Photos by Madeline Pado
Grade: A-
Only a place like Blue Hound could take a fast-food selection of a fried chicken sandwich, fries and Chex Mix and turn it into a gourmet masterpiece filled with rich and zany flavors.
Located at CityScape in downtown Phoenix, Blue Hound is a perfect place for a fancy lunch or a fun date.
Inside, the ambiance resembles an Urban Outfitters if it met an upscale wine parlor. The urban decor of stylish leather couches, sleek wooden tables and modern furnishings creates a fun, swanky atmosphere.
I felt welcomed the minute I entered; I was immediately ushered to a table and given a menu. My waiter was congenial, willing to explain the menu and offer suggestions on what to order.
I decided on the Partner’s In Dine lunch special, served Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It offers a choice of two small appetizers, a salad and a sandwich to share for $11 per person.
The bitter lemon soda, infused with strawberry honey, was a light and refreshing mixed drink, bursting with the perfect combination of tart lemons and sweet strawberries.
The two appetizers were brought out first — the Kennebec potato french fries and the spiced Chex Mix. The former was deliciously cooked with a light crunchy coating and topped with savory seasonings of rosemary and parmigiano-reggiano. The latter was somewhat humorous, as a mere bag of Chex Mix looked like an exorbitant meal, covered in chile lime powder and presented in an elaborately carved wooden bowl.
The main course of a field green salad and Kentucky fried chicken was nothing short of delectable. The salad was crisp, fresh and topped with the perfect amount of dressing and vegetables. And don’t let the title of “Kentucky fried” fool you; the sandwich’s quality was miles above that of any grease-drenched, cheap fast food. The chicken was fried perfectly, crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside, covered with coleslaw and paired with a potato roll for the complete Southern experience.
The middle-age downtown employees enjoying a glass of wine with a fresh salad make Blue Hound a refreshingly classy eatery compared with the multiple fast-food joints in the area. This simple elegance of the restaurant makes it both a comfortable yet sophisticated place to dine.
Blue Hound is an excellent find in the downtown Phoenix area, and while the price of most of the items on the menu, ranging from $8 to $22, isn’t exactly college-friendly, the restaurant is well worth the experience and the price on special occasions.
Contact the critic at lauren.l.clark@asu.edu
