Christine "I'm always hungry" O.'s Profile

You can definitely tell as soon as you walk up to Switch that it is part of the FEZ-Ticoz family. The decor is bright, modern, and colorful, a style of atmosphere that always makes me feel comnfortable and excited about the food even before I try it. I met Kym S. here for lunch and wasn't feeling so hot the morning after a pretty long night out on the town. Before long (thanks to some great company and satisfying food), I was feeling a lot better!

Kym S. ordered the Sangria Chicken sandwich, which came with a side Caesar. It looked great and was massive, but I'll let her comment on how good it was. I was craving something really filling, so I got the Gallette (pronounced Gah-let according to our server) with Beef and Mushrooms ($10.45 plus $1.95 to add a field greens salad), and it was fantastic. I think I was expecting something like a meat pie, which it was not, but I was happy with what it actually was - a thin layer of puff pastry topped with savory beef slices, mushrooms, and a creamy gouda sauce. It REALLY hit the spot. The field greens salad was good, although it was soaked in dressing, which kind of drowned out the flavor of the fresh greens.

The service was definitely a highlight of the experience. Our server was very attentive and kept checking back with us. He also brought carafes of water and diet coke over, which is a brilliant business move on my part. It streamlines and facilitates service because people aren't constantly asking for refills, and both the servers and customers end up happier. The Diet Coke I ordered was a bit on the pricey side (around $2.75), but I was ok with this given the fact that I had a carafe to refill from.

This is a really nice spot to meet a friend for lunch, and I will definitely be back. I also think it would make a great place for a casual, low-key happy hour - from their website, it looks like they have drink specials from 4-6:30 (2-4-1 caipirinhas, margaritas, and sangria).

I'll just start this one off by telling the truth: it's harder to shop local. It takes commitment (shopping online or going to big box stores can be so easy), time (you may need to stop at multiple places) and money (not that it's crazy expensive, but some items can be more expensive). That said, for someone like me who absolutely loves to give unique gifts (and who really wants to see Central Phoenix blossom), shopping local has been my Christmas commitment for the past two years.

And, this year was my second year in a row going to Stupid Cupid to get a ton of great gifts for a bunch of people on my list. Pricing options were great, with small gifts/stocking stuffers, mid-range gifts like handcrafted jewelry, and pricier local art. I love how easy the store is to navigate and the owner, Rob, is always friendly and will help if needed (or stay out of your way, if that's your style!). He also does a great job wrapping up your purchases to give as gifts.

My only gripe about the inventory is that there aren't as many male-oriented gifts as I might like. Stupid Cupid should take a cue from Frances, which has some great clocks, flasks, books, etc. oriented toward a male recipient. I definitely think they could be incorporated while still keeping with the whimsical, handcrafted vibe of the store.

They say the third time's a charm and I hope to make next Christmas my third anniversary shopping local at Stupid Cupid!

This place is awesome. Because Phoenix isn't a walking city, I tend to not go to coffee shops to do a few hours of work, choosing instead to sit on my couch with laptop in hand, but Urban Beans is the kind of place that makes me want to spend a few hours being productive--or just surfing Facebook. (Isn't it funny how you can feel productive doing social networking when you're at a cafe surrounded by semi-urbanites?)

So, what makes Urban Beans different from other local coffee spots? A few things: the staff is really nice, the plugs are plentiful (although watch your step when you're crossing an open area), and they have really good, affordable food options. (Try the pear flatbread or the quiche!).

My biggest complaint is the music. I'm OK with emo but some sort of batshit-crazy guy doing spoken word over Enya-like strings is enough to throw me--the ultimate multitasker--into distraction land. Keep it simple, folks, and this place may just become good enough for the coveted five stars.    Show owner comment »

I really liked my first experience at Windsor. My sister and her boyfriend were in town last Friday and we wanted to get our weekend started early with some daytime drinks and a great lunch.

Others have pointed out the decor, so I won't beat a dead horse, but I will say that Windsor stands out from the modern-meets-rustic vibe that seems to characterize many of the newer additions to Phoenix (Parlor, St. Francis, etc.). While it has some similar design elements, it has some unique touches that make it a striking spot - I'm particular fond of the vivid green color used on the bar and the wall of cassette tapes (remember those?) leading up to the bathroom.

While I'm glad it was happy hour when we arrived (around 1:30pm), I have to say that the Postino HH window (11-5) isn't a good fit for a place that has a full bar. Since Windsor has drinks, I would hope that they would introduce a more post-work-appropriat e happy hour at some point soon. That said, again, I was very thrilled to be able to get $5 Bloody Marys and they were made absolutely perfectly.

Our food was also very enjoyable, especially the mac and cheese. Gourmet mac and cheese has become about as exciting and unique as bruschetta but this mac and cheese was perfection with the perfect combination of savory cheeses and a savory crispy topping. I also thought the halibut banh mi was delicious (although I can't help but think of the Vietnamese joints where you can get a sandwich like this for ~$8 bucks) and the kale Caesar was crisp and had great texture.

The only real food disappointment was the deviled egg dip which had bacon mixed in, despite not indicating that on the menu. Sorry, but in this day and age, you really need to clearly label if your food items contain meat, especially if it's pork product.

Finally, I thought the service was enthusiastic but spotty. There were some things we wanted but didn't get in a timely fashion, so some improvement could definitely be made there. All in all, though, I really liked my experience at Windsor and will definitely be back.