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Reviewer: Foodnut.com |
Southwest Restaurant reviews from our trip in Spring 2023
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Snooze, an A.M. Eatery, Tempe, Arizona
1/27/23
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery is a local chain with a bunch of locations in the greater Phoenix Area. We were near ASU in Tempe, Arizona and stopped in for brunch.
The food was solid as was the service. Ample quantities make it popular with the college kids.
Food Review:
Bloody Mary ($8.95) is strong and spicy. Well done. 9/10
Buddha Bowl ($13.50) is perfect for vegetarians/vegans. Lots of fresh ingredients and a nice texture profile. 9/10
Corned Beef Hash ($13.25) was recommended by our server. Lots of crispy potatoes with real corn beef chunks. Comes with toast. 9/10
French Toast (12.25) has 2 massive pieces topped with berries. Also well done. 9/10
Side Vegan Bliss pancake ($5.50) is a rare find. Topped with berries, this tasted pretty fluffy. 8.5/10
Bacon Strip ($5.50 for 3) were about average. 7/10
Overall – Very Good – 83/100
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
615 S College Ave Suite 103 & 104
Tempe, AZ 85281
https://www.yelp.com/biz/snooze-an-a-m-eatery-tempe-3
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Kabob Grill N’ Go, Phoenix, Arizona
3/2/23
Kabob Grill N’ Go is a local Mediterranean eatery that specializes in spears of beef, chicken, and pork flame broiled when you order. It was written up in a New York Times 2022 list. Why? Who knows..
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/dining/best-restaurants-list-america.html
The owner is very friendly and a joy to work with.
Next door is a nice Middle Eastern Bakery, lots of good treats.
Food Review:
Beef Koobideh ($24.99) Beef seasoned with onions, green/red bell pepper and spices, charbroiled to perfection over a mesquite flame was huge. Two long strips of tender ground beef. Lots of nice long grain rice, 2 charr’d tomatoes and a large pepper. 8.5/10
Grilled Eggplant Salad ($5.99) Grilled eggplant, onions, red bell pepper, garlic and tomato was a cold salad with lots of flavor. Perfect for vegetarians. 8/10
Overall – Very Good – 83/100
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Excellent
Would we come back – Yes
Kabob Grill N’ Go
3050 N 16th St
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 607-5272
https://www.kabobgrillngo.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/kabob-grill-n-go-phoenix
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Shorebird, Sedona, Arizona
3/3/23
Shorebird is a upscale restaurant with modern take on classic Americana flavors.
It has a great view of the Sedona red rock, especially during the golden hour.
We were on vacation and found a reservation open and 4.5 stars on Yelp, so we hit it.
When in a vacation spot, it usually does not pay to spend more, as the case here.
They also have a location in Newport Beach.
Service was good, although the server messed up dietary issue.
Food Review:
Mezcal Margarita ($14) was a nice looking balanced cocktail. 8.5/10
Prickly pear margarita ($12) was also a solid rendition, slightly sweeter than the other one. 8.5/10
Oysters on half shell ($20 for 6) hit the spot. Fresh, medium sized, solid accompaniments. 9/10
Caesar salad ($14) had a ton of croutons, otherwise it was slightly above average. 7.5/10
Japanese Black Cod ($18) has Chef Tin’s signature miso marinade. Overcooked and a very sweet sauce. 6/10
Short Rib Taco ($29) was okay, nothing super. Not a lot of flavor in the meat although it was tender. Slaw was pretty mundane yet they messed it up. Very nice hot small corn tortillas. Extra tortillas were $3. 7/10
Side of asparagus ($8) and carrots ($8) were fine. 8.5/10
Overall – Good – 79/100
Food – Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Fair
Would we come back – No
Shorebird
150 SR-179
Sedona, AZ 86336
928-203-5465
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Jay Bird’s Chicken
3/4/23
Jay Bird’s Chicken is a Nashville hot chicken fast food restaurant with locations in Southern California and one in Sedona, Arizona. They have a nice patio outside to eat at. 100% all natural free range chicken.
We were nearby at a bike festival and gave it a try. Who won’t love crispy fried chicken, tenders, sandwiches?
