I don’t usually leave negative reviews, but I feel the need to note that my airport lunch in Phoenix was disappointing. I looked up reviews on Eater and picked Cowboy Ciao because it looked like it had a few interesting options that people liked, and was right next to my gate, bonus. I went with this one:
EXOTIC MUSHROOM PAN FRY
A Ciao favorite since 1997!
Assorted mushrooms in an ancho cream sauce over grilled polenta, topped with roma tomatoes and cotija cheese 18.99
But:
a) my first bite of food was cold (and the rest was barely warm)
b) it was supposed to be a poblano cream sauce, and I couldn’t taste any poblano
c) there was no spice heat to it, and poblanos aren’t very spicy, but still, there should have been a tinge
I ended up adding hot sauce from the table, but that had a vinegar tang to it, that didn’t really blend with the other flavors of the dish. Irritating. I really get cranky when I eat mediocre food. I’d rather have had a good apple than this $20 meal.
The French cafe next door, La Madeleine, had lots of yummy looking sweets, and I had a lemon madeleine, which was good. They didn’t have a lot of savory options, but I suspect I would’ve been happier with their croque monsieur or ham and cheese croissant or quiche than what I ate. I’ll know for next time.
