Montreal. Montreal. Montreal.

That is all J. and I have been talking about and I was certain that most people were sick of hearing about all our plans. Most thought we were nuts for planning a trip to Canada in the winter, but I have always been an “off season” traveler where I can get smoking deals on flights and hotels and avoid the crowds. In spite of my obsession with making this trip a success for J. and I, I was reminded that I still have obligations here in Arizona.

Mom reminded me that Dad always looks forward to a meal with me and then enjoys rushing home to explain why he ate so much. So, she suggested I invited Dad out to dinner and knowing that a guilt trip would commence if I said know, I called Dad on his cell and suggested a dinner. I already had a Thai restaurant picked out but Dad said he wanted some Southern cooking and I scrambled to meet his expectations.

After some searching, I found a spot in Glendale and Dad and I raced across town to Restaurant 28. Of course, neither of us were surprised when we pulled into a run-down strip mall and found the old, faded sign housed above the entrance. I noticed that it was in the same strip mall as Shish Kabob House which I think I might have heard has really good hummus. We walked into the place and I was a bit taken aback by the size of the dining room. Five tables total. The interior was tiny and Dad and I looked at each other as though perhaps we made a mistake.

I turned to Dad and said, “Well, I’m game if you are.” Dad retorted with a quick, “Sure, but no discussion of Montreal.” Geez.

So, we took the only table available – a very small two-top – and made ourselves comfortable. A few moments passed and a young woman approached us and offered us menus and said she would be with us in a bit as she was trying to get some food out to a party of five that was using two of the tables. Another woman approached us and asked if we wanted something to drink. We each ordered a Diet Coke ($1.25) which was served in the can with a glass of ice.

Dad was beside himself trying to figure out what to order because there were so many excellent choices on the menu. Our server finally arrived and took our order. Dad decided to get the Beef Ribs & Shrimp Dinner ($14.99) and selected Sweet Corn and Braised Cabbage as his sides. I opted for the Chopped BBQ Pork ($9.49) with the Mac & Cheese and Collard Greens. We also decided to get a large order of Hush Puppies ($2.95). Dad also suggested that should we want more, he would get the Fried Okra or the Sausage Casserole. With 16 sides to choose from, we were hoping that we could indeed order more.

Our wait was only about 15 minutes before the food started arriving. Dad’s Beef Ribs and Shrimp Platter was quite substantial. I loved the scent of the ribs. But Dad was quick to attack the braised cabbage and sweet corn. He polished off the corn in no time and said he should have asked for a double order. The corn was quite good with a natural sweetness and a slight crunchiness. The braised cabbage was just as good, we both thought, but what made it stand out was the fact that it had a bit of cayenne pepper which had us both working up a sweat. Dad then cut into his ribs because they were slathered in sauce and too messy to handle with his fingers. He said the meat was fork tender and delicious. He loved the sauce and described it as mostly tangy and very thick. He said the ribs were outstanding because they were meaty with very little bone. The roll that was served with both our meals was fairly garden variety, but was good for mopping up the juices.

The Shrimp had clearly been breaded in-house and were fried golden brown. Six jumbo shrimp were served in a paper bowl. We each tried one and I thought the breading really made them stand out. The shrimp were clean and fresh. Dad noted that they didn’t need any sauce of any kind because they were robust with flavor on their own. They must have been good because Dad finished them in no time.

I was expecting a pile of BBQ pork covered with a deep red BBQ sauce when my plate arrived, but I was surprised to see a nice serving of chopped pork that hadn’t been drowned in sauce along with a hearty serving of Mac & Cheese and a heaping serving of Collard Greens. I tried the pork and was very happy with the tenderness and the subtle flavor, but it did need a bit of enhancement so I treated it with some of the BBQ sauce in a bottle on the table along with a shake of vinegar. The final product was superb. The tang from the sauce and vinegar along with the savory flavor of the pork was wonderful. I also loved the Mac & Cheese because it was not mushy and had a small amount of crunch on the top from the baked cheese. The Collard Greens were also top notch because they were spicy and had a salty edge to them. This was a perfect comfort food meal.

Although everything we had had to eat was excellent, nothing compared to the sheer addictive nature of the Hush Puppies. The round nuggets of fried cornmeal dough were fantastic. The exterior of each piece was perfectly fried and crunchy while the interior was soft and moist with an earthy, corn flavor that had Dad and I eating them like pieces of candy. They were sublime and I told Dad that I could easily have a meal of just some of their side dishes, including the hush puppies.

When we had finished the last of the hush puppies, Dad was complaining that he had eaten far too much food. I then began my push to get him to agree to split a dessert. It didn’t take much except to mention they had Peach Cobbler ($3.49) and Dad said he would have a bite or two.

When the Peach Cobbler was presented, it was a simple dish in a styrofoam container. If there was one weak link to the meal, this was it. I think it would have been better if it has been warmed up, but it was stone cold. The taste was flavorful and the peaches were lightly spiced with cinnamon. The flaky crust was also perfect for the dish, but I couldn’t get past the fact that it would have been ten times better had it been warm.

Even though we were not fans of the cobbler, we thought our trip to Restaurant 28 was a big success. Our final bill was $38.08 which included tax and several additional cans of Diet Coke. We thought the value of the meal was very good due to the large, filling servings. We thanked our hosts and departed.

As we headed back to Phoenix, I asked Dad what he thought and he said he would come back to Restaurant 28 in a heartbeat. I agreed. Despite the tiny interior and our dislike of the cobbler, we loved the place and had visions of working our way through the menu, especially the sides. Dad thanked me for the invitation to dinner. I was happy that Dad was happy.

And, since we had finished eating and left the restaurant, I got to spend most of the drive home telling Dad all about our plans for Montreal.

Restaurant 28
5025 West Olive Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85302
Dress: Casual
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday – 11 AM to 9 PM; Friday and Saturday – 11 AM to 9:30 PM; 2nd and 4th Sundays – 1 PM to 7:30 PM; Closed Mondays.
Notes: Toward the back of the strip mall. Ample parking.
Alcohol: None.