Eat Up from p 32 after all. Instead, we got the Market salad ($8.50). The first ingredient listed was roasted cauliflower. The cauliflower was not roasted. It was raw and paper-thin, and there wasn’t very much of it. The salad was mostly romaine, which was not even listed as an ingredient. The thinly sliced sweet peppers added little to this salad. Cheese might have helped, or maybe some seeds or nuts. Or roasted cauliflower. Don’t get the Market salad. A few words about the atmosphere and the experience. You can eat in at Eat Up, technically. There’s a counter inside and a table or two. There is also a patio out front with four tables, in case you’d like to dine on wood-grilled citrus chicken in triple- | DINING GUIDE | t Café TEMPE 24 Carrots: A much-loved corner of the Valley is located in southern Tempe, at the Tempe Square Shopping Center — better known as the adobe-style strip mall home of Changing Hands Tempe, Trader Joe’s, and 24 Carrots. A female-owned vegan cafe, 24 Carrots is as healthy as its name suggests. Here, you’ll find a substantial selection of 100 percent vegan and gluten- free items for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and beyond. Bowls, salads, sandwiches, and raw delicacies are on the menu, as are organic teas, coffee provided by local purveyor Peixoto Coffee Roasters, fresh-pressed juices, natural smoothies, cocktails, beer, and wine. For lunch, it’s an ideal place for families and work-a-days; dinner brings a calmer, dimmer, wholly civilized atmosphere. No matter when you drop by, though, you’re likely to encounter an aroma that calls to mind a spice cabinet in a well-used kitchen. It smells like a place you’d like to spend some time. 1701 E. Guadalupe Rd., Tempe; 480-753-4411; 24carrotsjuice.com . ($$) Bao Chow: Bao Chow has a gem of a menu in an unlikely setting — a classic Tempe music venue. For years, Yucca Tap Room served decent bar food, sure, but in 2017, Bao Chow became the entirety of the kitchen’s offerings. The Asian fusion eatery still lists excellent wings and breakfast burritos, all laid out on a show flyer-style menu under concert-related puns. That’s all lovely, but the namesake dish is why people occupy the barstools and booths at Bao Chow. Bao offerings include bulgogi, tofu, and the incredible fried chicken. Biting into the fried chicken bao is, first, all deep flavorful fluff, then all crunch, followed by zings of cream sauce and slaw. Naturally, you’ll want to pair the bao (or bulgogi tots, or street tacos, or the occasional special like the hot chicken sandwich) with a craft beer or a well-mixed cocktail — and maybe with a loud show for dessert. 31 W. Southern Ave., Tempe; 480-626-3053; eatbaochow.com. ($$) Cafe Lalibela: No one lives in Tempe for long without hearing, “You’ve got to try Cafe Lalibela.” The husband-and-wife-run Ethiopian restaurant has occupied a strip mall suite for decades, and given that its foods are starting to appear as local items in area grocery stores, it’s only getting easier to sample the offer- ings of Cafe Lalibela’s menu. Serving some of the best African food in all of metropolitan Phoenix, the eatery specializes in vegetarian dishes (though several meat items are on the menu) and is known for teaching many an Arizona State University student about the importance of injera and wat. Injera, or a crepe-like sourdough bread made with teff, is served with most orders. And wait till you try this wat. The Ethiopian stew comes spicy or not, meatless or not, but we recommend the key sega wat (spicy beef stew). Do not fear, possibly unadventurous eaters: The menu comes with a glossary. 