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| - EVIT Bistro 13 sits on the south side of Main Street in west Mesa and is easily passed by; but you should look for it and stop in for a bite to eat. Situated in front of a Standard Restaurant Supply store and, appropriately, next to the East Valley Institute of Technology, is a great breakfast and lunch eatery run by culinary students under the tutelage of a chef/instructor.
Like most other "school/retail" establishments such as massage schools, beauty schools, hair institutes and the like, two things are prominent here: a great price and value for a product, and a high likelihood of receiving a quality product and service. However, because this is a school run by learning students, there is the chance that one or both of these things will be amiss; but that tends to not be the norm here.
Inside there is a travel theme clearly conceived and decorated by students. There are mosaics, paintings and even metal wall art that no doubt has been crafted by EVIT students that fit nicely into a student run/themed restaurant. The colors inside are appealing and attractive, refreshing even. There is also a nice outdoor seating area to enjoy your meal al fresco.
From the outside, it is obvious that Bistro 13 is a former fast food building. This allows for ample parking and the presence of a drive-thru. If you are in a hurry or want an order to go, just call ahead and pick up your meal from the drive-thru.
Because each order is cooked fresh, service can be a bit slow, but you are rewarded with a hot, fresh and tasty meal. I was told that everything is made fresh, on premises, including such things as dressings, sauces and dips, waffle cut fries and even desserts. In addition, there are daily specials that seem to fit the overall theme of "Global Cuisine," so look forward to additional surprises not seen on the regular menu.
One drawback of freshly prepared food cooked to order is that wait times for your meal can go into the 10+ minute range for something like the tasty Panko Chicken Fingers or a Sonoran Chicken Sandwich even when moderately busy. However, the food is generally worth the wait. This is also why you will want to call ahead before using the drive-thru.
When dining inside, you order and pay at the counter, then the food is delivered to you by one of the students or instructors. There is real flatware wrapped in napkins and real glassware used for the beverages - so kudos to EVIT for not going the "disposable" route.
So what about the food? Besides being hot and fresh, the flavors are distinct, not over the top, and proportionally thought through. There is a nice level of spice, when appropriate, and seasoning is consistently spot-on. The sauces and dressings are tasty and distinct enough from each other to please almost any palette. The fries are seasoned nicely, and are only enhanced by NOT HEINZ ketchup - but a proper International Red Sauce that usually is called catsup. (Read my other reviews and you will know my affinity for catsup that is not the rotten tasting, overly-sweet, lacking real tomato flavor, Heinz variety that is way too prevalent in restaurants today - please, more places offer any other brand besides Heinz, you are doing your food a dis-service by using Heinz). But, I digress.
Other notable touches are homemade pickle spears that are crispy crunchy and distinctly seasoned and the ability to substitute bread on a sandwich with two grilled Portobello mushrooms for a low-carb option.
Overall, I am impressed with the food choices offered at Bistro 13. Given the reasonably priced menu items, I know most diners will be happy they stopped here. Just know that the hours are limited to two and a half hours for breakfast and three hours for lunch after being closed for an hour in between, so get to breakfast by 9:30am or lunch by 1:30pm and if you go at 10:00am or 2:00pm, you are out of luck; so plan ahead. And yes, they take credit cards.
Overall Rating: 4 Stars
Food: 4.3 stars
Service: 3.8 Stars
Cleanliness: 3.6 Stars
Atmosphere: 4
Price/Value: 4.5 Stars
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