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| - This is a review I forgot to do after our trip to Phoenix for Thanksgiving. A discussion with a friend the other day reminded me I needed to write about this place.
While out shopping with my parents the day before Thanksgiving, they suggested hitting Red Devil for lunch. Being happy that they didn't try to suggest one of the big chain places they tend to frequent, we bought in. From the very dated and drab outside appearance, I was worried. When we walked inside and I saw the decor that clearly hadn't been updated in about 30 years, I was even more worried. First impressions are important, and if I was reviewing this place on its appearance and decor alone, it would be two stars at best.
Fortunately, appearance isn't everything. There is a reason this place is still around: the food is great. The calzone I had was massive, far too much for one reasonable person to eat. It was delicious, the bread was soft and perfectly cooked, and the ingredients (spinach, artichoke, sausage and of course, cheese) were plentiful and flavorful. The antipasto salad my parents and fiancee shared was large enough to feed a small village in the Dolomites. Food portions are not lacking, and food quality is excellent.
I love wings, almost to a fault. I want to order them any time they're on a menu, but I show restraint sometimes. On this day, I did not. I ordered the wings. My fiancee asked "You're ordering wings at an Italian restaurant", to which I replied with a hint of indignation "Uh, yeah." I am glad I did. And so was she. The wings were incredible. Seriously some of the best wings I've had in a very long time. They were decent sized, perfectly cooked, and evenly coated in some of the most balanced wing sauce I can remember having. A straightforward buffalo sauce, they were a little spicy, just enough kick to compliment the explosion of flavor. I was shocked by how good they were. My taste buds were pleased throughout the meal.
Basically, this place gets four stars because of the food. The service was decent, but not great. The ambiance and decor was so dated that I felt out of place because I was not wearing stonewashed jeans and a Hypercolor shirt. The prices were reasonable enough considering the portion sizes. But the food quality...all win.
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