Bravi Tuscan Kitchen: Has this gem lost its luster???

Bravi Tuscan Kitchen
5940 West Union Hills Drive
Glendale, AZ 85308
(602) 588-3000
http://www.bravionline.com/

This used to be one of the best Tuscan style Pizza places in Phoenix. I would drive up from Goodyear to 59th Ave & Union Hills whenever I had an excuse to.
The bruschetta was spectacular and the Pizza was like none other I had before.
Then I guess the owner decided to expand.....

We got really excited that he opened on up on Northern Ave & 101 much closer to us.
We got in the 1st week they were open and the pizza was burnt, and the cookies were stale. The bruschetta was ok, but wasnt quite like we expected.

Yesterday I said, I would avoid the Northern location and head out to the original one on 59th ave. WOW! The pizza has fallen to the quality of mall pizza but still above frozen grocery pizza. The cheese appears to have been changed from 3 cheese to what seems to be cheap mozzarella. They over cheesed it so you couldnt really taste the tomato sauce. The pizza was so big it wouldnt fit on the plate so it sort of hung off the plate and grease was dripping on to the table.
The dough was so thin, that many times, if you try to break off a slice of pizza, it would tear from the weight of the cheese and the excessive grease. Even the bruschetta bread wasnt toasted properly so at the end of the meal, it was mushy bread with the tomatoes. it used to be able to withstand a full lunch and still be crunchy and yet soft.

I guess that is what happens when you expand too quickly and forget your original customer base. I wish the owner all the best. Is it possible that both these incidents are isolated..... perhaps. But perception is reality and right now this beautiful pizzeria has been demoted to mall food.

Anyone have similiar or different experiences recently????

Marcellino's Italian Cuisine: Our #1 Pick for the Finest Italian Cuisine outside of Italy

http://www.marcellinoristorante.com/
1301 E Northern Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85020
(602) 216-0004
Get directions

WOW! Hands down this has to be one of the most incredible Italian experiences I have had since my last trip to Rome.

To start with I got to meet the Owners: Sima and Marcellino Verzino. It really shows that they just love Italian food and love to entertain. I basically felt I was in their personal home.

Decor is nice and elegant without being too over the top. This is the only Italian Restaurant to date that I have experienced that is using the team approach of 2 servers per table. Service is International Level!

The food: All his food is fresh and homemade. I tried his one of 7 dinner specials which was a filet filled tortellini, and my wife's was a porcini fettucine in a white truffle oil and lobster. No food compares to Chef Marcellino.

Appetizer Prices run from $9.99 and up.
Dinners can range from $19.95 - $39.95 with some specials exceeding $50.
Desserts are in the $9.95 range.

Whats not good: This is hard. I guess this place only had 1 item so far that I didnt like as much. The beef carpaccio seemed a little too thick by a few millimeters. It could be broken with a fork, but with more work, and the knife was recommended. I am used to carpaccio that I could break with anything -- super paper thin.

Pros:
Incredible Service
Great Food
An Italian Experience

Cons:
Price - although well worth every penny.

I am making this my special ocassion place. Although expensive in cost, it is all worth it. Oh an ask them for their homemade Lemoncello before you leave (as long as you have a designated driver). If you dont know what Lemoncello is..... google it :)

Restaurant Owner Goes above and beyond....

This is an article I found in the Arizona Republic.... I think this will be my next review:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2008/07/17/20080717phx-restaurant0718.html