501 E. Camelback Rd.

Two Hippies is not new. People have been raving about it since late last year. But I never got around to reviewing it.

Folks, this is some of the best recession food you can find. Get a Taco 3-pack for $5 or a massive burrito for $5. My three pack always includes the pork and the chicken. The third varies. Regardless, you never go hungry.

It is getting a little hot to sit outside and eat now -no indoor seating. However there are enough misters around the patio to sink the USS Ronald Reagan and they’ve done a good job of hiding their customers from the sun.

The place is a lot of fun, too. It’s plastered with every kind of odd, eclectic sign, poster post card and plastic Kewpie doll you can imagine. It’s Jimmy Buffett meets, er, eh,…Jimmy Buffett.

The Good: Cheap, good, filling!

The Bad: It’s bloody hot outside!

The Ugly:  none

214 W. Roosevelt

These guys have had a hard time of it, I’m afraid. They’ve only been open since mid-April. They don’t have a liquor license yet. They’ve been handing out free sangria to compensate, and I’ve still heard some complaints.

A group of seven of us went last week; very excited to try it out. I felt like I wanted to like it more than I really did. There were so many things that they did right, but such crucial things that they missed.

We sat out on the sidewalk with beautiful trees overhead and a very soothing atmosphere, despite the traffic on Roosevelt.  The pizza oven was down, so we couldn’t try that most important staple food. The prosciutto panini, on the other hand, had a beautifully layered and textured taste.

Owner and chef Leonard Jay came out at the end to apologize for the oven being down. I wished him the best, but I couldn’t help sense that his less-than strong start was going to get the better of him. Still, it’s refreshing when restaurant owners take responsibility and attend to their customers.

To be fair, it was still considered a soft opening until May 1st. I hope they get the wrinkles out because I saw such great promise.

The Good: Great presentation, beautiful flavors.

The Bad: Still a little disorganized. Don’t give up yet.

The Ugly:  “Could I get a little sangria in my water, please?”

5144 N. Central Ave.

I’ve always enjoyed the original Postino at 40th St. and Campbell. They had good wine and pleasant food. It’s good news that the owners have opened Postino Central at 5144 N Central Ave.

However, it’s sad that the old Katz’s Deli at that same location had to close down to make room. Originally opened by David Katz in 1959, it survived until 2008. It was a mainstay for political lunches in town. According to the Jewish News, it was the spot for coffee meetings of the founders of the valley’s first rabbinical council.

Something tells me that the building, at least, will stay on as a place for nosh and “zitzungen.”

The Good: The Bruschetta with brie, apples and fig spread pretty much melts on the tongue.

The Bad: Something about this restaurant’s business model seems to include forcing people to park in residential neighborhoods. I bet if they did a franchise in Beverly Hills, they would inevitably irritate Bradgelina with the all the cars.

The Ugly:  Not applicable.

4201 N 7th Ave

I heard from a friend how great this place was. I hate to say it, but I don’t agree.

Let me qualify that and say that I’m quite picky about Italian food. I much prefer what I call “simple” Italian food over “red sauce” Italian. Red sauce Italian is what I think of as the traditional American expression of Italian food: lasagna, spaghetti, pizza with red sauce. The more simple food relies less on sauces and includes a lot more grilled veggies and greens. I think of Cibo and La Picolla Cuchina in this category.

So, going in to it, I have my prejudices. The service was great, the place was clean and I’m sure they have great stuffed manicotti. But I just could not get in to it.

I ordered their Quattro Fromaggio pizza. It was nice, but did not rise to the level of a couple other places I could mention downtown. For me, it’s all in the crust and they just did not have it. You could put peanut butter and licorice on a pizza with the right crust and I’d still like it.

The Good: Clean restaurant, good lunch prices, “A” for effort.

The Bad: Uninspiring decor.

The Ugly:  If your patio is  going to be right on 7th Ave., I suggest some sort of sound barrier.