Q: We went to Sam's Club because Costco stopped carrying the gigunda-sized boxes of Sweet & Low, which I go through like water with my Four Ventis a Day Starbucks addiction, all made at home. We're not Sam's Club members, because I had been to one once in New Jersey and found it a poor third-cousin to Costco. We had to wait in line at customer service to get our one-day pass, and did we ever wait. That's because, unlike the big C, there is just one line for returns and any other business you might have. Not much different from Walmart, huh? So we waited, and waited, while one clerk - just one - helped some woman doing we don't know what. Finally, another clerk came along, and we learned that the 5% premium we'd have to pay if we bought something was now 10%. Okay, it still would be cheaper than buying the little boxes at Walmart, by a long shot. The clerk was very friendly. Too friendly. And too busy. She also had to answer phone calls, so we waited some more while she took care of those. And because she was friendly, the calls went on for some time. Also, because she was friendly, she chatted with us non-stop, further delaying our quest for The Pink Stuff. We ambled around Sam's Club, comparing it to our beloved Costco, and just as I remembered, it came up way short. Smaller store, smaller selection, nothing compelling. Come to think of it, maybe we should switch to a Sam's Club membership. We'd sure save a lot of money. And in the end, they didn't have the Sweet & Low, either. I guess I'll have to start skimming some at Starbucks when I buy the beans ;)

A: negative

Q: WTF did you do to my Duck? Of course, I ordered the duck. It was fine enough - BUT they didn't carve the whole duck table side. They sliced choice pieces from the breast and thigh and then LEFT WITH THE REST OF IT. If I wasn't paralyzed by the shock of it, I'd have run after the man wheeling away my duck. What were they going to do with the rest of my delicious duck? It seemed sinister. Well, I learned soon enough. In an effort to be innovative, they used the REST OF MY DUCK to create a stir fry/hash-like dish which they served with lettuce wraps. HOW can they think this is a good idea? Just give me my duck, Wing Lei. Also, the asparagus with black bean sauce lacked the spicy, vinegary bite that I love & can get at my neighborhood chinese restaurant for a quarter of the price. You all get stars for the service which was excellent & prompt - even if it was a little cold. & The dining room at Wing Lei is sumptuous and elegant. Too bad the food didn't live up to the hype.

A: negative

Q: You know how hard it is to find good sushi in Mesa...right? I like Temari, but sometimes want a change without having to drive to Scottsdale, or, heaven forbid, suffer the indignity of eating a "krab" roll at one of the many "bigbox" china buffets in the area. :-) I just found out Sekai Sushi existed the other day...tucked away next to JoAnn Fabrics adjacent to Target. So, I stopped in for a couple of maki rolls for lunch a few days ago. The price was right and the taste was there too, so I went back last night to see how their sashimi and more adventurous rolls are. First off, if you Google Sekai Sushi you can find some reviews that bash this place on a couple of different fronts. Most point to poor (and unfriendly) service and decor. I did not find that to be the case at all. We were greeted with a friendly hello and big smiles from the host and the sushi chef (dude? guy?). The decor is also just fine. No it's not Stingray or Ra, but it is tastefully decorated and clean. It also isn't cramped like Sekana or Temari, which is nice. Started off with salmon sashimi. It was excellent. Very fresh, clean, buttery taste, and it melted in my mouth. Some of the best quality I have found in the Phoenix area. Next stop was a Las Vegas roll, along with shrimp tempura roll. The flavors were there, but the construction was a little lacking as they weren't as tight as they should have been. Next time I will order more traditional rolls as I saw some go out that looked very well constructed. I finally tried some nagiri because I felt I must....ha. I had the hamachi (yellowtail) and I have to say, that it was the best I have ever had. Supremely fresh, with a velvety (sp?) texture that made my eyes roll back in my head. Good stuff. I then ended the meal with some green tea ice cream that was better than average. Soooo....my final thoughts. I will be going back to Sekai Sushi. The quality of the food along with the price make this a very attractive sushi option in Mesa. Regarding the price....the dinner I described above along with two large Asahi's....under $40. You can't beat that with a stick.

A: positive

Q: We tried Tempest for brunch and while the food was good, the service was abysmal. My partner works in the service industry and we are usually very forgiving of stressed staff. But Tempest was not even busy! There were maybe ten tables in the entire restaurant-- dining room, bar, and cocktail lounge. We waited nearly 20 minutes for our order to be taken, and then another 20 before the pot of tea we ordered arrived. My partner had somewhere to be an hour and a half after we arrived-- we figured this would be plenty of time for brunch. An hour into our visit, the waiter and host offered a few apologies for the wait and the server once told us it would be just a few more minutes. Twenty minutes later, my partner had to go. He asked for his food in a to-go container and I stayed behind to wait for it. Fifteen minutes later, the food arrives. (95 minutes after we set foot in the restaurant!) I had ordered an omelet and my partner a salad. The server brought the food, the host brought the to-go containers and set them on the table. One meal was comped and I immediately handed over cash to pay. I sat and ate my omelet, packed up my partner's food, and my change never arrived. Granted, it was less than $1 in change, but after all the waiting, that should have been speedy. No waiters were in sight to ask after it so I left. The food was fine, but we definitely won't be back.

A:
negative