Many years ago, Paradise Valley mall was a true jewel along Tatum Boulevard. The area around it sprang to life and had some great shopping. What always seemed to be lacking, though, were the dining options (unless the PV Mall food court was your thing).

There were plenty of chains and fast food was aplenty. But for some decent, quality, better-than-your-average-chain food, the selections were rare (although you could find a couple if you looked hard enough). Today, PV Mall is set for the grand opening of a Costco that is sure to bring more life to the area and that should lead – hopefully! – to more on the dining scene.

One place that may make an impact is Floyd’s Kitchen, located just north of Cactus on Tatum in the strip mall on the east side of the street. J. was in town and we decided to head up to try Floyd’s for lunch before going to PV Mall to a jeweler we like.

Parking was not a problem and J. immediately spotted the GameStop and the comic book store right next to Floyd’s so I knew the jeweler would have to wait. We entered Floyd’s and the small eatery was fairly empty with a few tables occupied. We were told to sit where we like and took up residence at a table/booth combination. Our server arrived with lunch menus and took our drink order. I had an Iced Tea ($2.00) while J. had a Diet Pepsi ($2.00).

The menu was a melange of American, Pizza, surf and turf and sandwiches. The signature dishes were the comfort food choices of items like meatloaf and pot roast and pork chops. When our server returned with our drinks, we placed our order. To start, we went with the Maple Bacon Wrapped Shrimp ($8.95), the Pot Roast ($9.95) for me, and the Jerk Chicken ($8.95) for J.

While we waited, I relaxed in the chair while glancing over to the large, flat-screen TV playing the day’s college football offering. The interior of the restaurant was minimally decorated, but J. and I agreed had a very comfortable feeling. We also like the music mix which was all over the place from pop to rock to Motown.

Our Maple Bacon Wrapped Shrimp arrived and the plate held five big tiger shrimp encased in bacon and served with a roasted red pepper sauce. I picked one of the shrimp up with my fingers and quickly dropped it on my plate as the thing was searing hot. I cut into a piece and had a bit of worry that the large size of the shrimp might be that I was in for a rubbery experience, but the flavor, texture and temperature of the appetizer were very good. J. and I both were pleased with the fact that it didn’t come with yet another serving of cocktail sauce. The roasted red pepper sauce was a nice change and had some delicate flavors, but I would have preferred to have had it a tad spicy. Still, we both devoured the shrimp.

J.’s Jerk Chicken was a very large portion size. Three big pieces of boneless chicken were liberally treated with Jerk seasoning and served with Caribbean Rice and green beans. The chicken was exceptionally moist and the Jerk seasoning was outstanding. It was very good replication of the traditional dish. J. feasted away on the chicken with a smile on his face. The Caribbean Rice was a mix of long grain rice with beans. J. said it reminded him of dirty rice and, while liking it, would have preferred something with a bit more heat from spice. The green beans were killer. They were perfectly cooked and tossed with a lovely butter sauce. All in all, J. was thrilled with his dish. I thought it was quite good as well.

My Pot Roast was huge. The amount of food on the plate meant I would leave stuffed. A very large portion of slow cooked pot roast in a rich gravy was piled high on my plate and served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a sauteed mix of broccoli, squash, pea pods and peppers. The roast was fork tender with wonderfully seasoned. The gravy was fantastic with its aromatic vegetables and thick stock. It guaranteed the meat was going to be moist. The garlic mashed potatoes were heaven. Pure joy. They were fluffy, socked full of flavor and some of the best mashed potatoes I have had in the Valley in some time. The sauteed vegetables were also quite terrific. Whoever is cooking in the kitchen is a master with vegetables. The whole plate was a nice treatment of American comfort food.

After finishing our meals and relaxing, we asked for the check. Our bill was $34.49 which included tax. We thought it was a complete bargain due to the portion size and the quality of the cooking. Service was attentive and friendly, so we had no complaints there.

In fact, we had few complaints about Floyd’s and lots of compliments. I do think they are holding back a bit on dealing with spice in dishes, but that is an easy fix. However, there was nothing preventing us from giving Floyd’s a big thumbs up for our experience.

We both hoped that Floyd’s will continue for some time to come. The prices are exceptionally reasonable, the food is good, the service is friendly, and the menu has something for everyone.

And it certainly is a welcome break from the myriad of chains that inhabit the PV Mall area.

Floyd’s Kitchen
12601 North Tatum Boulevard
Phoenix, AZ 85032
Dress: Casual
Hours: Monday through Thursday: 11 AM to 10 PM; Friday and Saturday: 11 AM to 11 PM. Closed Sunday
Notes: Patio available. Located between the Cold Stone Creamery and Sprouts.
Alcohol: Beer and Wine.
Website: www.floydskitchen.com