Food:
Two Tender & Fries ($11.99) Two jumbo chicken tenders, spiced with your choice of heat, served with sliced bread, dill pickles, spicy fries, and one sauce was a good choice. You can select spice level of the chicken and the type of sauce. Two crispy large tenders way better than Raising Cane’s. The Sexy sauce is very spicy. 8.5/10
White meat & Fries ($11.99) Breast and wing, spiced with your choice of heat, served with sliced bread, dill pickles, spicy fries, and one sauce was surprisingly tender and juicy. You can select white or dark meat. Sometimes there is a wait for this item. Great crinkle fries. We got this one non spicy. 8.5/10
Overall – Very Good – 83/100
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Good
Value – Yes Good
Would we come back – Yes
Jay Bird’s Chicken
1490 W State Route 89A
Sedona, AZ 86336
(928) 203-5464
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Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen – Sedona, Arizona
3/4/23
Picazzo’s has multiple locations in Arizona. They specialize in Gluten-free, Vegan, Allergy Sensitive, Organic, Non-GMO Italian inspired cuisine. We order to go and notice the restaurant was full and had a long wait.
We found that their Pizza and pasta were on point. Clean ingredients, a great place for those with dietary requirements especially vegetarians.
Food:
Beyond Sausage Mushroom and Pesto ($22.50) with Bolognese was a solid pasta with nice fresh cut tomatoes and Beyond that could have been a regular sausage. 8.5/10
Linguine & Meatballs ($21.50) using brown rice pasta is a nicely done pasta. The pasta tastes normal. 8/10
12” Meaty pizza ($23) with organic original crust was better than expected. This crust was the only gluten containing item on the menu. Nice meats and crust. 8.5/10
Focaccia ($1) definitely tasted gluten free. 6/10
Hot Apple Crispy ($8.95) with coconut ice cream has a slightly soggy apple crisp but a ton of coconut ice cream. 7.5/10
Overall – Very Good – 84/100
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
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ChocolaTree, Sedona, Arizona
3/5/23
ChocolaTree is a healthy focused eatery. Everything is 100% organic, gluten-free and a lot of the ingredients are clean. They have an extensive drink and chocolate section. They grind their own cacao beans for 48 hours at a low temperature. You order from the menu and then you sit down at one of the dining rooms or the large patio outside
Food selection is typical for a vegetarian focused eatery. They serve breakfast and lunch.
The food was solid, making this a Perfect place to eat at if you are in Sedona and want plant based cuisine. Carnivores look elsewhere.
Food Review:
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Cheese Quesadilla ($12.00 + $3 Guacamole) was made with a dosa filled with sharp cheddar cheese (not begun) and add a crisp outer layer and soft cheese inside. The tomato sauce was fairly plain, and not much guacamole. Decent dish.. 8/10 Mushroom Fantasy ($14) has mushrooms and potatoes. Not exactly a fantasy but a decent vegetarian dish. 8/10 Bowl Southwestern Corn Chowder ($12) what is the reasonable but didn’t have a lot of flavor. Had to add a lot of pepper. 7/10 Corn Pancake ($3) is a small housemate pancake with chunks of corn. 7/10 Garlic Lovers Bread ($3) was on a dark bread. Pretty fair. 6/10 Shortbread Cookie Matcha ($5) was just okay. 7/10 Go Green Smoothie ($8) did not taste very ‘healthy’ but has clean ingredients. 8/10 |
Overall – Very Good – 83/100
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
Chocolatree Organic Oasis
1595 w st. hwy. 89a
Sedona Arizona 86336
928-282-2997
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The Mexicano, Phoenix
3/6/23
The Mexicano is a Mexican restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona with 4.5 stars on Yelp over 1500 reviews. We wanted something San Francisco lacks, so we decided to eat here for lunch. A nice modern restaurant with several fun dishes. Build your own Margarita bar, Guacamole trio, churro tower and more.
Service was reasonable but not excellent. The server was knowledgable and came by once in a while. Large cover patio outside with heat lamps.
The place is fun. One of those where most get smashed and don’t really critique the food hard.
Food Review:
Build your own BYO Margarita ($15) with over 30 craft ingredients (some are candy!). The on the rocks cocktail was poured from a pre-made dispenser but proved to be pretty good. You can stick fruit, candy, boba, all sorts of stuff in your drink. 9.5/10
Ensalada Fresca ($14) is the best option for vegans. Actually a pretty good salad with fresh ingredients. 8/10
Chicken Fajitas ($27) were ample in quantity but the chicken was fairly tasteless. Rice and beans are good (full of butter no doubt) Try a different meat. 7/10
Al Pastor Tacos ($15 for 3) were better than the fajitas. 3 good sizes ones with dry meat, but a good flavor profile. Nice pineapple – sweet/savory action 8.5/10
Overall – Very Good – 83/100
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good
Would we come back – Yes
The Mexicano
4801 E Cactus Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-812-2100
https://www.themexicano.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-mexicano-phoenix-2
Restaurant Map: Overall Rating: 
(Very Good
Come Back? 
