melliott2811

Registered on Mar 3 06

Reviews written by melliott2811

Bombay Spice Grill and Wine in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

I hope you have an appetite for rice if you are planning on going to the Bombay Spice Grill. This will be the only thing in abundance on your plate, including flavor. Offering myriad classic Indian dishes and various combinations thereof, the Bombay Spice Grill falters where it should be strongest: taste. The food is watered down to meet the same bland, Americanized standards as Panda Express, and the accompanying sauces do little to help. There are five sauces on the menu, but unlike most every traditional Indian restaurant, you may only try one with your meal (unless you would like to pay more, of course), and the portion is scant. At $8.95 a plate, the cost of an entire buffet at most Indian restaurants, you get enough rice to feed a family, your choice of two small entrees, and a small dish of sauce. The entrees are purposefully mild to appeal to all audiences, and the saving grace should be the sauce. However, even the spiciest sauce selection was tame at best. As far as vegetarian and vegan offerings, there are plenty, but the range of choices is meaningless as there is no range of flavor. There are plenty of Indian restaurants in Phoenix. If you want to experience good Indian food or be immersed in Indian culture while dining, go to one of them. If you want to watch sports and drink cheap wine in a "trendy" atmosphere while sitting next to a family of four, go to Bombay Spice.

Green in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

Green has quickly become the vegetarian's choice in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Offering not only eclectic, consistently delicious food at a reasonable price, Green also offers dinner and dessert specials to augment their menu. I have to ask myself sometimes if I leave satisfied every time because the food is so good, or if it is because I end up ordering multiple dishes to peruse. Either way, this restaurant comes highly recommended. My only complaint: Green is closed on Sundays. I'm a vegetarian every day of the week!

King Tut Cafe in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

Let me preface this review by stating that King Tut has delicious food. The food is good enough that I have endured multiple trips to this restaurant, only to be rewarded with increasingly bad service. It is not that the staff is rude, but the food can take impossibly long to deliver, even when ordering to go. The atmosphere is nice, and although I personally don't use them, hookahs are available. One caveat about the ambiance, the music is consistently awful, ranging from rap to 90's R&B. With the wide variety of Mediterranean fare in the Tempe area, I will not be returning to this restaurant any time soon.

Lola Tapas in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

Lola Tapas is a small, hole-in-the-wall Spanish restaurant in the downtown area. That being said, get there early if you want a seat because the place fills up fast, and rightly so. Once inside, you will find an exceptionally intimate yet audaciously social atmosphere with helpful service. At least half of the menu is vegetarian, though vegans may find it more difficult to find something to enjoy. The tapas (Spanish appetizers served with drinks) are not large portions meant for one person and should be sampled while enjoying a beverage. Luckily, Lola has many booze-infused drinks to enjoy, including two types of Sangria. The traditional atmosphere, food and drinks make Lola worth the trip, but go with a group; this is a social restaurant despite the setting. A group trip will also allow you to order a variety of tapas to share. Lola serves coffee during the day, but I have not been there for this offering.

Priya in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

I went to Priya once, and I have to say, I will not be returning. Of the three people in my party, all three of us got sick after eating the food, vegetarian and non-vegetarians alike. I am a big fan of Indian food, and Priya epitomizes strip mall dining. The atmosphere conjures images of a hotel room, albeit with more apathetic room service. Priya does offer a variety of dishes that may not be available at most Indian restaurants in the valley, but this is not enough to put them ahead in my book. If you love dosas, and I sure do, head up McClintock to Udupi and save yourself an evening in the bathroom.

Star of India in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

I used to have more of an affinity for Star of India, but apparently my tastes have changed since becoming vegetarian. I recently went there for the buffet and was a little disappointed with the food. The service is always great and very personal, but sometimes the buffet can be lacking. It's not that the food is bad per se, but the same variety of dishes are always served. Of the six main dishes, four are vegetarian. I know at least two of those have paneer cheese, so vegans might want to call ahead first and check. I do not believe that the naan is vegan either. At any rate, last time I went, the saag was somewhat flavorless and the gulab jamun were dry, even though we arrived when the buffet first opened. This is still a restaurant I will go to whenever I am in Ahwatukee and want a comfortable, enjoyable experience.

Warning: the server will bring tandoori chicken to your table at the start of your meal unless you ask that it not be brought.

Tipps 88 Thai Cuisine in Phoenix/Tempe Metro, Arizona
Mar 4

Tipps 88 is another in a long line of new Thai restaurants in the Phoenix metropolitan area. One thing that sets this one apart is their sizable vegetarian menu. They even have mock duck for greater variety. Upon entering the quaint restaurant, you are usually greeted by none other than the owner herself, an amiable woman who is ready and willing to serve you an enjoyable meal. A quick glance at the menu might put off some thriftier customers, but once the dish arrives the value is apparent. Portions are huge, and I have never had a problem customizing my order. They even let my sister order off the lunch menu at 8 PM. It's good that the portions are so large because the food is delicious. Don't try ordering it hot unless you really know what you are doing. I order food as hot as possible at every Thai and Indian restaurant I go to, but it seemed even spicier here. It probably doesn't help that you can see the slivers of fresh Thai chili in the dish (as opposed to chili pastes used by most others). I would recommend the tofu satay (sweet & sour tofu was texturally inferior in both the tofu and sauce), the kang ped veggie, the fried rice with mock duck and, of course, mango with sticky rice. The pad thai is also very good, but it does come with egg unless you ask them not to include it. Overall, Tipps 88 has become my personal favorite Thai restaurant in the valley, offering exceptional variety and service.

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