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| 2 for $20: Pita Jungle brings cultures together in tasty fashion | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Albert Ching, Get Out | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 9, 2006 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
One can muse this proposition at any of Pita Jungle’s three locations (Tempe, Chandler and Scottsdale). The mood A Sunday afternoon at the busy, noisy Tempe location is as filled to the hummus-soaked brim with the college crowd as the rest of the week, yet there are some older folks enjoying the fare as well. I’m representing for this demographic by bringing my mother along to feast; this might seem like a miscalculation among the hipper-than-thou clientele, but no visible snickering is detected. The place is impeccably clean for a spot within the near radius of ASU. The food Pita Jungle, whose motto is “the art of eating healthy,” sports a menu full of vegetarian delicacies. There are several poultry dishes (including the popular chicken shawarma); as a non-meat-eater I can’t personally vouch, but rumor has it they’re tops. We start with the Mediterranean platter ($8), which is the non-artery-clogging equivalent of a Chili’s-type appetizer. It consists of hummus (chickpea paste), baba ghanoush (amusingly named eggplant dip), tzatziki (yogurt with cucumber), green beans and tabouli, a chopped parsley salad. It comes with two pitas (which came cold — bummer) and is a great sampler for those looking for a smattering of strong tastes. For main courses, I go with my old standby, the falafel pita ($4). It’s like a gyro, but with, well, falafel — fried balls of chickpeas. My mother is more adventurous and opts for the curried spinach potato pita pizza ($6); she can only finish part of it due to our pita-packed pre-gaming, but digs the unique item. The drinks Two waters. A prodigious consumer of H20, I Hoover down my usual six to seven glasses, yet our classy waitress refrains from comments like “save some for the fishes,” a definite plus. The damage $19.08 before tip. The verdict If you dig slightly exotic ethnic food or are looking for nutritious food worth eating, Pita Jungle is worth the trip — even if getting to the Tempe location is akin to navigating the Temple of Doom due to the light-rail construction. Just the facts Where: 1250 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Prices: Appetizers $3-$8, pita sandwiches $4-$6, pita pizzas $6 Info: (480) 804-0234 or pitajungle.com Contact Albert Ching by email, or phone (480) 898-5688 |
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