Tue 8/27: Domino's Pizza (107th Ave & Indian School)

I went to the Domino’s website and ordered a medium pan pizza and a large thin crust (both cheese). I used an online coupon that saved me $4. When I placed my order it said 20-30 minutes for delivery. I love their Pizza Tracker. It provides status of your order real time. It tells you the name of the person making it, what time it goes in the oven, and when it leaves the store for delivery. It’s fantastic! The estimate was right on too. It arrived in about 25 minutes.

Their pan pizza is awesome. Thick, soft crust. Tasty sauce. Not overly greasy like Pizza Hut (although I still eat Pizza Hut). The thin crust is also good. Crisp and simple. The best part about ordering pizza? Plenty of leftovers for lunches!

Sun 8/25: Mike & Ronda's The Place (51st Ave & Bell)

This is such a good breakfast (and lunch) spot. It’s my dad’s favorite place to eat. There are a couple locations in Flagstaff as well (the one on Route 66 is better than Milton, by the way). This location used to be down the street in a smaller space, but they were always packed and could never accommodate everyone, so they moved to a larger building a year or so ago. And they still fill up!

My family and I went for brunch on Sunday (10:30ish) and it was very busy. We waited for around 30 minutes. As we were waiting outside, someone dropped their to-go container of sausage gravy. The guy went back inside so we figured he told the hostess there was a spill. For several minutes we watched people walk by, dodging or nearly stepping in the gravy. Then a lady and her daughter stepped in it. The woman was obviously not happy and went inside to get someone to clean it up. A guy came out right away with a towel. A mop would have made more sense. But anyway, it was our turn to be seated.

We were seated in a booth near the middle of the restaurant. There was a vent blowing our way and it felt cold. Our server came over with silverware, read off a number of specials they had that day, and took our drink order. When she came back with the drinks, I ordered a breakfast burro with bacon and cheddar cheese (you can get veggies and other stuff in it but I keep it simple) and asked for fruit rather than hashbrowns or breakfast potatoes.

It did not take very long to get our food. Everything was delicious. I really like their tortillas. I ate about ¾ of the burrito. They are filling! The fruit consisted of cantaloupe, pineapple, red grapes, honeydew, and oranges. The honeydew was crunchy but I don’t much care for honeydew anyway. I like that their drink cups are so large. Fewer refills required. Our server was really good. She brought us the check and collected payment in a timely manner. Can’t wait to go back and get waffles!

Sat 8/24: CiCi's Pizza (75th Ave & Thomas)

I went to Cici’s with my friend, sister, and baby niece for an early dinner. We used a “buy one adult buffet and two drinks, get one buffet free” coupon. For a pizza buffet that’s only $5, it was a very inexpensive meal! This place has quite a spread with soup, salad, pasta, breadsticks, pizza, and dessert! I started with a couple slices of pepperoni and requested a mac & cheese pizza from the gal behind the counter. She asked how many slices. Six! She gave me a number and said they would bring it out to my table.

I got my iced tea and sat down in a booth. Kaylee looked like a little flower with her pink blanket in the high chair. I ate my pepperoni and then waited for the mac & cheese to come out. Took a few minutes but it was yummy. Very mac & cheesy with the corkscrew pasta. There was no regular cheese pizza on the buffet line so my friend requested one. When they put it out I grabbed a couple slices. The fresh ones are the best! I also got a cinnamon roll (love them) and a slice of Bavarian dessert pizza. Yum yum! I love pizza and would’ve eaten even more (especially dessert), but I still got my money’s worth.

Other things to note: The place was pretty busy as it was nearing the dinner hour. The guys came around a few times to clear the plates from our table. There was some pepperoni/crumbs on the floor nearby that needed to be swept. Cici’s also has some arcade games for the kiddos to play. Great place to bring your family for a cheap meal!

Fri 8/23: Olive Garden (Pebble Creek Pkwy & McDowell)

It was around 8pm and the restaurant parking lot was full, so we had to park across the way. There were a lot of people waiting to eat (probably there for the never ending pasta bowl). The hostess handed me a buzzer and said it would be 25-30 min. It ended up only being about 8 minutes. Sweet! They sat us over in the bar area. We waited awhile for the server to come greet us.

