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Today I received a call from my sister asking me what were my plans for lunch. Honestly I hadn't thought that far yet. So I acknowledge and ask her to call me when she is on her way or at least close by. I figured by the time she arrived I would have a place selected. Naturally I opt for Joe's Farm Grill for two reasons: 1) she said she was buying and 2) for the fact I had never been there.

We jumped in her new car and speed off like two kids chasing down the neighborhood ice cream man. As we pulled up we noticed the Joe's Farm Grill sign and what appeared to be a combination of a large vertical bush and very large tree that resembled a hand flipping the bird. Well it looked like that from our angle. From the looks of the place they had plenty of outdoor seating in the front and back of the place. However today being as windy and rainy as it was we parked ourselves inside. Inside at the counter there were three windows and each window had flat-screens nested above it. Not sure what they were for because they all were off, but I suspect during their peak times it may display the menu. I walked up to the first available window which was the only one open at the time. With the kitchen noises in the background it made it a little difficult to hear. That was pretty much our only interaction with the staff aside from the brief interaction at the pick up window.

When my sister was handed her cup the teller quickly mentioned that the soda fountain machine was located outside. We both turned and looked at each other and paused for a moment and thought, Outside? We walked towards the seating area and we noticed a door to the outside and just steps passed the doorway reviled the fountain machine and sauce dispensing stations. Groovy. Just slighty beyond that is a unisex bathroom which has dolls in small display cases embedded in the walls. Two by the toilet and one by the sink. Also strategically placed is a flat screen monitor above the urinal (plays movies about dolls from what I saw), which you can also watch while on the commode. The best part was a small sign implying "Use the lock button for privacy" for those not used to having locks for the bathroom.

I have read about Joe's Farm Grill before and every time I review their menu the Fontina Burger always catches my attention for what ever reason. Perhaps because it comes prepared with roasted red peppers, grilled mushrooms, arugula, pesto and fontina cheese. Joe's Farm Grill is known for their use of locally raised and natural beef which is a major plus. Also they have a nice selection of cheeses: American, Cheddar, Swiss, Fontina and Blue of course. For the health conscientious customer they offer any of their 1/2 lb burgers with multi-grain buns upon request. Last but not least all burgers come with a side of fries which can be substituted for an additional fee, but cooked with trans-fat free oil no less.

I decided to follow my instinct and ordered the Fontina Burger, but decided to upgrade my fries to onion rings and opted for a strawberry shake. My sister ordered the Farm Burger with the fries and water. Seeing that the place was not busy we chose to sit in the front dining area.

It wasn't long before our buzzer began to vibrate and like a well trained ninja I spring out of my seat (tip toeing through the air) and within seconds I was at the pickup window. Did I mention I was starving? Both meals were served in black baskets lined with tinfoil. The aroma alone had me hypnotized and the roasted peppers had me salivating.

Typically I reach for the condiments and begin to pour on the ketchup, mustard or what have you. This time something told me to give it a whirl as-is. Just add the lettuce, tomatoes and red onions and try it as-is. So I go with my instinct again and I am glad I did. Wow! Juicy, tender, flavorful and delicious. The combination of the arugula, pesto, red peppers, mushrooms and the fontina cheese hits you all at once like a fierce side kick to your taste buds. I am talking about (Whack! Pow! Bang!) as if I were in an old batman episode.

This was one heavenly treat and I must say that I found a new favorite. The Fontina Burger takes first place knocking the Haunted burger down a notch. The onion rings on the other hand were ridiculously crunchy to the point of over crunchiness. To put it simply I should have stuck with the standard fries because those were awesome. I almost lost a hand as I kept sampling my sisters fries and the shake, oh the shake... wonderful. I love shakes especially when they are made with fresh seasonal fruits. Delicious!

I liked the fact that I did not have to add anything to this masterpiece. It was perfect as it was served, hot, juicy, tender and wonderful. I would definitely order it again.

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Hero's West was not our first choice. In all honesty we are in Chicago and we were craving deep dish pizza! My row buddy (her name escapes me) on the flight recommended a pizzeria which sounded fantastic, but unfortunately it was in the opposite direction of where we were heading. So as we were heading towards the hotel we quickly decided upon Hero's West 1) because we were familiar with it and 2) it was relatively close to the hotel. It's a cool place, definitely a sports focused venue judging by the decor. Oh yeah and the name: Hero's West "Sports Grill" kind of gives it away.

