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| - No. No. No, absolutely not. There are better places where you can spend your money and your time . . . And have a better experience.
Maybe I should drink more of the Kool-Aid made with the water in NE Mesa . . . Looking over the recent reviews of Pineapple Grill, I anticipated finding another diamond in the rough. But no, from the moment I entered to the moment I left my food, uneaten on the table, after being told I didn't know what I was talking about, I have to say that I have never had a dining experience quite like I had here.
You should always listen to you gut, and I chose to ignore the red flags from the get-go. It was lunchtime, on a weekday and there was just one other person leaving when I walked in. The interior is a bit dark and is essentially the leftover fixtures and decor of previous businesses amalgamated into an odd arrangement that wants to be upscale quick-serve, but has odd touches of a stretched budget. I was greeted by an employee, but was never offered recommendations, suggestions or assistance deciphering the menu. The menu offers no guidance on what I can expect from any choice (Yelp has limited photos of their food) and the restaurant name only correlates to their Jalapeno Pineapple sauce and grilled pineapple offered with most dishes. I truly don't know what their specialty is; nor was it apparent by their wide ranging but sparse menu.
My second red flag was my $25 bill for two dishes, without beverages (two of the soda fountain flavors had an "Out of Order" sign taped to them - third red flag?) Relying on the name of the menu offerings, I chose the Phenomenal Cheesesteak. Phenomenal it was not; not in taste, not in size or price. Lacking was beefy flavor, savory onion flavors, cheesiness and seasoning; the meat was totally overwhelmed by the bread (I noticed the name has since changed and "Phenomenal" has been removed). I added fries, which were passable, but they were your standard Sysco 3/8" French fry and, sadly, were the highlight of the meal. Also ordered was a Steak & Chicken Rice Bowl, which by appearances looked amazing, however, the dish was not something that had distinct flavor, proportional seasoning, proper cook or tenderness . . . each bite was met with disappointment and the rice and vegetables stood in as stomach fillers, nothing more. It was as if the both meals were procedural and were prepared without care, passion or joy - much like following a recipe without understanding technique, method or the science of cooking. The chef/owner seemed to be just going through the motions to put food on a plate.
Because of the lack in flavor of the rice bowl, I returned to the counter to order a side of hummus in hopes of salvaging the rice bowl. But asking $5 for a side of hummus, I said "no thanks" (I could not ignore another red flag). Thankfully, better judgment prevailed and I walked out, leaving uneaten food on the table and shaking my head . . . a first for me.
It appears as though Pineapple Grill is searching for what it wants to be and is trying to offer items that appeal to a cross section of diners. However, without doing any one particular thing well, and many things not so well, I have a hard time comprehending what the allure is and what keeps people coming back. Perhaps I should have had more tap water to drink with my meal and I would have been filled with gastronomic euphoria that others seem to be experiencing.
Overall: 1.6
Quality: 1.8
Service: 1
Cleanliness: 2.5
Value: 1.8
Atmosphere: 1
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