I had soup and breadsticks (no salad). Minestrone for the first bowl and pasta e fagioli for the second. The minestrone is a really good vegetable soup with zucchini, Italian green beans, celery, kidney beans, white beans, tomatoes, carrot, spinach, and pasta. The pasta e fagioli has white and red beans, ground beef, tomatoes, and pasta. Both were delicious! I ate 3 breadsticks and they were delightfully soft and garlicky.

My friend had salad with his meal and noted that the lettuce was a little bit wilted, but that it did not affect the quality of the salad. The server brought the check but then it took her a very long time to come back to collect it (and bring a box for my friend’s leftovers). Once she brought it back with the Andes mints, we scarfed them down. Delish!

Wed 8/21: Jack in the Box (Avondale & Van Buren)

I like this Jack in the Box because it has the kiosk you can order on. I like using the touch screen, being able to see pictures of everything, and customizing my meal. I selected the grilled chicken strips combo with an egg roll as the side instead of fries. After the kiosk fun came to an end, I then had to deal with real people. I waited at the counter for someone to come give me the drink cups, then I went to get my tea. There was a piece of paper over the fountain drinks that said “Out of Ice” which, funny enough, was not the case.

Went to sit down and wait for the food. It was pretty chilly in there. I looked around and noticed a mop bucket just sitting out. Observed a girl in the corner with a Panda Express uniform eating there. When I went up to get the food, the guy said something I didn’t understand at first. I asked him to repeat. He said they no longer carry the apple bites my friend ordered. Hmm, the only non-fried side they have on their menu is no more. He asked if we wanted another side. Nope, so I got back a dollar and some change for the apples.

There was no egg roll or teriyaki sauce on the tray, so I had to ask for those. I was concerned the grilled chicken might be rubbery, but it wasn’t at all. Four pieces of tender chicken strips, wet like they had been marinating in soy sauce. They were quite good. One had a little piece of tendon on the corner. Guess it’s real chicken! The teriyaki dipping sauce was yummy. Thick and rich. I then had to go ask for sweet & sour sauce for my egg roll, which was delicious! Hot and crispy.

When gathering the trash, I found the container the chicken strips were in had stuck to the table a little. The liquid had soaked through the bottom. I wiped the table with a couple napkins. I was thinking about getting a piece of cheesecake for dessert, but I was actually full so I didn’t. All in all, the food was really good but the people working there need to get it together.

Tue 8/20: KFC (Dysart & Indian School)

I ordered the 6 piece chicken bites with mashed potatoes & gravy and a biscuit. The girl at the counter asked if I wanted the new hot shot bites or original recipe. Original. When I sat down, I noticed crumbs (and some trash) on tables, chairs, the floor... the dining area really needed to be wiped down and swept.

When I got my food, I was reminded that I like KFC bites better than Chick-fil-A nuggets. While they may not be as juicy, the breading has such good flavor. They were great dipped in honey BBQ sauce. The mashed potatoes were piping hot and delicious. The biscuit was a little dry. Might have been better with butter and/or honey. But a very satisfying meal!

Mon 8/19: Taco Bell (99th Ave & McDowell)

The girl at the counter seemed like she was new. I ordered a cheesy potato burrito and pintos & cheese with no red sauce. The tea tasted strong and I could tell it was running low. While there, I observed a couple employees in the dining area eating on break. There was nothing special about my burrito but it’s one of my favorite things to get there. Meat, potatoes, cheese, and sour cream in a tortilla. Nothing wrong with that! The filling likes to try and leak out the bottom sometimes. The pintos & cheese were very thick and hearty. I’m surprised they don’t try and water down the beans to save money.

Before leaving, my friend & I went to get refills. There was a young couple standing in front of the drink station completely oblivious to their surroundings, giving no mind to other people who might want to get a beverage. Waited patiently for them to move out of the way. At this point, the tea was completely empty. My friend went up to the counter for a refill. The new girl took his cup by grabbing with her finger over the rim. That’s not how you hold another person’s cup! It seems today’s young workforce has no manners or common sense. My standards are never high for Taco Bell, but come on people!