We were seated quickly as the place was lacking on the clientèle, I guess Monday nights are not very busy. I hit the facilities and realized that it is best to allow your hands to warm up before you, well you know. Needless to say as I returned back our table a pitcher containing the golden Belgium beverage: Stella Artois was awaiting. It helps with the decision making process.

The overall feel of the place was cool. I can guarantee that during a Sox, Bulls, Cubs or Bears game this place can get loud and intense very quickly. Definitely a great place to hold a large get together with friends or family. Just watch your steps during the winter season, I nearly lost my balance a few times walking through the parking lot.

The service was prompt at first but started to lag after a while as she forgot a few of our request. Which was quickly mended with our subtle reminders.

All of the burgers on the menu are said to be made with fresh USDA Choice Angus Chuck that are char grilled. According the menu their standard burgers are one pound of beef and the minor league versions weighing in at 1/2 lb. It was a toss up between the I-80 burger and the Macon Bacon Burger. The I-80 came with sautéed onions, red peppers, jalapenos and pepper jack cheese topped with onion crisps. The Macon Bacon Burger on the other hand is considered their Bill "Lam" Burger which is topped with cheddar cheese, 2 strips of thick cut hickory-smoked bacon and finished off with crispy onion rings with a side of BBQ sauce (hot or mild). I totally missed that, otherwise I would have ordered it hot. You also had a choice of onion rings, fries or a combo of both. I wanted everything!

The bacon sealed the deal for me so I ordered the minor league version of the Macon Bacon Burger. As I skimmed through the menu I did not notice anywhere mentioning that the burgers are served with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles etc... So I assumed at this point it would automatically show up on my plate. Wrong!  This was a purest burger, only containing meat and cheese. I suppose I could have asked for some garden veggies, but I wasn't going to.

Adding some ketchup, mustard, Tabasco sauce followed by a generous drizzle of some BBQ sauce I folded up the bacon strips and rearranged the onion rings. With the onion rings piled on, the burger was now stacked pretty high.  As I squeezed the buns together the sauces began to trickle out on to my hands and plate. The first bite was juicy. The combination of BBQ sauce mixed with Tabasco provided a nice kick. As I continued on reaching a little past the half way mark the burger suddenly became dry making it hard to swallow. Some parts towards the end seem overly cooked and nearly hard. So my enjoyment quickly did a 180.

I added the remaining BBQ sauce in hopes to conceal the dryness which helped to an extent, but it didn't help the areas which were hard. As hungry as I was I finished it along with the onion rings which were the highlight of the meal. The onion rings were perfect, crispy, crunchy and flavorful. Had I known I would have just ordered the onion rings and would have been a happy camper. 

The burger wasn't bad at first, but towards the bitter end it was dry and didn't seem to have much spices or seasoning. Also it didn't come with any lettuce, tomatoes or onions other than the onion rings. Having to douse it with the remaining BBQ sauce to cover up the dryness really killed the experience. The onion rings were great, but the fries seemed old and stale. I am pretty sure I won't order it again.

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Today I knew where I wanted to go and what I wanted to feast on. Burgers baby! So I dialed up my posse (my dad and little brother) and holla'd at them to meet me at the SanTan Brewery in Chandler around 1:30 pm. Finding the place was a little bit of a problem. They key is paying attention all while avoiding a car wreck; otherwise, you'll miss it once, twice or three times like I did. For the record it's south of Chandler Blvd and just west of Arizona Ave. The parking

situation was a tad tight, so we circled around a few times and found a spot nearby. We ended up parking upfront but further down the strip which was about 4-5 businesses down wind. At the very least the parking spot was in the same complex, so that was a plus.

The moment we entered we were greeted with a complete view of their brewing tanks show cased behind glass walls. If I am not mistaken I think every seat in the house offers a decent view of them. The bar-side seating seemed like a preferred spot as every seat was filled. The place was packed as far as indoor seating goes so we opted for outdoor seating. This time of year the weather is great so outdoor seating is just plain awesome. It did take about 15 minutes before we were seated so it wasn't a very long wait. The hostess (who was very bubbly from the getgo) walked us over to our patio seats and like always we began to play musical chairs because of the draft. Since the sun did not rest upon us directly it was a bit breezy for those who have a tendency to be cold, I won't mention names. If it gets to cold for comfort they have those nice outdoor heaters to warm you right up. Not to nit pick here but their sound system did sound good on the inside, but from the outside it was a little difficult to hear. Not a big issue. The outdoor bar seating was a nice touch, but didn't seem nearly as popular as the indoor seats. I think all but two were filled. Cool nonetheless.

