Fabulous food, interesting indoor/outdoor seating score big at cozy Bungalow

By CRYSTAL PETROCELLI
Get Out

Wait: We walked in at 6:30-ish on a Friday and plopped down at a big table in front of a drop-down projection screen playing the Suns game.

Service: All of our silverware, whether used or not, was swiped up after our appetizers were finished and replaced well before our entrées arrived — a rare treat. A new glass of iced tea was delivered as I was sipping the last of my first one. When questioned about our pink whipped potatoes, our server gave a fun-yet-knowledgeable answer but her perfect game bit the dust when she neglected to warn us about said spuds replacing the foccacia stuffing we thought we were getting with our pork loin. Nothing’s worse than salivating for something that never shows up.

What we liked: We enjoyed the Thai hummus starter, a chilled purée of roasted red peppers and garlic with a hint of pepper sauce. It packed a spicy-tangy punch and was surrounded by plenty of bite-size, warm, puffy pita triangles. Those fuschia, sugar sweet potatoes were delightful by themselves and superb when combined with a bite of the apple chutney and tender bourbon demi glazed pork. The steak foccacia sandwich — with its combo of roasted red peppers, melted mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, red onions and roasted garlic aioli — would have scored big if it had more meat. Scene: A chic lounge who’s low lighting, pod of four 42-inch plasma TVs and drop down projection screen make it a nice chill spot for sports. The new bar is basically the opposite of a bungalow with its trendy, rust-red stained concrete flooring, dark grays and tans, votive candles and elevated lounge area with leopard-print speckled tan ottomans. Loved the unique indoor/
outdoor patio set-up.

Bathroom break: The women’s room had a three-way, full length mirror in the corner. Something I’ve yet to see but appreciated the dressing room-like experience.

Tab for two: $60 with tip and tax for hummus ($5), N.Y. bruschetta ($4), filet foccacia ($10), stuffed pork loin ($12), side of asparagus ($5), side of mac & cheese substituted for fries ($2), carrot cake ($5) and iced tea ($2.50).

If work weren’t buying: As far as bar/grills go, the eats don’t get much better than Bungalow.

Unique menu items better than typical bar/grill experience

By CHRIS PAGE
Get Out

Wait: We arrived at 6:45 on a Monday evening and were seated immediately in the dining room. Other than four people at the bar, it was empty.

Service: Our young gal, Elizabeth, just plain rocked. Efficient and expedient, cordial without being overbearing — she was a dream server. We didn’t test her on overall menu knowledge, but she kept our drinks filled and frequently checked up on us. The only glitch: Our entrées came out halfway into our appetizers. (Blame the overzealous kitchen on a dead Monday night.)

What we liked: Everything Bungalow’s kitchen served up screams better than bar and grill food. The tempura artichoke hearts were light and buttery and hush puppy-size, served with a sweet, creamy jalapeño sauce. The ahi tuna was superb, considering we ordered it on a Monday (the fishmonger’s Sabbath; I suspect Bungalow’s ahi is of the frozen or artificially preserved variety). My companion’s prime rib French dip was hearty and juicy. But here’s where Bungalow knocked me off my chair and left me in a pool of my own drool: the Kobe burgers. I chowed down what they call the “ultimate Kobe burger” — a tender patty of beef (don’t dare order it any other way than medium rare, heathens) topped with melted bleu cheese, caramelized apples and served on the freshest bun this side of Princess Leia’s head. Ultimate, indeed; no gagging at the $11 price tag. The burger came with lip-smacking seasoned fries, but I couldn’t help add on a side of creamy mac and cheese. Well worth it.

Scene: Bungalow’s sleek, no-frills dining room design is dimly lit enough to be romantic — if there weren’t big honkin’ TVs situated all over the place, offering up distracting visuals of “SportsCenter” over dinner conversation. But that’s OK. We didn’t have anything to talk about anyway. What’s the score on the big game?

Bathroom break: The men’s room was clean, well-stocked and ... smelling vaguely of cinnamon. My only gripe: What’s with the shorty urinals? Am I supposed to get on my knees?

Tab for two: $50 with tax and tip for artichoke hearts ($5), sesame seared ahi tuna ($8), prime rib French dip ($9), macaroni & cheese ($5), ultimate Kobe burger ($11) and soft drink ($2).

If work weren’t buying: I’ll probably have to start paying attention to sports before I make Bungalow a new favorite hangout. Anyone want to explain the pick-and-roll to me?