Sun 8/18: Yogurtini (Litchfield & Indian School)

I wanted to see how this place compared to Yogurtland. From outside, the store looks very bright and inviting. They had 16 flavors of frozen yogurt to choose from. I tried the Classic Vanilla, Ultimate Chocolate, Cookies & Cream, Hawaiian Pineapple, Red Velvet, and Bananalicious. They had tons of toppings available. I just got a few cheesecake bites, strawberries, blueberries, and raisinettes. It just happened to be between 9 and 11pm which is when they have buy one, get one 50% off. Sweet!

The place was packed with high school kids, so we had to sit outside. Luckily it had just rained so it wasn’t too hot. There was a guy and a girl sitting out there too and it was obvious they were just meeting in person for the first time. I think they met on the internet. I was entertained overhearing the awkward conversation about tastes in music, car accidents, and baby daddies. (Wait, how old is she??) Anyway, it was really good frozen yogurt. I think it’s pretty even with Yogurtland, except no Tweety bird spoons here.

Sun 8/18: Sam's Club (Dysart & Van Buren)

The snack bar at Sam’s Club is great for a cheap meal. $1.50 for a hot dog and a drink? You can’t beat that. There were several people in line but it moved quickly. Got my food right away. (The cheese pizza looked awesome, by the way.)

When I went to fill up with iced tea, it was basically clear. Doh! Guess I have to get the high calorie cherry limeade, which is delicious. I topped my hot dog with ketchup, mustard, and relish. By the time I was done eating, a guy came out to refill about 4 different bags of soft drinks, and then came back to refill the tea. Success!

Sat 8/17: Bobby Q (27th Ave & Dunlap)

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Phoenix. Their BBQ is excellent. I love that you can smell it outside as you’re walking from the parking lot. Met my parents there for lunch today. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich with mashed potatoes. (FYI, their mac & cheese is excellent too!) The server brought out a basket of cornbread which is just delectable. Warm and buttery. So yummy.

The food was good as it always is. The server brought us some extra BBQ sauce (regular, they also have spicy). Be careful when pouring because it’s very hot and comes out fast! My only complaint about the pork was there was a tiny piece of bone in it, but that is not uncommon with pulled meats. The mashed (red) potatoes were creamy and very good. They are semi-loaded with little chives in them.

The manager stopped by toward the end of our meal to make sure everything was good. Our server was good with the exception that a water glass went dry for several minutes (though she was apologetic), and she forgot to bring out a little box for the cornbread my mom wanted to take home. For dessert, she offered their new apple cobbler, but we stuck with the complimentary mini donuts they bring out with your check. They are warm with cinnamon sugar, taste like churros, and melt in your mouth. Mmm mm! Love this place!

Fri 8/16: Denny's (99th Ave & Camelback)

For this lunch visit, we had to wait a minute for the hostess to come seat us. The booth was comfy and the server came over quickly to take our drink order. She brought them to us right away. After studying the menu for a bit, I decided on the “Build Your Own Burger” with a grilled seasoned chicken breast, whole wheat bun, and cheddar cheese, with seasonal fruit.

While we were waiting for the food, I noticed a customer nearby making occasional snorting noises. Luckily he left shortly thereafter. I was enjoying the oldies that were playing. A group of regulars came in and were chatting it up with the servers. When the food came out, it was evident that the chicken breast was kind of small and didn’t cover the whole bun. It tasted good though. Cooked right and juicy. The bun tasted very “wheaty”. The fruit consisted of red grapes, cantaloupe, and strawberries. It was a good alternative to the usual fries.

The server explained that she accidentally put seasoned fries on the ticket instead of fruit but it was the same upcharge so I said that was fine. She was a good server and kept our waters filled. She asked if we were watching the game this weekend. Game? (Cardinals vs. Cowboys.) Although I would have loved to get a real burger with all kinds of unhealthy stuff on it, this was still a good lunch at Denny’s.

Thu 8/15: Chick-fil-A (99th Ave & McDowell)

I didn’t used to be a huge fan of this place but over time I grew to appreciate it a little more. For this visit I ordered the 8 piece nuggets w/ barbecue sauce and waffle fries. My friend wanted soup and the girl at the counter said there would be a 15 minute wait. He said that was fine. I don’t think she said “my pleasure” at all, which was unusual because that’s their thing. Oh well.