The SanTan Brewery is a very inviting place I enjoyed it quite a bit. The layout didn't feel or come off like a typical sports bar, if you know what I mean. I am not a sports buff so sports on TV is simply wasted on me. Yeah there may have been flat-screens tuned into sports channels but the impression definitely revolved around its intention and that is the beer. It is definitely a cool place to hang out and matter of fact I am seriously considering making it one of my favorite watering holes even though I am not a big drinker. It's just that cool. The minute you walk in you are immediately sucked in and are overtaken by urges to sample everything they have to offer. So in order to quench your sudsy curiosity I recommend trying their SanTan Beer Sampler which will run you $8. Get yourself an idea of what you fancy before diving straight in. Unless you are a beer connoisseur or an aficionado, then by all means dive away. 

The service was a bit on the slow side for my taste, but our waiter ("Oscarito" is what they call him) was way cool and very helpful. Family tip: If you are thinking about bringing the smaller family members keep in mind that the bathrooms don't come equipped with changing stations.

I was completely cognizant of what I wanted the minute I decided to go to the SanTan Brewery, because I reviewed their online menu before hand. Preparation is key! So without delay I ordered the "Stuffed Kasbah Burger". The name alone immediately sent me back to the 80's: The Clash "Rock The Casbah". Needless to say that was playing in my mind most of the night. "Something don't like it. Rockin' the Casbah! Rock the Casbah!" However this version of the Kasbah is made with ground LAMB and it comes stuffed with chopped dates, pistachios, smoked Gouda and topped with Moroccan Aioli [eye-oh-lee] sauce (sounds intriguing right). As a side dish I was able to choose from: pub fries, Caesar or pub salad or the homemade soup of the day which was Chipotle Bean Soup. I of course opted for the fries, because I love fries and they make me want to break out in a ballad. Like: I love the fries, the fries love me, they taste so good, so yummy yummy yummy... now get in my belly.

It took quite a while for our order to arrive, but my wife pointed out that the menu stated something along the lines of: "If we are busy your order will take a while to complete". So there is a disclaimer right on the menu in case you're wondering. In all fairness I was caught up in the conversations and of course the beer to really pay close attention. When the hunger started to set in I decided to order the sampler. No it's not a food dish. C'mon now I mentioned it earlier on in the review that it was a beer sampler... hello! Shortly after I tossed those back our food came. Yay!

First sight I thought it was covered with what appeared to be a spicy yellow mustard substance and instantly I asked the waiter with a perplexed look on my face, "what is this yellow stuff". "Moroccan Aioli sauce", he simply explained. At this point I was a little beyond buzzing (empty stomach) and thought to myself oh yeah that's right I did read that somewhere. So I proceeded as always and piled on the red onions, lettuce, the single slice of tomato and finished off with the bun. The first bite made me think of Indian or Burmese curry. It was like I was eating a curry burger. Seriously a curry burger. I am fan of curry so to me this was good, but there was something missing. I cannot put my finger on it. Perhaps a spice or ingredient but something was off. I offered a bite to my wife who reluctantly tried it. She was not impressed, but lamb is really not her thing anyhow. Needless to say this is one of those items that won't be a hit with everyone. I did enjoy it despite the fact I could not pinpoint the missing "thingy" that would have made it better. The fries though were awesome, crispy and full of flavor. I didn't even need ketchup for the pub fries. I go there and just order the fries, that's is how good they are!

My father enjoyed his "Stuffed Mushroom Burger" and my wife enjoyed her "Brewer's Burger" which was a "Today's Special" item but not a standard menu item. My little brother loved his "Chicken Fingers" as well did my little girl. Who ended up stealing my pickle during the time I was using the facilities. Talk about seizing the opportunity at the right moment. I ate everything and left nothing but remnants on my plate. In the end we all enjoyed the setting, the food, the beer and will (beyond any doubt) visit again.

I liked the burger, the concept, the use of lamb, but something was missing from the Moroccan Aioli sauce. Even as I write this review I cannot put my finger on it. Anyhow I did dig the curry like flavor and experience of the burger. I would order it again.

P.S. Just to mention the waiter did advise us that the burgers will be prepared "medium" unless otherwise specified. Also the kids menus are located on backs of the doodle toys.

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