Barro’s Pizza

Gilbert Road

and Baseline in Gilbert

http://www.barrospizza.com/

There are two main schools of thought when it comes to pizza.  There is the thin crust, New York style pizza and there is deep dish, Chicago style pizza.  Barro’s Pizza is an Arizona pizza chain with a feel right out of Chicago.

The crust is light and fluffy, the perfect mix of strength and mass.  Nothing worse than a crust that can’t support its toppings.  But Barro’s crust is amply prepared to support the ample toppings. 

The sauce at Barro’s is unassuming.  It’s not bad, but nothing worth writing home about.  The cheese and toppings, however, are another story.  Each slice is covered in all of your traditional pizza toppings and mounds of mozzarella.  If you are looking for pesto or barbeque chicken on your pizza, Barro’s will not meet your needs.  But if you are just looking for a good, thick slice of pizza, this is the place. 

The décor inside of Barro’s attempts to capture the Chicago spirit.  Faux hardwood and bricks are topped with pictures of the Wrigley Field, the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago skyline.  The service was not “New York” bad, but left much to be desired.  They attempt to make up for it by giving all the peppers and cheese you could want to top your pizza, but I’d settle for good service. 

Parking was ample. J

Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

http://www.gordonbiersch.com/

Williams Field Road

and Loop 202

The thing about brewery restaurants is that you are paying for the beer, even if you don’t order a beer.  So it may not be the best option for the non-beer connoisseur. 

Gordon Biersch is such a restaurant.  The décor and menu scream “pub”.  A high-end pub, but a pub none the less.  It’s nearly impossible to find an entrée that doesn’t contain one or another of their beers.  Putting that aside, how was the food?

The Kobe Cheeseburger was so tender that I could not tell it apart from the bun.  Unfortunately, the taste was the same way.   While quite tender, this was one of the least flavorful cheeseburgers that I have ever had the experience to sample.  I love cheese as much as the next guy, but it should not be the predominant flavor in a cheeseburger. 

The Teriyaki Flatiron Steak was more surprising than the Kobe Cheeseburger, but a positive surprise.  For a pounded-flat steak, it was remarkably tender.  (There’s that word again!)  The teriyaki was sweet and just strong enough to add to the flavor, but not mask the steak. 

One of Gordon Biersch’s signature side dishes is the Garlic Fries.  As the name implies, they are French fries with fresh garlic sprinkled over them.  Why anyone thought this was a good idea is beyond me.  Predictably, these did not rate well.  Even worse with ketchup. 

Overall, Gordon Biersch was a great disappointment.  The service was adequate but not exceptional.  The food was well below expectations.  Maybe it improves if you wash it down with their beer.