The restaurant looked pretty clean and all tables had vases with flowers. The booths were slightly uncomfortable with the seat sinking down, and the big round leg of the table being positioned for anyone to easily bang their knee on. The cashier walked over and said it would be 20 minutes for the soup. He asked for a side salad instead. When the food was ready there were two orders of waffle fries on the tray. We pointed out the mistake but they said to keep them. Normally this would be awesome but when you’re counting calories it becomes an unfortunate test of willpower.

The food was in line with what I’m used to at Chick-fil-A. Nuggets slightly warm, juicy, not dry. Waffle fries barely warm and losing heat fast. While there, I saw the manager walking around with a tape measure, providing measurements to someone over the phone. Thought that was weird. The restaurant was busy with customers, especially when leaving around 7:15pm.

Mon 8/12: Panda Express (Dysart & McDowell)

A few months ago, Panda started using brown rice in their fried rice. I didn’t care for it so I haven’t been back to Panda until now. I saw on their website: “Vote in store to keep your favorite fried rice on the menu.” Until August 31^st they will be offering both the classic fried rice and brown fried rice and tracking purchases to determine the winner. So I had to go “vote” for the classic fried rice.

There were two ladies behind the counter. One was helping a man with what sounded like a pretty large order. The other lady took my order right away. A panda bowl with classic fried rice and grilled teriyaki chicken with sauce on top. Yum! One thing I’ve noticed about Panda is rather than asking if you want a drink and what size, they usually say something like “Large Pepsi?” If you take the bait, it’s like an instant upsell. Pretty smart! (Although I went with a small drink.)

The chicken was quite tasty as well as the classic fried rice I’ve been missing! I encourage everyone to visit and help bring back classic fried rice! They will continue to offer both regular steamed and brown rice as options. As for the fortune cookie wisdom… “Your keen sense of humor will make you many good friends” and “Fortune truly helps those who are of good judgment.”

Sun 8/11: Wendy's (Litchfield & I-10)

As soon as I opened the door, I noticed it was freezing in there! Not sure why they had the thermostat down so low. There was one group of people ordering ahead and then it was my turn. The guy at the register was nice. I ordered a double stack combo with no onions. I really like the Coca Cola Freestyle machines they have, although I didn’t use them this time. Just got iced tea.

Although this location was completely remodeled less than a year ago, the restaurant was not the cleanest I’ve seen. The table next to mine was dirty, there were French fries on the floor, and there were handprints all over the fake fireplace. I didn’t see anyone walking around with a rag, but there should have been.

The food was ready after a few minutes, although I didn’t hear them call my name from the table so they didn’t say it very loud. The fries were slightly warm, not hot out of the fryer, but still good. The burger was good as it usually is. I was tempted to get the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger, but I decided against the additional 260 calories… this time.

Sat 8/10: Sonic (99th Ave & Indian School)

I have wanted to try their Pretzel Dogs since I first saw the commercials for them. I like the Pretzel Buns at Wienerschnitzel and wanted to see how they compare. I pulled into a stall and ordered the Cheesy Bacon Pretzel Dog with fries and a Strawberry Island Breeze Slush. The speaker was extremely crackly. The girl who took my order was nice enough to offer it as a combo to save me a little money. Always appreciated.

A guy brought out the food in less than 5 minutes. Pretty impressive because many times I’ve been to Sonic it has taken way too long. I thought it was interesting that the guy didn’t read back the order before handing it to me, because they always do that. Didn’t bother me, but it was a notable difference. I noticed the bag smelled like onion rings. I soon discovered the Pretzel Dog had onions on it. I didn’t realize that before, but when I looked at the picture again, I could see there were onions on it. It wouldn’t have been too bad because they were limp, but I wasn’t expecting onions, so I pushed the button and requested a fork, which they brought out quickly. I then scooped off the onions.

It was a really good hot dog. It had real bacon on it, the same as they use for their breakfast, and the combination of pretzel and cheese sauce is genius. The French fries were really hot, crisp, and good. The Strawberry Island Breeze was delicious, cold, and refreshing. I definitely need to exercise after that high calorie lunch, but it was yummy!