849 W. University Dr., Tempe; 480-829-1939; cafelalibela.com. ($$) Cornish Pasty Co.: This small chain of English-focused, somewhat- metal-themed restaurants is either referred to as Cornish or Pasty, depending on which circles you travel in, but never just Cornish Pasty. (We’re in the Cornish camp.) Around since 2005, Cornish is known for its … pasties — savory ingredients digit heat with up-close views of the traffic on Indian School. There are four curbside spots right out- side the door as well as a drive-thru win- dow. We ordered at the drive-thru, then drove up to the next window to pay, then waited 10 minutes, then somebody came out and asked us to pull up further and wait, which we did for another 10 minutes. It was about 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday. I give Eat Up a pass on this. The entire experi- ence was pretty substandard, but hiring is hard right now. I assume they’re under- staffed. A few menu items caught my eye that I didn’t order: the charred chili shrimp and maybe one of the six baked potatoes (per- haps the vegan chili). Maybe someday. Probably not anytime soon, though. entombed in a flaky, baked shell with a crimped edging. Popular pasties include lamb and mint, pesto chicken, the Pilgrim, and the Cubano. Pro tip: Select a pasty, but have a backup, too. Some are so popular the kitchen runs out. Vegan and vegetarian options are available, as well as an entire B-side of the menu offering fresh salads, tandoori wings, house-made bread and butter, oven chips, Scotch eggs, and English desserts. Equal to Cornish’s impressive menu is the vibe‚ especially at the original Tempe location (shout out to The Beast, the hidden bar inside). Always expect alternative music, a lively patio, and a short wait at the bar. 960 W. University Dr., #103, Tempe; 480-894-6261; cornishpastyco.com. ($$) Ghost Ranch: Set way south of Arizona State University and the scatterings of dining options in downtown Tempe, Ghost Ranch Southwest Modern Cuisine has made a big name for itself in the short time it’s been in operation. The locally owned restaurant is helmed by executive chef David Mora and pastry chef Lisa Graf (cute fact: they’re married). Among the highlights of the modern Southwest cuisine served here is the roasted chicken enchiladas, which come with a beloved green sauce. We also like the cowboy steaks, pozole (here it’s red chile pork stew), and authentic-to-Arizona sides like rancho papas. And the interior of Ghost Ranch, with its non-hokey Southwest decor and tiled bar, is a modern stunner, thanks to artist Gennaro Garcia. 1006 E. Warner Rd., Tempe; 480-474-4328; ghostranchaz.com. ($$$) Haji Baba Middle Eastern Food: A no-frills Middle Eastern grocer and counter-service joint, Haji-Baba serves well all who enter: students from nearby ASU, lunching business-casual types, families, couples, and in-from-out-of-towners. For cheap ethnic eats in metro Phoenix, this place is hard to beat. The lamb tongue sandwich is one of the true wonders of Tempe eating; other standouts include the pita-wrapped chicken shawarma, babaghanooj, rice, hummus, and the Arizona pecan baklava. We’re also big fans of the exotic aromas that have lived inside Haji-Baba for the past several decades. If we could bottle the scent of this place, we would. 1513 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe; 480-894-1905; facebook.com/HajiBabaTempe. ($) Old Town Taste: We’ve described Old Town Taste as a strip mall Chinese restaurant — easily spotted by the bright-red neon sign when cruising through Tempe — with a Sichuan bent, overseen by owners Xiohan Xu and Zuhao Wang and Chefs Qifu Chen and Jie Yu. Inside the mural-walled restaurant with turquoise booths, menus promise some exciting dishes, including the braised eggplant, mapo tofu, and Szechuan-style blood curd. One of our favorite plates is the Chongqing-style platter. This house special is offered as chicken or fish, and both options are phenomenal thanks to the piping hot meat coated in thin, crunchy batter. The dish is further weighed down with string beans and chile. Sides and drink options are just okay, which is fine, as anything Chongqing-style here will leave you satisfied for some time. 1845 E. Broadway Rd., Tempe; 480-702-7101; oldtowntaste.business.site. ($$) WEST VALLEY Casa De Falafel: When people complain about Phoenix being too beige, they’re likely referring to areas like Cactus Road and 67th Avenue. But Casa de Falafel, located inside a gas station at this intersection called Simon Xpress, is the opposite of suburban snooziness. A Mediterranean grill churning out authentic Arabic street foods, Casa de Falafel has a menu that’s stretched above the prep station on electronic >> p 39 37 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES JULY 1ST – JULY 7TH, 2021
