much of the lunch menu was soup-and-small-entree offers.  However, the narrowness in some sections was compromised with exotic appetizers, suggesting sports bar again:  meat skewers and fried zucchini were tried by the others eating today.

Food

I chose the fish special.  It was three large, freshly-fried filets, served with a red-cabbage coleslaw and a vegetable selection.  I asked for the steamed vegetables, as a fat balancer, and was saddened to see broccoli only.  It was topped, for no aim save to make it fatty, with shaved cheese, but was otherwise fine.

Another diner ordered a salad, which was the size of a satellite dish; the main aim of the restaurant seems to be to overwhelm with size, not inexpensive offers.  The lunch special (walleye) was over $12.  It might work in Lou’s fancy Chandler area, but I’m a Mesa hick.

Service

Our orders came out erratically, but the service was fairly fast.  Drinks didn’t seem to be intensely monitored, but on a cold, rainy day, who wants more Coke?

Conclusion

While Lucky Lou’s doesn’t offer much to email home for now, it could improve easily– a little wider menu, a little healthier menu, and it would draw more easily.

The restaurant is tucked into a small plaza on the corner of Crismon and Baseline that is also host to a Basha’s. From the outside it looks like a small take out only place, but there is a small dining area as well. The menu is moderately priced for Mexican food and the service is pretty good. They offer fairly standard fare for the genre but everything I’ve tried so far has been excellent. The portions tend to be on the small side (especially for a giant gringo like me) but everything is infused with great flavor and an authentic taste. I recommend the fajitas although many reviews suggest the rellenos. Overall I recommend it.

Mi Amigo’s has moved up in the appearance department-  less frills and random decor, more of a tidy, moderately expensive place.

However, once we were seated, the impression failed.  A laminated, child-proof menu, and crude tortilla chips, made of a half-tortilla each, didn’t make the grade.

The Menu

Did you guess Mexican?  Why not?  Mi Amigo’s goes for very standard fare– even explaining the ‘regional origin’ of many dishes, which implies a newbie audience you simply lack in Arizona.  We know Mexican food after 20 years living here.

While Mi Amigo’s offers about a dozen lunches, they’re scattered across a menu, and seem random in composition.  No clear “one taco, two, enchiladas” breakdown, so it’s not easy to find what you want.  Surprisingly, many of the lunches were limited– chicken chimichanga only, for example, even for pork fans.

Food

The salsa supplied with the chips was surprisingly good– well blended and balanced, and at a suitable feel for eating on chips.

For the entree, I chose the chicken chimichanga.  The shell was surprisingly light and delicate, and the chicken seemed to be fresh and mostly white, but it was cooked in a watery sauce which tended to weaken the overall feel of the dish.

Beans and rice were traditional, and with few surprises– thick enough, not dried hard.

Service

Our orders were all correct, which was a fair effort considering we had 8 people, and I asked for no sour cream.  Moreover, our clerk followed our drinks and chips closely, replacing as needed.  I was surprised by Mi Amigo’s service, in a good way, for once.

Conclusion

Mi Amigo’s seems on a solid direction.  While it’s clearly a step away from Rancho de Tia Rosa, the groundwork has been laid for a slightly more upscale experience than “Corona bombs and crispy fried kid food”.

Silke’s is crammed next to a closed WaMu branch beside a likely soon-closed Basha’s.  It formerly held Florodino’s, a low-end Italian place, and some of the general look– leather booths, nicely done up tables– seems left behind. The walls have a small scattering of Cracker Barrel style doodads, making Silke’s seem a little higher up-market than other American places.

Our party was seated immediately, as half the place is roped off during lunch.

The Menu

Silke’s plays strong in breakfast, with a page of omeletes, egg dishes, and pancakes.  At lunch, options revolve around a moderate selection of sandwiches, generally less ornate than a place like Cracker’s and Company, hamburgers, and salads.  All items are fairly familiar except for a surprise lavosh choice, which seems out of place somehow.

Food

I chose the open-face turkey sandwich.  The turkey itself appeared home-cut, white meat with varying thickness and grain.  Impressive, when sliced cold cuts are common.  Underlying bread was moderately thick, white, and served as expected for sopping gravy.

Sadly, mashed potatoes alongside were weak.  They seemed like they had been cooked over several times and formed into a permanent cake, although inside was credibly home-made lumpiness.

A small container of cranberry provided all the color offered.

Service

The waitress was generally efficient and accurate, getting our orders together and with a minimum of fuss.

However, weirdness abounded.  The sodas were refilled with pitchers on the table.  Are we six and at Chuck E. Cheese?  No.  We had dilute soda.

We had no bottle of ketchup, only small containers for single serving.  Again, like a child who might make a mess with 12 ounces.

Conclusion

Silke’s does homestyle fairly well.  Sadly, homestyle includes “people at home treat you like the young child” and “restaurants are a bit more classy and refined than home.”

It seems Hot Dogs and More has become our default “penalty choice” when alternatives aren’t given.  It’s still a narrow location stuffed with local business’ advertising cards.

As a self-service location, our orders were taken reasonably quickly, but we simply can’t seat 8 in one group.

Food

I chose the bacon cheeseburger today.  While the burger was nicely charred, the bacon was a little thin.  The onions were not the sweet variety.   Overall, it was better than fast food but not anything breakthrough by the standards of burger-specialty places.

The french fries tasted freshly cooked and of fair quality– not the ultra-crisp type many places offer.

Service

Our order was actually prepared quickly, yet still delivered as a bunch; fairly impressive given the size of the party.  However, they could still only serve it over the counter– no formalities.

Conclusion

As a default choice, there are definiltely worse options.  The prices and food are reasonable, and the menu has plenty of variety (as it did the last time we visited), but it’s inherently a local take-out greasy spoon.

They spent a lot of money furnishing Flancer’s.  Framed vintage posters and large plasma televisions dominate the walls, and nicely finished wooden tables and fresh booths fill the room.  However, it was still difficult to find a seat for eight; we were wedged into a booth really best meant for six.

The Menu

Flancer’s seems to be unsure if it should make pizza or sandwiches a central focus, from their marketing.  The menu, however, is heavily sandwich-oriented, offering a number of “standard sandwich- minor exotic twist” dishes like chicken breasts with prickly-pear glaze.  A few burgers are also available, to avoid the ‘ladies who lunch’ feel too strongly.

Food

I chose the buffalo-chicken sandwich.  It was served on a footlong hoagie roll, which was slightly above-average.  The sandwich had two long, squashed chicken strips on them.  While crisp, they seemed very artificial by shape and appearance– a pressed and formed Pete’s Fish and Chips offering.  It had lettuce, tomato, and mayo on top.  While generally decent, and better than other items I have had, it was far from world-beating, and the vegetables on top sort of made the whole deal soggier than necessary.   The value’s erratic:  a huge sandwich for $7.00, but an extra dollar for a tiny pickle and small scoop of potato-salad, which contained a large amount of bell pepper as the main textural element.  Some finer dicing and maybe some relish for taste might help.

Service

The waitress got our orders right.  However, drink replacement was erratic (mine never got replaced), and followup seemed minimal.  With a packed place, maybe she couldn’t provide full attention.

Conclusion

Flancer’s managed to rise to “tolerable” today.  Why they do so well remains beyond me.  Maybe the atmosphere is charming to some, or the diversity of the menu hides secrets I just miss.