Fri 8/9: Subway (Arrowhead Mall)

It was about 10:30am and there was no line so I didn’t have to wait. There were three people behind the counter. I ordered a 6” ham, egg, and cheese on flatbread. The guy who took my order asked if I wanted white or yellow egg. I said “regular.” He started to grab the egg white and I said, “yellow, sorry.” He asked if I wanted it toasted. I said yes. He asked what kind of cheese. Swiss. Then just a little salt & pepper and that was it.

$3 for a breakfast sandwich and an iced tea. What a deal! I think the guy had it in the toaster oven a little longer than normal and the flatbread was so hot I couldn’t even pick it up for a few minutes. But it was a good, simple sandwich and I enjoyed it.

Thu 8/8: Paradise Bakery (Pebble Creek Pkwy & McDowell)

I’ll just start by saying I don’t get the hype about this place. I enjoy getting muffins and iced tea from there when I’m at the airport, but that’s about the extent of it.

For this visit, it was lunchtime and the line was very long. It took several minutes before someone was able to take our sandwich order. I got the Paradise Club with no lettuce, tomato, or Dijon-mayo. I find this place confusing because some people are just getting baked goods, some are ordering sandwiches, some are waiting for salads, and I don’t think people realize they can cut ahead and skip to the register. But after paying, we sat down and waited to be called so we could take it to go.

Quite some time passed and my friend went to check on our order. The bag had been sitting back there ready but never made it on to the final station… Lovely. My croissant sandwich looked squished. When we got back to work, my friend realized they gave him the wrong sandwich.

Mine tasted fine and all, and the chocolate chip cookie was good, but certainly not worth 8 bucks. I’ll probably stick with their baked goods in the future, if I can help it.

Wed 8/7: Carl's Jr. (Litchfield & McDowell)

I got a turkey burger, plain, with fries and then added my own cheese, ketchup, mustard, and pickles at home. I must say turkey burgers are not nearly as tasty as beef patties. It’s just kind of dry and not all that flavorful. My dogs got to enjoy the last few bites. The following day I experienced some stomach discomfort, so I’m blaming the turkey burger.

I’m sure other places have better turkey burgers, but I won’t be getting one from Carl’s Jr. again. I’ll just have to return to the higher calorie option known as the Western Bacon Cheeseburger (or I can try a grilled chicken sandwich).

Tue 8/6: Yan's Chinese Food (Estrella & Roosevelt)

I had not been to Yan’s before, but I have been on the lookout for a good Chinese place and this one seemed to have good reviews so I decided to try it. The restaurant was very clean and I liked the colorful menus on the wall, including pictures of all the entrees. It wasn’t very busy as they mainly have takeout orders.

A nice Asian lady was at the register. My friend and I ordered the orange chicken, chicken fried rice, and 6 steamed dumplings to share. She said 5-10 minutes, and that’s all it took! The orange chicken came out hot and had a sweet sauce. The fried rice was good and had giant pieces of chicken in it. The dumplings were tasty. The fortune cookies had weird sayings: “German proverb: no trees touch the sky” and “Humor is an affirmation of dignity.” 

Overall, I enjoyed the meal and there were plenty of leftovers to take home. I expect to visit again sometime and try some of their other food choices.

Mon 8/5: Yogurtland (99th Ave & McDowell)

This was my 1^st time trying one of these self-serve frozen yogurt places so it was pretty fun. This place had 16 flavors of frozen yogurt, and I tried 5 of them: Tweety Lemon Cream Cookie, Chocolate Milkshake, Fresh Strawberry, Madagascar Vanilla Bean, and Red Velvet Cupcake Batter. They had so many different toppings (fruit and candy) I could have gone crazy with it, but I limited it to cheesecake bites, a couple strawberry pieces, crushed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, a few Reese’s Pieces, and Snickers.

At 39 cents an ounce, it was quite a treat! And I got to keep the fun Tweety Bird spoons. I look forward to trying some of the other flavors they have in rotation.

Mon 8/5: Sal's Tuscan Grill (Dysart & McDowell)

This was my 2^nd visit to Sal’s, but my 1^st time trying their wood-fired brick oven pizza. I was surprised to find the place completely empty of customers. I guess no one eats there on Monday night. The waitress was not the friendliest. Not rude exactly, but you could tell she didn’t really want to be there.

