Rumbi - Scottsdale

I forgot we went to Rumbi about a month ago. I think it’s because the restaurant and the food is totally forgettable. It’s one of those hybrid places where you have to order at the counter, but then they bring it to you on a ceramic plate at your table. I hate that, I like things to be all totally fast food or totally sit-down, I feel weird when it’s in between. Anyway, I had some rice bowl, all I remember was that they offered brown rice, which is always nice.

Charleston's - Scottsdale

Charleston’s on Friday night. Husband’s mom was in town. We started with their croissants for an appetizer, and they are the yummiest things ever. I had the avocado chicken club sandwich or something, it was pretty good. Husband ordered the prime rib sandwich, which we expected to be sliced prime rib, but no, it was a bun, like a glorified hot dog bun, open, with a big slab of prime rib on it, all the fat and everything. It looked pretty gross, but Husband said it was great. I’d go back for the croissants and their Bellini, it doesn’t really matter what the entree is!

Flo's - Scottsdale

Today my friend said “Let’s go to lunch, some place with really bad service” I said, “Flo’s it is, then” and it was. Mandarin Spicy Chicken, 20 minute wait for a table, longer for the food, but it was good. What’s up with the weird dressing on the salad, anyway? I mean, it’s good, but weird. Like most things I like, I guess, good and weird. Anyway, we ate our fill, and our bill was $14 for the both of us, you can’t beat that. It’s a good weekday standby when I don’t expect to be back at work within the hour, every chicken dish I have ever had there has been just fine.

Samurai Sam's - Scottsdale

Call me easily amused, but I love Samurai Sam's. The food is filling, relatively healthful, and cheap. At least at our location, the staff is wicked friendly, and it’s super clean. I used to be able to eat a regular chicken bowl, but now I have to split the child’s size with my kid, it’s so much food, and I can’t really eat that much

Roaring Fork - Scottsdale

The Roaring Fork is a really cute upscale cowboy place. Try to go during happy hour and eat in the saloon for better prices. The huckleberry margaritas are divine, and the green chili mac and cheese is absolutely delicious. For dinner I usually get the boneless buttermilk fried chicken, and I can never finish it, but it's good.

La Parilla Suiza - Phoenix

I used to love La Parilla Suiza. It's kind of going downhill, or maybe my standards are changing. The little green sauce that comes with the chips is still fantastic, and the Pechuga Suiza is good, but not outstanding.

Chompie's - Scottsdale

Chompie's for dinner last night. They’re great for bagels, but I always regret eating a meal there. EVERYTHING is so greasy and nasty. I wish we would have stayed home and ate crackers or something.

Gecko Grill - Gilbert

Gecko Grille for dinner last night. They have 3 salsas, which always makes me happy, I like choices. Husband had a crab relleno burro, and he loved it. I just had a sampler platter, which was a little bland, but pretty good. The guacamole was way too bright green to be fresh, so it creeped me out a little, but it was good. It’s hella far from our house, so we won’t be going there often, but if we find ourselves in the area, I’d love to go back again

Julio G's - Scottsdale

We went to Julio G’s on Friday night with my mom. You have to pay $1 extra for white meat chicken, but it’s worth it. The drink menu seems interesting, but I wasn’t in the mood. The cheese crisp was brown and nearly bereft of cheese, but the salsa was pleasant. My chicken burro with spinach sauce on top was delightful.

Downside Risk - Scottsdale

Went to Downside Risk for lunch. They used to have the best chicken salad there, it was soo good. Now they’ve added apples and pecans and crap and make it yucky. So I had the turkey melt, good, but not exciting.

Chili's - Scottsdale

I'm never that excited about Chili's. One thing I can say in their favor- they have a lot of choices for side dishes for kid’s meals. It’s nice that it’s not just fries. I also like their Southwest Eggrolls. Pretty much everything else on the menu is. . .OK. I wouldn’t spit it out, but I’m never excited about going to Chili’s.

LeccaBaffi - Scottsdale

If an out of town guest wanted Italian, I'd take him or her to LeccaBaffi. Really good Italian food. The gnocchi was ridiculously good. I mean ridiculous. The bread was yummy, everything was fantastic. Also, the bottled water? Delicious. I feel stupid typing that about still water, but it’s true.

California Pizza Kitchen - Scottsdale

If you're the last person on earth who hasn't tried the barbecue chicken pizza at California Pizza Kitchen, you should at least try it. It's a clean "original" version. The thai chicken and Santa Fe chicken are also good. Husband ordered the Jamaican Jerk, which was also quite good. The spinach artichoke dip? Tediously creamy, and a little greasy.

Paul Lee's - Gilbert

Paul Lee's kept up the "tediously creamy' theme with its crab rangoons. The curry and the sesame chicken were OK. I liked the chopstick "helpers" for the kids, a little plastic thing that keeps the sticks together so you can focus on the pincher movement.

Pischke's - Scottsdale

There was a theme this week of things being tediously creamy, and my breakfast at Pischke's was no exception. It's a cool little place for breakfast, always crazy busy, but it has a unique, laid-back atmosphere. I got the Fire Island Chicken sandwich. It was spicy, but tediously creamy. It's wrapped in a boboli pizza crust, which is a fun twist on a sandwich.