Latest of 6 Reviews
Calle 8 Restaurant & Lounge
Phoenix, AZ
Not so HOT! But worth a SHOT!
This sparsely appointed setting, cavernous space, non-specific décor and warehouse-like atmosphere scarcely lends itself to it’s namesake in Miami or the Cuban Lounge scene! Although offering tremendous dance area and seating area, I found the décor lacking in either Cuban or Mexican motifs or acoutremonts, with very few and scattered decorations! It was heartwarming to meet the hard-working owners who are striving to make this place work and their perseverance in doing so. They have a way to go… the noshes offered in their ambiguous and small menu, with items many unavailable when ordering, barely reflect traditional nor nouveau Cuban or Mexican fare. Tacos, plantains, yuca – limited. In strong agreement with other Yelpers, their Cuban sandwich is good, but by no means a Cuban Sandwich (see my Cuban Sandwich entry in my Yelp List entry: Cuban Sandwiches [El Cubano] at https://www.yelp.com/list/cuban-sandwiches-el-cubano-north-miami). We visited late afternoon, early evening – too early for their DJ floor show, but can see that they have the potential for dance and frolic based on their DJ set up, dance area and promotionals. Recommendations: please expand your limited alcoholic beverage repertoire; increase your Cuban and Mexican cuisine offerings; and by all means a wait staff that can speak English will be beneficial to the English-only crowd. I look forward to coming back, I see great potential in Calle 8, see you soon? Bon appétit from El Saguecero (aka: Gástro Ecléctico)!
Dishes Tried:
Cuban Sandwich; Yuca Frita; Shrimp Tacos...
Recent Diner Surveys (Showing 3)
- 12/08/2016
Rickg1 tried Hitching Post Restaurant in Petworth.
- 12/08/2016
Rickg1 tried Durant's and liked it.
- 8/29/2015
Rickg1 tried Claim Jumper, didn't like it, and rated it . Rickg1 liked the food, liked the service, and didn't like the ambiance.
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- My Line on Virginia Wine!
- My wife and I considering ourselves being somewhat wine connoisseurs, not snobs mind you, are lucky to live in a state that offers so many vineyards, varietals and makes it so easy to go wine tasting often – making day outings incredibly enjoyable by either doing picnics, wine tastings, parings, tours wine and dine, or just outright relaxing. Wine is, as most dining, a very subjective experience and varies to one’s own palate and preference and even mood. Rather than try to compare one winery, vineyard, grape or wine to another, I have developed a scoring method that will give both the occasional novice wine taster or the most sophisticated connoisseur a bearing which to select each establishment by, based on our single, or sometimes multiple visits to each location. The criteria is as follows: 1) beauty of location and its scenery (how nature plays into the overall landscaping, accommodations, furnishings and area surroundings – pleasing to the eye and feel); 2) the establishment’s appearance and ambience (the care and taste taken to either preserve historical or style and esthetics of the surroundings in architecture, structures, ecology, nature, traditional or non-traditional décor and design – making it either romantic, fun, relaxing or other); 3) the owner and/or operators’ consideration to their patrons and hospitality (here the hominess, hospitality, friendliness, rapport and personalities or individual character of owners and staff plays in, as well as their honest and knowledgeable expertise of the product, its cultivation and development, ingredients and taste descriptions); 4) activities, events and/or meals or munchies (this being subjective and specific, as many wineries do not offer entertainment, activities or foods, appetizers accompanying or pairing items for the tasting and/or lingering around with their wine offerings); 5) wine selection, quality, taste and varieties (how many wines, too many wines, how many do we like, is one better than others, cork or screw-top, etc.); and 6) heavily weighted on our taste (this one is ultra-subjective and particular because although my wife may agree on many, we don’t always agree on all – and for varying reasons. Depending on your preference and mine being so naturally different, this can be a coin toss for readers); as well as 7) value, consistency and price of the product (I think this may be self-explanatory – as some wineries may have the tendency to overprice their product, and/or limit any discounts and availability). Taken as a whole, the evaluation process is still difficult because of again, its subjective nature. And, one needs to take into consideration that wine taste and quality varies from region to region, barrel to barrel, grape to grape, vine to vine and harvest to harvest, not to mention again – our individual taste buds. I hope this clarifies my measuring method for you! Don't whine, just wine!
