On 6/30/14 at about 12:30 PM, my son and I had time to kill and were looking for a little place with a TV so we could watch the World Cup match. We spotted the Fired Up Grill and went inside. It was just what we were looking for.
We sat at the bar to better see the TV. I ordered the chicken flautas and my son ordered the calimari. The flautas came 3 to the plate and were spicy and very tasty. My son reported that the calimari was also good.
Our bartender/server was a young man named Mr. Romeo (pronounced "ro-MAY-oh") from Queens New York. He was very friendly and personable and, since I am Italian, the talk soon turned to Italian food. I told Mr. Romeo that Italian food in Arizona is awful and that I have been trying the meatballs at upscale Italian restaurants for years, but have yet to find even one that was edible. Mr. Romeo said that the owner/cook at the Fired Up Grill was also Italian and took pride in his food and particularly his pasta and meatballs. I asked if he would make me a side order of meatballs just to evaluate.
HOME RUN! These were absolutely the closest meatballs to what my Italian grandmother used to make that I'd ever come across! They were absolutely perfect....tasty with the right ingredients including lots of garlic, and cooked to perfection! The only negative was the marinara sauce that came with them. It tasted like it was made quickly. My family's traditional sauce cooks for 6 to 8 hours and tastes like it.
I live in North Phoenix, but I will be going back to the Fired Up Grill JUST for the meatballs (and to try the pasta). If you have an Italian grandmother who made meatballs the way they do in Italy, take my advice and try the ones here. You won't be disappointed.