My friend and I ordered a large pizza, half cheese, half pepperoni and meatball. It was ready in about 15-20 minutes. The pizza was good. Crust was thin with a nice crispness to it. Meatballs were simple but good (I was glad to try them as they were out of meatballs when I ordered pasta the first time)! Took a few slices home to eat for lunch the next day.

I quite like the food at Sal’s, but the service is lacking a bit. I would recommend this place for takeout.

Sun 8/4: Village Inn (99th Ave & McDowell)

I’ve been to Village Inn a number of times, but this was my first visit to this particular location. It was Sunday morning so it was busy and we waited a few minutes to be seated. The server was polite and I ordered the VIB with ½ waffle, country potatoes, bacon, and scrambled eggs (well done). Service was on the slow side as it took awhile to get our food.

Everything was good except my eggs were wet (I didn’t eat most of them), and I neglected to ask for no butter on the waffle (but it scoops off easy enough). Got a slice of Lemon Blueberry Elite pie to go. It was delicious! I have not been impressed with their pies in the past, but this one was really good. I would be willing to order an entire pie, but that probably wouldn’t be a smart thing to do because I’d eat it all!

I tend to go to Denny’s or IHOP more often for breakfast, but I appreciate that Village Inn has so many options for the VIB, and that’s why I’ll go back.

Sat 8/3: Coldstone Creamery (Westgate)

Coldstone is one of my favorite places to get ice cream. It was Saturday night and there was quite a long line. They were advertising their Shark Week Frenzy: Blue Sweet Cream with graham cracker pie crust and gummy sharks. For this visit, I went for the lower calorie option of French Vanilla frozen yogurt and got some brownie mixed in. It was simple, but effective. A 2-for-$6 coupon made it even sweeter!

Sat 8/3: Island's Fine Burgers & Drinks (99th Ave & McDowell)

I had never been to Islands before, but someone told me it was good so I wanted to try it. The hostess greeted us with a “Y’all” so I found that interesting. I liked the music they were playing (oldies first and then more variety). Our server was nice and I ordered the Hawaiian burger (with no lettuce, tomato, onion, or mayo, of course) well-done, on a wheat bun.

It didn’t take too long to get our food. The burger was quite tasty, albeit a thinner patty than I’m used to seeing, and the fries were good, especially dipped in the teriyaki sauce from my burger. Overall, a very tasty meal. Food was reminiscent of Red Robin but with better service! I will plan to go again sometime.

Fri 7/26: Shane's Rib Shack (Westgate)

I had never been here before, but I love BBQ so it was worth a try. I ordered the potato with pulled pork. I was trying not to order a lot of food, but when the cashier said I could get a side for the same price as just getting a drink, I decided to try the mac & cheese. Their iced tea was empty and I didn’t want soda so I just got water (until the tea got refilled and then it was too strong).

When the food came out, there were two baked potatoes on my plate. So much for trying to be good and not ordering a lot of food! But there was no mac & cheese. My friend asked the cashier if there was supposed to be two. She said it is normally one large potato but their delivery had smaller potatoes, so they gave two. They could have just given me one and I wouldn’t have known the difference.

The pulled pork tasted like Lloyd’s BBQ from the grocery store. Pretty low quality. And they used a liquid cheese sauce instead of real shredded cheese, so it was fairly unappetizing. When they finally brought out the mac & cheese, it reminded me of Stouffer’s, except not as good. Also, the booths were very hard and every time the guy behind me would sit down, my seat would go up like a teeter totter. Overall, a disappointing experience and I would not recommend this place.

Introduction

Anyone who knows me well knows that I go out to eat a lot and that I'm somewhat of a picky eater.

I don't like salads (especially lettuce, and yes it does have a taste). I don't eat seafood or sushi. There's a lot of vegetables I won't eat, although I do like asparagus, peas, green beans, broccoli florets (with cheese), onions if they're limp, carrots are alright, celery in soups, cabbage in egg rolls, tomatoes only in the form of ketchup or marinara sauce... Most fruits are good. I don't eat mayo on sandwiches, only in potato salad or macaroni salad. I don't like coffee or coffee-flavored anything. Iced tea is my beverage of choice.

Given the information stated above, I thought it would be fun to share my dining experiences with others. Again, please keep in mind that there are certain things I will and will not eat so anyone looking for recommendations on salads, seafood, etc. you will not find it here. :) Thanks and I hope you enjoy!