El Bravo

8338 N. 7th Street
Phoenix, AZ

So it is finally time to introduce all of you to this quiet, little joint deep in the heart of Central Phoenix, which means, don't let the neighborhood scare you. Right in this little pocket of not-so-niceness, the food is remarkable, and I go at least once a week to satisfy a serious craving! Their tortilla chips and salsa are noteworthy, but probably the most outstanding thing in their restaurant has got to be their enchilada sauce. AMAZING!!! Service is so-so, but always served with a smile, the family owned joint is never a disappointment.

I always order the #14 with a cheese enchilada, rice and beans. One time, I included a beef tamale, and I was a little disappointed because there were olives in the tamale, and I don't really like olives. Patrick has not stopped talking about the chicken chimichanga since we ate there two weeks ago. The outside was crispy and deep fried, but the inside remained soft and delicious!!! He is looking for the perfect day to take his entire office there.

The cinnamon cookies, that apparently have a specific name that I am unaware of, are AMAZING!!!

People have been talking about this place forever: the girls that I used to baby-sit for swear by it, preschool moms, and close friends. I am so happy that I finally go to experience the BEST Mexican food in Phoenix. I used to think Valle Luna had it, now, I just think Valle Luna has really good bean dip!

Cibo

www.cibophoenix.com

One of the best local spots that we have been to in quite awhile. Situated in a restored home in downtown Phoenix, the food is phenomenal, the pizza is phenomenal and the wine is phenomenal. I have no idea what wine we drank because I was not on the ordering end of the table, but maybe someone who is there can post what the wines were, both red, and both very delightful.

We started with two of their salad, one was the cous cous salad, topped with asparagus and grilled shrimp, the shrimp wasn't cooked very well, but the asparagus were perfect and the blend of vegetables mixed in the cous cous was delicious (really glad that we can eat tomatoes again!). This was their special of the evening, every Thursday, they have a special, so if you can make it that night, it is worth trying out the special of the evening. The other salad was my absolute FAVORITE, the Pear Salad was to die for. Perfect arugula topped with hunks of cheese, pears, honey and toasted almonds, YUMMY! A must have if you go there!

We tried three pizzas, the Margherita, the Pomodoro Fresco, and the Diavola. Of the three the Diavola was probably my favorite, but it was SUPER spicy, so don't go for that if you don't like that. Around the table, the margherita was the favorite, but really, you can go wrong with a wood-fired pizza in my opinion!

Finally for dessert we had the Nutella and Banana crepe with a scoop of ice cream and the Nutella and Mascarpone with a scoop of ice cream. Seriously, melt in your mouth deliciousness. I didn't think I would like the mascarpone cheese, but it was like a whipped cream. SOOOOO GOOD! Originally we had ordered the Suzette that came with Grand Marnier and orange marmalade, but they were out of it, so we will have to go back and try that one a different night. Maybe a night when it is cooler, and we could enjoy their wonderful patio. Little lights and misters, really quaint!

White Chocolate Grill

www.whitechocolategrill.com

Probably my all time FAVORITE RESTAURANT of all time. I have yet to meet someone who goes there that DOESN'T like it!

Since the first thing listed on their menu is dessert, let's start with that! Their White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie is what dreams are made of! The graham cracker crust is thick and crunchy, kind of like a granola, topped with custard full of fresh bananas and finished with real whip cream, caramel and white chocolate shavings, YUM! They actually had the nerve to tell me that they were out of this when I was there and I was pregnant. My family thought I was going to attack the waiter!

As far as appetizers go, I haven't tried one that I didn't like. Their Spinach dip is amazing, very close to Houston's, you may think that you have walked into a Houston's when you arrive, but believe it or not, there is no correlation. The AZ Egg Rolls are loaded with flavor. The Tomato Soup is YUM, how fun is that you have to be 21 to order it! Apparently they have rolls and honey butter, but they don't offer them up, you have to ask for them! I had been there about 10 times before I even saw a roll. They are worth asking for!

I have tasted many, many things on the menu, but my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE is the Spit Roasted Turkey French Dip! The turkey and cheese are the perfect texture and flavor, but the best part about this dish is the delectable gravy they serve you to dip the sandwich in, kind of like a cream of mushroom soup, BUT BETTER! I have had the ribs, which fall right off the bone, no need to get a messy face. Cheeseburger and French Dip stand out in the restaurant spotlight, and their rotisserie chicken is tender and juicy!

I can tell you one more secret about this restaurant and it is this, you get a bang for your buck when you order an alcoholic beverage because they LOAD IT UP with alcohol. Their bar is beautiful, and it provides a great atmosphere for any sort of event!

Chelsea's Kitchen

www.chelseaskitchenaz.com

So, ladies and gentleman, I was NOT impressed. It was a very cute setting! Still unsure why they would have valet here since the parking lot is not very big to begin with, but people were using it which goes to show just how LAZY Americans are! Granted it was SCORCHING HOT yesterday, but not even a walk to the door from the furthest spot would have caused someone to break a sweat!

We were seated and given our drinks that we ordered, which held the first disappointment, the Diet Coke was served in a can with a glass of ice and a straw! Seriously, one of the joys of going out to eat is unlimited FOUNTAIN soda refills, that made me sad! I wanted to change my order to an iced tea, but that seemed like it would set our waitress over the edge. I started with the Tomato Basil soup, which tasted as though they dumped some Prego sauce in a bowl and topped it with a few croutons, YUCK! Then, I had the cheeseburger, which was cooked perfectly, but there was nothing really special about it! The fries were the highlight of the lunch, they were seasoned shoestring fries that were YUMMY! My MIL had the French Dip, and it looked good, piled high with prime rib, I think next time I went there, I would try that, but once again, the high end local failed to impress.