My mother dearest decided to take me out to dinner last week, stating that she had discovered a place I simply HAD to try. This brings me to Original Gravity near 12th St and E Highland Ave. It is one hell of a hidden gem that I am glad to have found. After speaking to our friendly bartender, I learned that the place has been open for a little over a year. Sliding a drink menu in front of me, she walked me through their pretty sizeable drink menu, which was impressive for such a small restaurant. Telling her I was a fan of sweeter wine, she snapped her fingers and fetched me a glass of something... Read More

People of Phoenix; I am hungry. Not just regular hungry. I am good old-fashioned red, white, and blue, full-blooded AMERICAN hungry! And when one gets this hungry, I dare say there is only one thing that will do. I want a burger. But not any old gas-station burger will do, oh no! Only the best will make its way onto my plate, for I am on a quest. A quest to find the best burger in Phoenix. Before I get on with it, I want to lay down the rules I have made for this little experiment. First, I will be ordering the same thing no matter which burger joint I go to, namely, their signature burger (cooked... Read More

People love to talk about how good the BBQ is wherever they are from, but it seems like the three front-runners for the best BBQ in America are Texas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, so when I see that a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona is advertising itself as one of the best BBQ joints in the nation? Needless to say, I called bullshit. And now you kind folks get to watch me eat my words. When it comes to my BBQ, I am a rib man, so let’s talk ribs. I ordered a half rack there (baby back style of course). After taking only a single bite, I knew that this place was the real deal. The way the meat was... Read More

I was not planning on writing about The Duce today, but I was so attracted by the curious place that I could not help myself. Upon entering the large building on 525 S Central Ave, my attention was first drawn to a full-sized boxing ring right in the middle of the restaurant. Walking up to one of the bartenders, I asked what sort of place the Duce was. His response was a scratch of his head and stating, “That’s a hell of a question…” I am still not quite sure what the Duce is, but I will do my best to explain. From what I understand, it is a bar/restaurant/community center/clothing store/gym/music... Read More

People don’t look at me and go, “Now that is a guy that looks like he knows a thing or two about fine dining!” I accept that. But with that said, the Arrowhead Grill at 8280 W. Union Hills Dr. is one of the best steakhouses I have ever been to. I felt a bit out of place wearing a black Motörhead t-shirt and jeans (thank goodness there is no dress code) but that first bite of steak made the awkwardness more than worth it. The quality of this cut of meat was undeniable as the juices from each bite into that New York strip delighted my taste buds. Furthermore, it was cooked to perfection and... Read More

The first time I went to Chino-Bandido, I must admit, I was uneasy. The restaurant was relatively plain looking, the chair I sat in was somewhat uncomfortable, and there was a giant, and somewhat tacky, statue of a panda in a sombrero in the dining room. About 5 minutes after sitting down and ordering, my food was brought to me. I had ordered their jade red chicken with carnitas. And upon taking he first bite, the first words that emerged from my mouth were “Holy [explative].”   Located on N 19th Ave near Greenway, the diner advertises itself as a mixture of Mexican and Chinese fusion... Read More

Nestled next to a small park and a tattoo shop (that I highly recommend. I get all my ink done there) is a little bistro called Carly’s. It is a restaurant that I have been frequenting for quite a good number of years now and I can honestly say that not once has it disappointed me. The first thing you may notice about Carly’s Bistro is that it appears to be very “artsy” so to speak. Colorful modern paintings decorate the wall, sketches are etched into wooden table tops, and a large mural of a lounging woman with a bottle of wine in hand hangs above the bar. Luckily, the... Read More