19 June 2008
Alvin’s without the Attitude
Posted by hottie under: American; Continental; Fine Dining .
Alvin’s 4 out of 5 peaks
5200 E. Cortland Blvd.
526-2797
Open Sun. - Sat. for lunch & dinner; Sun. 10 - 2 brunch
Alvin’s tag line is “casual fine dining without the attitude” and featuring the “flair of the southwest”. Both claims are accurate. Alvin’s is inviting and friendly. Their food is simple yet jazzed up a slightly spicy twist. Alvin’s is new in town and hopefully here to stay.
The dining room is spacious though a bit old fashioned. Alvin’s does feature a full service lounge as well. It’s the perfect place for a family dinner, business lunch or for Country Club Eastsiders seeking a nice but unfussy meal.
Fabulous finds for lunch are the melt sandwiches, large and fresh salads, and perfectly cooked onion rings. (My waitress claimed the o rings are the best in town; this could be true, but a close competitor is the Dog Haus.) Sides of southwest slaw and french fries are well done also.
Dinner offers a wide range of choices: steak, pork, chicken, seafood. The buttered herb ribeye is especially good. Potato sides of mashed potatoes with roasted parsnips are wonderful, as are the roasted potatoes. Alvin’s knows their way around potatoes.
Appetizers aren’t quite as good. All are fine, but nothing special. The crab stuffed jalapenos are quite spicy, and I’m a spice fan, but these were too hot. The seeds and ribbing were left in the jalapenos, which makes it burn. The best of the starters is actually the complimentary bread and the unique lime spiked butter.
Desserts were a pleasant surprise and all decently good. Many restaurants offer desserts, but few can offer servings really worth the calories. The homemade caramel sauce is especially fantastic.
Simpler dishes with fewer ingredients are Alvin’s shining stars - they are executed well. Other dishes that are complicated with fussier toppings sometimes get lost in their flavors. Alvin’s should stick with the basics because their versions are so good.
Sunday brunch is a real treat too. For a reasonable cost (and a special kids’ price), the brunch is a buffet featuring an omelet station, carved ham station, along with eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes (so good again!) and pancakes, french toast or chicken fried steak made to order. Brunch comes with a complimentary Bloody Mary or Mimosa. There is also a nice yogurt and fruit parfait offered and a dessert station with fresh fruit and a chocolate fountain with various goodies to dip. It’s a great deal and makes any Sunday special. We were so pleased.
Pricing is reasonable for such fine dining and portions are large. The service has improved much in recent months and ranks highly in town among others. It is fine place to bring children. Kids are treated well and are offered a nice menu of varied selections with healthy side choices.
Alvin’s has also expanded their wine list lately, a real plus for making your meal special.
Alvin’s is one of the greats in Flagstaff and is one of the few restaurants that really cares about what their customers want. Try it out and you’ll be so happy.