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| - Tom's Thumb was an unexpected delight! I'm upset with myself for waiting so long to try it.
I work just a couple of miles away and took a quick jaunt over on my lunch break earlier this week. It is not one of those places that you would just stumble upon as you're driving past - it is situated within a large gas station and car wash, so you either need to be looking for it or have a serendipitous discovery while waiting for your car's besparkling to conclude.
That said, it is really surprising little treat. There seem to be a few ways into the building - I happened to park near a doorway by the outdoor restaurant seating and ducked in through there. I ended up in the midst of their little "dining room" and found my way to the counter on the right to order lunch (there is another counter on the opposite side which is where you can order desserts or coffee)
I was greeted by a friendly employee as I entered and the employee I ordered from was proactive and helpful as well! I got their Tom's Choice Brown Bag special - $10 includes a pulled pork sandwich, a bag of chips, and a fountain drink. While I feel that overall their pricing is a little bit steep for what it is, I think that this is a very good value. The sandwich is generously sized on a delicious, soft bun and comes with a small cup of fresh slaw (dressed in vinegar, not mayo) along with some garnish (pickles and onions, I think) The slaw was delicious!!
The Pulled Pork was awesome - nice smoked flavor, moist without being soggy and not too dry/hard. The portion was huge - I ate the sandwich and still had pork left over to enjoy with a fork and knife.
They have a wide selection of barbecue sauces - I tried 4 on my visit: The Hickory, which is a pretty straightforward sweet/smoky barbecue sauce that was quite yummy, the Low Country, which has bacon in it and was very flavorful and savory, the Habanero, which they describe as "3 Alarm" - it was the perfect level of spiciness, with a kick but not enough to burn your mouth off, and my favorite, the Carolina, which is an almost-clear brown liquid that is really delicious and makes the already amazing pulled pork all the more flavorful and moist - it is amazing!
The chips and soda are your standard gas station/sandwich place fare - the soda is from one of the large fountains where you can select your type of soda and then add all sorts of flavorings to it. The one on the left was a little annoying as the touch screen didn't work super well. The chips were of the bagged variety - I think they were Ms. Vickers or similar. I did enjoy using the chips to dip into the remaining barbecue sauce - very yummy!
I also stopped over and got a chocolate-chip toffee cookie to go - it was great! A bit crispy, which I like, and chock full of toffee/chocolate pieces. They had a variety of other desserts that did tempt me - a bourbon pecan tart, a s'mores bar, along with various macaroons and additional cookies (some of which looked to be gluten free!)
The "restaurant" counter and dining room are so cutely decorated! It is a bit surreal to have lunch while sitting amidst a gas station, but they do a nice job of visually separating the space without actually partitioning between the areas. The décor is rustic/southwestern with a kick - I love the huge crystal chandelier, the chalkboard signs, and pallet-wood benches for the banquette-style tables. I would normally worry that a restaurant set within a busy gas station/car wash/market would feel a bit overwhelming and chaotic, but my dining experience was serene and quiet, with no real disruptions. Additionally, it was very clean. There were employees circulating continuously to clear the tables and check to see if guests needed anything.
If you find yourself in North Scottsdale or are in search of delicious BBQ here in the valley, I would highly encourage you to check out Tom's Thumb for a wonderful meal! Go in with your expectations in the right place (This is not a fine dining restaurant but it is also unlike any other place I've been) and you will likely be blown away!
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