Photos by Evie Carpenter
Grade: B+
Carly’s Bistro in downtown Phoenix’s Roosevelt Row is one of a few spots that help define the arts district’s identity.
The area around Roosevelt and Fifth streets is the center of the Phoenix arts scene, and a meal at Carly’s — with its live music, local artwork and edgy atmosphere — will give visitors a taste of what the area has to offer.
A glance at Carly’s walls is as intriguing as a glance at its menu. A mural on the outside of the east wall depicts a singing Dia de los Muertos skeleton, a cartoonish ambulance and a hand emerging from underground, holding a flaming heart. Inside, a mural utilizes a Mannerist style, reminiscent of Michelangelo; it depicts a half-nude man and woman with the sun’s red and yellow rays in the pattern of the Arizona state flag. The restaurant is covered in local art, proudly displaying some of Roosevelt Row’s finest work.
I’ve previously taken my family to Carly’s to show them what Phoenix is like. Two live bands played when we were there, and they were surprisingly talented. The paninis had something for everyone, from my adventurous brother to my vegetarian sister to my dieting dad.
Carly’s has an appetizer and two panini sandwiches that I never get sick of, after ordering each about three times.
The hummus is the perfect start to a meal. The duo order comes with olive tapenade, and the trio adds on another flavored hummus. Order whichever you’re in the mood for; any hummus combination is a good choice.
The smoked salmon panini, served on focaccia with a crème fraiche, capers, red onion, tomatoes and cucumber, is my favorite sandwich at Carly’s. The combination of salmon, cucumbers and fraiche make it light and fresh, which is perfect for lunch.
The pear panini is a unique combination of sweet and salty tastes. It’s a hot sandwich with prosciutto, brie and balsamic dressing, but the pear adds a fruity note to the otherwise heavy sandwich.
My last visit to Carly’s was disappointing. Neither of the two impressive bands was there, but there was a man who played some stale, jazzy tunes on his guitar while utilizing a wide range of odd vocal noises. Besides typical singing, I heard a howl, a grunt, several long whistles and a pretend trumpet noise.
I ordered the artichoke dip for an appetizer, expecting it to be warm, like most artichoke dips. This one was cold and tasted like spicy yogurt. It was good enough to finish, but I won’t get it again.
The waitress recommended the prosciutto panini, which turned out to be a middle-tier sandwich. It doesn’t beat the salmon or pear paninis, and although it is more ambitious than the Italian or Cuban paninis, it may taste too sweet for some diners. Like the pear panini, it mixes sweet and salty. The prosciutto, along with slightly bitter Gorgonzola and provolone cheeses, are drastically contrasted with a sweet fig paste.
A friend ordered the meatball sub. Rather than using two slices of bread to make a sandwich, Carly’s puts meatballs in a carved out section of thick Italian bread, which looks like a canoe. I cut off a slice to try, and the meatballs tasted good enough to go with spaghetti. Most meatball sandwiches use bread as a distraction from mediocre meatballs; at Carly’s, they compliment each other.
The service is not particularly fast at Carly’s, which is a shame since its sandwiches make for a great lunch. It’s main attraction, though, is the overall experience, which is a necessity for anyone who claims to know the arts district.
Contact the critic at john.l.fitzpatrick@asu.edu
