Joe’s Farm Grill

Do you ever get the hankering for a really big, really good burger? Do you ever crave a great grilled BBQ chicken pizza? Do you ever get the feeling you just have to eat some good food at a Restaurant that used to be someone’s family farm? If you answered yes to any of the above, then Joe’s Farm Grill is the place for you.

Oh and by the way, Joe grows most of what he puts into the food you’ll be eating right there on what’s left of the family farm. It makes for some fresh and tasty eats.

Joe’s has become wildly popular in the east valley. It doesn’t hurt that they got some pretty good marketing and advertising from a popular food network TV show you may have heard of, but the bottom line is that their popularity rests on a bedrock of good food. And because of all that, Joe’s is quickly becoming an icon of good eats in the east valley and throughout all of Phoenix.

Their menu at a quick glance is standard fare, but the preparation is way above the standard. As they like to say, they serve “common food done uncommonly well”.

A great example of this is their Fontina Burger. A juicy 1/2 pound patty decked out with fresh spinach and other greens from the farm, roasted red peppers, pecan pesto, and fontina cheese. I doubt you’ve ever had a burger that tastes as fresh or unique as this one does.

Their sweet potato fries are a great side as are their garlic fries. If you’re feeling like you need more greens than potatoes, try a wedge salad.

 

They also have a couple of really good hot dogs as well. The Sonoran dog is an Arizona favorite, but my favorite is their Carolina dog topped with pulled pork and coleslaw.

The rest of the menu is very well-rounded with fresh twists on a lot of otherwise regular menu items. You can check it out here:

Joe’s Farm Grill Menu

Like I said, Joe’s farm grill is one of the most popular restaurants in the East Valley and for good reason. Stop by sometime and check it out.

Carolina’s

Every town has a place or two to eat at that almost everyone knows and loves. A place that everyone feels belongs to them and their town. It may not be the best food, but its good food and everyone likes to go there. In Phoenix, one of those places is Carolina’s. Its a local icon.

I first went to Carolina’s several years ago after hearing about it for over two years and from a boat load of different people. I knew it had to be something special and was excited to go.

When I got there, there was a line out the door-always a good sign. People were coming and going in droves the whole time I was there. Some picking up lunch orders to go, others just stopping by to take home some of the hot, freshly made flour tortillas, and some, like myself, sitting down to enjoy some really good mexican food for lunch.

Now when you go to Carolina’s for your first time, don’t be expecting a wonderful dining experience. It will most likely be crowded and busy. You’ll eat off of styrofoam plates and boxes with plastic forks and knives in a modest old building on the corner of Mohave and 12th Street. Its not pretty, its just good.

I’ve sampled about half the menu and have not been disappointed with anything. They have good crunchy tacos, burritos, beans and rice, but what they are really known for are their homemade flour tortillas and their machaca.

Both their red and green machaca burritos are top notch and wrapped in one of their famous fresh tortillas. Its what most people go there for.

As for myself, I almost always get a machaca chimichanga now when I go there. Its my favorite chimichanga that I’ve had anywhere and I recommend it to everyone.

If you’ve been before, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t been, then you need to make the pilgrimage, because your life in the Phoenix area won’t be complete without it.

Casanova Brothers Pizza and Pasta

After two days of trekking across the vast Sonoran Desert, fending off foul merchants and the like peddling their junky wares, to say I had built up a hunger was an under statement. My stout companion Thork the Fork and I were eager to try out a local Gilbert, AZ pizza parlor that DR “The Tree King” had been telling me about-Casanova Brothers Pizza and Pasta.

We entered the joint and were immediately greeted by Tony Casanova. Him and his brother opened Casanova Brothers about three years ago. I wish I’d found out about it like 1,094 days ago.

Tony is very friendly and greeted all the customers that day by name. I like that. A real nice personal touch. After exchanging names and hand shakes, we got down to business. We ordered our food and Thork the Fork and I collapsed into our chairs at a nice table up front.

Tony could tell that we were famished and quickly brought us out a basket of Garlic Knots. He said that they were complimentary for us as first time patrons. They were delicious little nuggets of bready, garlicky, buttery goodness. Don’t believe me, have a look for yourself.

We also ordered some buffalo wings and they came out next. Tony had asked us how we like our wings and we said crispy. They came out crispy alright. Take a gander.

If you like good wings, these are among the best I have had in the Valley of the Sun, or anywhere else for that matter.

Now it was time for the main course-pizza. On the recommend of DR, we ordered a New Yorker. New York style thin crust pizza with four meats (pepperoni, sausage, meatball, and ham).

It was delicious. My weariness was fading and my belly expanding…

While we were enjoying some after dinner small talk and before we could get out the door, Tony swooped in with another complimentary sumthin sumthin. I had never heard of these before, but I’ll be asking for them in the future. They are called Zeppolis and they are a donut like ball of fried bread dough generously coated with powdered sugar. Very tasty!

I can’t wait for my next trip to Casanova Brothers Pizza and Pasta. Make sure you don’t wait too long for your first or next trip there either. When you get there, tell Tony that phosyzzle sent you…