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| - You know what I love? I love it when you decide to try a new, kinda pricey restaurant, and they just KNOCK IT outta the park! Blue Hound was such an exceptional experience on Wednesday evening, that I went back on Thursday. What else do you need to know, right?
With a funky but upscale relaxed atmosphere, the Blue Hound compliments the Kimpton Palomar hotel in which it resides. If you've stayed at a Kimpton, then you know that they have a great understanding of what's important, and what's not. Is the decor in this place a little jumbled? Absolutely. Are the servers simply first class? You betcha.
Oh yeah, the food... ;) The first funny thing you'll notice about the Blue Hound is the menu - the left page has a bunch of food dishes listed, but the right page... hmmm, this looks like ALL cocktails...!?!? Yep, the entire right page of this simple menu is cocktails -- and for good reason. The cocktails here are just epic! And the food -- while clearly playing a supporting role -- carries the experience superbly. The appetizers are unique, delish, and fun. The entrees are very hearty portions, and with exceptional presentation and flavor.
Particulars? Too many to cataloge, but now these. The pork chop entree is simply massive -- it's actually two pork chops. Totally wonderful, but consider sharing. Shrimp and grits was the bomb. Shishito peppers appetizer was novel and fun to all. Boudin balls were gobbled up before you could blink. Heck, you could just order 2 appetizers per diner and be more than satisfied.
And oh yeah.... someone in your party MUST order a "Lawless." On my first visit, that someone was me, and I was thrilled with my choice. The Lawless is a rye cocktail that's embellished with -- ready for this? -- vanilla tobacco smoke. The cool part is not just how fun it is to watch them prep it, it's that the smoke MAKES the drink!
Blue Hound is a little pricey, but if you are in downtown and want a great meal, it's more than worth it. Next time I'm in Phoenix, I will definitely plan to eat -- and drink! -- here again.
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