Trying to find a quick, cheap and tasty lunch when you work on the southeastern outskirts of downtown Phoenix can be a bit of a challenge at times and we were in the mood for
something we hadn't had in a while.
Mexican? No. Burgers? Absolutely not. Rice bowls? Bingo. And off to Blue Fin it was.
Blue Fin Teriyaki makes its home in a small brick stand alone building with a packed parking lot right off the McDowell light rail stop since 1981. The décor is exactly what you would expect. Simple, clean, homey and very blue.
On one wall they have pictures of all the menu items so you know what you're getting yourself into. Panko Fish, Japanese Beef Curry, Vegetable Yakisoba all looked amazing but the familiar scent of teriyaki chicken convinced us to stick with the basics.
We ordered the daily special, which includes two mini spring rolls, salad, teriyaki chicken, rice and a drink for $7. After snatching a table in the back corner we waited patiently for our food to arrive. We noticed how nice it was that the cutest little old Asian woman was walking around checking with all of her guests to make sure their food was perfect and bring them out extra sauce and napkins.
Seriously, who does that anymore?
When Betsey (aka cutest old lady) got to our table, she asked what we had ordered and if we had been in before. We told her that it was our first time and she seemed excited. She told us that our food would be ready shortly and that she was so happy to have us in for lunch. She disappeared and came back with a disappointed look on her face as she brought out our food. We had ordered it to go and she was upset that we wouldn't be there to enjoy it and tell her what we thought. She told us to make sure
and call her if everything wasn't exactly perfect.
We can't remember the last time we had the pleasure of dealing with such a genuinely friendly person, which made us fall in love with the place.
The food was amazing, too. A mountain of juicy pieces of perfectly grilled chicken on top of sticky steamed rice with a green salad on the side and two crispy little spring rolls. They make all of the sauces from scratch, and you can taste the difference. No gelatinous sugary messes here. Plus, they don't skimp on the portions. You could barely close the box there was so much food in it. We definitely had dinner covered as well.
Blue Fin is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. till 6:00 p.m. The light rail makes it a little hard to get to, but it is worth the effort.
