Mandala Tearoom

The quaint teahouse/restaurant's website starts by saying "Welcome to the mandala tearoom experience," and an experience it definitely was.

Tucked away in the windy side roads of Old Town Scottsdale, the Mandala Tearoom is like that amazing store you window shop at constantly but never buy anything from because even though you love its combination of style and personality, you feel you could never make it work.

Except at the Tearoom, an all vegan, contemporary decorated shop, you can make it work and you should; all you have to do is sit at the fabulously arranged tables, eat the great food, drink tea from its famed selection and absorb the chic scenery.

This week we had a few special guests: Brandon, his visiting friend Vince and Jimmy.

We were all disappointed to hear that they were out of the Creamsicle herbal tea, but I know Cerrin enjoyed her hibiscus tea, and Vince was enlightened by his Zen Awareness Elixir. Teta and Jimmy opted for imported beers.

Cerrin's nacho appetizer-turned-entree, Totopos de casa mandala, looked amazing and tasted pretty darn good as well.

I was left confused with the Creamy Tahini dressing on my side salad which, beware, comes full of beet chunks, but the Ziti al forno Jocie and I split was honestly one of the best ziti dishes I've ever had, full of flavor, spices and not dry at all, which can be common in these baked veggie pasta dishes.

Teta and Jimmy were ordering twins again with the South sandwich, a black bean, corn and rice patty with lettuce and tomato and a side of house slaw (looking like a bread pudding type situation). It was left on touched on both of their plates.

Our skepticism of vegan desserts from past experiences with a rather strange flan deterred us from choosing a dessert, but Cerrin did snatch up a slice of carrot cake to go; the second week in a row she's satisfied her sweet tooth without us.

With an adjacent apothecary, a book shelved wall lined with decorations and teas, walls covered in Indian paintings and a perfect depth of lighting, the restaurant experience was as rich and enjoyable as the food and the service.


Mandala Tearoom
7027 East 5th Avenue
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
480-423-3411

Delux Burger

I'm not going to lie, we've got a real credibility issue on this one-- all reviews by herbivores of restaurants with "burger" in their names should probably be taken with a serious grain of salt. If you want to know more about the burger for which Delux is known, talk to Lauren. All I heard her say about her Classic Burger ($9) was that it was tasty, a little rare and somewhat "soggy." Please follow up with her for details.

So Delux is one of those moderny-hip places with unisex bathrooms and $3 cupcakes. My immediate impression was positive (despite a subtly strange and unidentifiable smell.) The dining room is small and crowded, with a large seating bar dividing the room, 6 4-top tables on one side and the real bar on the other. The lighting is low with neon blue and green accents, mirrors, and candles-- nothing too innovative, but pleasantly cool.

Don't be fooled by the huge bludgeony menus, the food selection is rather small, especially for vegetarian types, and especially in comparison to the menu of drinks. I ordered the Tomato Mozzarella Salad ($9) which entails, quite literally, 5 slices of tomato and 5 slices of fresh mozzarella drizzled with some sort of balsamic vinegar. Unexceptional at best. Neither the tomato nor the cheese had much flavor, and I found myself forcing down the 4th set of slices. Fortunately, it seems that my three comrades had much better meals than I did (Turns out I'm really good at finding and purchasing the weakest entree on any menu.) Lauren, Cerrin and Teta reported good things about their Classic Burger, Grilled Vegetable Panini ($8), and Beet Salad ($9), respectively.

My highlight: the french fries. I'm a real sucker for fries and Delux has a lot to offer here. Patrons can order standard fries, or sweet potato fries, or a mix of both, to be enjoyed with ketchup and aioli sauce. Full orders and half-orders are available, and the best part is that the fries are served in a squirrel-sized shopping cart. Why? Who knows! But its adorable and definitely adds to the overall fry experience.

We didn't stay for dessert, partly because we were full, but mostly because our server clearly wanted to turn our table, understandably. The service was great, but my sweet tooth doesn't appreciate being handed the check without any mention of dessert. If he would have offered the dessert menu, I'm fairly certain that I would have purchased one of those overpriced cupcakes.

Well, anyway. In short, I probably won't return to Delux Burger by my own volition, which, if anything, is an argument for meat eaters to check this place out. And don't forget to order the fries.

Delux Burger
3146 E. Camelback Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-522-2288
www.deluxburger.com

La Grande Orange is Certianly Grande

On the corner of 40th street and Campbell in Phoenix is the scrumptious La Grande Orange Pizzeria. Tucked away in a neighborhood, away from busy intersections and strip malls, sets the mood for this cozy and welcoming restaurant, that was packed full on a Monday night (always a good sign when customers are abundant on a “dead“ restaurant night).

I do believe Jocie’s first words when walking in was “this place is so cool,” emphasis on the word so. That might not sound like much, but from someone that has a keen sense of design and décor, it certainly is a compliment. The actual size of the restaurant is rather small, but does offer table, booth, or bar seating. One large table in the center of the restaurant holds all the serving utensils and dishware, complete with a decorative vase. Yellows, blues, and greens, fill the space with color. The adorable lamps gave off an amber glow which made everyone’s skin look fantastic. In addition to the look of the restaurant, the soundtrack consisted of fun, laid back tunes that were very enjoyable. All around La Grande Orange creates a warm and inviting atmosphere for their guests.

So how does the food stack up to the look of the place? Right away Lauren commented on the smell of baking pizza, quite a delightful treat for the senses. The menu is small but consists of classic salads and pizzas as well as unique items like the LGO “chop” (lettuce, spinach, bacon, picholine olives, tomatoes, artichokes, herbed goat cheese, pine nuts, raisins, with vinaigrette) and roasted corn pizza (goat cheese, corn, roasted tomatoes, and basil).

There were only three of us at dinner this week, so we decided to share two of the pizzas. The margherita (a classic cheese, tomato and basil) came to our table looking a little shiny from the grease. Because this particular pizza does not have sauce, the extra cheese made it a little on the heavy side, but tasty nonetheless. I was very impressed with our avocado pizza. Although the avocado had similar ingredients, the variation made a huge difference. This pizza had the tomato, basil, and cheese, but also a slice of avocado on each piece, marinara sauce, and sprinkled with lemon juice. It was a wonderful blend of flavors for the tongue to enjoy.

Each pizza at La Grande Orange is 12 inches with eight slices, ranging anywhere from $11-14. Two pizzas between the three of us girls was more than enough, and we ended up taking almost an entire pizza home. Other items on the menu include a couple of appetizers and burgers.

And if nothing on the pizzeria’s menu is what you desire, salads, sushi, sandwiches, wine, baked goods and an assortment of other food items and knick-knacks are available next door at La Grande Orange Grocery. An adorable gelato shop is another dessert option, connected to the pizzeria itself, offering traditional flavors like pistachio and strawberry, or something more daring like catrino (almond and lingberry).

All in all, I do believe this corner of 40th street and Campbell has a superb combination of eating options that deliver atmosphere and taste. I encourage many to come and try the flavors of La Grande Orange. If you do, be aware. Bring $3 for valet parking, carpool, or wait in line for a parking spot. This bustling combination of grocery, pizzeria, and gelato make finding a parking spot complicated. Thankfully there is hired staff to help out the process and point out the options, but this tucked away location with limited parking is just one sacrifice made to complete the impressive package of La Grande Orange.

La Grande Orange
4410 N 40th st.
Phoenix, Az 85018
602-840-7777