Annual trip - looking for restaurants to visit in the NW and EV (Phoenix: moving, pub)

[TempeAZnative]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Been to Venezia's. It was. . . Well, I can't remember. Mayve that says it all?
No real interest in in burgers and dogs.
BUT Los Reyes and TCT Taco - THESE ARE NEW TO ME and look great, Thank you, TempeAZ native.

Now - can we fill our lunches and dinners up in NW phoenix please? The idea of staying in thr LaQuinta and getting Papa John's and Church's chicken every night is very depressing !

Venezia's is great pizza it's not the fancy wood fire pizza, but a good slice of NY Pie. My wife from NJ says it's just like home. Definitely check out TCTaco they smoke their own meat and have a great salsa bar. Also, the orioginal Del Rey de la Torta is at 7th St and Hatcher. Enjoy

[stevek64]

If you like Indian food, Udupi Indian Restaurant in Tempe is really good. It's a vegetarian/vegan restaurant but don't let that put you off. They have a nice all you can eat buffet for lunch on weekdays that includes potato Masala Dosai that they serve to your table that is excellent. You can also order from the menu if the buffet isn't for you though we've only had the buffet when we've eaten there.

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Been to Venezia's. It was. . . Well, I can't remember. Mayve that says it all?
No real interest in in burgers and dogs.
BUT Los Reyes and TCT Taco - THESE ARE NEW TO ME and look great, Thank you, TempeAZ native.

Now - can we fill our lunches and dinners up in NW phoenix please? The idea of staying in thr LaQuinta and getting Papa John's and Church's chicken every night is very depressing !

I gave some suggestions... So did one other poster.

[ShampooBanana]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Looking for recommendations for restaurants in the NW or EV areas only. Preferably budget friendly. I know and have visited many of the old favorites, but I'm looking for those that are new or still remarkably good for the price. I don't care about atmosphere. I'm interested in good food, particularly Asian (not sushi), Mexican, pizza, or unusual ethnic.

For Asian I would recommend Cherry Blossom Cafe on east Camelback. They have some great noodle dishes. Not sure how long it's been there so not sure if it's that new, though.

For pizza there are a lot of very good choices. Try The Parlor if you haven't (also on E. Camelback). It's a great wood fired pizza. Also there is a new Pizzeria Bianco at Town & Country, also in the Biltmore area.

NCounter is a good lunch/sandwich place on Mill in Tempe. I know that's newer.

There are several good new places in downtown Gilbert you might want to try. I'd check out Joyride Taco House Central.

Also, if you like great beer AND good food you can't miss Arizona Wilderness Brewing, also in Gilbert. It's right near Guadalupe and Arizona Ave. It just opened a couple years ago to rave reviews. I've been several times and love it.

[Jkgourmet]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Seems that Phoenix area has slowed down considerably for new, innovative, ethnic restaurants (at least in the NW and EV). When we lived there, this question would have generated tons of replies of new places. With just a few exceptions, most of the places mentioned already have been around for many years.

[stevek64]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Thanks for the suggestions.

Seems that Phoenix area has slowed down considerably for new, innovative, ethnic restaurants (at least in the NW and EV). When we lived there, this question would have generated tons of replies of new places. With just a few exceptions, most of the places mentioned already have been around for many years.

Not sure about that. I'm guessing most of the suggestions here are places that people enjoy and have been going to for years and keep going back. I know we get in a "rut" in a sense going to the same places and skip over trying new places because we like the "old" places so much but I think that's human nature, especially since I find it takes a while to try the entire menu of many of these restaurants. We often fail though on this end of things and get stuck by eating our favorites over and over again.

In any case, not sure if they are "new" or "newer", but here are some other places that might work for you around the valley, many in the east valley/perhaps NW Phoenix, that you might not have tried before:

Seftel: Top 10 offbeat ethnic restaurants

12 Best Ethnic Restaurants in Metro Phoenix | Phoenix New Times

I suppose even if these restaurants have been around for many years and one hasn't dined there before, it's all "new" in the end.

[Jkgourmet]

Thanks, SteveK. When we lived there, I could nearly always be guaranteed that anything Seftel liked, I would like, too. (Not so with any other food reviewer I've ever found.)

ETA: I've just looked through those two links and found some great suggestions. Thank you. Not all the locations work, and we've eaten at a few of them, but there are some new ones and some interesting additions. Cambodian? Oh yeah. . .

BTW, I just remembered a place that I'll add to the list myself. Portillo's has opened on McClintock in Tempe. Lemme tell you - their Chicago Beef Sandwiches are reason enough to go to Chicago in the wintertime.

[stevek64]

Food so good to brave the Chicago winter? That must be good food!

Enjoy your stay here Jkgourmet and hope you find some great places to eat.

[TempeAZnative]

Originally Posted by Jkgourmet

Thanks, SteveK. When we lived there, I could nearly always be guaranteed that anything Seftel liked, I would like, too. (Not so with any other food reviewer I've ever found.)

ETA: I've just looked through those two links and found some great suggestions. Thank you. Not all the locations work, and we've eaten at a few of them, but there are some new ones and some interesting additions. Cambodian? Oh yeah. . .

BTW, I just remembered a place that I'll add to the list myself. Portillo's has opened on McClintock in Tempe. Lemme tell you - their Chicago Beef Sandwiches are reason enough to go to Chicago in the wintertime.

Johnny's that I mentioned above blows Portillios Beef Sandwiches away. I also love their italian sausages, burgers, and dogs. Portillos is just an over rated chain from Chicago.

[PinkElephant]

Taylor's Chowder House just off Tbird and 35th Ave is supposed to be good and there's a pub across the street where Big Lots is that is supposed to be good. There's a Filipino bakery restaurant too. Napoli's pizza is supposed to be a don't miss too.