| rev:text
| - Well, it took 14 months of living all the way in New York for me to come back to Phoenix and finally make my way down to the bustling cultural metropolis of Gilbert with fellow OG Yelper Bonnie G to thoroughly check the town out.
This fellow OG Yelper and I. We are not Gilbert. Gilbert is not us. But drove we did with open minds and empty bellies.
Our first stop: Liberty Market for lunch.
We walk inside, and I notice the place is bustling: part bright and sunny, part modern and Jetsons-like, and part HOLY CRAP I WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING I SEE BACK IN THE KITCHEN OVER THERE.
I restrained myself of course because I am that way and waited till I got to the front of the line. I looked at all the options - every sandwich, pizza, salad, etc. sounded extremely tantalizing and my mouth was watering for them all, but in the end we both ordered a couple of the hot pressed sandwiches:
* I got The Rancher ($12) - beef filet, caramelized onion, blue cheese, arugula, and horseradish aioli, with a side order of the roasted sweet potato salad. And a soy latte because my sleep schedule is still not back to normal.
* My friend got The Farmer ($7) - a veggie option with zucchini, yellow squash, portobello, fresh herbs, goat cheese, roasted red peppers, grilled sweet potato with a side order of the creamy potato salad.
Even with so many people there at prime lunch hour, we were still able to be seated pretty quickly. Drinks and silverware got to us in no time.
VERDICT ON FOOD
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* The cut of the beef, the quality of the bread, the onions, cheese, and man, the horseradish aioli: this was definitely one of better roast beef sandwiches I've ever had. I'm craving it right now, in fact. Also really enjoyed the sweet potato salad and the soy latte which was very nicely done. My friend was also mightily impressed with The Farmer. I had a bite and it was pretty tasty and, also importantly, fairly hearty for being a full-on veggie sandwich. As for the sweeter side of the meal, we opted to wait till we got to Agritopia before pondering on the meaning of dessert.
VERDICT ON SERVICE
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Impressed. I don't think I've had such good, constant, and friendly service in a really long time - and this isn't even a full-service restaurant. Everyone (we interacted with at least 5 people) was spot on and professional while still exuding a good deal of warmth. I was a little taken aback by that - especially given that I'm slowly acclimating myself back to life in Arizona after dining in Jersey and NY restaurants for so long. But the staff here definitely know how to make patrons feel welcome and enjoy their time there, especially given this is a pretty casual place to eat in with no actual waitstaff.
IN THE END
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For what the place is, a fast-casual restaurant in heart of old Gilbert, Liberty Market definitely is a gem. A lot of fresh and great-quality ingredients, a unique atmosphere not really replicated elsewhere in the Valley, a wide array of menu items for all three meals of the day (including gluten-free), a sleek and spotless interior, great looking food being cooked or in the display cases, and a great, professional staff - I really had no complaints. Well, apart from it being a billion miles away, but I'll get over it. It was worth the drive.
4 stars for now - easily will give 5 once I've eaten bfast or dinner there. Great job, Joe. I'm definitely a fan.
Gilbert. Who knew?
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